I used to own a 2005 Altima and we every year we go to Crown to do our Rust protection and we just bought the new Rogue and they offered underbody rust protection for $700 for 10 years or $600 for 5 years (Canada) and it seems like a premium to pay but is it really worth it to shell out an extra $600 or $700? I know that Crown drills holes and what not but Nissan doesn't do any of that and they reach to the spots where Crown doesn't ever touch. If we don't take the rust protection at Nissan, and I decide to have it done later sometime they will charge us a premium.Thoughts?

Thanks

Rust protection is a mass of confusion. There are so many products out there. Here is what I have learned:

- Rust proofing is only as good as the person applying it. The best rust proofing product in the world will not work if it's not correctly applied. Think of it as a service... not a product. When selecting a rustproofing product/dealer, look at how the product is applied and how thorough they are.

- Rust proofing products do not 'stop' rust. It's purpose is to displace the water that is a key part in the formation of rust.

- Car Dealers rarely apply these products, they are usually contracted out and you sometimes pay a premium for the convenience. In the end, the dealer just wants to sell you more stuff... IMHO, if you want rustproofing, go directly to the source.. a rustproofing company/dealer.

- I really dislike paying in advance for anything. I can take that money and use it for better things rather than give someone an interest free loan for 5+ years! What if they go out of business? You have no recourse... your money is lost.

Now, the bigger question: Do you actually need it?

Factory applied rustproofing is pretty good nowadays. Between the cleaning, treating, plating process, priming and painting, it gotten to the point that cars don't rust as quickly. I used to rustproof my vehicles, but stopped doing it as I trade my car in every 5 years... I drive alot! It made no sense financially for me.

For someone who keeps their cars longer, it may be a worthwhile investment. The factory rustproofing will deteriorate over time. A 'touch-up' with an oil based spray or some of the heavier wax/grease based products can certainly slow down any rust that does occur and provide added protection.

Some other tips to keep the rust 'at-bay':

1 - Wash and wax your car frequently. Wash weekly during the winter and wax every 2-3 months if possible. Even if it's just a quick spritz at the power wash. This will remove the accumulated dirt, salt and snow that attracts moisture and causes rust. Salt when combined with water especially speeds up the rusting process. Waxing will allow water to drip away instead of collecting on the paint. If you don't give water a place to collect, it can't accelerate the rusting process.

2 - Avoid parking your car in a heated garage. Same reason as above. Melting snow creates water. It's actually better to leave it outside during winter where the ice and snow stays frozen... and can't melt into water.

3 - Keep the interior clean and invest in a good set of winter floor mats (Weathertech Floor Liners are the best I've used). You want to keep the carpeting dry so you don't rust the floor of the vehicle.

I'm thinking back to the 6 old vehicles I owned prior to the Rogue and a new Saturn car, and although all were at least 10 years old, and a couple as old as 15 years I never had a rust problem on any of them except my old 79 Ford. Anything that was manufactured in the 90s seemed to be rust free, and if things have improved further since then I wouldn't worry about rust on the Rogue at all. I guess it depends on how long you plan on keeping your vehicle, if you're shooting for the 20 year mark then maybe it'll be an issue, but by then you'll be looking to get rid of it anyway. I live in Alberta where road salt is moderate, so that definatley is a factor to consider too.

I think my advice would be to save the rust proofing money and put it towards maintenance which will keep the vehicle mechanically sound over the long term, or spend it on some add-on accessories like a chrome grill, rear spoiler, etc.. there are lots of ideas on this forum of mods that will add value to your vehicle, whereas rust protection probably wouldn't add a lot of resale value, and not much FUN either!!

kerrton wrote:I live in Alberta where road salt is moderate, so that definatley is a factor to consider too.

Kerrton, here in southern Ontario they use ridiculous amounts of road salt. I would not be surprised if a car from western Canada probably fares much better in terms of rust. It seems like you have a dryer and colder climate out west.

I had a 93 Honda Civic that had barely a spot of rust on it when I sold it in '03. My '03 Mazda P5 has a very disappointing amount of rust on it at only 6 years old. Maybe they're just not making 'em like they used to, or (hopefully) this was just a passing problem for Mazda in one or two model years. Part of the reason I chose Nissan for my next car is the fact that my husband's 9 year old Pathfinder looks brand new -- except the running boards, but whatever.

KCS wrote:I had a 93 Honda Civic that had barely a spot of rust on it when I sold it in '03.

WOW!!! Civic's from the 90's and even later were notorious for rusting around the rear wheel wells. You must have lucked out or taken very good care of it!

KCS wrote:My '03 Mazda P5 has a very disappointing amount of rust on it at only 6 years old. Maybe they're just not making 'em like they used to, or (hopefully) this was just a passing problem for Mazda in one or two model years.

My wife's '02 Protege is still going strong with minimal amounts of body rust. What little there is comes from stone chips.

I might possibly drive this car for 5 years then trade it in, when a new design for the Rogue comes out. It all depends since this may be my last new vehicle purchase.I may just go to the other local Nissan dealer and get it rust proofed there since I know a guy who can get us a discount, but that may not be until a couple months/years down the road.

Philipa did you get your rust protection when you bought your Rogue new?

Clue wrote:Philipa did you get your rust protection when you bought your Rogue new?

I did not buy any rust proofing/protection for my Rogue. It's the same way it came from the factory

I did not opt for any undercoating at the time of purchase.

I recently took a good look under the car, the best I could w/o a lift or ramp, to see how much or how little factor rustproofing had been carried out. I'm no mechanic but I could immediately tell that a very good amount of factory work has been done to prevent rust. For example, you will notice that the wheel wells are coated, in their entirety, with a rhino liner / rubberized - type coating. Looking under, I see that the main frame-type bars and suspension springs are fully and thickly painted with some glossy-looking black paint, looks kind of like the rustoleum black gloss paints. I also a fair amount of liner/rubberized coating throughout the bottom structures on what I would guess is the fuel tank(?) and some other places. Bravo Nissan

Just about the only place where I see exposed metal that would be prone are a few bolts which are exposed shiny steel, and the exhaust, which are completely 'naked' and I'm sure will eventually rust, there already is a small sliver of thin surface rust forming on the exhaust.

I feel quite confident that the Nissan engineers have put some effort into preventing rust, and that with regular washing of the undercarriage during the road salt months, rust should not be a problem. Not too concerned about the exhaust, I think I heard before that the exhaust is not supposed to be coated/rustproofed. Just to be extra safe, next time I get my car washed and dried, I may crawl under and spray some aerosol Rustoleum black over the bare bolts and other areas that look relatively less protected. I am unsure what to do about the exhaust but all in all it is a replaceable part.

Also, for what it's worth, many of the car washes around here (Cambridge/Boston) include as part of the undercarriage wash, a 'rust inhibitor' treatment, although I have no idea what that is.