| If you live in a state where snow and ice | | | | years later. The significant developments in |
| covers the ground each winter, you're | | | | rust-prevention that were responsible for |
| probably well aware of just how necessary it | | | | this drop, also led to improved corrosion |
| is to de-ice the roads. Since the 1930s, when | | | | warranties. |
| salt was originally realized to work for this | | | | |
| purpose, agencies have been using this tried | | | | The key to making sure you're not one of the |
| and true method to keep roads safe for | | | | six percent is to buy a car with a |
| driving. Salt works because of its natural | | | | better-than-average anti-corrosion warranty. |
| ability to melt ice without adding too many | | | | Warranties tell you something about the |
| harsh chemicals to the environment. But salt | | | | confidence a manufacturer has in the car it |
| is, as we've all seen evidence of, quite | | | | produces, because if they started losing |
| corrosive and over time, it can cause | | | | money on warranties, they'd change the |
| vehicles to rust, shortening their life | | | | warranty to average out their costs. For |
| spans. | | | | example, Isuzu offers a 6-year/100,000 mile |
| | | | warranty against perforation from corrosion. |
| Beginning in 1976, NACE International | | | | That's 20% better than the typical 5-year |
| (formerly the National Association of | | | | warranty. If you aren't certain that you'll |
| Corrosion Engineers), based in Houston, | | | | trade your vehicle in or sell it after five |
| Texas, routinely started to study corrosion | | | | years, it's better to purchase one with a |
| rates on older vehicles. At that time, 90% of | | | | better warranty to keep you protected. |
| vehicles six years old or older had rust | | | | |
| damage. Most of that rust could be attributed | | | | Improvements to vehicles in the area of |
| to de-icing (although living near bodies of | | | | perforation-prevention have had other |
| salt water where the air has a higher salt | | | | positive effects. Not only does it help the |
| content was also a key factor). | | | | consumer by extending the life of the |
| | | | vehicle, it also allows scarce dollars for |
| Manufacturers of automobiles saw a need to | | | | highway maintenance to be used for something |
| improve cars being sold in coastal areas and | | | | other than the development of alternative |
| the snowbelt region of the United States. | | | | de-icers. Those dollars can now be spent on |
| They started to make improvements which | | | | road maintenance (which reduces accidents and |
| included stainless steel exhaust systems; | | | | fatalities), more snowplows to clear roads |
| anodic electrodeposition primer; galvanized | | | | more quickly after intense periods of |
| steel wheelhouses; crystal-size phosphate for | | | | snowfall, and on additional laborers which |
| better corrosion resistance; anti-chip body | | | | reduces unemployment and improves the |
| coatings; weatherpac electrical connectors; | | | | economy. |
| and two-sided pre-coated steel products. | | | | |
| | | | Arming your car with a good anti-corrosion |
| The combination of these improvements aided | | | | warranty means you needn't worry about |
| in reducing rust perforation from 90% in the | | | | driving on salted streets. You can rest |
| mid 70s to only 20 percent in 1980. Further | | | | assured that your vehicle is protected. And |
| work on rust prevention reduced the amount of | | | | with de-iced streets, your vehicle can more |
| rusty 6-year-old cars to only six percent ten | | | | effectively protect you and your passengers. |