Vehicle Rust

Wheel well liners are plastic and there is no metal behind the rear wheel area so that is a plus. My son's 3 year old Echo has seen a LOT of salt here and there is no rust anywhere on the frame or body. Only thing that seems to rust is the exhaust system but even that is not bad at all. I'm sure Toyta used galvanized steel in most body panels so if you keep it fairly clean, it should last a LONG time. I had a 1973 Dodge Charger - beautiful looking car - that rusted through the front fenders in 9 months! Those were not the good old days - no warranty coverage on rust - so I ditched it at a considerable loss.

 

With warmer weather coming, I want to take a look at everything on the underside of the car. Hopefully, I can spot potential problem areas and get some good rubberized undercoating in those areas. This is really an issue with those of us in snow areas. Bruce, maybe we can post all the areas we find, since you might find some I miss and vice versa. I also want my Prius to last a long time and this is a good way to start.

 

I have also noticed the rear wheel area of my '04 prius already full of salt and grit from the northeast snow. I was unhappy and blasted it with the hose as I was washing it. The hose removed it all nicely but I am keeping an eye on the area. I was told by a 2000 celica owner that they also have the same pocket area.

 

I'd just noticed the rear wheel area also today then I washed it, and wondered about it. Be carefull with the undercoating, especially on hte doors. Be sure you don't plug up any drain holes, they're needed to keep the doors from filling up with water.

 

Lots of salt to deal with here too. I've had, and seen many others have, good results by having a rust proofing applied yearly. This has been the kind that drips all over for a couple of days afterwards. Anyone else have any experiences or reccommendations regarding rustproofing?

 

Ditto. Try looking at:

http://www.rustcheck.com

which is quite popular in the Canadian Rust Belt. I've used their service on my 1984 Ford F-150 from new and - underneath anyway - it looks like it just rolled off the factory floor.

If you really want to keep something forever, the $100 a year might make sense. If you don't intend to keep it more than 4-6 years, don't bother

 

Oh, after getting the Rust Check done, you do *not* want to park the car in your garage or underground parking. That stuff is sprayed on quite liberally and for about a week after will drip all over the place. Makes one h*** of a mess.

I usually park my vehicle outside at the hobby farm, it's usually safe there. Not too sure how to get around the safety/security issue if you live in the big city.

I know for a fact it would *royally* p*** off my Condo Association if my freshly Rust Checked Prius dripped oil all over the place.

 

Thanks jayman. Ya I've used Krown Rust Control on my pick up and very pleased. I was just curious if anyone had any experience specific to their beloved Prius. I think they sometimes make holes here and there to get the fluid into all the areas. Not sure if they follow specific location guidelines for each vehicle or if it's just up to the individual doing the spraying. Any thoughts on areas that might be of concern? Have you also sprayed your Prius?

 

I think I'll have mine sprayed next fall, now that I've decided I really like my Prius and want to keep it. Of course, I said the same thing about my 2000 GMC Sierra. I think the Rust Check history helped me get $2,000 more than book for it, it proved the truck wouldn't rust.

I sold my 1990 4Runner in 2000 with 280,000km on it for $14,400. Again, it was spotless underneath and the Rust Check goes a long way to keeping it that way.

Yep, Rust Check does require drilling holes in the body and doors to spray in the oil. I've been using the same Rust Check place my parents have, almost 20 years now, and we have a lot of trust in them.

I've already had my Prius in their shop on a slow day to go over any concerns. Of course, the tech will avoid the bright orange cables just like he would avoid the Clap. Make sure you mention you have a hybrid car with a high voltage battery source and they have to take extra precautions.

Since it's relatively easy to take out the rear tray and spare tire, it was a good time to show the tech the battery location. He'll just play it safe and put a piece of clean plastic over it, spray into the well where the spare tire is, then have me put the tire and tray back where they belong.

Since the hood is aluminum, I don't think they will spray the hood.

 

I just noticed some slight bubbling on the rockers of our 2007, just in front of the rear wheels. I've seen other Gen 2s up here in the salt belt where that area is completely rotted out. I fear it may be too late to do much preventively, as it looks like inside-out corrosion at first glance. Still, the Prius looks pretty good for a 17-year-old daily driver.