Best Way To Rust-Proof?

[Phishin]

Recently purchased a 2010 Accord. 33k miles.

It's spend it's entire life in Michigan. Now it's in Indiana. It's in the rust belt.

Is it too late to rust proof this car? Or will rust-proofing trap the salt that's already found it's way onto the car...into the car?

If it's still a good idea to rust proof my Accord....what method or product do you recommend? Or just leave it alone?

 

[Donald]

In the US, CarWell is best, followed by Fluid Film.

The stuff will get behind the salt and rust and prevent new rust. But it should be applied yearly.

You can buy the product and do it yourself. There are places that will do Fluid Film. Only two places in NY that do CarWell.

In Canada its Krown, same as CarWell.

 

[supton]

Hose it off, to get as much as you can off. Just washing once/month is probably going to do wonders. But you really have to get under it.

I've done lots of reading here, and am going with Fluid Film. Krown is reputed to be better, but it's a Canadian product. I've found it reasonably cheap (FF that is) at McMaster-Carr, I think I just paid under $7/11oz can, shipped.

FF wears off, so it has to be applied once/year. I figure, if I keep a small stash on hand, I can always just give everything a touchup shot when I'm working on it (tire rotation, yearly brake check, whatever). And once a year crawl under it and hose it down.

One thing I've noticed, maybe others, is that it's the suspension parts that take the worst, followed by any sheetmetal traps/welds. Floorboards don't seem to rot like they used, but rocker panels and anyplace where water could stand do. I don't think you have to spray every inch of sheetmetal underneath as much as anything that was shot in flat black. Anything that is sheetmetal gets the same rustproofing as the sheetmetal you can see, which is pretty decent; it's anything painted black which was shot with the cheapest possible paint. And all the exposed threads too.

 

[Falken]

Buy 2 or 3 cans of Fluid Film and get the car in the air and spray it down in areas that rust.

Then, spray it into all the door drainage holes and stuff like that.

Do it in the Summer every year. Doing it in the Summer lets it creep when it is boiling hot out.

You don't have to worry about the surfaces being clean, a bit of dirt just holds it in place longer. Just as long as there isn't chunks of dry mud you're fine to apply it.

 

[supton]

I dunno about 2 or 3 cans--I blew through four doing the frame and suspension on my Tundra! Slight difference in size though. I like the idea of doing it in broiling summer; I did mine in winter, but I was desperate to get something onto it.

User beware: it's a light oil, and it will attract dirt. If you read FF's website, their usage document, they call it "dusting". Seems to make the dirt stick pretty good. I know, it's underneath, but you can see it in the wheelwells.

I find the smell not that bad, actually; after a few days it becomes unobjectionable.

 

[earlyre]

The BEST rust proofing, would be to move to the southwest, if you can stand the heat...

- did a search for carwell, it's just 2 shops in buffalo& Syracuse NY

likewise did a search for Krown, as i know they have a small US network, and i knew there was one in western OH, which would probably be your closest... (Versailles, Near Dayton)

from the Krown website, link below, this is a complete listing of their US locations:
United States:

New York:
Depew, New York
Gloversville, New York
Hamburg, New York
Jamestown, New York
Lake Placid, New York
New York Mills, New York
Plattsburgh, New York
Rochester, New York
Sanborn, New York
Stanley, New York

Ohio:
Salem, Ohio
Versailles, Ohio

Pennsylvania:
Erie, Pennsylvania
West Middlesex, Pennsylvania

http://www.krown.com/locations/all

 

[supton]

Take a look for places that do LineX (or similar) spray-in bedliners. Local place does both bedliners and Fluid Film, dunno but I have to wonder if that is not a common thing to have done at the same place.

 

[redhat]

Originally Posted By: Donald
In the US, CarWell is best, followed by Fluid Film.

The stuff will get behind the salt and rust and prevent new rust. But it should be applied yearly.

You can buy the product and do it yourself. There are places that will do Fluid Film. Only two places in NY that do CarWell.

In Canada its Krown, same as CarWell.


I'm going to second CarWell. Awesome stuff.

It's a yearly ritual going to Broadway and getting the car coated.

 

[GenSan]

You live in Indiana; they have five Rust Check service senters in your state.

Take it to one of the following: CLICK .

 

[redhat]

Also, no you're not too late to rust proof your Accord. I bought my '09 Accord with 23k on the clock in May of 2012 and had it rust proofed for the first time in August of 2012. So similar time frame as you.

 

[doitmyself]

From their site: "CARWELL, THE LARGEST PRODUCT AND SERVICE CORROSION COMPANY IN NORTH AMERICA."

Yet, there only seems to be 2 retail outlets in New York....2 in the entire U.S..

Can someone explain??

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
From their site: "CARWELL, THE LARGEST PRODUCT AND SERVICE CORROSION COMPANY IN NORTH AMERICA."

Yet, there only seems to be 2 retail outlets in New York....2 in the entire U.S..

Can someone explain??


I think they make the product for Krown...

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: earlyre
The BEST rust proofing, would be to move to the southwest, if you can stand the heat...

