Rustproofing packages: What is worthwhile?

[mandrill]

Am purchasing a new car and the dealership is trying hard to sell me on extras, among them various rustproofing and undercoating services. Are these worthwhile getting from the dealership - or at all?

Are they cheaper and more sensible to obtain from aftermarket servicers?

 

[Danolo]

Don't bother... they have huge markup amounts and they are no better than many aftermarket products.

I know, cuz I used to work for a dealership and sell them!

If you want rust protection, I suggest Walmart's rust proofing. I got my truck done there and it was carefully done.

They will also try to sell you paint sealant... don't bother.. if you want something to protect your paint from UV, etc, try one of the aftermarket parts shops.

They may also try to sell you upholstery protection... just buy a can of Scotchguard and do it yourself.


Another thing they may try to sell you is an extended warranty. These also have HUGE profits built in and are usually not worth it. If you want protection (insurance) after the standard manufacturer's warranty, I'd suggest you save a bit of cash each month and in a savings account and then you'll have the cash to pay for repairs after the warranty runs out.
The only exception to the above is if you finance or lease the vehicle for 3 years... a typical warranty is 3/60, that is 60,000 kms and leases may run 72, 000 kms. You can buy the add-on warranty for the additional 12,000 for low cost.

Another thing they may try to sell you is insurance on the payment. If you die, the insurance pays the payments. This is simple life insurance and when you buy it from a dealer is VERY expensive. I suggest if you want additional coverage for this, buy a cheap term policy from your insurance broker.

Finally, often a dealer will offer 0% or 1% or very low interest rates on some cars. These can often be very good deals, because they will be lower than what a bank will charge. But if you are getting standard financing from the dealewr, check your bank rate... it almost always is cheaper.

Oh yes, you can sometimes negotiate the admin fee as well.

Good luck!

 

[mandrill]

Thanks, pal. I figured as much and held off signing anything.

 

[hinz]

http://www.krown.com

 

[shakenbake]

Am purchasing a new car and the dealership is trying hard to sell me on extras, among them various rustproofing and undercoating services. Are these worthwhile getting from the dealership - or at all?

Are they cheaper and more sensible to obtain from aftermarket servicers?

No, stay far away form these money wasting options. They are crooks who never intend to honour their warrantees (personal experience with one of them on a 1990 GM product that I had bought new, and after three years).

I have had three new Fords without any extra rustproofing and, after 7 or 8 years, no rust, except where the paint was scratched or chipped to the metal. In fact, I had to remove a door panel on my 2000 Focus to repair a window regulator, and NO rust in the door internals. I would hazard that most other manufacturers take the same care in making a new car rust-proof.

 

[shakenbake]

Don't bother... they have huge markup amounts and they are no better than many aftermarket products.

I know, cuz I used to work for a dealership and sell them!

If you want rust protection, I suggest Walmart's rust proofing. I got my truck done there and it was carefully done.

They will also try to sell you paint sealant... don't bother.. if you want something to protect your paint from UV, etc, try one of the aftermarket parts shops.

They may also try to sell you upholstery protection... just buy a can of Scotchguard and do it yourself.


Another thing they may try to sell you is an extended warranty. These also have HUGE profits built in and are usually not worth it. If you want protection (insurance) after the standard manufacturer's warranty, I'd suggest you save a bit of cash each month and in a savings account and then you'll have the cash to pay for repairs after the warranty runs out.
The only exception to the above is if you finance or lease the vehicle for 3 years... a typical warranty is 3/60, that is 60,000 kms and leases may run 72, 000 kms. You can buy the add-on warranty for the additional 12,000 for low cost.

Another thing they may try to sell you is insurance on the payment. If you die, the insurance pays the payments. This is simple life insurance and when you buy it from a dealer is VERY expensive. I suggest if you want additional coverage for this, buy a cheap term policy from your insurance broker.

Finally, often a dealer will offer 0% or 1% or very low interest rates on some cars. These can often be very good deals, because they will be lower than what a bank will charge. But if you are getting standard financing from the dealewr, check your bank rate... it almost always is cheaper.

Oh yes, you can sometimes negotiate the admin fee as well.

Good luck!

What Danlo said!

 

[Mkyla]

You may want to check to see if the manufacturer already has rustproofing on the car. A lot of them won't honor the warranty if you add any aftermarket rustproofing, and then the aftermarket guys could be a scam. If you must have it though, go to Krown

 

[HAMSTER INSPECTOR]

$10 rustproofing

Buy a can of rustcheck at Canadian Tire and use half a can now ( summer ) and half a can just before it gets realy cold. What you want to do is to place the spray tube in the drain holes at the bottom of each door and spray in up and then to the left and right of each hole. When you are spraying make sure you are angling the spray tube tawards the outside of the car so you are spraying the interior of the door panel. Push the tube in and draw it out as you give it a quick spray. You can spray the inside of the fenders from the engine compartment and inside the trunk. You just need to coat the inside of the door panels where moisture collects in all the cracks and crevises. I also buy 6 DAMP TRAPS from the dollar store to soak up moisture inside the car, place one under each seat one in the trunk, one in the spare tire compartment and I also place one under the rear fender liners.
It will amaze you how much dampness theses thing soak up.

I know places that charge $99 to do rustproofing. The product they give you is so inexpensive that they spray more than you need so that it leaks all over the place to show you they gave you something. Most of the $99 is labour and profit.