new vehicles and factory rustproofing

[stout1]

I live in the midwest (salt belt) and was wondering what steps I should take to protect and take care of a new vehicle. Is what they do at the factory good enough? Should I take it somewhere and have rust proofing stuff applied? I am looking for what others know, or have done and such. Thank You.

Michael

 

[MacGyverS2000]

New cars are pretty much as rust-proof as they're going to get, so don't waste your money... all they'll do is take a couple spray cans of $3 sealant and charge you $500-$2500 for it. Not to mention they often times clog up the weep holes in the process, actually promoting rust.


Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[JDana]

I've heard that you don't need anything on modern cars, that was after getting a BRAND NEW 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee rustproofed. I planned on keeping it forever. Well forever came last fall and when sold the only rust was at the bottom of the tailgate and bottom of the drivers door. Neither was quite yet visible from the outside. Ours was/is better that several others of the same vintage that I'm aware of (co-worker's and randon car lot specials). I should mention that the door didn't have sealer applied to the seam from the factory like the others did.

If you plan on keeping it, for the $200 I think it's worth it. If you have the dealer do it it costs more.

 

[stout1]

Thanks for the replys so far. The dealer says it covers any hollow cavity ie doors, tailgate part of the front fender. Well my tailgate is AL and it doesn't cover the box so it would be mainly just the doors. They charge 300-350 (can't remember for sure) for a liftime warranty but it must be a through hole. Thank You.

Michael

 

[NickE]

Not worth it..... It can make rusting worse as macgyvers2000 says....

the most important thing that those of us in the Salt Belt can do to prevent rust on our cars is:

Wash it... Regularly and often. Especially in the winter, and be certain to wash the greasy side of the car as well as the shiny side.

 

[strokersix]

In addition to washing when possible, I've always thought it better to leave the car outside in the cold instead of parking inside a warm garage. That way corrosion reactions will be slower and slushy deposits remain frozen. Makes sense to me but I've never heard this confirmed anywhere else. Anyone know if this is true or not?

 

[NickE]

I do know that frozen slush isnt as bad as wet stuff.

I used to live much further north than I do now, winter there was much nicer on cars, salt wasnt as effective (temp) so they mostly used sand/dirt. Since it would be below freezing for most of the time if you washed your car well and dried it good, and didn't use the heat the snow wouldnt stick and the car would stay clean for longer.

 

[swall]

The corrosion protection on today's cars is light years ahead of what it was in the 60's and 70's. E-coated bodies, one and two side galvanized steel, zinc rich primers, etc. Better engineering knowledge of deisgning bodies so that the nooks and crannies that hold mud and salt crud are minimized. Also better test methods, such as the proving grounds type cyclic corrosion tests. I had a new, '76 AMC Hornet "rust proofed" and five years later, the front fender tops were rusted from the inside. As NickE said, washing the salt off is important. And get under the car with a hose so you can rinse crud out of the areas that tend to colletc it.

 

[TheBlacksmith]

It's very hard to believe that they can get a perfect coating through small holes and any imperfections can be the start of a problem. Thorough washing, including the underside, inside of the wheel wells, etc. removes the deposits, rather than jsut blocking them. You sound like a thorough kind of guy, maybe you just took betetr care of your old car; thatt's why it looked better.

 

[safetydan]

The way modern cars are designed and painted, there really isn't any place a vehicle does not get painted. Most of the parts which aren't directly painted by the manufacturer are E-coated by the parts supplier. Vehicle designers also put in vent holes in various parts of the cars so the corrosion protection can reach every part of the car, inside and out of the body. Spending a bunch of money on an aftermarket rust proofing is fool-hardy.

A good underbody cleaning after each snow storm is one way to help maintain the underside of your car in the salt belt.

 

[Boothby171]

Simple cost calculation, I would think: cost of rustproofing vs. cost of multiple car washes (only count the "extra" washes after those snowstorms), measured out over the duration of the warrantee...

 

[Comcokid]

The problem with many car washes is that a portion of the wash water is recycled. During the winter, dissolved salt can build up. You're effectively giving your car a salt-water shower, and pressure-spraying it into the remote crevices of the car.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Interesting point, comco... I thought the water was fresh each time (though I would never take my car through one of those blasted things).

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[NickE]

some are some arn't, the local 1.25 pressure wash your own (car, truck, bike, boat, dog, atv...etc) isnt, and it's not to hard to find a drive through one that doesnt.



Nick
I love materials science!

 

[Comcokid]

Car wash water resuse somewhat depends upon the local or state environmental regulations. There are areas where the local do-it-yourself-for-a-handful-of-quarters wash use recycled water for almost everything. Usually only the final rinse/wax is fresh water so it doesn't leave water spots on the car.