Is my undercarriage damaged?

[Ak-leon]

Last week, my almost new Seat Leon got a puncture. It was not funny.

But what was not fun at all was that the tire shop could not figure out how to lift the car on the right points.

My undercarriage is protected with a layer of Dinitrol rust protection, and where they had lifted it, that product was completely gone. It's not more than 2 months since it got it on, so it was still a bit sticky and soft. Maybe that's why.

But now I also fear that there could be a hole in to the metal. What do you say?

They also had something removed at the lifting point in front.

My solution to the problem was to buy a spray can with the Dinitrol product and cover it again. But if there is a hole for the metal, it is probably only a temporary solution.Here are some pictures after I fixed it.

I've talked to the tire shop. They deny that they have done the damage. And my insurance does not cover damage done on a workshop.

But what do you say? Is it just me making a problem out of something that is not a problem at all?

 

[Legojon]

I think over the life of the car, that's going to happen a lot... the sills will get bent, etc. Every time you go for tyres... get the car jacked up, etc. I managed to scrape some of mine off while I was changing the underbody protection (another story). My car is nearly a decade old and it's still soft and sticky. So I just used my finger and stretched some of the close by gunk to cover it. You can actually buy it in a tin for not much money. Not that you should have to. But then at least you can just smear some across every time the body shop mess it up.

I think it's this:

Hammerite 5092951 Underbody Seal Tin 500ml : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

Hammerite 5092951 Underbody Seal Tin 500ml : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[RUM4MO]

I agree very annoying but unless all cars HAD to have proper designated and protected lifting points, this is always going happen. Dinitrol is a good product, or have a good range of rust protection products.

I started mixing Tetroseal undersealing compound with Waxoyl over 30 years ago as I had worked out that just applying plain tar like paint was not a good idea, in fact I ran out of enthusiasm or the need to do this work before I finished using up my last tin of plain Tetroseal, recently I have bought a new large tin of clear Waxoyl as I think applying that on modern cars is becoming a real need, which is annoying.

I think that the subject of needing to maintain rust protection depends on your geographical location, in Northern Britain rock salt is used in winter in the same way as it is used in many other Northern countries, and that stuff is a killer for unprotected steels.

 

[SRGTD]

It’s always a risk of damage to the flexible stone chip protection layer on the sills when a tyre place or garage workshop uses a trolley jack to lift a car. I had the jacking points on the sill pinch welds on my last car damaged - and it was the VW dealer that did it. I painted over the area with body colour paint where the flexible stone chip protection had been removed, and then applied a few layers of clear Waxoyl. I never had any corrosion issues in those areas I repaired.

You could always buy a slotted rubber jacking pad similar to the one at the link below - you’d need to make sure the slot in the pad is wide enough for the pinch weld on the sills to fit in. If the tyre place you use jacks the car up using the pinch welds, you could then ask them to use the jack pad to minimise the risk of damage to the protective coating on the sills.

Universal Car Slotted Frame Rail Floor Jack Adapter Lift Rubber Pad Car Styling Accessories Jacks Rubber Supporting Pad 1pc| |

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[Ak-leon]

Thank you for your reply.

I live in Denmark and there we are really happy with road salt.

Do you think it's good enough to cover it with Dinitrol, or does it need more?

I do not know if there is a hole into the metal. I hope not. It looked like there was a slightly bluish color that was a little rubbed. Is that normal on the Seat Leon?

 

[RUM4MO]

I depends on which of the Dinitrol products you used, or is you applied a non setting wax type spray, just make sure that you re-apply it when necessary in the future.

Yes I could see that you live in Denmark and probably suffered badly with salted roads in winter.

 

[Ak-leon]

I bought a spray can from Dinitrol.

I'd better keep an eye on it, and give it one more layer if it doesn't protect enough.

 

[Mr Pig]

I agree very annoying but unless all cars HAD to have proper designated and protected lifting points, this is always going happen.

Even if they had, do you honestly think the half-wits at your local Thick-Fit are going top use them? Not a chance.

 

[RUM4MO]

Even if they had, do you honestly think the half-wits at your local Thick-Fit are going top use them? Not a chance.

Well so far not a worry for me, I always hand my wheels in to get punctures fixed, tyres replaced and so re-balancing, and it is an independent tyre place.

I once missed the race to sort my wife's Polo out, to the AA, he just stuffed his jack in anywhere under the sill section, but that car was old so I did not "lose the head". I had got my wife to contact them while filled my car up with bits of wood and trolley jack and some tools, but took too long doing that, wife was in a school car park that was being closed and locked in 20 minutes, so I advised her to contact AA - just in case.

 

[RUM4MO]

I bought a spray can from Dinitrol.


I'd better keep an eye on it, and give it one more layer if it doesn't protect enough.

That version of Dinitrol looks to be close enough to what VW Group will use at factory, I've never spotted Dinitrol much in UK nowadays, I suppose most UK car owners don't bother with that type of product, so not much demand for it.

 

[Ak-leon]

That version of Dinitrol looks to be close enough to what VW Group will use at factory, I've never spotted Dinitrol much in UK nowadays, I suppose most UK car owners don't bother with that type of product, so not much demand for it.

In Denmark, unfortunately, there are also many who do not choose rust protection. I think it's because many people lease their car today, and do not care about the condition of the car. The problem is just that for those who then buy the car after 3 years, it is often too late to get it protected.

 

[Mr Pig]

I once missed the race to sort my wife's Polo out, to the AA, he just stuffed his jack in anywhere under the sill section, but that car was old so I did not "lose the head".

I've had several debates with tyre fitters and always try to watch what they do. One guy was going to do exactly what you describe and I stopped him and asked him to use the correct jacking point. He said 'Is alright mate, we do this all the time' to which I replied 'Well as it's my car, you'll jack it up where I tell you'.

Another time the guy was about to put the wheel nuts on with the air gun and I asked him to use a torque wrench. He likewise said 'Is alright mate, I do this all the time' so I told him to go ahead then. While he was tightening the nuts I went into the boot and before he got up I handed him the car's wheel brace and asked him to undo the nuts with it. He couldn't do it. I said to him 'If you can't undo those nuts in a garage what chance does my wife stand at the side of the road in the dark and the rain?'

But they don't even know how to use a torque wrench! I watched a guy use one and just keep pushing after it clicked! All of these incidents were in the same garage, the largest tyre and exhaust fitters in my town. These places are cheap for a reason. Most of the young guys there are just out of school with not a qualification between them. Rocket scientists they ain't and they work long hours doing a grotty job for not a lot of money. I don't blame them, they're just doing their best, but if you want to avoid damage, don't buy your tyres on price alone.

 

[Ak-leon]

I was just past a non-Seat repair shop. They believed that the undercarriage may have been pushed up and there may be paint peeling inside the cavity. I was then also past a Seat workshop and they did not think it had been pushed up. What do you say? Could it be printed up, or is the workshop just trying to make money?

 

[Mr Pig]

I'm not seeing anything I'd worry about. The centre of that box section might be dented in a little, hard to say, but even if t is it won't effect anything.

 

[RUM4MO]

I agree, it is very annoying that that has happened, but I'd think that as long as you make sure that that area is covered with a waxy rust preventer like that version of Dinitrol, that it will be okay.

 

[Ak-leon]

Thanks for looking into it. That's a big help. What I have marked in this picture, is it normal?

 

[Mr Pig]

What I have marked in this picture, is it normal?

Probably. It's not like it's the bonnet, they just slap it on under there. You could look under a dozen cars and they'd all look different. There is nothing there that would concern me in the slightest.