GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Before we were allowed to go home after spending 'tons' on a factory ordered 5 speed Vibe we sat in our local but large Pontiac dealership with the business manager giving us the lowdown on dealer supplied rustproofing. He was so pushing the "Electronic Corrosion Control" by Sym-Tech. It does seem appealing ie no chemicals, no reapplication, lifetime warranty, transferrable to subsequent cars. It seems like hokum pokem but the dealer, I think, provides the warranty. Have you heard anything?I know from various threads that most of you recommend Krown or Rust Check. I tried to find Sym-Tech on the web without much luck. Does anyone know where Sym-Tech is located in Ontario? If I could locate it I could do a price compare (with them directly versus the dealer).

There is a special half price offer at Couteract. an electronic rust proofer featured on 2 Guys Garage a Speed channel program. They are $149.95 with self installation guide. They claim that they work. I considered buying it but did not like the $300.00 price. At $150.00 it may be worth it. I think those are Canadian dollar prices. IM me if you want some more info.

I spent the $300 for rust prof to be done on my car. I've seen what rust does, and I think we all have lol. It works plus for $300 its inspected and touched up for the next 6 years. What other garage does that? You add up what most charge each year for doing it and compare that to $300 for a 6 years... depending on what your comparing it to, it might be cheaper to do it each year. But there are some crappy undercoating products out there that do more harm then dirt. I particularly hate the stuff that runs when exposed to a little heat. You see the cars sitting around with it dripping out from every crack, leaving pools on the ground everywhere.The stuff used at the dealership I worked at and bought my car at is very good. Maybe I didn't like the price obviously but I trusted the product from what I had seen others do.

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »I spent the $300 for rust prof to be done on my car. I've seen what rust does, and I think we all have lol. It works plus for $300 its inspected and touched up for the next 6 years. What other garage does that? So Mavrik you got yours done at your dealership? But the car comes with a corrosion warranty for 6 years. So your inspections and touch ups expire at the same time the original warrany goes out. Do you get it redone after that?

The GM rust warranty is for rust that developes UNDER the paint and metal and eats through. Rust on the surface is is not included and that includes under the vehicle. Say in 4 years your gas tank starts leaking at the top from rust developing between the tank and the body of the car (on cars with non platic tanks, I have seen this on Grand Ams) there would be no rust through coverage. The only areas I have seen covered so far were under the doors where rust formed under the paint and on trunk lids. Rust forming from exposed body from lack of paint, Example stone chips, not covered. I would suggest to anyone to get your car undercoated. I'm not pressing Sym-tech but I have not seen any car with it where the dealer that applied it, did so properly and had rust problems. The before mentioned Grand AM did not have undercoating and it was a mess. And it was a 2000.As for what happens after 6 years? I am sure it can get re-applied but at that time you would probably have to pay for the inspections and touch ups. It would not cost $300 though I am sure. But honestly the situation never presented itself while I worked at the dealership. Since I was in service, it was never up to us to do the deals. We only did to sold cars what the business office told us to do.

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »I would suggest to anyone to get your car undercoated. I'm not pressing Sym-tech but I have not seen any car with it where the dealer that applied it, did so properly and had rust problems. So is Sym Tech products and services available across Canada? Where is their head office? I tried to find their website with no luck. I was hoping to be able to price their services as an aftermarket purchase rather than through the dealer.

I can't tell you how far spread they are if they are Ontario based or more country wide. I would look over the Sym-tec paperwork I recieved but its in the car which is currently in Ontario and I'm in Alaska... sorry lol.

i got my car rust protected from a compnay in streetsville i was recommened to go there from the salesman i know that i bought my vibe off of. they do a really good job i think it was $200 initial and he said that was basically all i needed but i could go back every year and get it checked up and if he needed to respray if it would be like $50 or so. i cant think of the compnay name but the do alot of auto detailing and do great jobs on tinting too. just try searching for them there in streetsville.

Quite coincidentally, there was an article in the Toronto Star today discussing electronic rust proofing. Check it out:http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/...n=yesDid you write in Boxgrover?!?

Quote, originally posted by B18B »Quite coincidentally, there was an article in the Toronto Star today discussing electronic rust proofing. Check it out:http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/...n=yesDid you write in Boxgrover?!? I did see this today while having brekky at McDs. What a coincidence! Looks like Ill stick with the messy but proven oil spray.

i have rust proofing on my car, but didn't pay for it since they "added it free." which they should have since I pretty much paid MSRP for the damn car.

My in-law brought one of these electronic device in 1999 for it's new Protege. He was so afraid having his Mazda rusted that he also rustproofed with regular seasonal treatment (such as Krown or similar product that we're applying ourself) May be the same as Toronto-Star's talking about in Quebec...) Whatever your dealer proposal is, forget it, it doesn't worth $$$ asked for. BTW the in-law-Protege is still looking as brand new !!! and there's a lot of salt on Quebec's roads during cold season.

If a dealer is selling rustproofing its junk!!!!!!Take it to Krown or Rust Check spend 100 or so a year,nothing works better then a oil based product as long it is applied correctly.Sure it drips but after working at Rust Check(Krown is close) for 7yrs I have seen what works and what doesn't,Ziebart,Superior,Symtech=CRAP and those electronic thinks are crap too!

