While nobody controls the weather, everybody can limit how much it affects their cars by taking extra care. It is that time of the year again when car dealerships and workshops get flooded with clients to prepare their cars for winter. Owner of Uniglass Pluss, Dann Burt, says this time of the year is one of the highest seasons of the year for them.
“We have had all types of clients over the years, but this year in particular, we have seen more young people compared to previous years,” Burt says. “A vehicle is a fairly expensive piece of equipment for everybody at every age. You want to keep it up as long as you can.”
Credit: Mauricio Prado
Burt says that cars must deal with salt and other ice-melt techniques on top of the weather conditions, which makes it easier for corrosion to develop in cars.
According to The Government of Canada, 5 million tonnes of road salt are used annually to keep snow and ice from building up on roads and to make driving safer. Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic are the provinces that most use salt for roads.
“With the new metals used to build vehicles nowadays and their prices, it must be necessary for every car owner to do rust-proofing,” Burt says.
Fanshawe student Luisa Amaya says she has had two cars; the first had a severe corrosion problem.
“I did not know how to take good care of cars back in the day, and due to that, the rust and corrosion even got inside my car,” Amaya says.
Amaya adds that she lives in Hamilton, so having a car in good condition is necessary for her safety.
“I travel every other day to my hometown because that is where I am from and where my family is,” Amaya says. “Sometimes, I must drive in awful weather conditions to return, and I do not want to have car problems under heavy rain or snow.”
Credit: Mauricio Prado
Burt, who has been in the mechanic industry for 32 years, says the best time to do the rust control treatment is generally in the fall, just before the weather changes and gets damp.
“Whether it is the permanent rust proofing, which is a tar-based product or the annual rust proofing, which is generally an oil-based product, it helps protect the vehicle from the elements,” Burt says.
According to Burt, the rust treatment process generally takes about two hours because they first need to clean the bottom of the vehicle to remove any debris.
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