I’ve seen these ads in the local paper for various ‘rustproofing’ places.
You take your vehicle in, they drill small holes in the door and panels, and spray in some chemical.
Have these treatments ever been proven 100% to work?
I’d most ceretainly spend the $200 or so to have it done, but only if I know for sure this process works.
Thanks!
Well, you are 100% certain to be out $200. Beyond that…
Many of those things are scams. You’d count yourself lucky if they did anything at all besides take your money. Look at it this way: why would they rustproof the inside?
My high school chemistry teacher said it was a scam and explained his reasoning but I don’t remember what he said.
There are vapour-phase corrosion inhibitors that prevent steel from rusting, and liquid corrosion inhibitors that are used in circulating waters.
An interesting natural vapour-phase inhibitor is camphor, which is traditionally placed in gun cabinets in some places. Your car radiator water will also include a corrosion inhibitor.
But putting stuff inside your panels? Cars tend to rust from the outside! The only cars this might benefit are Land Rovers with box-section frames. These frames are very strong but tend to rust from the inside due to condensation, and an inhibitor treatment might be effective. In general however, I can’t see this being of any benefit.
Of the components you’d call a “frame” on any mass production car (unit body included), they’re going to be box sections.
In any case, you’re not buying rust proofing. They may tell you you’re buying rust proofing, but what you’re really buying is a rust-proofing warranty. They sell enough of these worthless products that they have plenty of capital to repair the few cars that do come back with rust. Even then, it’ll be an hour of labor and a couple of dollars of materials. Even so, I’ll bet you that there are all kinds of disclaimers in the warranty for the treatment – like maybe you have to wash and wax your car at a certain frequency, and so on.
Your car comes from the factory as rust proof as it’s going to get. Consider that it goes through a chemical bath, then it’s dunked in tank and electroplated (kind of) with an electro-chemical, rust inhibiting paint (“primer,” but not that stuff you get in a spray can, okay?), then at least a coat of paint, and then probably clear coat on top of that. What, I ask you, is some little auto shop going to do to go beyond all that?
Oh, as for box sections, yeah, the e-coat primer makes it inside, too. There are drain holes so the stuff can get in and vapor/water can get out.
Bad phrasing on my part. I’m talking about the old Series II and Series III Landrovers from the '60s and '70s, a high proportion of which are reputed to be still in service. These used closed box-section tubing for their chassis with inadequate drainage, and they did have corrosion problems as a result. When Toyota released their Landcruiser, they used C-section tubing instead.
Rest of your post - completely concur.
Thanks all,
The reason I was asking this question is because I was considering get it done.
http://www.rustcheckkingston.com/page6.html
I would buy it in a second if I knew it was 100%!
Regards
I hate throwing my money away though 
CrazyFoo, in case you hadn’t noticed I think what everyone is trying to tell you is that you would be throwing your money away.
Consumers Reports regularly reports on these. You can likely find them at your local library. (See any April issue, their automobile one.)
For years they have been saying that these ‘rustproofings’ are useless. Or worse, actually make it worse, by blocking the drain holes built into the vehicle.
Don’t waste your money!
Everyone here might be telling you that you are wasting your money but I’m here to tell you to go to your local junk yard and ask the proprieter to see a fender of an older car with rust proofing . Then ask to see one without.
You’ll definately see a difference.
Rust doesn’t start from the outside. It starts from the inside where the grit and grime and the lime dust and salt get wet and corrode your poor old fliver to death.
If undercoating does one thing it seals up those cracks and crevices and places where lime dust can hide.
Check it out.
Justwannano, have you done this? Because every test I’ve seen says you are wrong. Your assertions and anecdotes notwithstanding.
The only point I agree on (sort of) is the outside/inside thing.
Because particularly in older cars the inside of the doors (for example) was not well coated and the drain holes tended to clog. Some moisture would get in and sit in the interior, rusting it out.
Yes, rust-proofing was an elaborate scam.My ex-boss had his car done, by a firm called Ziebart. What they would do, was to drill an insane number of holes into the doors, body panels, etc. They would then inject thois viscous black goop into the holes…and give you your “warranty”. Basically, if your car rusted through (during the warranty period) you got your money back! What a stupid deal!
And I remember-he did get rust (cuased by the scratches and marks made by the drill bits walking around when they drilled all of those holes). I also heard about people compalining about this crap smelling and burning-inexperienced operators would frequently get the stuff on your muffler, catalytic converter, exhaust pipes, etc. In any event, no point in rustproofing anymore-cars are nowmade with galavanized steel, Of course, you could buy an AUDI A8 (aluminumbody, so no rust).
ralph124c reminds me of an excellent point. Virtually all of these warranties are against rust through. This isn’t surface rust which can be ugly and totally destroy the value of your car, but actual rusting all the way through a piece of sheet metal.
Folks – I live in Michigan. We use a lot of salt and have a lot of temperature extremes. You just don’t see a massive rush-through problem here. Take your CDN$200 and buy yourself 50 car washes with the underbody flush. You won’t have rust problems, and your car will look nice.
Yes I have done this.
If the vehicle was new, and the rustproofing and job was quality materials and workmanship, when it was rustproofed the rust will not start from the inside.
I have a 76 chevy sitting in my back yard that has had both front fenders replaced.
One came off a rustproofed car and is/was in perfect shape when I replaced it.
the other was off the best shape car I could find and it has rust .It was not undercoated.
Your quote about the inside of the door is proof of shoddy workmanship / material.
If the water sits on a surface impenitrable(sp) to water how can it rust?