Not Mirage Specific - rust/corrosion prevention?

[m4v3r1ck]

We don't have the protection option here in Europe not from Mitsu but maybe can try other dealer

[cookiemonster]

This seems like a potentially good option to prevent rust .. apparently it is used to prevent corrosion on ships and planes!

[IchabodCrane]

This seems like a potentially good option to prevent rust .. apparently it is used to prevent corrosion on ships and planes!

This looks like it might have merit. Certainly worth some research anyway.

Stay away from the electrical type protection products. They do not work on cars.
As far as warranty.. this applies to "rust through" and does not kick in till there is an actual hole. Too late!
Most cars built today will last 7 to 10 years with very good care before holes appear but when they do the cancer is well established and cannot be stopped.
I agree with others here that twice yearly "oil spray" treatment is the best protection. This spray must be thin enough to seep into pinch welds panel folds and such where water and salt hide. (Like the bottom seam of doors)
True Ziebart type coatings that form hard/semi flexible "shells" on metal will let you down as there will be areas of poor adhesion, pockets, cracks over time that will allow rust to form behind it. You will not see this rust as it's hidden until sections of the coatings fall away revealing the rust. Too late!
Start your pro active prevention right away as when you see the first rust you have already missed the hidden stuff.
It's also important to touch up all scratches and paint chips as soon as you find them, keep trunk (spare tire well) dry and fix scratches there, keep floor/carpets dry, as dirt passes through the carpets and scratches the paint leaving floor open to rust. Buy a can of Krown rust proofing and periodically spray around all things that pass through the firewall... wiring, cables etc.
When you need windshield replaced make sure the metal is properly painted after glass is removed/before new windshield goes in as tools used to cut out old glass cuts up the paint. (One of my vans rusted through the roof under the black windshield trim unseen untill too late)
There are reputable glass shops that do this now.
It sounds like a lot to do but it will extend your car's life many years at a cost of approx. $200.00/yr and your time.
Oh yeah... do not seal up the holes in the "frame" channel under the car just make sure oil is sprayed in there as this is an area of much pinch welding.

[aydu]

I have an '06 Lancer that developed rust and bubbling paint around both rear wheel wells. In late '13 (7th year of ownership) Mitsubishi replaced both quarter panels with new OEM parts, painted and reassembled at zero cost.

Just took the car to the dealer and they submitted pictures of the wheel wells to Mitsubishi for warranty approval. Approved the next day. They offered a rental car for the repair time, as it was going to take about 3-4 days for everything to be done. We didn't need the rental car, but very much appreciated the repair.

Looks like new.

[Canoehead]

I got rust-check done shortly after buying the Mirage in February. Last week, though, I got a promotional price on Krown and got that too. Both have a warranty as long as you get them applied every year. I think the Rust check was about $120, and the Krown about $110 with taxes in. I read an old DoD report that said Krown was better than Rust Check (2006 I think, formula may have changed) and a corrosion proof product was the best (though that is only applied by Canadian Tire).

A couple posters here suggested 2x a year, and someone wrote every 2 years. I think I'll probably stick with the once-a-year program and have started when the car is new.

[deleted user]

When I built my house I put a faucet inside the garage so no matter how cold it is I can get water out of that faucet. I drain the hose after washing the car and hang it outside.

The factory urethane primer is one of the key components of rust protection. Dipping the bare body in a primer vat insures coverage of places that you could never touch with sprayed on paint.

The key to corrosion inhibition is cleanliness. Next is to treat any surface where the paint and primer coats have been damaged, after removing all of the surface corrosion. Best product to cover those areas is two part urethane primers, which mix at 4 to 1 ratios and harden like an epoxy. I used this product on a car I was restoring and was amazed at how long it held up to outside weather, many times (maybe 20) longer than any lacquer type.

Pressure washers help to get accumulations out of the areas behind each wheel, especially where the fender bolts to the body at the bottom front of the rocker panel.

regards
mech

[Canoehead]

I understand the need to keep it clean. In our weather, though, it can be challenging. I have no garage/faucet/drain, so would have to take it to a wand-wash. At -20 or colder, all sorts of things happen that I don't like - condensation forms inside the car, accumulated ice chunks blast off, everywhere water gets it freezes quickly. I also wonder if I am doing the paint any favours by spraying -20 metal with warm water. Finally, I suspect that there is less corrosion at -20 than at the freezing point, as there is less liquid/molecular activity. Last night it was -28 and I rode my bike. I notice the bike corrodes a lot more if I bring it in and out of the warm, than if I just leave it cold.