How to Prevent Your New Car From Rusting

There are basically two methods to effectively prevent a new car from rusting. Rust, itself, is the result of the chemical reaction of metal being exposed to oxygen. The more technical term for rusting is slow "oxidation." The first method that effectively prevents a vehicle from rusting is to add specific alloys to steel when it is being manufactured so that it will resist oxidation. The second method to prevent the formation of rust is to use rustproofing or undercoating to prevent the oxygen from contacting the metal. The effectiveness of this rustproofing barrier though depends on the quality of the actual application. However, as most new cars nowadays do come equipped with rustproof protection from the factory, the validity of aftermarket rustproofing is an important issue when you are buying a new car.

Is Rustproofing Necessary for a New or Used Car?

In the past, consumers located in areas of North America that are prone to snowy and salty conditions did require after-market rust protection for their new cars. However, today vehicles are manufactured with rustproofing already included and most new cars have 100,000 mile or six year long rust warranties. Consequently, modern-day consumers can expect long-term car warranties of rust resistance on these new vehicles directly from the manufacturer. (For information on auto warranties in general, please visit WarrantyDirect.com.) As a direct result, most new cars, except for the lower-end models, do not require this extra service that auto dealers often offer to customers.

Additionally, for used cars one must carefully assess the usefulness of putting the rustproofing on the vehicle as the vehicle itself may already be rusted out.

However, this situation does not stop some car dealers from offering this "extra" at the end of the car buying process, as they do make a substantial profit on this rustproofing service and, thus, are quite willing to endorse the service to customers. Additionally, in some cases rustproofing can actually enhance the possibility that your vehicle will rust even faster and cause car problems. This somewhat surprising turn of events occurs when the vehicle drainage holes become blocked due to the rustproofing treatment and end up collecting moisture (which of course leads to corrosion).

When is Rustproofing a Good Idea for a New or Used Car?

If, on the other hand, you have a restored older used car or a repaired newer car, aftermarket rustproofing is definitely something that you should seriously look into, especially if you live in areas with snowy, salty conditions. (Salt hastens the rusting process to the extreme if the vehicle is kept in a heated garage.) However, you may also have to replace complete parts with parts that are rust resistant. To ensure that you receive the best price for the rustproofing service though, you should compare the cost of this service offered at various businesses.

Of course, as with any car buying add-on, one should ensure that he or she is dealing with a reputable company, as some companies just do a light treatment and miss key areas that should definitely be treated. To ensure that your vehicle is properly treated, you should go one step further and watch the treatment as it is being applied to your vehicle. A reputable car dealer will have no qualms about letting you watch as your vehicle is being rustproofed. If they do have a problem with you watching the rustproofing process, simply take your business elsewhere.

Consult Edmunds.com for pricing on rustproofing and other options.