- did a search for carwell, it's just 2 shops in buffalo& Syracuse NY

likewise did a search for Krown, as i know they have a small US network, and i knew there was one in western OH, which would probably be your closest... (Versailles, Near Dayton)

from the Krown website, link below, this is a complete listing of their US locations:
United States:

New York:
Depew, New York
Gloversville, New York
Hamburg, New York
Jamestown, New York
Lake Placid, New York
New York Mills, New York
Plattsburgh, New York
Rochester, New York
Sanborn, New York
Stanley, New York

Ohio:
Salem, Ohio
Versailles, Ohio

Pennsylvania:
Erie, Pennsylvania
West Middlesex, Pennsylvania

http://www.krown.com/locations/all


Its not Syracuse its Dolgerville. Pickups and beer are king in Dolgerville.

 

[FXjohn]

it doesn't look that expensive to buy a 5 gallon bucket of carwell and a gun and do it yourself. the drill bits and plugs are available too.

 

[FXjohn]

Originally Posted By: Phishin
Recently purchased a 2010 Accord. 33k miles.

It's spend it's entire life in Michigan. Now it's in Indiana. It's in the rust belt.

Is it too late to rust proof this car? Or will rust-proofing trap the salt that's already found it's way onto the car...into the car?

If it's still a good idea to rust proof my Accord....what method or product do you recommend? Or just leave it alone?



if you're anywhere near ft wayne it can be done at werner's garage (rustcheck). there's a place in angola that uses fluid film

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
From their site: "CARWELL, THE LARGEST PRODUCT AND SERVICE CORROSION COMPANY IN NORTH AMERICA."

Yet, there only seems to be 2 retail outlets in New York....2 in the entire U.S..

Can someone explain??


I believe they sell a lot of the stuff to fleet companies and other commercial and military.

The shop in Dolgerville does school buses from all around in the summer.

I am thinking the average Joe the car guy does not want to go every year and pay $100. I have explained to people about CarWell and no one has gone and gotten it done. Most people sell before the car rusts. And people who buy a rusty beater do not care.

 

[OneEyeJack]

On a day to day basis touch up the body work by taking off the road tar and spots with a rag and some Pledge Furniture Polish. Spray it in the space between the rubber and body work while you're at it to keep the rust from growing there, too. It takes just a couple of minutes to go around your car and you're done. On the weekends do a quick car was with soap and water when the weather permits. This does not replace a rust specific treatment, keeping the car in the garage or moving to the desert. You may laugh at the Pledge walk around buy my brother in law lives in eastern Canada and it works for him. Many people on the street were he lives are trying his "stupid idea" and looking at their cars you can tell it helps. And don't forget to do the battery. I live in San Diego which has no weather but my batteries last about 10 years and they get the Pledge treatment from new, underneath and in the battery tray as well. Now that I have posted this idea you can begin with the all the reasons why it can't work.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
On a day to day basis touch up the body work by taking off the road tar and spots with a rag and some Pledge Furniture Polish. Spray it in the space between the rubber and body work while you're at it to keep the rust from growing there, too. It takes just a couple of minutes to go around your car and you're done. On the weekends do a quick car was with soap and water when the weather permits. This does not replace a rust specific treatment, keeping the car in the garage or moving to the desert. You may laugh at the Pledge walk around buy my brother in law lives in eastern Canada and it works for him. Many people on the street were he lives are trying his "stupid idea" and looking at their cars you can tell it helps. And don't forget to do the battery. I live in San Diego which has no weather but my batteries last about 10 years and they get the Pledge treatment from new, underneath and in the battery tray as well. Now that I have posted this idea you can begin with the all the reasons why it can't work.


I wonder if its the Pledge or just the fact it gets cleaned often? What about End-Dust?

Most damaging rust starts from inside out in rocker panels, quarter panels, pinch seam in doors. Difficult to deal with places.

Keeping a car in a garage actually speeds up rusting if its heated. Most rust occurs in the spring when its warming up and salt has not been washed away by spring rains.

 

[sciphi]

I've used Fluid Film aerosol cans. It takes about 4-5 cans per car to do a very thorough job. Definitely get inside the rockers if possible. And pay attention to the rear wheel wells, that's a traditional Honda area to rust through in. Our Fit has plastic liners in the front wheel wells but nothing out back. I soak the back thoroughly.

The nice thing about rustproofing is that it makes routine maintenance easier. Having to deal with minor corrosion instead of major corrosion for any suspension or brake work is worth doing it. Especially if you're keeping your car for a long time, it's worth the time/effort to slow down the corrosion.

 

[FXjohn]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
I've used Fluid Film aerosol cans. It takes about 4-5 cans per car to do a very thorough job. Definitely get inside the rockers if possible. And pay attention to the rear wheel wells, that's a traditional Honda area to rust through in. Our Fit has plastic liners in the front wheel wells but nothing out back. I soak the back thoroughly.

The nice thing about rustproofing is that it makes routine maintenance easier. Having to deal with minor corrosion instead of major corrosion for any suspension or brake work is worth doing it. Especially if you're keeping your car for a long time, it's worth the time/effort to slow down the corrosion.


agreed 100 percent