Dustin4u

Hey guys,

I've been reading that rustproofing, undercoating and fabric guard are scams from the dealers. Anyone have insight to this?

I'm in Ottawa, Canada (capital of salt) and will be driving in the winter.

Is it a good thing to get the options since i am in Ottawa? Or just leave it?

What does everyone think?

beachdog

Save your money. Never met anyone who didn't feel violated after buying those. A friend of the family used to be the "aftermarket and financing" guy at a Toyota dealership. Made an obscene amount of money and bragged about how stupid his customers were.

Doctorr

Don't forget the 'super-alarm', the glass etching, the scotchguard, the leather protector, and the best one of all, the 'armor-plate-polish' (guaranteed for life!)

All absolute buffalo poop.

Same for all the other 'packs' they push....pure profit.

If you want the '3M rock guard' on the front, that might be worth a look.
After you buy.
From the specialist you choose.
At a fairly negotiated price, with no 'take-it-or-else' pressure.....
Without the penalty of putting them in your financed price, and costing you interest for the life of your loan...if you want options, buy them for cash later......
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doc

Dustin4u

So don't even bother with the rustproofing or undercoating since i'm in Ontario?

How does everyone feel about extended warranty's?

Lufa

Always buy extended warranties on all your home appliances as well!!!

Texas 8

They're great as long as it's not from the dealer. I purchased mine thinking I got a good deal. 6yrs/75,000 miles w/$100 ded. for $1800 and change. My thinking was "gee, I'll be covered until well after the car is paid off". Didn't think it was an overly bad price and didn't do any shopping around. So, I went ahead and got it. Last nite I was messing around on the net and started pricing other companies. Found out I could get better coverage for the same amount of time and same ded for roughly $600. Big difference, huh?? Savings of over $1200. Luckily I still met the stipulations and criteria to cancel the original one thru the dealership and did so today. Will get a FULL refund and am going with the new one. Check out the site below for some darn good and important info. Bottom line---avoid dealer scams----
Live and learn. Luckily I learned before it was too late. Hopefully everyone else will take heed....


www.carbuyingtips.com

jpw

Dustin4u,

The oil spray rustproofing is what you want. Go with Krown or Metropolitain. These are anual applications and I get my MPV and 8 done in the fall before the salt hits the fan. This stuff protects every part of your vehicles; wheels, brakes, wiring and of course, body.

It's a bit messy and drips for a couple of days but it WORKS.

My 98 ALL SPORT MPV has been thru 5+ Ottawa winters and was recently rear-ended. The guys at Carling Motors who worked under it noticed that there wasn't rust on it anywhere!

John

boarder

If you ever want to get anything like those items, NEVER get it when your buying your car (unless its free). They have no incentive to give you a fair price after they know you are gonna buy the car anyways.
Secondly, most of the time they don't do crap. Scotchguard/leatherguard is not needed on a new car right out the door (the factory already does something similiar). Probably better off caring for it yourself for the first couple of months.
One exception is the "clearguard" (3M) type of stuff which covers paint with a clear film type substance. If you want to do that go for it (not when you buy the car, but right after) it can help.

Dustin4u

Thanks guys.

Texas-
I hear if you get warrantys from other places besides dealers, that is something goes wrong....they use crappy parts....non Mazda.
I think if i do get the Warranty, i want to make sure that its genuine parts going into my car!

flatso

Do you really even need that? I went under the car and see it looks like there is some type of undercoating sprayed on already. Is there still problems with rusting on most modern cars, except of course our brake rotors ? I don't see rust on many cars today.

jpw

flatso,

When Dustin4u calls Ottawa the "Capital of Salt" he isn't kidding. This city uses an INCREDIBLE amount of salt on our streets. You'll often seen little mounds of salt about an inch high at intersections where salt trucks have stopped or slowed down.

God help you ( and your paint ) if you get stuck behind one on the road - we're talking chunks here. Think about all this salty spray coming thru your grill and into an otherwise un-protected engine compartment....

Our floor mats our caked with salt deposits by spring and are almost rigid enough to stand on end.

Depending on the weather, the salt is mixed with sand and if your car is not protected this "cement" gets into cracks and crevices until you blast it out.

The idea behind the oil spray type of rustproofing is that after application it "creeps", moving into those cracks and crevices provinding protection to the most obscure areas, even threads on bolts, etc.

This is Canada - extended periods of 0 degree F temps, then freezing rain, then deep freeze again. The City uses salt in a desperate attempt to keep up with mother nature.

You can easily spot the vehicles around here wich have had proper rustproofing, and most people, when purchasing used, are willing to pay more for those vehicles.

Also, this rustproofing system is endorsed by the AAA. (CAA)

Rust Never Sleeps...
John.