Dangers of Rust on Your Car Door and Chassis
Rust is known as the “cancer” of cars. Once rust starts to set in, fixing it, like chemotherapy will be very expensive.
Rust is usually caused by the oxidation of iron and steel components with the presence of moisture. Generally, the longer a car stays exposed to the elements for long periods will begin to rust.
If you have been around car workshops, you’ll notice older cars have a lot of rust on them. This is because the use of alloy and galvanized steel wasn’t the industrial standard for car manufacturing up until 1990.
In layman’s terms, galvanized steel is an alloy that is made by fusing zinc and iron during the casting process.
The result of galvanizing steel is the alloys are much more durable and weather-resistant than base metal. However, that does not mean alloys are completely rust-proof.
It’s also important to remember that Malaysia’s humid tropical climate will further accelerate the rusting process of our cars.
With that rainy season in full swing, here’s how damaging rust can be to your car’s door and chassis.
Rust Will Compromise Safety and Chassis Rigidity.
When steel begins to rust, the surface becomes brittle after the oxidation process. Over time, you may notice the car starting to creak and have poor sound insulation.
Eventually, the whole thing will come apart due to weakened bonds. Bear in mind too that a car’s chassis needs to be rigid enough to withstand mechanical stress while driving.
Rust Will Lower Your Car’s Resale Value
When there’s the presence of rust in a car, this lowers its resale value. A rusted car would make a sight for sore eyes if left unfixed.
Any dealer will be hesitant to take in a car that has rust or rust damage repairs done to it for fear of compromising the safety of their customers.
Read More: Here Are 17.5 Things to Improve Your Car’s Value
There’s a Chance You Might Get Tetanus
Let’s get this out of the way – getting cut from rusty metals does not always give you tetanus. Tetanus is generally caused by bacterial infection; you’re more likely to get Tetanus from the soil and water than a rusty cut.
Nevertheless, it’s better to be safe than sorry here. There is still a likelihood that you can get tetanus from getting cuts inside a rusted car. Get your booster shots if you haven’t had one in more than five years.
How to Prevent Rust On Your Car Door and Chassis
Now that we know the dangers of having a rusted car, here are some tricks you can do at home to mitigate rust creeping on your car doors and chassis.
The Cheap Option – Avoid Parking Outdoors For Extended Periods
For landed homeowners who have more than 2 cars at home, get those full-sized waterproof car covers.
A decent one can be had for around RM60 depending on the size via e-commerce sites. There are more durable ones that cost more than RM150. You can’t put a price on safety, right?
Why would you need a snowproof car cover in Malaysia but I guess that’s a testament to their product’s durability.
The Expensive Option – Get Your Car Repainted and Ceramic Coated
Another way to rust-proof your car is to get it repainted and ceramic coated for additional protection. Your car’s paint, by default, has a layer of ionized paint provided by the manufacturer.
However, this layer of paint will eventually wear off from the elements. There is no definition on how often you should repaint your car but it is best to get it spray painted every five to ten years. (Or if you spot rust begins to set in on your car.)
Additionally, you can get your car ceramic coated with rain-proof or rust-proof coating. This is the most expensive option as you’ll be looking at more than RM1000 and above depending on your car’s segment.
Car owners in tropical, humid countries like Malaysia need to pay more attention to how our weather can damage our cars.
With that, we hope these tips will help you protect your car from rust during this rainy and humid season!
