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| Yes | 72% | 170 votes | Total: 236 votes | |
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Add to FavoritesYes. A new car should be rust-proofed (at least under-coated) by the manufacturer and most, if not all, manufacturers make this claim. I have owned new cars and I have owned used vehicles as well. My experience has shown me that the manufacturer's method of rust-proofing is not adequate if you plan to keep the vehicle for more than a few (2 or 3) years. I feel that this is designed- and built-in obsolescence to match most people's habits of changing vehicles every 2 to 3 years. It is somewhat counter-productive to the goal of making money for manufacturers to make vehicles that last longer when they really want to sell a new vehicle every year or two. Even regular washing of the entire vehicle on top and underneath will not prevent some rusting after this length of time.
The absolute best method for ensuring the maximum life from your new vehicle is to have it rust-proofed soon after purchase and each year thereafter without fail. This will maximize the useful lifetime of the vehicle's body, will prevent premature failure of other important components subject to rusting (brake lines, fuel lines, various other metal bits) and will be the "greenest" way to proceed. Although there is likely a small non-green (or polluting) effect of using a good after-market method of rust-proofing, this will be a tiny fraction of the pollution and waste caused by disposing of the vehicle after only a few years of use.
There are many different types of material used in after-market rust-proofing and likely all are very effective when used properly. The key to successful rust-proofing is not so much the material used but the frequency of use. I am sure that any complete vehicle rust-proofing method will be effective in slowing the growth of rust if one uses it annually without exception on a freshly-washed and dried vehicle. This would ensure the best coverage and most effective creeping/bonding for the new application. This is not to say that the old application should be washed away or removed - much the opposite. Build on the increasingly better coverage with each year's application.
An additional method for rust-proofing a new car is the electronic rust protection method (e.g., the CounterAct system available in Canada and Australia, ERPS in Australia, RustStop RS-4 in North America). Some of these methods have been well-tested by various labs and universities and have also been in use for several years. The devices have been shown to be effective in reducing the formation of rust by as much as 80%. Add this device to the new vehicle is the first step in prolonging the vehicle's useful life. Secondly, have the vehicle under-coated (rust-proofed) by a reputable shop annually. Follow these steps without fail and you can be certain that your money has been well spent. Doing this, one can ensure that the vehicle will last a minimum of ten years without requiring major body repair, and with fewer mechanical failures as well.
Learn more about this author, Robert Martin.
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No
As a general rule these days you don't need to rust proof your new vehicle. The way cars, and trucks are built, and the metal used as well as the process they go through they are pretty well protected from the get go. Most of the manufacturers have long term protection in there warranties against rust. However, it is important to know what isn't covered by these warranties.
One good example of that is if you have a wreck with your car, and they are able to fix it at a body shop, this will nullify most warranties by the manufacturers. In this event I would have the body shop do it to your car while they are fixing it. I would also recommended it if you live in an area where they use a lot of salt on the roads during the winter months. I grew up in New England and have seen first hand how much damage salt can do. The salt can speed up the oxidation process, and cause your car to rust prematurely. I would also recommended it if you live in an area around the ocean with a lot of salt water in the air.
These are just recommendation I suggest because, other than the accident the warranty will cover any damage done. I just think a little preventive maintenance would be helpful especially if you plan to keep your car for a long time. I have been in the automotive business for 25 years now, and in the past 10 or 15 years I haven't seen a major problems with rust, not like it used to be in late 70's and early 80's anyway. A would say that the painting process of a car today is much more advanced than it ever was, and a lot of the protection comes within the paint, and the clear coat process.
Both the domestic, and the foreign automobile manufacturers have at least a 5 year or 100,000 mile warranty on rust. There are some that would have unlimited miles as well. The more expensive luxury cars come with even more protection like seven years unlimited millage. Surprisingly Mercedes-Benz has the least coverage with only a 4 year 50,000 mile rust warranty, and leading the pack would be Volkswagen, Audi, and BMW with 12 year unlimited mileage followed closely by Porsche with a 10 year unlimited warranty.
The big three domestics Ford, Chevy, and GMC offer 5 to 6 years, and 100,000, or unlimited mileage on theirs, and the big three imports Toyota, Honda, and Nissan offer about the same at 5 year unlimited miles. Specialty vehicles like the Hummer have a 7 year unlimited, and jaguar has a 6 year unlimited mileage warranty. Saturn another GMC product comes in strong with a 7 year 100,000 miles while Saab has a 10 year unlimited warranty.
So as you can see the majority of vehicles are covered for a least 5 years, so again if you like to keep them a long time you may want to consider under coating it just as added protection. After spending over half of my life around new, and used cars I feel confident that the old rust problems we used to have are a thing of the past. The information I just gave you is available on any of the manufacturers web site under warranties so if you have a specific question please refer to them.
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