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The frame is a little rusted on the 91 I just bought. I was told I'd get about 3 years out of it in it's current condition. My question is this: Is there anything I can do to retard the rust to maybe squeeze some more time out of my car? Someone mentioned extend or something like that.

That would depend. What does it look like and where is it? Do you have access to a garage? And do they salt or sand if it snows where you are?

Steve

Hey Steve, I haven't seen the frame rust that the mechanic is speaking of yet but he said it was superficial and hasn't poked through. He was initially downbeat about it but then perked up a bit and said it could be greatly retarded. I was dismayed when I heard of it because it was on a lift and I didn't notice it at that time but if it's not bad that's probably why.

Around here they salt the roads so I'd have to store the car in winter. I don't have access to a garage at this time but I do have a spot I could cover and store it during the winter.

I've been researching a bit myself and I've found some things that may slow it to a point.

Store it during the winters?

Are you daft boy? these cars, assuming you have an awd one work phenomenally in the winter. Don't put the poor thing away

I have another Subaru to drive in the salt though.

Don't store it over open ground as it will be worse than driving it and washing it frequently. Superficial is good. Grind it down to shiny metal and a few inches on each side. Make sure all the black specks are out - it's just like cancer, if you miss a spot it will only come back much quicker. Then try that Pour-15 stuff with a brush and open any plugs if you can and squirt it inside before you replace the plugs. There's also a zinc dip that you could use on the bare metal to supposedly regalvanize it, but I've never used it. Anyway, afterwards I'd undercoat it thoroughly after. I touch-up undercoat my underbody every year. It only costs a can of stuff and so far seems to be effective.

Steve

Damn, the frames rusted? That sucks. I didn't really notice that either but I wasn't really looking at the frame, I was more looking for oil leaks and stuff. I new the header heat shields were in rough shape though.

Yeah Matt, there's some rust. She said it wasn't that bad though, "only starting" is the term that was used. She doedn't seem to think it a big deal. It doesn't matter though because I'm going to take good care of 'er. I'll scrub it out and maybe even reinforce it, but I'll at least treat it and coat it somehow.

I don't think I'll rush to get rid of the L even though I already have a potential buyer.....still not sure though. I figure in three years I'll be able to get a newer car but who knows

I should get you guys pics of my cars underside... you'd flip..

Oh yeah, is it bad or what?

I would never put money or effort into a car thats driven in the winter or already has severe corrosion problems. Keep the car u like for the summer and get a beater for the winters. You can't keep a nice car nice if you drive it in salt, its never gonna happen.

Mark,

You can, but it isn't cheap.

Steve

the saltly brine works its way into every nook and cranny between every metal stamping and sits there for the life of the car eating it away as soon as moisture comes in contact with it. All it takes is one winter and the salt will remain inside the car for its entire life, and that can't be reversed. Out west there are 20 year old cars in junkyards without a bubble of rust, and were put there because mechanically they were faulty. You will never ever see a 20 year old car here thats been driven every winter over here, unless it was stored for the winters. Whatever people say, you can try to protect a car as much as you can from the salt. But a car driven in salt will never last as long as a car that isn't. I wished they banned it and replaced it with alternatives.

Mark,

sure we might not have rust on cars out here, but we do have sun stained interiors, crackling dashes, and paint that's been burned through the clear coat. Our cars just treated to a different kind of torture. Heat. Hoeses and stuff become brittle and plyable if it gets too hot. Plastic begins to melt, stains in fabric wont come out, paint will chip right off if it gets hot enough and was never cared for. We have our own share of car problems.

the east coast gets heat too. we're lucky to not have rust that eats away at the very soul of the car, plastic and paint can be replaced, metal is quite a bit harder

i thank the good lord that I live on the west coast

I wasn't talking about protecting from the rust - that only slows it down - I was more thinking in terms of periodical body part replacement. Rust is a constant battle.

Steve

LaureltheQueen wrote:the east coast gets heat too. we're lucky to not have rust that eats away at the very soul of the car, plastic and paint can be replaced, metal is quite a bit harder

i thank the good lord that I live on the west coast

last i heard they dont have triple digit heat all summer long, parts of spring and fall too.

wa doesnt either. we're lucky if it hits 90 more than 3 times. i love our weather when it's not raining

LegacyT wrote:I would never put money or effort into a car thats driven in the winter or already has severe corrosion problems. Keep the car u like for the summer and get a beater for the winters. You can't keep a nice car nice if you drive it in salt, its never gonna happen.

Mark,

Well, it's too late for me to worry about that since I've committed to fixing what's there. I'm not going to drive around a car that has fixable rust on it and not try to fix it. I guess I'll just have to deal with it as it comes I have little choice. I've seen some body work last a long time. It's not like I'm going to keep the car forever anyway. I'll tweak it out as much as possible, drive it fast and bury it later I just want it to look good while I do it. I'll use it while I can and worry about the consequences later on.

Boston gets more rainfall than Seattle, just not as spread out. We've had maybe 6 days over 80 degrees so far this year.

Steve

evolutionmovement wrote:Don't store it over open ground as it will be worse than driving it and washing it frequently. Superficial is good. Grind it down to shiny metal and a few inches on each side. Make sure all the black specks are out - it's just like cancer, if you miss a spot it will only come back much quicker. Then try that Pour-15 stuff with a brush and open any plugs if you can and squirt it inside before you replace the plugs. There's also a zinc dip that you could use on the bare metal to supposedly regalvanize it, but I've never used it. Anyway, afterwards I'd undercoat it thoroughly after. I touch-up undercoat my underbody every year. It only costs a can of stuff and so far seems to be effective.

Steve

The stuff that regalvanizes is called metal ready all so from POR15..

I use the stuff and think it works fine.. you can even get POR clear so you can see if the rust is spreading or not..


Ther is also some very cool ruberized stuff you could under coat with..