Dear Tom and Ray:

I'm an old geezer who last bought a new car in 1978. Obviously, the manufacture and the warranties are different on my new 1996 Buick LeSabre. Living in the rust belt, I can't imagine NOT undercoating the underside of the car. The salesman says no, that it might void my warranty. And besides, he says the car is made so well that it doesn't need additional undercoating. Am I living in the past, or is the Buick Division bamboozling us? -- Robert

Tom: First of all, Robert, the last time we used the phrase "geezer" in one of our columns, some nice, older gentleman wrote to us and really let fly. So we want to make it clear that you're the one who used the term "geezer," not us, OK?

Ray: Now, for all the rest of you geezers out there (including my brother, by the way) here's the answer: The dealer is right.

Tom: I assume you're talking about "rustproofing," Robert, the modern-day equivalent of undercoating. The problem is that a poor job of rustproofing (and we've discovered that most rustproofing jobs are poorly done) can actually encourage rusting! By plugging up drain holes in the undercarriage, the rustproofing can prevent water from draining, and actually make the underbody rust faster. So we recommend against it these days.

Ray: Plus, cars are better made these days. It's not that they won't rust, it's just that they seem to be taking longer to rust.

Tom: So given the downside of the sloppy rustproofing process, and less of a necessity for additional rust protection these days, I'd recommend you skip the rustproofing, Robert. And use your senior-citizen discount at the car wash a little more often instead.

Everybody wants a new car. But from a purely financial point of view, there is no question that buying a used car is always cheaper, even in the long run. To learn more, order Tom and Ray's pamphlet How to Buy a Used Car: Things That Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1996 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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