[MikeL77]

Bought a new 2014 Racer Red FiST. Crawling under it, I noticed lots of pressed folded seams in the undercarriage with open spaces/cracks between some of them. There is no sound deadening undercoating on the undercarriage like my BMW M3 had. The FiST undercarriage is just painted. I'm going to be driving this on the super salty roads of upstate New York. A couple questions:
1.) Is undercarriage rust going to be a problem?
2.) If rust may be a problem, any proactive steps to take to nip it in the bud that actually may work?
FYI - my M3 was 15 years old and had no rust on the undercarriage
Thanks!

 

[LowFlyin']

You could always add undercoating to suspected problem areas.

 

[MikeL77]

Rusted through cars in Vermont can fail inspections. I heard people there are using a Schutz sprayer and coating their undercarriages with chainsaw chain oil. Pretty thick stuff. Cheap.

 

[speedprotege]

Mine after 1 year

The car went through the worst winter I have seen in my life. I'm from Ontario.

 

[urnuts]

That's somewhat disconcerting.
I know tech with metals has come a long way but spaces and gaps like that always concern me.
Anybody remember Tuff-Kote Dynol and Rusty Jones?
I grew up in Vermont (still close in NH) and when you bought a new car in 80's you went from the dealer RIGHT there (rustproofer) and had the car rustproofed.
I remember all the holes they'd drill and plug with those rubber, well, plugs.
I'd be curious what people who know more than I do (that's a long list) say.

 

[lamarr28]

Mine after 1 year
The car went through the worst winter I have seen in my life. I'm from Ontario.

shit man, you did'nt get rust proofing done? i'm in belleville and just got mine done with krown, i hope it'll never look like that.

 

[stuntdoogie]

what kind of shop do3s rust proofing?

 

[speedprotege]

shit man, you did'nt get rust proofing done? i'm in belleville and just got mine done with krown, i hope it'll never look like that.

Just did now, should of done it day one!

 

[speedprotege]

what kind of shop do3s rust proofing?

I just got mine done from a friend he does it as a side job.

 

[MikeL77]

I remember Consumer Reports warning against having Rusty Jones type rust proofing done. They noted it was a waste of money, because water/salt would get under the "rust proofing" and actually cause more rusting to occur.

 

[urnuts]

Yes, I remember that controversy.
Back then, though, it still seemed better to have it than not; Certainly in Northern Vermont.
I remember in the late 1970's and early 1980's.... Hondas and Datsuns would literally disintegrate within a year!
I also remember when the car companies went with galvanized stuff, factory coatings, etc and started recommending against dealer/aftermarket rustproofing.
I remember when I used to see rust bubbles around the holes they drilled for access to rustproof and used to wonder whether it made sense or not.