avoiding honda rust while winter driving

[finboy]

I now have a honda that is rust free. really, this is my first car that has no rust, and to be honest, most of my cars i just drove through winter until the fell apart. I want to keep this car in decent shape, and am well aware of typical honda rust on the 1/4's.

i figure beyond would be a good place to start, what is the best way to make sure the cancer doesn't start consuming my poor car?

[gpomp]

Best way to prevent rust on a Honda is not driving it

[benz_890]

Take off the rubber strip on the inner fender lip.

[finboy]

i have been reading up on hondatech (probably mistake #1) and the complete removal of the strips is debatable, as you will just have rocks and salt chipping away at the lip directly.

[z2two]

it's inevitable

[spacerz]

My initiatives for my 09 Honda have been:

1. Rinse it every single day at a nearby carwash before I get home ($1.00). I have been doing this for the past 3 years during winter time, no problems so far.

2. Strip factory undercoat in rear wheel well. Apply POR-15. Reapply undercoat.

3. Clean and apply POR-15 around sunroof drain line exits (hidden by the rear bumper cover).

4. I will probably strip and re-apply POR-15/undercoat in Summer 2013 (4 years later).

[AE92_TreunoSC]

If there isnt any rust already I would spray aerosol undercoating on the inside of the front and rear fenders with the innerfender liners off.

I'm fortunate and I pressure wash the inside of my fenders on a hoist regularly during the winter, if you can try to get the angle at car washes and make damn sure all the salt is out of the fenders during washes.

[mrsingh]

Originally posted by finboy
what is the best way to make sure the cancer doesn't start consuming my poor car?

Pray!


But seriously, I have a 2004 TSX, and I'm always freaked out about the quarters as well. I try to take it to the wand wash weekly and give the wheel wells a good spray down to wash out the mud and salt. In the end it is inevitable with these cars, all we can do is delay it!

[finboy]

Hmmm, maybe I won't ditch my corolla yet...

[jaylo]

Honda's rear quarter will always rust no matter what

[Cooked Rice]

Originally posted by gpomp
Best way to prevent rust on a Honda is not driving it

See the Audi R8 winter beater thread where I mentioned this.

It's the pinch welded seams that are the issue, as with most cars. The outer fender skin, and the inner fender (wheel well) skin is usually not sealed to keep out any water when they are put together. It's held together by a few pinch welds. Best bet is too removal the interior panels to gain access to the back side, and spray some Fluid Film in there or something and let it seep through the seam to create a oil coating.

[Heru-Farukon]

For me, dont store the car inside a heated garage or parkade. Thats how the rust will start.

my integra was in the family since 98(its a 97 car) and it is still rust free cause we kept it outside during winter, and wash it every few days

I only have 3 (dime) size rust spots. 2 on both the fenders near the the bumper. But i just removed it and repainted. And the third one was on the hood where a rock chipped it a long time ago

[revelations]

It really varies from car models as to how rust will start and where. I have a 2002 Civic SIR that has dozens of good chunks missing from the paint as a result of deerfoot commuting ..... but no rust.

The car is originally from Ontario where the corrosion issue is even worse..

The car was parked outside for 5 winters and then has been in heatedgarages and parkade next 5 .... still no rust.

I've followed no special procedures, just hosing the undercarriage with a garden hose ...along with washing.

As an aside, I dont use soap of any kind when i wash the car, I use a light pressure stream of water from a garden hose and a synthetic mitt that i dip in a bucket of water.

[crez]

This is simple. Most Honda rust doesn`t actually start on the quarters, and that`s why when it starts it`s too late. It usually appears in the inners first, right above the centre of the wheel, then the water dirt, etc, follows gravity to the back behind the wheel where it rusts from the inside out, not from the outside in. Hence the inevitability, because once you see it, it`s too late. If you do have in fact a rust free one, you pretty much need to gut every part of every crevace of the car, and completely douse it with undercoating and wax oil, etc....

That`s probably the only way you will ever prevent the rust, but it must be caught before it`s too late. Otherwise the cost and work involved to actually fix is extensive.


Hope this helps clear up some of thi mystery

[Numi]

best way to prevent honda rust?

Simple don't buy a honda in the first place. Eliminate the problem before it even exists.

[finboy]

Turns out there was only 1 fender strip so I pulled it off. I pulled out 2 fists full of mud from the ledge, cleaned them thoroughly, and sprayed the, down with rust inhibitor. There is a slight bit of rust near the door, but it is still amazing shape considering. Pics when I get home.

[A3GTiVR6SC]

Pressure wash the wheel wells to get all the dirt out, then spray some rubberized asphalt undercoating... Works well, but can get very messy. Dries very quicky unlike the crap dealerships tend to put on new cars...

[finboy]

Rust


The gunk from the rear wheel wells


a bit more about the crap from the wheel wells, I took two handfuls out AFTER spraying the hell out of the wheel wells at the car wash. I can see how easy rust could be caused on these cars, those lips hold a LOT of crap. One of the rubber strips was missing so I just took off the other one. I cleaned them out, dried them, and sprayed the lips with tons of rust inhibitor, I figure it is a stop gap measure until everything is sorted out with the inspection, etc.