Rust Proofing the undercarrage
 

With winter coming up in 4mths or so I am starting to think how I can protect my 8 for the winter season. I know I need to get snow tires (I'm thinking 17' with brigdestone blizzaks WS-50's or LM-22's) and my friend keeps insisting that I get the undercarrage rust proofed. From my understanding, all that involves is putting some sort of "goo" on the bottom of the car. Has anyone had experience with this? If so, does it help? Any comments and opinions would be helpful! :) I'm just worried because MI puts down A LOT of salt during the winter season.

I've thought about getting a beater for winter but I already have two cars (2nd is a droptop 65' Lincoln Continental that occupies my garage during winter months) and I think that a single guy with 3 cars would be a little bit of overkill.

Thanks for reading!!

Do the beater. I lived in Ohio for 10 years and the winters will be hell on your car even if you get it rust proofed in my opinion. One reason (of several) I'm glad I don't live in the midwest anymore.

Check your warrantee papers. When our saleman went over the warrantee package, he specifically mentioned coverage for rust. I don't remember the details and am too lazy to go out to the garage and look.

I wonder if the fine print excludes brake rotors? :)

I used to work at a dealership - that rustproofing goo that goes on the bottom of the car does more damage than good. Because it's not factory applied, it can detach from the bottom of the car, but not fall off, creating voids where water and salt collect. Water and salt collected = rust!

Here's my recco - salt is hell on your car. If buying a "salt car" is not an option, then very simple solution - wash the car every week! Be sure to get the underside - I just take it to one of those "full service" places that the car rides through while you get out and walk. They usually have an undercarriage bath option with "corrosion neutralizer" basically a chemical they add to the water to neutralize the salt (which is a base - so I'm guessing that's a mildly acidic additive to the wash water). I've done this with every car I've had and have never had rust issues at all, even after 8 years. The game is wash, wash, wash!

I think the car has an 8 year no miliage limit corrosion warrenty. The only way to void this (i think) is if you have body work done to the car, and its not a mazda autorized service center, then the parts they repair wont be covered by the mazda corrosion warrenty. Although most good body shops will warrenty their work for the lifetime you own the car.

Really these days, as long as you keep the car washed.....rust isnt a big issue

Also, that dealership applied goo is typically applied by the wash rack jockey who has no discretion for where he sprays it ... which leads to plugged up drain holes and worse. Avoid aftermarket rustproofing like the plague.

What's winter got to do with anything???? :confused:

You can get the car treated at specialty places who know what they are doing, such as Ming. Still, wash it often. Watch for places in the wheelwells, bumper covers, and along the sides where dirt will build up in crevaces. Wash those out with a hand sprayer at least once a year. If you follow this, you shouldn't have any serious problems. Be aware, any car is going to wear out or suffer some rust damage, no matter what you do. Do you want to lock it away forever to protect it or do you want to enjoy using it!

the roads in MI are covered in salt.

hey go blue is your rx blue? I may have seen it outside the union a couple months back...

I think I know what car you a re talking about and no it is not me. I have Tit gray. That blue one has gold rims on it right? I see that one every now and then going to/from campus.

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I just purchased a 2005 RX-8, and did opt to get the full 'environmental protection package' offered by the dealership. This included a two-part undercoating -- one part is a corrosion inhibitor that goes over most of the undercarriage (not sticky goo, though, evidently it's a newer 'higher tech' treatment), the other part is gooier asphalt-based sound dampener, only applied sparingly. Have yet to see the car up on a lift, but it seems to have been done right. Perhaps it's worth finding a place that will do this sort of treatment (versus the old-school "spray the whole bottom of the car with tar" treatment).

How much did that protection package cost? Let me know if you have a chance to get pics of the underbody. I would be interested in seeing what that looks like....or maybe I'll just talk to my dealer and see what they have to offer.

thanks for the info.

I thought the car was aluminum. How serious is rust going to be?

Only the rear doors and the hood are aluminum.

Hate to rain on the parade, but that "environmental protection package" (EPP) was also called the EPP by our finance department - "Extra Profit Package".

The shit they spray under the car is totally unnecessary, and harmful to boot. If you think the car needs it, don't you think the automaker would put it on?

The paint protection is a simple, silicon/polymer based "wax" product. The "renewer" they give you with it is simply more of the product. You're far better off just waxing your car every 2-3 months, and besides, doing so you're spending swee time with your baby.

The "fabric/carpet care"? That's marketed at Walmart under the brand name of Scotchguard. I spray it on every new car I buy.

When I worked in the biz, the "EPP" was $399.00. Including cost of labor and product, our cost of putting it on was under $100. Do the math.

Sorry you bought it, and to the person interested from this thread? Don't buy it.

Wow... good point. But I don't always trust the automakers.

StewC625, How long have you had your car and how many winters has it been through? I'm assuming no rust problems is that correct?

Geez,
Read any reviews of dealers or "rust-proofing" and they all say you have to be an idiot to buy it. Even if there is a slight chance it would help and not hurt it is way over priced. Hell even Z-bart has gone away from advertizing undercoating as much because most know it is a joke. I would think people that buy an 8 would know enough in general to check these things out years ago.

you are forgetting a few things:
a. a lot of the buyers are young so they never saw the problems caused by these useless products
b. a lot of buyers are old and remember when all cars rusted a lot
c. pt barnum was right and companies and products like this will always be around

I've had nothing but Japanese cars since 1983 - between my wife and me:

1 Mazda 626 (83)
1 Mazda RX-7 (85)
3 Honda Accords (88-92-95)
3 Acura Integras (86-87-95)
3 Honda Odysseys (96-00-04)
2 Acura Legend Coupes (90-93)
1 Acura TL (2001)
1 Mazda RX-8 (2004)

Average wintering is 4 years on all of them, average mileage at trade is 60,000.

No rust whatsover, and in fact none of them looked even remotely aged except for the 86 Integra which was totalled in a flood.

Rust proofing = ripoff.

I live in Chicago. The Salt Captial of the world.

Wash your car - the best defense.

Stew

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I would've just as soon declined the "EPP." My wife, though, sought out her father's advice on the subject... and he is a diehard proponent of getting cars undercoated/scotchgard-ed/etc. Guess whose opinion won out.

Oh well, it only amounts to an extra $10-$20 or so per month, anyway. Gotta pick your battles, y'know.

ouch ... $10/month x 48 months: $480. $20/month x 48 months = $960

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Whoops, that was not what the EPP alone cost!
The $10/$20 per month was the total for the dealer add-ons -- that includes the EPP, extended warranty, etc. All the stuff you shouldn't (and probably don't) need when you buy a new car. I should've been more specific. Also we're on a 60-month loan, which makes the numbers even... ummmm... less favorable.

On the plus side, we now have an RX-8. :cool:

Hey, keep going on the positive bro! :) It's all good.