Correct - I have never washed the undercarriage of any of my cars. My 2001 Passat with 165000 miles had no such issues when I traded it in in 2014.
Thats cause the paint would have still been lacquer based and not water based. IMO, it has less to do with the metal its made of, than the paint thats applied. Maybe VW puts more effort into the body of the car and shorts everyone on the engines that shit out randomly. (thanks for understanding i was simply asking, not accusing you)
Lately, its been a LOT. I mean, they are pre-salting for what ends up being a 1/2" that doesnt even stick to the roads. So, when it melts, it creates nasty salt water that gets everywhere. I use a touchless car wash with the underbody spray when its too cold, i drive slowly so it rinses off as much as possible. But even if you dont have a garage and driveway, a cheap set of Harbor Freight ramps and a hose would go a long way to helping wash underneath.
What i said above about paint has more to do with it than the metal. Not only that, but certain types of STAINLESS can rust, its simple physics.
I'm fully capable of doing the whole job, but without a lift it would likely take me a good week. I already priced the parts from online resellers at 30% less than the dealer prices. So the question becomes, am I willing to sacrifice a week of vacation to fix this mess? Answer = No.
This brings up an interesting issue. Many car owners like myself elect to have the dealer perform regularly scheduled maintenance to ensure nothing is overlooked. I, personally have never changed the oil in this car. All oil changes and mechanical maintenance have been done by the same Mazda dealer. That's not due to my inability to perform most of these tasks, though discovering that you don't own some expensive specialty tool at the last minute is an annoyance I don't want to deal with. Heck, even changing the battery isn't a simple out with the old and in with the new.
Uh, yes it is. 10mm is all you need.
