On Wed, 06 Apr 2005 20:53:33 GMT, "Steve"
> wrote:

>So what now, withhold payment, get them to clean the unwanted and un asked
>for underspray back off to allow me to do the correct treatment ?
>Or must I pay them ?
>Steve

They let you take the car without payment?

I live in northern NE which is solidly in the salt belt. In fact it
may lead the nation in salt use so we see LOTS of it every winter on
the roads and I've owned many vehicals over the years and attempted to
repair many vehicals over the years that were afflicted with salt
corrosion.

My take: once the corrsion has begun and repairs must be made to get
the vehical to pass inspection, the car is doomed. Modern cars have
much much much better salt protection than those of the 70's and even
80's. The factory undercoatings and the type of plastic shielding
used in the wheel wells keeps the corrsion away for a much longer time
now, but all these measures don't prevent it forever, and the salt
spray affect much more than just the body: Shocks, brakes, brakelines,
springs and various tubes and bolts on the engine are also affected.

You can always tell a car that gets driven in an area where salt is
used, the aluminum corrosion is a dead giveaway.

In northern NE and in the other salt states, engines and transmissions
generally outlast the body. In California and the southern states
where salt is not used, it's the opposite, you replace engines and
transmissions but keep the body, or can if you want because the body
remains sound.

Corky Scott