I am in the process of ordering my first S2000, and I am still trying to decide whether or not to keep my old Accord for winter driving. I would rather not have three cars, so I am leaning towards trading the Accord in when I get the S2000. However, my dealer just mentioned today that the S2000 does not have the same level of undercoating as the rest of the Hondas, because it comes straight from Japan. So, now I am concerned about the road salt. We only get a few snowy days a year here in Columbus, OH, but the salt typically remains for a while.

Does anybody know about the undercoating on the S2000? Is this something I can add later? Should I be concerned?

Thanks,
Andy

 

If you are going to do undercoating, the time to do it is when the car is brand spanking new, before any dirt and road debris get tossed up under there. No point in spraying rust proofing over existing dirt.
My car has been winter driven for 3 winters now and I have no aftersale undercoating, just what came from the factory. Cars these days come with pretty good rust protection right from the factory, even if the factory is in Japan. Mine is holding up very well. Your salesman is using typical saleman talk to sell you something for hundreds of dollars that it cost them a few bucks to do. The final choice is yours and yours alone.

 

Undercoating is a rip-off. If you needed it, Honda would have put it there.

If your Accord has aftermarket undercoating, take that dealer down a notch in your respect.

If you want to drive the S2000 in the winter, ask yourself: are you willing to buy four winter tires right off the bat? are you willing to subject your S2000 to the whims of others' stupidity. Wyoming--where a white Halloween is routine--had 250 snow related motor vehicle accidents TODAY!

My S2000 was tucked safely inside my garage while I drove my NON-underocated '92 Accord EX.

 

From the Consumer Reports automobile buying guide www.consumerreports.org

"Little value for the price

 

Thanks for the advice.

I don't believe my dealer is trying to rip me off, he actually recommended I get the undercoating done somewhere else if I chose to, as he said what they do there is not all that great. My family has bought 6 cars from him over the past few years, and I definitely trust him. He is more concerned with me keeping my Accord rather than trading it in, and he wanted me to think about the undercoating.

Also, I hear you as far as not driving the S in the winter. Believe me, I have been going over and over the decision. I just don't want to have to juggle three cars around in the driveway, and I really want a car that I can drive all the time, no matter what the weather. I don't want to have a sweet S sitting in the garage while I drive my old Accord, no matter what the weather. Anyway, like I said, we maybe get 10 days a year where we actually have to drive on snow, and I can take my wifes Odyssey those days.

Thanks again everybody, sounds like I'll skip the undercoating, and just rinse it off a lot in the winter.

Andy

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by asaj
I don't believe my dealer is trying to rip me off, he actually recommended I get the undercoating done somewhere else if I chose to, as he said what they do there is not all that great.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Barry WY Silver/Black '01
From the Consumer Reports automobile buying guide

 

I should have made one exception to what I said. If you take your S2000 OFF ROAD or plan on doing MUD PULLS or ROCK CLIMBING or other general 4 WHEELING, then YES, get the undercoating. This will protect the underside from the inevitable pounding that it will get from the large rocks and tree branches that you will encounter.

 

I've got a Chevy Pickup. The owner's manual says additional undercoating might void the warranty. Not sure if the Honda manual mentions undercoating.

Folks here are pretty car savy. Lady at work just bought a Buick something or other. She fell for every trick and rip off the dealer threw at her. She was real proud of all the "extras" she'd gotten and I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth.

 

As everyone else said, undercoating is unnecessary.

Another thing to consider: If the guy doing the undercoating plugs up drain holes intended to prevent the collection of moisture and condensation, then you will get corrosion where you otherwise would not. This is the case more often with rustproofers rather than undercoaters, but the same principle applies. That is likely the reason why Smokee's GM pickup has it in his owner's manual.

Remember that all body panels on your S2000 have a galvanneal coating under the E-coat, primer, base coat, top coat and clear coat. It acts as a barrier as well as a sacrificial anode in the event that corrosion is allowed to begin, and most corrosion takes place in crevices, joints, welded areas, and similar nooks and crannies.