Disappointed with Accord after one Salt Exposure

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JHZR2

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We have had a warm winter. Just one big snow, and the car has only been exposed to salt once. I even oil sprayed the underside prior to first salt exposure. Imagine my disappointment when I saw this:

Salt and corrosion in the lug nuts:

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Discoloration on the OE wheel locks:

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White corrosion products firmly on the lug bolt threads:

07216DEF-7432-4326-B45A-A821EF2C5D95_zpsd3sjkh0t.jpg


Spalling and corrosion on the transmission case:

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Rust on other parts that weren't properly painted/protected:

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The oil spray coating (Carwell CP90) can be seen on the metal surfaces despite wash and water:

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I was very much surprised by the amount of rust at the hub lip on the rotor. Because of this, I decided to coat the mating surface in a marine-grade anti-seize, but none on the lug bolts despite the corrosion...

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Ive said before, especially when we owned our acura, that Honda makes great engines and cars that work really well, but their materials selections are often poor. Maybe Im being overly picky, but I am somewhat disappointed with this, given that the car has seen exactly one snow and one salt exposure.

Thoughts?
 
It would be decades before there would be any problematic rust on this vehicle. Don't worry about it.

=]
 
I think it looks like all surface stuff that is fairly common on my vehicles as well. It would take quite a few years to rust through, however it is disappointing. My old nissan versa got multiple rust spots on the body in the 1st year of owning it despite living in Kansas (mild/no snow) and frequent hand washing.
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
I think it looks like all surface stuff that is fairly common on my vehicles as well. It would take quite a few years to rust through, however it is disappointing. My old nissan versa got multiple rust spots on the body in the 1st year of owning it despite living in Kansas (mild/no snow) and frequent hand washing.


The things that bother me are the rust at the painted joint on the strut/knuckle, as well as how much there is around that hub lip on the rotor. My Saab and my Chevy both came with grease in these spots from the factory for that reason, I guess. My other cars do not exhibit corrosion at those spots really...

Love the car, but Im not one to swoon over Honda for reasons like this. Im sad that I see this. Ill have to oil spray more when I take the snows off...
 
That is the exact reason I would not part with more the $24k on car. In 12-15 years it will be junk if daily driven in my locale.(coastal New England)

I think if looked hard to enough you'd find similar on majority of new cars including luxury makes.
 
On a new vehicle like this, apply fluid film to the car. Also deep within the panels. The car will last 5-7 yrs longer, and the next owner will thank you.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
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I think those are McGard locking lugs.


I think you're right, but they came in OE Honda packaging. Were thrown in as a "freebie" when I bought the car. Were actually pre-installed. I didn't much care given the deal I got.
 
Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
On a new vehicle like this, apply fluid film to the car. Also deep within the panels. The car will last 5-7 yrs longer, and the next owner will thank you.


This car got Carwell CP-90 prior to the first exposure to salt, completely under the vehicle and in all drain holes. Much easier to apply and superior to fluid film, IMO.

I do have a cheapo airless painter that I may try FF in the wheel wells after I do a spring rinse... And in preparation for next winter, but then again, it'll get fogged with Carwell too...
 
This all looks fairly standard to me. Normal surface corrosion, nothing problematic.

Wire brush everything and hit it with some LPS 3 if you absolutely cannot handle rust.
 
My gawd, it's a car...and a 4 door appliance at that. If the minuscule amount of corrosion bothers you just get a hermetically sealed bubble for it so no air can ever get to it. Guys like you crack me up......
 
Just in case you didn't know, rotors will literally rust in 15 minutes if it's just raining outside in the summer. No salt or anything.
 
I dunno man, my old Acura survived a ton of winters despite all of the surface rust. I don't think it'll be a problem for a long time...if ever.

And yes, rotors will of course rust the instant they get wet. Mine always do just from washing the car.
 
Our Honda's transmission case looks much gnarlier than that. It doesn't necessarily get sprayed with FF, but gets a decent bit of overspray. I need to spray the affected areas with FF and then wash off the excess so it's not too dirty.

I wonder if some cars do better with FF, and some makes with other rustproofing.
 
Originally Posted By: horse123
Just in case you didn't know, rotors will literally rust in 15 minutes if it's just raining outside in the summer. No salt or anything.


No kidding. Note that I didn't say anything about rotors themselves, Lug bolts, hub flange, etc. are spots where there was a surprising amount of corrosion for ONE SINGLE salt exposure, based upon the SEVEN cars Ive owned AT THE SAME TIME for roughly the last 12 years. Far from single point experience. Especially since other makers considered sub-part to Honda (e.g. Chevy and Saab) had the forethought to put grease in those spots from the factory, notionally for this very reason...


Originally Posted By: c502cid
My gawd, it's a car...and a 4 door appliance at that. If the minuscule amount of corrosion bothers you just get a hermetically sealed bubble for it so no air can ever get to it. Guys like you crack me up......


Guys like you crack me up. One would think that holding a maker to a higher standard, and expecting to see less corrosion so early in the game was was somehow a bad thing. Yet makers like Honda and Toyota made their fame being better and longer lasting and better quality than domestic makers whose cars would have you peering through the floorboards in a few seasons.

One would hope that a vehicle with less than six months of service, 10k miles, and one single salt exposure would look the same or better than my Saab did at ten years and 80k...
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: horse123
Just in case you didn't know, rotors will literally rust in 15 minutes if it's just raining outside in the summer. No salt or anything.


No kidding. Note that I didn't say anything about rotors themselves, Lug bolts, hub flange, etc. are spots where there was a surprising amount of corrosion for ONE SINGLE salt exposure, based upon the SEVEN cars Ive owned AT THE SAME TIME for roughly the last 12 years. Far from single point experience. Especially since other makers considered sub-part to Honda (e.g. Chevy and Saab) had the forethought to put grease in those spots from the factory, notionally for this very reason...


Originally Posted By: c502cid
My gawd, it's a car...and a 4 door appliance at that. If the minuscule amount of corrosion bothers you just get a hermetically sealed bubble for it so no air can ever get to it. Guys like you crack me up......


Guys like you crack me up. One would think that holding a maker to a higher standard, and expecting to see less corrosion so early in the game was was somehow a bad thing. Yet makers like Honda and Toyota made their fame being better and longer lasting and better quality than domestic makers whose cars would have you peering through the floorboards in a few seasons.

One would hope that a vehicle with less than six months of service, 10k miles, and one single salt exposure would look the same or better than my Saab did at ten years and 80k...



You drive 8000 miles a year?

Do you think that rust treatment will make your car last longer? Cars only seem to rust on this forum. I don't worry about rust. I drive the [censored] out of my cars. They will go 15 years or 300,000 miles. Then the junk man will take them away. I'll shed a tear and then go buy a new one.
 
the states out east and the midwest are using more agressive salt/deicing chemicals on the roads causing corroision and eating up the insulation on trailer wiring,

all you can do is wash and try to keep it clean , my company that I work for has a fleet of over 300 trailers running in the midwest , your issues are marginal when you look at the cost of maintining and buying hundreds of trailers a year at 60 K a pop it's just a sign of the times otherwise park it and drive a beater with a heater like I do and my 15 year old buick has never seen salt , csme from Peachtree City GA
 
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It looks ok. Spray some black paint on that strut and hose down the transmission to get rid of the aluminum oxide. Looks mainly like specs of salt and not actual corrosion. Periodically hose down your car once a month underneath and it shouldn't be any worse than any other vehicle.
 
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