Undersealing

[Cliftonflyer]

Good morning

I am contemplating having my 2007 S Type professionally undersealed. The car has 60,000 miles on the clock.

Will this be worthwhile or did Jaguar build in enough rust protection?

Stewart

[Old Peter]

Hi Stewart,

 

Jaguar and most other motor manufacturers were using galvanised steel for the undersides of cars, after much persuasion from the steel makers in the seventies and the eighties.  British Steel were the big hitters during that time and their Coated products division made quite a few specialist products such as Galvatite and Stelvatite for use in the car and construction industries respectively.

 

Stelvatite is galvanised steel coated with a plastic type material and is still seen on factory and office buildings.

 

The one area which has caused some owners a problem appears to be the sills, which cannot be seen without removing the plastic covers, which might be worth looking at if you are concerned.

 

Some members with older s types might wish to comment as to whether they have had rust problems on the underside of their cars.

 

2007 was the last year of production of the s type which is the reason for me buying one made that year.

 

Regards,

 

Peter.

[Guest]

Hi, I'm in the middle of checking things under my 54 plate S type, 161,000 mile car. The underside is in very good order, with protection provided by the plastic under covers and treatments during manufacture. The one thing I recommend you do is remove the plastic sill covers and check / treat the metal sills underneath. (The covers are easily removed as they are just held in place with plastic rivets, although i've had to replace about 1/2 of the rivets which are readily available)

 

On my car, 90% of the sills are in remarkably  good condition however I have caught the front ends just in time. Beleive it or not they are open ended at the front with only the wheel arch liners covering them over. A couple more years and it would have been a different story. On removing the covers and under panels I must have removed a couple of pounds  of dirt and dust which when wet had acted like wet mud preventing the sills to dry out properly when wet and allowing rust to set in. I have treated the rust with rust converter and I am now in the process of spraying waxoil wax into the inner part of the sills before undersealing the sills and reinstalling the covers.

 

Apparently the sills are the Achilles Heal on the S Type. Hope this advice helps.

[Cliftonflyer]

Thanks Peter and Harv

I have been quoted £500 for undersealing, including removal of sills. I bought some of the plastic clips as advised by the rustproofer.

Given Harv's comment about build up of "wet muck" I will get it done.

Love the car and never cease to amazed by it's comfort, ease of driving and effortless power - and the economy of a smaller car on a run!

Thanks again.

Stewart