should I undercoat my Brand new '13 Honda Fit

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First question is how long do you expect to keep the vehicle?

Good question on the warranty.

(Example, not a suggestion).
Say you got a rubberized coating that might hold in water & salt, I could see them denying warranty coverage for a rust-thru.

I would go with CarWell or Krown. I have CarWell on my two vehicles although I did not get it applied until I bought them used with many years on them. Both should be reapplied yearly.

I know Ziebart is still around and they have a permanent waxy like coating.
 
I don't think it's really needed nowadays. However after a snow storm, I'd always get an undercarriage wash at the car wash and at least once more at the end of winter. I think the warranties are such that hardly anyone ever collects as it usually says rust through which means a hole and usually you just get surface rust instead of a rust hole.
 
Originally Posted By: lubedude13
Do you live in an environment that it needs to be?
I know that up here in VT they use Salt brine now instead of regular salt which is very sticky and doesn't come off as easy supposedly anyways.

Originally Posted By: Donald
First question is how long do you expect to keep the vehicle?

Good question on the warranty.

(Example, not a suggestion).
Say you got a rubberized coating that might hold in water & salt, I could see them denying warranty coverage for a rust-thru.

I would go with CarWell or Krown. I have CarWell on my two vehicles although I did not get it applied until I bought them used with many years on them. Both should be reapplied yearly.

I know Ziebart is still around and they have a permanent waxy like coating.

I plan on having it for 10yrs or more at least, hopefully.
 
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VT?

Land of Waxoyl!!!

Id go Waxoyl, Carwell, or if youre popping up to Canada, Krown it.
 
Definitely rustproof, there won't be any warranty issues, well maybe with the perforation warranty, which is useless anyway.
If you can't DIY, I would do oil spray every year for the first 3-4 years and then every other year, or spray the undercarriage and wheel wells only, as the doors, rocker panels and all other cavities retain the oil very well and once a good layer is established (hence few years of spraying everything) they are good for few years.
Another good thing to do is to apply rustproofing during warm months to allow the best creeping action and remove all wheel well covers to get everything sprayed throughout.
 
The bottom line is that you shouldn't bother. Factory rust proofing is so good these days that most rust proofing places have gone out of business and Consumer reports doesn't even ask about rust anymore. It's why it's a very niche business these days. Do it just if you feel the need to line someone else's pocket. Get a few undercarriage washes a year would be cheaper than getting rust proofing.
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
I don't think it's really needed nowadays. However after a snow storm, I'd always get an undercarriage wash at the car wash and at least once more at the end of winter. I think the warranties are such that hardly anyone ever collects as it usually says rust through which means a hole and usually you just get surface rust instead of a rust hole.


Well you are in MA, he is in VT and I am in upstate NY. They still use a lot of salt and I still see a lot of vehicles with rust.
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
The bottom line is that you shouldn't bother. Factory rust proofing is so good these days that most rust proofing places have gone out of business and Consumer reports doesn't even ask about rust anymore. It's why it's a very niche business these days. Do it just if you feel the need to line someone else's pocket. Get a few undercarriage washes a year would be cheaper than getting rust proofing.


that's pure nonsense. it's very cheap and will preserve your car very well.
krown, rustcheck, corrosionfree, carwell, fluid film
 
+1 for rustproofing. Krown or oil spray rust proofing is the best, however I've always used rubber or wax based coatings myself. I've got six years running on a dealership done rubber undercoating with only some minor rust showing in frame welds. I think wax based or rubber undercoating's get a bad rap because folks wait to long before applying them, and with contaminants present they just don't adhere properly and trap rust causing agents rather than repel them. I also use simple WD40 in door metal folds, mudflap mounting screws etc with good results.
 
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Originally Posted By: FXjohn
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
The bottom line is that you shouldn't bother. Factory rust proofing is so good these days that most rust proofing places have gone out of business and Consumer reports doesn't even ask about rust anymore. It's why it's a very niche business these days. Do it just if you feel the need to line someone else's pocket. Get a few undercarriage washes a year would be cheaper than getting rust proofing.


that's pure nonsense. it's very cheap and will preserve your car very well.
krown, rustcheck, corrosionfree, carwell, fluid film


I am with wolf359,
FXjohn, pls quote your source for claiming the above is nonsense.

just think about it, drilling hole into your underbody will protect it better?
wow, the best thing you can do for you car is wash it, and wash the underbody with a hose.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Absolutely!
I am spraying this now on a 2 brand new vehicles. It is also available in 5 gal drum already diluted.

http://www.theruststore.com/Cortec-VpCI-368-P82C28.aspx

I use this for application. You can find them on ebay, its not cheap but it will last a lifetime and 5 gallons will do about 3 cars or pickups.

http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Undercoating-Application-Gun-Undercoat/dp/B003TLMDU2

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Professional-Und...#ht_1924wt_1161


FYI: similar waxy, greasy, stuff was on my duramax chevy from factory, the coating came off around the edges etc and I have rust on my chevy frame rail.
 
Originally Posted By: stockrex
Originally Posted By: FXjohn
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
The bottom line is that you shouldn't bother. Factory rust proofing is so good these days that most rust proofing places have gone out of business and Consumer reports doesn't even ask about rust anymore. It's why it's a very niche business these days. Do it just if you feel the need to line someone else's pocket. Get a few undercarriage washes a year would be cheaper than getting rust proofing.


that's pure nonsense. it's very cheap and will preserve your car very well.
krown, rustcheck, corrosionfree, carwell, fluid film


I am with wolf359,
FXjohn, pls quote your source for claiming the above is nonsense.

just think about it, drilling hole into your underbody will protect it better?
wow, the best thing you can do for you car is wash it, and wash the underbody with a hose.


if you don't drill and undercoat the hollow sections they will simply perforate, in other words rust from the inside out. if you only keep your cars a few years, this isn't for you, stay ignorant. look underneath a car that has driven in salt a few years. and look at all the rust starting on door edges, wheel arches, cab corners, windshield frames, etc, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: stockrex


FYI: similar waxy, greasy, stuff was on my duramax chevy from factory, the coating came off around the edges etc and I have rust on my chevy frame rail.


no kidding, that's why rust preventing coatings need to be applied every year. you wouldn't be driving a rust bucket if you had applied rustcheck or krown.
 
IMHO its like taking cold medicine.

Take the cold medicine and it lasts 7 days and skip the cold medicine your cold lasts a week.

Your money, I personally would buy lottery tickets and you'd be ahead.
 
Originally Posted By: rjundi
IMHO its like taking cold medicine.

Take the cold medicine and it lasts 7 days and skip the cold medicine your cold lasts a week.

Your money, I personally would buy lottery tickets and you'd be ahead.


I agree 100%. I wouldnt bother, my dads legacy 1998 just started to rust...its almost 16 years old..waxed once a yr with nu finish..and subie's were known to rust..

My 07 corolla is still impecable. Run it through a car wash regularly during winter and dont waste your money. I have a 120k miles on it..not a spec of rust. I see plenty of Mazda's that are rusted however. Keep it clean and dont worry about it. It will only start rusting after 14-15 years (if maintained reasonably) Think how much you will have spent rust proofing it yearly...by the time ur car starts to rust you will likely have either dumped it or be looking for something new.
 
I'm not taking any steps on our car, but rust is not very bad where we currently live.

If I lived in an area with more rust, I'd try a spray, but I would not drill holes in the body. I'm not convinced they'd rust from the "inside out."

My friend dismantles cars and he's had ones that were Ziebart rust proofed and there was rust around the holes Ziebart drilled that was caused by their drilling through all the finish.
 
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