General Fit TalkGeneral Discussion on the Honda Fit/Jazz.
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How many of you that are buying a Fit will be getting the undercoating and do you consider it necessary? Any other need to purchases for adding to the life span of the Fit, I plan on keeping it a long time.
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I am also pondering this undercoating stuff as well.
I know my city uses salt but I haven't seen rustbuckets in quite a while, not on the new cars anyways...
I personally will do it non-dealership affilitated place. An independent oil-based gook sprayer to the undercarriage has helped me in the past. The good ol' WalMart $39.97 special once a year is was good enough for me.
I don't do it for the paint; a good strip/claybar and polish should protect the finish.
Also, Don't confuse undercoating with a true rustproofing job. The oily based undercarriage spray may have rust inhibitive properties in it but it will aid in suspension creaks and moans as the car ages and will keep it to a minimum.
Working underneath the car will draw some extra grease, but it is well worth it.
Just was googling the term undercoating and one must research as to what type or process they plan to get. The one that hardens and sound deadens is a type, then there is the annually applied one which is a thick gooky oil not to be confused with rustproofing though. There is ashphalt undercoating, rubberized undercoating etc.
Do not buy the undercoating. It's retarded. Modern steel is galvanized against rust anyway. Not worth the added weight. Or the fact that they spray it all over everthing.
"Do not buy the undercoating. It's retarded. Modern steel is galvanized against rust anyway. Not worth the added weight. Or the fact that they spray it all over everthing."
To paraphrase CarDemon's earlier statement: There are different types of undercoatings. Some (rust proofing) are quite useful (and actually work quite well) for those of us who live in environments were commuting to-and-from work subjects our cars to daily salt baths for several months of the year.
Steel sheets are pre-galvanized, but the process is compromised or defeated when the sheetmetal is folded more than a given number of degrees during stamping, and from welding. This causes weakness in the galvanized sheet's underlying crystalline structure in the first case, and breakage in the latter's.
A salt bath? Well, you'd be surprised of were salt crystals can wind up. And they sure as hell would take to badly finished folds like flies to s_ _ t, irrespective of paint baths or what-have-you.
An oil based undercoating every year (or every other year for those living dangerously) will give your vehicle years of extra life. My '91 Civic is (almost) living proof!
The polymer undercoating can be applied by brush, roller or spray. This is meant to attenuate vibrations and resonance. I'd only recommend it on restorations, garage queens or new (just-off-the-boat/out-of-the factory-door) vehicles.
Of course, those living in arid places would do well to stay away from the dealers' scams. Cars will last practically forever in that kind of environment, so long as they're washed and waxed on a regular basis.
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Last edited by Green Lightning; 04-11-2006 at 06:53 PM.
I started the other thread to find more info on undercoating. I found out there are 3 diff. "types" at Ziebart. Undercoating, Rustproofing and Sound Barrier.
I checked my Warrenty book tonight and Honda Canada warranties Rust perforation 5 years/no distance limit
Surface corrosion - 3 years/ no distance limit.
I qoute; "free from defects----cause perforation from the inner surface to outer surface of the body. ---Application of additional corrosion inhibiting materials is unnecessary and not recommended by Honda."
Like I said b4, the car is so new I don't want somebody practicing on it and later finding out my passenger window's motor is jammed up with sprayed rustproofing.
Looks like, as another poster mentioned, a weekly car wash is the best defence in the winter.
I already found two spots that need attention. The front of the rear wheel well has 1/4 cup of wet sand sitting there already and there is a gap at the top of the rear tail lights where water can get in behind the plastic, even with the hatch closed.
Undercoating is the dealer's way of ripping you off some more.
thats great, im sure as a business, the dealer should just give stuff away for free. i mean, why make a profit? im sure everyone at the dealership goes to work to give things away.
thats great, im sure as a business, the dealer should just give stuff away for free. i mean, why make a profit? im sure everyone at the dealership goes to work to give things away.
I respect a dealership for making a buck, but I'm sure the surcharge is so high that an independent shop around the corner would do it for much cheaper.
I remember when dealerships would charge $400-500.00 for rustproofing when a reputable chain affiliation could do it for $120.00 taxes in. And what about the good ol' 3M Scotch Guard upholstery deal from the dealers. I would buy couple of cans at Walmart for $4.97 and do it myself. Let's just say the dealerships do not have our best interests at heart historically.
Do not let a dealership undercoat or rustproof your car if you decide to go that route. For those of us in Northern climates who commute in snow, slush and have cities that use salt on the roads, it is a consideration; whether or not you blast away your car every week in the winter months. Like someone said, you'ld be surprised were build-up accumalates..,I've seen this after spring swaps on cars 1-2yrs old. And how much more weight is the undercoat gonna add anyways? Now if I lived in Arizona or NewMexico there would be no need.
im not going to argue that dealership rustroof/undercoat is going to be a bargain, because its not.
for one, dealership's labor cost alone is 110 per hour, cost is 80 per hour. it doesnt take a genius to see that there is roughly a 20-25% profit margin. now if you include parts, and commission to the salesperson/manager that sold you the item. if they dont charge 300 or so, there is no profit. my dealership charge 298 for rustproof/undercoat.
Since I plan on keeping mine longer than the factory warranty for rust, I'll be getting mine rustproofed. The application also reduces the chances of items like gas lines, gas tank, suspension components, etc. from rusting. It also helps reduce the chances of the bolts seizing.
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