Rust Proofing: Did You Know That ...?
There’s no wrong time to give your vehicle a good rust proofing treatment, but ideally, you shouldn’t wait until winter’s cocktail of cold, slush and salt is already here.
Some vehicle owners will choose an independent specialised shop, while others will turn to a dealership selling their car’s brand, which are more likely to know all the features and specs of your particular model, but you could find their bill a bit high. The best would be to find a reputable place you can trust where your budget will be taken into account.
Here are a few things you should know about rust proofing …
Did you know that you need to clean the car before a treatment? This includes the underside. Some car washes have the equipment to do it, as well as most rust-proofing centres. Applying a layer of oil or grease on dust and mud isn’t very efficient, as you can imagine!
Did you know that rust proofing is recommended even if you park your car inside a heated garage? The effects of salt and calcium are amplified by sudden temperature changes.
Did you know that your car will still benefit from rust proofing even if it already has a few rust spots? If you want to keep it as long as possible, even if it has begun to rust, the oil or grease coating applied to the body will delay the oxidation process and increase its lifespan.
Did you know that hybrid and electric cars must be treated differently? As a matter of fact, a wrong application can cause damage to some electrical components.
Did you know that most manufacturer’s warranties don’t cover surface rust? What you think is a hole in your car’s body could just be surface damage caused by rust and there’s nothing to do in this case. Speaking of warranty, the one covering your drivetrain could be voided by some makers if they think a rust proofing treatment done by an independent shop has damaged certain components. However, they must prove it, which is easier said than done.
Did you know that a grease-based treatment is the best choice? “With proper application, this product is the most durable. It won’t drip like oil”, explains George Iny, president of the Automobile Protection Association (APA).
Did you know that rust proofing products can drip on hot components, giving off a bad smell? This happens frequently with oil-based treatments, but you shouldn’t worry about it. Once the excess product has finished dripping, the odours will disappear. Park your vehicle outside for a few days and everything should go back to normal.
Did you know that electronic rust proofing is by far the least effective treatment? The experts have never been able to prove the effectiveness of such a treatment on a car, even though it has been proven to work well on metallic objects with large flat surfaces, like waste containers and ocean liners for example.
