Since I live in bad old Canada and have to drive at least six months in major cold, snow, rain, sleet and salt, I was wondering if it was possible to make a car nearly rust-proof. Basically, the biggest problem here is rust. Cars might last 20+ years if it wasn't for it. Trucks don't fare too bad with their frames, but even they eventually have to be retired or scrapped.

So what's the solution? Paint the whole thing from top to bottom? POR-15? Keep the thing marinating in oil or rustproofing?

Obviously this is doable, I'm just curious as to how you guys would go about it.

SAAB 10 year, unlimited mileage anti corrosion warranty.

Seriously, if you have access to a heated bay car wash or something, keeping it clean will help. Maybe coat exposed metal in a rubberized undercoating

^^Rubberized undercoating isn't rust proofing.. It may hide the rust forming behind it till the panel caves in but that is it.. I've sprayed the stuff on a window, held it up to the sun and can see tons of little holes.. this was with 5 coats of the stuff too.. it may help resist or take longer to have a major effect, but thats really all that can be said.. water and all that fun stuff will still get behind it and then its someone trapped and could cause the rusting to stage quicker. Now stuff like POR15 and the Rhino-liner that is more of a catalyst hardened material is more along rust proofing.. with aerosol or air drying stuff, the solvent evaporates leaving air pockets all over exposed.

Try krown rustproofing. It's a very fine and sticky mist. Made to get into all the little tight spots of your car. Plus they drill a few tiny holes (maybe 4 -6) (later rubber plugged) into your door and such to get even deeper. Also trunk+engine bay.

I personally have only sprayed it once last fall, and will do it again soon this fall. So don't take my advice 100%. I think the stuff would work if say, you applied it twice a year, every year since it was new or near. If it's already got a bit of rust it stops it from spreading as fast.

drive a corvette? lol or some fiberglass vehicle

CodeRedZ24 (aka Geeds) wrote:drive a corvette? lol or some fiberglass vehicle

Aluminum frame, fiberglass or carbon fiber panels, and high horsepower. I'd drive one in the winter but Oklahoma winters aren't that bad and there's hardly any salt used when it does get worse. I'd say the best way is to get some form of truck bed liner and a lift and spray all the important parts as well as the inside of your wheel wells. Be sure to grind down and current surface rust though or else it's just going to get worse.


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* Student of the University of Oklahoma. Go Sooners!
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Car Craft Magazine painted a whole car with Por 15 a couple years ago. With their Flexcote products you have a choice of colors even

Interesting. Thanks Spike!

POR 15 ftw! amazing stuff!



WiGM-Tuners member.

LineX the whole car.





**there is only one true love in my life... and my girlfriend has learned to live with it**

I have seen a bazillion cars pass my way. The only ones that hold up to salt winter are the ones with that dam greasy rustproofing. It must be retouched every year. to remain effective.

I've watche my car rust in the welds before it ever saw salt.

Lineex will work...if you gut the car to the shell, prep and treat it. Othersise, the salt will find the bare spots. You would need to touch up the damaged areas every year so to make sure that you have coverage

I find the work killer of unibodies in Canada is the front jacking points. Lifting a car from a pinch is the kiss of death.. Metal always gets bent, paint flakes off...rust fast.

Good luch with your impossible task. Rust always wins on unibody/disposable cars.

I am curious to see if the rust preventers, that apply a charge to the chasis, work?

My father always got our vehicles "rust-checked" every winter, and his cars always seem to last about 7 years. His trucks all last exactly 11 years (he had a '72 Fleetside, an '83 Scottsdale, a '94 Sierra, and he has an '05 Silverado). None of them had any evidence of rust, except the '94 Sierra that he still uses for work.


2010 Honda Fit LX

I'd do Por-15 or similar. Eastwood makes some similar products.

Those type coatings are rust repairing and preventing. They will seal and halt any existing rust, while preventing any new rust from forming. They form a very hard surface which is extremely chip resistant, so it gives very long lasting protection. It's always best to try and eliminate as much of the rust with an abrasive of some form first, but you can actually lay it over a rusty panel and it will convert the rust to a hard oxide if you chose to.

There are some marine products that are very good as well, made for coating metals that are submerged in salt water, but I can't think of any names off the top of my head.

Por15, layer of fiberglass, moar por15, ???????, profit.




Your car may do 13 sec @ 103 mph, but my car does 146db @ 35 hz.

Thanks for all the responses. I find this question interesting because older cars are so much more fun (and often surprisingly cheaper) than new ones to drive and the one thing that stands in the way of making, say a 1972 Nova, into a daily driver up here is rust, rust, rust and more rust. On the one hand no one wants to ruin an old car, but on the other it's kind of a sin to stick it into a garage somewhere 8 months out of the year. That's not what these things were built for.