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-   -   Can sea water turn my Civic into a rust bucket? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/101295-can-sea-water-turn-my-civic-into-rust-bucket.html)

I have made a tentative plan to drive down to Muzhappilangad drive-in beach in Kerala next month.

Muzhappilangad Beach - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A quick Google Images search for Muzhappilangad Beach will show you a number of cars splashing around merrily in sea water.

muzhappilangad beach - Google Search

Also, Ford actually thinks its a good idea to show off their new SUVs on the beach.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...-off-road.html


But, doesn't conventional wisdom say that sea water corrodes metal and turns it into rust? Or does it mean an occasional bath in sea water won't harm the body? Perhaps modern cars have some kind of protective coating to avoid the rust issue. Nowadays, we don't hear complaints about cars in coastal areas corroding.

What I want to know is - Civic splashing around in sea water - is it a bad idea? If so, please do let me know so that I can keep my car safely in the garage (& take my friend's car instead :uncontrol )

I would think that most modern cars come with rust protection coatings. However I have seen a 2009 Civic specimen where rust had started accumulating at joints and nut ends. So my suggestion would be to get a underbody rust protection and wash the car copiously afterwards, when the splash has been done with.

Ha ha ha, the last line does imply that you are indeed a SMARTCAT. lol:
Well most cars these days come will all weather protection coating but one never knows. Seawater is quite corrosive & can cause serious damage if left to dry & salt given time to accumulate. I suggest that you have your day of fun at beach & then get your car a thorough fresh water wash ASAP (note caps & bold fonts).

Raab Rakha.

I don't think it will be an issue, as long as you get the car washed very thoroughly after you drive through the sea water.

I think you are correct. I have been thrice in last one year to a place named Mandarmani (in West Bengal), which has a similar drive-in beach, and is only around 200 KM away from my home in Calcutta. It is a somewhat secluded beach (in comparison to Puri and Digha) and is perfect for a weekend visit with few decent hotels. The only way to reach most of the hotels is to drive over the beach and to wet your car with sea-water. During my last visit just in last month, I reached there at about 11-30 AM and high tide was just setting in. Although the beach is wide enough, there is only one way of reaching the beach or for coming back. The person managing the traffic right on that spot asked me which hotel I shall be staying and assured me that I may pass safely, as my hotel is not far from there and the water level has not risen much till then. He told me that either I had to wait for 3 hours for the water to recede completely or I might pass but there were one or two places where the water level should be possibly about seven to eight inches above the sand. I was suggested not to drive in higher gears but to maintain a decent speed to get a momentum and never to stop on the waters, if I did not wish to get stranded.
But each time after returning home I make it a point to wash the car thoroughly with pressurised water and no rust is ever noticed, although my car is six year old.
However, these motorable beaches may cause ecological disasters. I have seen that in Mandarmani itself, these traffics have an adverse effect on shellfishes, tiny red crabs and other small marine creatures. And in several places the uppermost layer of beach sand has been disturbed so much by the vehicular movements that soft soil has come out from the bottom of it. To avoid the cars and SUVs getting struck in it, rocks and boulders are now being dumped into those places. :OT
Regards,
Rahul Biswas
Calcutta

So the consensus is to get the car washed as soon as possible in bold! This beach is 300 km (8 hrs) away from Bangalore and I would guess that my car can get a fresh water pressurized bath around 24 hours after the beach run. I hope that's OK.

I will go home and plant a tree to wash off my sins! stupid:

Comment in bold seem to be a better & safe optionrl:

As suggested by others, give a clean wash after the ride. That could save the car from rusting.

Looking forward for the snaps.:)

Smartcat, this post and thread should be of interest to you. :)

Wave-splashing

Worry more about the vehicle getting bogged down in the sand (300 kms away) and getting stuck then the actual salt water effect. Like mentioned above a good wash could take care of the later.

Allright! I will try not to keep the car stationary for a long time at the same spot.

Will definitely post a few here.

Great! Where exactly is this Swaraj Water Service center? Is it close to the highway or deep inside the town? Directions to Swaraj would be of great help.

I have got some experience getting stuck at Sambhar Lake, Jaipur. I'm hoping that car mats, boot mats and muscle power will help me get out of sticky situations. But from what I've heard, this beach has solidly packed sand.

Get the car thoroughly pressure washed and do not get the inside wets while at the beach ie dont go deep into water. You should be fine.

I have been to Muzhuppilangadi beach couple of times but always kept my car away from sea water. My mind always wanted to take a filmy style drive but the issue would be how ever effectively we wash the car salt water might deposit some traces of salt at some remote corners which will in turn result in rusting. I had bitter experiences with my Optra.

If your car is having a good under body coating and if it has a double galvanized body like the Skodas or VW's then you can have a try. Otherwise better keep your car on shore.

One side of the car in the water and the other on land - that's what I had in mind.

Optra rusted inspite of doing a pressure wash? Do you have pics of your car where one can see the rust?

The service center is on the way towards Kannur town. Since i am not a regular in that area, i cannot provide you with exact directions. We ourselves found this place after some seaching, by casually looking out for one.

We approached a Fiat dealer asking only for the car to be pressure washed, but they politely refused.

As for the beach, it has packed sand in most places. However, do not drive to the end of the beach, since there is loose sand there and a fellow TBHPian ended up with a packed clutch after half-clutching and trying to get his Getz out of there.

2 Cents from me:

Usually, these rural service centers try to do a "very good" job and hence even pressure wash the engine bay. DO NOT let them do that.

You will end up bowing up fuses, sensors or even the ignition coil.