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I rustproofed vehicles back in the 70's and besides irritating the mechanics
there are only so many places you can actually get the stuff on or into
the worse part was having to clean out the door drains otherwise it would
rust from the inside
That said, if you like in an area that gets lots of snow and salt is used to treat the road and you plan on keeping the car for a long time, then get it for peace of mind.
The aftermarket lady says manufacturers no longer undercoat or rustproof automobiles. Is that true? Should I have the car undercoated?
Plastics/rubber have made it largely pointless. The underside of your car is covered in plastic/rubber splash guards and similar things, and modern construction doesn't have the propensity to trap water/salt and rot from the inside out (ex: old frame rails). Your fender wells no longer rot because they've got a liner in them now.
And so on. The bits that can't be protected this way are things that a coating won't protect either, like suspension components or your exhaust.
While your car might still be made of "steel", the exact compositions of it have changed drastically in the past decades with advances in materials science, so even the metal components are less rust-prone.
As for an anecdote, I have a 14 year old Mazda Tribute that has spent Nov-April bathed in salt in the Northeast. It's got >200k on it, and is just starting to rust and not in any visible area. It will die mechanically before rust becomes a real concern.
""Cars leaving the factories today all have excellent rust-proofing," Quincy says."
From the Fox News article above.
Wrong !
Are the cars better today? Yes.
In the 1970's the manufacturers didn't even paint the inside panels of automobiles.
Today, all parts of car are painted. So that does make the cars a little more resistant to rust.
At one point in the 1990's some manufacturers did spray a wax like material on some vehicles. But even that is gone now - because of CAFE standards and weight reductions.
There is no rustproofing on any new cars today.
So if you live in the rust belt you do need something else. Such as oil undercoating or Fluid Film.
I don't think that Kamil Skawinski of Fox News has a clue what he is talking about in that article.
rustproofed vehicles back in the 70's and besides irritating the mechanics
there are only so many places you can actually get the stuff on or into
the worse part was having to clean out the door drains otherwise it would
rust from the inside
Yep, I worked for a dealer that was selling rustproofing for $149.00 a pop. Back then that was good money.
It was nick-named "Rhinohide" by the sales dept. and it came with a mickey mouse guarantee that never paid a dime. They managed to sell it on just about every vehicle.
Like you said, if you popped the door panel you'd see it plug up the drain holes and you'd also see all the places that it missed. It caused more problems than anything else, but it was a big profit builder.
Did you read your warranty? The car has a 5 year unlimited mile rust through warranty. It won't cover rust that forms from stone chips or surface rust underneath the car but if it actually rusts through, its covered. Cars today are manufactured from dipped / galvanized metal so they do not rust like cars from the seventies and eighties. The exhaust systems on most cars are stainless steel so they last the life of the car. Drive through a car wash once a week (the kind that has the underneath spray). And read your warranty (and your owners manual while you're at it).
Some time ago, I read on another forum about spraying the underside of vehicles with oil to prevent rust. I don't remember what kind of oil, how much, or any other details. Perhaps someone will know.
There are places like ziebart but if you live in the snowbelt states just get your undercarriage rinsed off from time to time. Today's cars are way different then those of the 70's and 80's. The steel used today is not prone to rust like it use to be. Cars today have a corrosion warenty check your manual. If the dealer offers it it's for them to make money just like when they suggest getting your power stearing fluid changed or other fluids. It's all a scare tatic and a money maker.
The aftermarket lady says manufacturers no longer undercoat or rustproof automobiles. Is that true? Should I have the car undercoated?
Once I hear one lie uttered, I automatically refuse to believe anything else said by that person, and that woman (most likely not a "lady" in the real sense) was lying.
If vehicles are no longer rustproofed, then why is the rampant body rot of years ago not much of a factor today?
If the vehicle isn't rustproofed, then why would Toyota put their reputation and their money on the line by providing a 5 year rust-through warranty?
If you live in an area where a lot of road salt is used during the winter, then you should make sure to run the car through a commercial car wash with an underbody wash as soon as possible after each snowstorm. That will do more for keeping the car rust-free as anything else.
And, I have to point out that if the person doing undercoating is...less than skillful...he can wind up sealing the drain holes that are built into certain body panels. Sealing those drain holes will allow rain water to remain inside those panels and will actually accelerate the rust process.
When they try all of those "up-sells" after you have made your deal, just say no.
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