Dealers always try to sell us a bunch of stuff including rustproofing. Is it really necessary for the RL? Has there been any study or report about the value of rustproofing on a car such as our RLs?

 

Snake Oil in my opinion.

 

 

very few people give Lee Iacoca any credit for things he accomplished while at Chrysler. Up until the mid 1980's cars rusted out. In the rust belt, within 3 years, almost all cars had some sort of rust. within 6 or 7 years, many cars would be seriously rotted away. Chrysler offered 7 years, 70k powertrain with 7 years rust through protection. They did it because they pioneered a new form of processed steel that made sheet metal very rust resistant. Prior to that, car sheet metal was stamped out of cold rolled (unpainted) steel. The steel would use water and oil mixture to keep the stamping equipment lubricated. Even with painting the inside, rust would develop and would eat cars from the inside out. Chrysler used a process of steel called "DIF-Coat"...short for differential coat. The steel is coated with a g25 galvanizing on the side to be painted. That is a weak coating, but is also paintable. The other side is a full g-60 galvanized coating which is used for the inside. This steel is processed while hot, hence a hot galvanizing rating. The advantage to that is the coating actually penetrates the steel, making it very rust resistant. Every car maker uses steel made of this process.

Very few cars ever rust out any more. The ones that do are the ones that trap water inside the body panels promoting corrosion.

rust proofing helps protect against rocks kicking up in the wheel well areas, and it helps to deaden noise...but it really presents little rust proofing protection.

 

I remember owning several Honda Accords when they first came out (late 1976-1981).

Due to a potential rust problem on the early models, Honda put in front fender liners -- something they use to this day to help prevent road grime, water, and salt from sticking to the underside of the fenders.

I would not "rustproof" an RL.

Rob144

 

They should call it noise proofing - road noise in the RL is pretty loud, although once I wore out and replaced the OEM tires, noise has decreased

 

Thanks for all the inputs. I am going to leave that alone. I, too, find the road noise to be at least as much as I was getting with my TL. Not that it is that bad, I was just expecting something better...

 

Also don't forget that the hood, front fenders and trunklid are made of aluminum.

 

Good point. I'd be curious to get feedback from Acura owners (5-6 year old RL or others), preferably from places up north...