Lone Ranger

My new HHR doesn't have any undercoating. It has some in the wheel wells, but none underneath covering the chassis. Is this the norm or did they forget to spray mine? I was just crawling around under it familiarizing myself with how everything is laid out and routed, etc. I'm weird that way.

Firewatcher

It's not undercoated with all of that tarry stuff. The metal is treated against corrosion. I've own some rust buckets in my time, but these new vehicles are treated so much better that you don't need the aftermarket stuff.

Lone Ranger

Okay, thx. I wasn't sure. Still have a lot to learn about these cool little trucks.

HonestBlues

I may be wrong on this...but I don't think any of the new vehicles I have looked at have undercoating anymore.Perhaps it's a regional thing.Not much snow or ice down here so there isn't a need for it.Up by you I would guess that it might be an extra cost dealer item.You know how they like to add on "dealer prep" items.

TomsHHR

I may live in Wisconsin, but work off the first exit in Minnesota, It takes 2 minutes to turn your car/truck white with the salt Minnesota uses. I got the undercoat and paint protecting.

Mark

I restore vintage Volkswagens... The biggest piles of rust are always the ones that have undercoating on them. I'd avoid that crap if at all possible... Seems all it does is trap moisture.

Harpozep

Agreed Mark. I do the same for Corvairs. The more the coating, the heavier the rust pockets. I swear some floors are held together ONLY by the undercoating at times.
Plus, when you weld, you must make sure all undercoating is off the areas you are working on, which can be a bit of a pain , but you work with what you have.....

Still, I may sound deaden my HHR with some type of undercoating if it is not snake oil. I really want a quieter car, so sound deadening goo may find its way into my life once again!
And yes, the insides will get a "Dynomat " type workout as well. Likely with another product, B-Quiet.
But I digress........

hhrcrafty

Pure waste of money. All of the cars are sealed with an epoxy-based ELPO "primer" over the double-galvanized steel before they're painted in a process that's more like powder coating than painting. Undercoating, if they even do it right, is nothing more than a payment-packing scheme by the dealership anymore.