How to slow down Rust

[KCinToronto]

This may be a recurring question but please help save me some time as I hate reading. LOL. I purchased a 2004 Mazda 3 GS for the wife and it was a, "I'm tired of looking spontaneous purchase." I was actually looking for a Civic but the prices were insane. At the last minute I raised what I was willing to pay and bought this car. (Paid $8750.00 and it has 160,000 km) I noticed some rust on the back quarter panels and had them touch up one side. (I've posted on Lynne's thread and will send her pics). After getting it home there is more rust that I am not happy with. My question is, can I slow it down? I have a 1999 honda civic with 280,000 km on it and it has no rust at all. It has never been treated or anything. Please give me your opinions on:
1) RUST AWAY sprays that say they can help stop rust
2) Professional rust spraying. Is there any point after the rust has started? Can it slow it down?
3) Underbody coating. IS this for rust or jsut good for road noise. (There does seem to be alot of road noise)

I appreciate any opinions.

KC

[nicker]

you have a 99 civic with NO rust. Was the car winter stored !!! WOW all the older hondas I have seen are rust buckets...unless they have been painted.

One thing with rust is if its there it will continue, idealy get rid of it! Spraying it with oil or coating it will slow it down as rust feeds on moisture and air. Since the rust is already there if you coat it with oil or grease it will limit the air and slow it down.

[KCinToronto]

Thanks Nicker. My Honda has 280,000 km on it. And yep, no rust at all besides a couple of stone chips that weren't taken care of. What about a couple of spots that are "bubbling" with rust underneath. Can those be touched up? I had one of the back fenders touched up before I bought it but I am afraid it will come back. Thanks again.

KC

[monstar]

From my experience, the 5th gen civics (92-95) are the models that have the most rust. Generations after that are less propone from some reasons (especially the rear quarter panels).

As for the rust, your best bet is just to rid of it professionally (if you want to keep your car). The rust will just continue to grow if not physically removed. Those rust check sprays that you can buy from crappy tire doesn't do much in terms of slowing it down. Also, even getting it sprayed at Krown every year from now will not completing kill the rust... and you will have to see if the benefits out weighs the cost (i.e. slowing down the rust vs. $120/yr).

[TheProfessor]

Agreed, the only way to get rid of it for good is to have the panel cut out and replaced, though I'm not sure it's worth the effort. Rust is cancer to cars, and once it's started you'll be hard pressed to slow it down.

[Flagrum_3]

It depends on how bad your rust is! Some pics would help here!!...If its just surface rust, which is usually caused by chips, scratches, thin paint etc; then you could just have them retouched, but if its panel corrosion as in Lynn's case, forget it.

Having the vehicle properly oil sprayed at Krown for instance, WILL help in preventing most types of rust from starting and will also help in slowing down most existing rust problems.



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[KCinToronto]

So I brought my car (2004 Mazda 3 GS) to Mazda of Toronto last week and they installed the cabin air filter (I have no patience for that) and they took photos of the existing rust and paint bubbles. I called them today and they agreed to fix the existing rust at no charge to me. I drop it off Saturday and pick it up the next week. I'm not sure how good a job they are going to do but anything is better than what it is now. Thanks to this forum and people like Lynne who was fighting for hers and included some of us, it looks like my car will get fixed. Keep in mind I bought this used and it has 160,000 km on it. So I have to say that it looks like Mazda of Toronto really came through. I'll keep you all updated of the quality of their work on it. I understand it won't completely stop the rust but helping me to slow it down sounds good to me.

KC

[Ogata]

Has anyone installed http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=140847439 6676110&bmUID=1215238101881&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443292139&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true?

My friend's TSX has this on and he CLAIMS the rust on his brakes do not appear.