回复：生锈问题 galvanizing steel

GALVANIZED STEEL PROTECTED FROM RUSTING

Galvanized steel has a coating of zinc to protect it from rusting. Oxygen and zinc don’t react like iron and oxygen do, so galvanized steel doesn’t rust. This process is also pretty low-cost; so many automakers are doing it.

“Rust is far less of a concern now,” says Mike Quincy, Automotive Analyst at Consumer Reports. “The types of metals and treatments have changed over the past 20 years and cars are well protected from rust right from the factory.” Consumer Reports’ reliability data tracks a 10 year history of a vehicle, reporting on issues consumers have with their new cars after 12 months of ownership. Quincy says they actually removed questions about rust from the survey several years ago because the results were showing it wasn’t a factor any more.

But that doesn’t mean new cars are invincible. If a car has been in an accident, and unprotected steel was exposed, there’s still a chance of rust occurring.

So if that zinc coating gets chipped, the metal underneath is at risk of rusting. Same thing on a car’s paint finish, if a rock-chip cuts deep enough into a car’s paint job, it can still rust. This rust occurs on the outside of the car, and while it’s ugly, it’s not a catastrophic problem. Fortunately, car frames are also galvanized and well protected from chipping as well.

For extra peace of mind, Quincy explains that there are some tips that every driver should consider keeping their car as rust free as possible. Wash a car regularly, especially in the winter after you’ve been driving on salted roads. Driving over this salt could spray it deep into your car’s underbody. The easy thing to do is to wash underneath your car with a pressure washer or automated car wash.