CounterAct electronic rust protection

[f6hlct]

I have a new 2008 smart, and like my other vehicles, I would like to install the CounterAct electronic rust protection unit. I know how to do the install, but am having a hard time to find flat real-estate in the car for the unit and pad. For those that are not familiar, they are both about the size of a deck of cards. I was hoping to keep them both up front to be close to the battery, and avoid running long leads to the back. Any ideas.

[Old smart]

As electronically involved and sensitive as a smart is, are you sure you want to be running spurious voltages around the car? The majority of the car is either already galvanized or non-corrosive plastic.

[W/B Smartie]

I tested these type units for the AF and they turned out to be useless.

Concur with Ol Smart extraneous voltage running around loose is asking for problems. As expensive as these electronic keys are I wouldn't chance it.

I haven't heard about any rust issues from our Canadian friends and the cars have been up there for years.
Just my .02
Later
Rich

[sunnyokanagan]

Don't bother. The undercarriage is all powder-coated and protected by the plastic under-trays.

[John_H]

I hate the idea of my plastic rusting!

[f6hlct]

Well I was more looking to see where this unit would fit in the car, and not necessarily whether it was needed. While on this topic though, I did not want rust proofing goop sprayed on my smart despite the dealership recommending it. I have good experience with the electronic rust proofing as I have 2 identical vehicles, one with and the other without. It was a good experiment. We do have a lot of salt on the roads here in Canada, and I am just trying to keep the metal staying new under those plastic panels. So do any other people have opinions on this. I know it was mentioned that others in Canada have not seen rust problems, but we are only talking 3 or 4 years, and I don’t think any car should show rust in this time.

I look forward to your thoughts.

[John_H]

Tell us which dealership recommended rustproofing.

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The undersides of these cars are covered in PLASTIC. To rust-proof any metal would involve disassembling the underside to expose metal to spray before buttoning it back up with no discernible difference from the outside after the procedure is done.

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[Dunerunner]

I took a look at the web site and there are some pretty convincing customer endorsements for this product. Although, I would not want any spurious electronic eddy currents in the frame of my smart. You can't even tint the windows without the electrics getting very Lucas like.

[John_H]

THe product being talked about is quite probably the same technology used to protect ships from rust and even the lowly domestic water heater: sacrificial anodes.

Corrosion of metals will happen when unprotected. The trick is to use another metal in the mix which will corrode before the stuff you want to keep will. By electrically connecting the sacrificial anode with the metal to protect, the voltage potential that's part of the corrosion process will hit the sacrificial material before the rest of the body has a chance to react. It's good science if properly done.

Trying to sell a product by pretexting isn't such good science. I'm hoping this incident in no way negatively affects the company selling the product unless, of course, f6hlct runs the business.

A good product should speak for itself. I don't need someone who doesn't know my car trying to "sell" me on the product my car doesn't even need by posing as a fellow owner.

[NCC1701]

Originally Posted by Dunerunner

You can't even tint the windows without the electrics getting very Lucas like.

It is past my bed time, perhaps I'm being dense. But, what do you mean?