Do you get your car undercoated?

When
purchasing or maintaining a car, consumers often hear about
undercoating. This extra service has garnered a reputation for being
costly and redundant, when it may in fact help extend your car's life
and utility.

Significance


Undercoating provides an additional layer of protection and insulation
to the undercarriage of a vehicle. Manufacturers may apply undercoating
at the factory. It covers most of the car's underside, including floor
boards, pans, gas tank, wheel wells, frame and suspension parts,
mufflers and exhaust pipes. The effect can be likened to blackcoating a
road or parking lot.

Types of Undercoating


On the low end are brands like Rustoleum, which is available from
chains such as Wal-Mart for about $5 per spray can. On the high end are
brands such as Wurth, which offers undercoating in a spray can for
about $13. Other types of undercoating come in larger containers and
are applied with a spray gun. For home undercoating, the spray can is
the most convenient method.

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My sister got this done on a regular basis. Seems to me, now that I have a nice car... I just might start dong this too.

Breezey, new cars are generally undercoated at the factory, and there is no need to have it done again.

Tater, I'm not positive, but I think I read in that article that what the manufacture does, doesn't last forever and should be done again?

I think that's what some people want you to think, otherwise their aftermarket products would be useless and a waste of money.
I have seen many cars over 30 years old that still have their undercoating entirely intact.

No because they already come with an under coat. They try and sell you something that is not needed. When my Mom and I were shopping for a new car for her in Clearwater Fla. they asked her do you want to have this undercoated. He looked right at us and lied his ass off about that extra 1000 to undercoat it. Needless to say we never bought the car from that dealer, he was a first class jerk. I have had old cars all my life and never was their a problem with the under carriage. No rust, no damage, nothing. Just the muffler gets beat up and those have to get changed but that was all that rusted.

I can go a few different ways on this one.
Either all cars don't automatically get an undercoat from the manufacturer, some manufacturers don't do as great a job on undercoating or undercoating honestly doesn't last forever. Whichever it is... there are plenty of people who will tell you they get rust under their cars and take extra measures to clean off the rest and do undercoating. I have seen some cars that look like more rust than anything... underneath.

Living in the snow where you are and they salt the roads, you need to wash that salt off, or it will rust the metal. Living on an Island, we have to always wash the car's to keep the salt off, or the paint will oxidize, and things will rust. When I lived in the snow we used to go into the car wash mainly to get the salt off the car from the roads. We had to wait of course when it was not freezing, but there would be a day it was warm enough, like 34 degrees where we could wash it. Every manufacturer is different Bree, some are good, some are not.Where you live if the price is right having it done is a good idea if the car is worth it and you are going to keep it for a long time.

Now we are getting somewhere. Ron, that is what I was trying to say. I plan on having that done with my car. I really like it and want to keep it a long time! My sister's car is still in great shape for how old it is and she has had undercoating done on a more regular basis.

Go for it. You have to deal with all that sand and salt as you have a long winter, it's a good idea.

Breezey, some older cars did not get an undercoating on them, but anything made since the 80's should be fine. I haven't had a problem with any of the cars I bought in the last 20 years, they were all more than a few years old, and none of them have had an ounce of rust on them, even when they are 15 or 20 years old. I understand you want to keep your car for a long time, but I also know you don't have a lot of money to spare, and I'd hate to see you pay for something that is really unnecessary.

You make a good point Tater, but if she feels better with an undercoat treatment, well, I say do it, but you do have a good point. A car dealer told us that very same thing, that they get undercoated at the factory and you do not need to do it again.

Most people think of undercoating in connection with strictly a new
car. However it is usually a job that pays dividends on a vehicle of
any age. In fact it offers a means of curbing automobile metal rust
that may have gained considerable headway on any used car or vehicle.

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Some undercoatings can actually cause more damage than they prevent in the long run, by locking in dirt, grime and moisture, as well as plugging up drain holes, and also can cause mufflers and catalytic converters to overheat.

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Tater, I read the whole post in the link you left. Seems even people on that post can't agree. I guess it remains a matter of preference and making sure you have it done right by someone who knows not to plug up things they shouldn't. Seems to me that it was mentioned on a different link that the car should be cleaned underneath, before applying undercoat or rustproofing. (kind of like painting a house.. scrape, clean, prepare and make sure not to paint the windows and such)

Ues the same company your sister uses, as it sounds like she has no mechanical problems after having the car undercoated. Of course they prep the undercarriage before spraying an undercoat and also do it inside where its warm with no moisture. Maybe do it in June or July when you have nice warm days and dry days. I always feel go with your gut feeling. If you think it should be done to your car, just do it. After all, it is your car. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Good idea Ron.
My sister goes to a neighbor who does his own and has nice equipment for that. He's been doing it for years and knows what he's doing.

Thats perfect Breezey. Go for it.