Maintaining the body of your vehicle is just as important as maintaining its engine.
We've all seen that car or truck from time to time with rusty holes through the body panels, the paint discolored by brown-red stains dripping down the sides that look like bullet holes. Its rust: the disease that needlessly claims the lives of many vehicles every year. Not only is it a cosmetic disgrace that can ruin an otherwise great machine, but it poses a safety concern in many cases where weak rusty metal compromises the strength of the vehicles uni-body or frame, or in extreme cases allows exhaust gasses to enter the cabin via holes.
It's expensive, too.
As the iron in steel is exposed to oxygen, their molecules form a bond which makes iron oxide, or rust. Sand and dirt under the vehicle allows moisture to remain in contact with it and can worsen the oxidation process. Salt just speeds things up- it encourages the electronic transfer of ions to take place more quickly. Salt added to the process of rusting is just like throwing gasoline onto a slow burning fire. Suffice to skip the science lesson and say that much of Canada's climate isn't exactly conducive to the prolonged existence of a vehicle's body.
In the colder months, sand builds up in the nooks and crannies underneath your ride- trapping moisture against the metal surfaces and holding it there. As slush freezes to your floor and wheel-wells, chances are it will reside there until the weather warms up and it melts, but not before having deposited a great deal of salt in the process. If you're like me, you probably cringe every time you hear the sound of it pinging off of the underside of your car in winter. As well you should- if left unchecked; such factors can reduce the life of your vehicles body at an alarming rate.
It doesn't have to be this way though. There are steps available to help prevent your beloved ride from being reduced to a flaky, corroded mess, helping you to get the most life out of it and maintaining its resale value down the road.
Advancements in metal technology and manufacturing have allowed automakers to offer products that resist rust better than before, by way of corrosion protection built into the metal itself as well as improved manufacturing processes. Many manufacturers worked on a protection system for new cars back in the sixties which has evolved into a comprehensive rust prevention procedure today. Vehicle bodies are dipped into an electronically charged coating before being painted which helps to prevent rust from forming. This method, called "e-coat", combined with computerized pre-assembly analysis and the use of advanced galvanized steel means that new vehicles have a degree of rust protection built in. Most carmakers provide "perforation" warranties on their vehicles body structures for at least 5 years with no additional treatments required.
Many new car buyers wonder about oil-spraying or otherwise taking preventative action against rust on their vehicle. Really, five years isn't that long at all.
We've all seen that car or truck from time to time with rusty holes through the body panels, the paint discolored by brown-red stains dripping down the sides that look like bullet holes. Its rust: the disease that needlessly claims the lives of many vehicles every year. Not only is it a cosmetic disgrace that can ruin an otherwise great machine, but it poses a safety concern in many cases where weak rusty metal compromises the strength of the vehicles uni-body or frame, or in extreme cases allows exhaust gasses to enter the cabin via holes.
It's expensive, too.
As the iron in steel is exposed to oxygen, their molecules form a bond which makes iron oxide, or rust. Sand and dirt under the vehicle allows moisture to remain in contact with it and can worsen the oxidation process. Salt just speeds things up- it encourages the electronic transfer of ions to take place more quickly. Salt added to the process of rusting is just like throwing gasoline onto a slow burning fire. Suffice to skip the science lesson and say that much of Canada's climate isn't exactly conducive to the prolonged existence of a vehicle's body.
In the colder months, sand builds up in the nooks and crannies underneath your ride- trapping moisture against the metal surfaces and holding it there. As slush freezes to your floor and wheel-wells, chances are it will reside there until the weather warms up and it melts, but not before having deposited a great deal of salt in the process. If you're like me, you probably cringe every time you hear the sound of it pinging off of the underside of your car in winter. As well you should- if left unchecked; such factors can reduce the life of your vehicles body at an alarming rate.
It doesn't have to be this way though. There are steps available to help prevent your beloved ride from being reduced to a flaky, corroded mess, helping you to get the most life out of it and maintaining its resale value down the road.
Advancements in metal technology and manufacturing have allowed automakers to offer products that resist rust better than before, by way of corrosion protection built into the metal itself as well as improved manufacturing processes. Many manufacturers worked on a protection system for new cars back in the sixties which has evolved into a comprehensive rust prevention procedure today. Vehicle bodies are dipped into an electronically charged coating before being painted which helps to prevent rust from forming. This method, called "e-coat", combined with computerized pre-assembly analysis and the use of advanced galvanized steel means that new vehicles have a degree of rust protection built in. Most carmakers provide "perforation" warranties on their vehicles body structures for at least 5 years with no additional treatments required.
Many new car buyers wonder about oil-spraying or otherwise taking preventative action against rust on their vehicle. Really, five years isn't that long at all.