Quote, originally posted by rubberman »If a dealer is selling rustproofing its junk!!!!!!Take it to Krown or Rust Check spend 100 or so a year,nothing works better then a oil based product as long it is applied correctly.Sure it drips but after working at Rust Check(Krown is close) for 7yrs I have seen what works and what doesn't,Ziebart,Superior,Symtech=CRAP and those electronic thinks are crap too!Two enticements of doing 'traditional' (ie not the electronic) proofing through the dealer is the cost is rolled into 0% financing. Also the warranty is 'lifetime' with no yearly reapplication unless required (but still no cost). I'm the kind of guy who would find it difficult to do the yearly $100 with Krown/Rust Check.

i agree with boxgrover's last sentence.

at 0% financing, pay for the rust proofing with no cost to you for the next 6 years to have it looked at. Only time I say no to add ones to the car bill is when its something I'll be paying interest on for the rest of the car payments lol

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »at 0% financing, pay for the rust proofing with no cost to you for the next 6 years to have it looked at. Mavrik, I forget what the Pontiac dealer charges for the spray on rust proofing...maybe $399 to $499 or something similar. Anyways as I recall this is a one time application; unlike Krown. How can that 'work'? Does the service dept really inspect the car and sometimes say "I think that car needs a re-application of proofing". Just wondering.

Yes it does get free inspections once a year and touch ups are done as required and done for free. Those inspections can take a couple of minutes actually and not a long process. I can't say others do but they better be. We did and I'd hate think we were the only ones lol.

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »Yes it does get free inspections once a year and touch ups are done as required and done for free. Those inspections can take a couple of minutes actually and not a long process.And Mavrik, when the 'dealer' notices some areas that need redoing do they do it at the dealership? In fact is rustproofing through the dealer done off site at a local shop?And when they do the yearly inspection cant they only see the undercoat? I guess what I mean is that there is more to full proofing than just the underneath right? There would be areas that wouldnt be practical for them to check; areas that are hidden; areas that Krown would do each year for example.

We did ours at the shop.

Hey if you like your cars to rot go with the dealer crap.Do they do insde doors fenders etc?I have seen "dealer" rustproofing" A little here a little there.For 300-400$ you can spray your car 3 times.The dealer laugh all the way to the bank when people buy there crap-paint protection-rust proofing-Frabric protection.i even seen were a GM dealer charge a person for frabric protection even when the car came from the factory with scotch guard(they removed the window sticker)

Mine was sprayed in the doors in the wheel wells and all over the underside of the vehicle. I'm not blind when it comes to my car and I checked myself. Guess where you went ripped you off lol. Actually thats not funny. And it doesn't rot either. I had the pleasure of working with customer who bought cars there for years and some it was many years ago they had bought their last on and were still driving it. No rot on the underside at all.

you do sound pretty pissed there rubberman. you must've been ripped pretty hard sometime in your past.i think the dealer did a good job with my car. inside doors, etc. (i checked) and i know they did the fabric guard because i drove the car before they did it (test drive) and i got there the day they were finishing up to drop off some paperwork (watched them finish up).If anything, when my dad was working (he was a mechanic) i remember him and his co-workers discussing some 'bad' experiences with Krown across the street (this was back in the late 80's early 90's so things might've changed).experiences are just that. shouldn't use a broad stroke brush to judge things...you'll miss out on a bunch!

I have seen "dealer" applied rustproofing,from loking at different cars and from a friend who worked at a Honda dealership.They just sprayed the outside of seams(does nothing)If it is a wax product most places will not do inside doors as it gum up windows etc.

Well you said Honda, I'm talking about all the GM cars I got under at the GM Pontiac dealership and trust me, those were on thick.

Same crap....My dads crappy Jimmy had some useless product on it from GM

Quote, originally posted by rubberman »Same crap....My dads crappy Jimmy had some useless product on it from GMWell you won't hear me saying anything good about the Jimmy in the first place so I doubt it matters whats on it.

Quote, originally posted by rubberman »Same crap....My dads crappy Jimmy had some useless product on it from GMok, you're right.

Quote, originally posted by rubberman »Hey if you like your cars to rot go with the dealer crap.Do they do insde doors fenders etc?I have seen "dealer" rustproofing" A little here a little there.For several reasons I have decided to go to a recommended Krown store for the 'proofing when my Vibe arrives. One reason was being able to see them do the job. I didnt think this was feasible if I gave the *dealer* the go ahead.

Hey Boxgrover,If you're ever in the westend of Toronto (aka Brampton), there is a fantastic place called Rust Ease whose product is similar to Krown in application. To make a long story short, the current owner used to work at a Krown (owned by his father), but when his father retired and sold the business, the son decided to formulate his own product, having worked so closely with the Krown formula for years. In anycase, he's got his own place running and does a wonderful job. He does all of the cars personally and is very attentive to detail. To boot, you can watch the entire process from the waiting area, so if you aren't happy with the application process (or think he missed a spot) you can point it out to him.Anyhow, the name of the place is Rust Ease, and the owner's name is Dave who can be reached at 905-792-7937Good luck!

Quote, originally posted by B18B »Hey Boxgrover,If you're ever in the westend of Toronto (aka Brampton), there is a fantastic place called Rust Ease whose product is similar to Krown in application. In anycase, he's got his own place running and does a wonderful job. He does all of the cars personally and is very attentive to detail. Anyhow, the name of the place is Rust Ease, and the owner's name is Dave who can be reached at 905-792-7937Good luck!I love hearing a personal recommendation. Thanks very much. So I called Dave. Sounds very enthused about his job and shop. I would go to him if I lived closer. He understood and was kind enough to recommend a Krown dealer out my way! And by coincidence this was the second thumbs up for this particular shop.

My pleasure Boxgrover. I'd recommend Dave's shop to anyone in the GTA; he's good at what he does and really takes care of his customers. The car doesn't move down a "production line" ala Krown, so Dave (the applier) knows exactly whats been sprayed or not.Highly recommended to everyone.