SYM-Tech Rust protection

[echo7]

Hi,
Anyone had an experience with SYM tech?
The first owner of my car purchased SYM Tech underbody rust , paint and fabric protection and has a lifetime guarante. Now Since I live in Canada I am more concerned with the rust(underbody).

As per Toyota, they will inspect the car for rust every 2 years and will do something "if needed". And I said, why do you have to wait for rust to appear? arent you suposed to reapply the cehmical to "prevent" the rust?

toyota said they have been in buss with symtech for 25 years and their customers are happy with it



echo7

[Frank@toronto]

I had the Diamon Kote rust protection from Toyota once. Same deal, although the inspection and touch up was every year.

When I installed some door "front" speakers, I discovered that they did not spray the inside of the door. I went back to the dealer and they re-sprayed. So I then decided to remove the covers of the back door, and you guess it, that too was not done. What a crappy applicator.

The so called inspection/touch up was also a big rip off because they will only re-spray if they see rust.

In short, I prefer to get the annual undercoating/rust protection treatments. They re-spray everything. Hence if the guy missed a spot the first time, he sure to get on the next visit (or the next one after that).

[echo7]

thanks frank..
i was looking for symtechs office but i cannot find it.. I guess this is some bogus company or something..
I wanted to do krown, but Im afarid toyota might void my warranty..

[Frank@toronto]

They will not void any warranty because of some kind of rust protection product. In my case they (the dealer) said to get it undercoated by anyone, since in general it's a good idea.

I have tried all many undercoating products such as Diamond Kote, Ziebart (nerver go to them), Krown, Rust Check, Metropolitan Rust, to name a few. My preference for the annual treatment is at Cobra (www.cobra1.com). They use the thin oily stuff on the inside panels and a thicker goop on the undercarriage. It does wash away, after a while, but stays on longer than the thinner stuff.

They also can apply the permanent stuff (~$299). A few Honda dealerships subcontract their work to them for the permanent stuff.

Either way, talk to people, find out what's out there in your local area.

I leave you with this picture (showing the annual undercoating product)
http://matrixowners.com/forums/index...pe=post&id=788

[echo7]

thanks for the reply frank,
I live in Toronto and these service centers could be anywhere nearby. I am going to wait for awhile before doing the oil spray. My car is 2005 so the SYMtech application is relatively new.

I have tried krown rust before and they seem to be ok. I will look at the cobra1 as well.

By the way, you said you tried different rust proofing.. What do you think about sysmtech? have you use it before? was it effective?

[Frank@toronto]

Since you have the permanent stuff on now, you probably only need to revisit this issue in a few years from now.

No I have not tried or heard of SYMtech. Sounds very newish.

[echo7]

hi frank, I got a chance to check the undercarriage today. I saw some rubbery stuff on the 4 wheels (I mean the fenders).

do you think that this rubbery stuff is the permanent
rust inhibitors??

[echo7]

also I forgot to mention, a friend of mine who bought a honda odyssey at brimley toyota was also taken in purchasing this permanent thing.. but at brimley they call it "BRIM TECH"..

[Frank@toronto]

do you think that this rubbery stuff is the permanent
rust inhibitors??

Yes, since the application is permanent. It could be more like a tar product, then rubber. Because the wheel well see's a lot water, in most cases they will need to touch up that area from time to time.

The "SYM" or "BRIM" looks like made up names. Hence you cannot really find out how that product compares to others. If you buddy up with the service rep. he may tell you the "real" name of the product one day.

[battletech]

Yes Frank,
what did it cost you for the work that cobra1 did?
did they have to drill holes?
i hear that voids toyotas warranty

[Hajoca]

Yes drilling holes does cause grief with waranty.

Pulling body plugs, and removing trim to spray inners of doors (weatherstrip mounting clip holes) will give you the same coverage without drilling into the sheet metal.

I get my cars done at Rust check close to my house, and I have to watch them find body penetrations to spray, instead of driling.

[Frank@toronto]

Battle Tech,

Yes Frank,
what did it cost you for the work that cobra1 did?
did they have to drill holes?
i hear that voids toyotas warranty

Its $89 for a car, $99 for a minivan or SUV. Just ask for the "Honeywell" discount.

Yes they do drills holes (no big deal for me). They need to reach those hard to get areas.

[echo7]

i wrote a letter to toyotas head office re aftermarket rust protection and they called me a month later. They informed me that If a problem occured with the car as a result of the rust protection (drilling and/or oil spraying) they will void the warranty of that particular problem.

for sure if something happens to the car the dealer will point at the rust proection as the cause just to avoid the responsibility.

[Frank@toronto]

If a problem occurred with the car as a result of the rust protection (drilling and/or oil spraying) they will void the warranty of that particular problem

That's pretty much true for anything, like changing your car radio and so on. The dealer (and not the factory) rust protects your car (and that's ok), while anyone else who does it is therefore bad. If this was true, then the same "void" clause would apply to things like oil changes (not done by Toyota) and so on...

Rust Check and Krown (and others) guaranty that it will not void "any" factory warranty. Its only a rust treatment, nothing big.

[echo7]

i am itchy to have my matrix rustproofed.. but I am going to wait till next year..
so far we are having mild winter...