Curious about opinions if detailing the undercarriage was a good or bad thing to do. It took me literally weeks with a tooth brush to do this (actually, wore out several brushes). I am kind of happy with the cleaned off sticky Cosmoline wax look. Since I have decided to sell my beloved toy, should I re-apply the Cosmoline or leave it clean?

Salute, Tom



About the car:
2002 Porsche GT2, black /black. Mlg 14,790. Car is So California.
Stock with the addition of some minor cosmetic bolt ons. The ad:

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...e-996-gt2.html

 

That is outrageous. I'd be scared to drive it after all the work.
I see you're in Ventura. I live in Ojai. Let me know if you ever want to make a run up 33 to Pine Mtn. and back. It's nice and open during the weekdays and a blast.

 

I did the same thing to my 928 years ago when I was younger, it looks great but Cosmoline is there for a reason. I'm on the east coast the weather is different where you are = no snow etc I guess lol. If I had to do over I would have left it as I'm sure the under carriage/aluminum would be better off.

 

I'm as OCD as they come.... I'm jealous!

 

That looks impressive. But only your mechanic gets to see it.

 

Looks great, I would 100% leave it. That is the way an undercarriage is suppose to look.

Note: Next time you want to clean the belly of a car there are places that do under belly steam cleaning. The results are great and it is fast.

 

Not sure its good or bad... more OCD really

 

Almost unbelievable...Wish I had your spare time...

 

That's not how it's supposed to look. It's suppose to look gunky and crappy, the cosmoline protects the bottom from corrosion. I don't remember if I read it in the owners manual or a repair manual, but Porsche says if that is removed it should be replaced.

 

aluminium doesnt corrode it oxidizes. doesnt hurt it a bit to remove the cosmoline and allows you to find leaks easier on a clean engine.

chinese sks rifles are shipped coated in cosmoline to protect them during shipping. you wouldnt fire a rifle coated in cosmoline you clean it all off first

 

Amazing. It looks like the bottom of one of those scale toys with the plastic and chrome undercarriages! LOL I get why someone would do this. It looks phenomenal. When you're standing underneath it to actually get the view, that is. If it were a hour-long effort, I'd probably do it, myself.

But weeks of painstakingly brushing it all off? See, THAT would actually lower my enjoyment of DRIVING the car, knowing I'm slowly undoing all that work with every mile.

My enjoyment of driving the car overpowers my slightly-OCD nature in this case.
-V

 

Really? What's the chemical reaction for corrosion if that is different from oxidation?

Aluminum will still oxidize but only at the surface. However, once it's pitted it's downhill from there. It will pit if not protected from road debris.

 

to a point you are correct. if it was a real issue every corvette motor sold in the north would be junk in few yrs. infact aluminum blocks are used worldwide and very few use cosmoline. as for road debris with your theory we need steel plates on the bottom to protect the engine. not aware cosmoline will protect your engine from a piece of metal you drive over

cosmoline was basically used to protect the vehicles from the strong salt air during shipping across the ocean. on rifles its cleaned off as soon as they are unpacked

 

What, they're not?

I keed, I keed...
-V

 

I have an Audi S6 that has been prepped like that for many years of driving on Canadian roads with huge amounts of salt, sand and gravel and it looks no worse off. The gravel and salt we live with in winters is a little ridiculous, in fact we live with the stuff for a great portion of spring and summer before they clean the roads.

The only vehicles that really look worse off is the junk I buy that was made in America that is always rusting underneath even before it is taking off the new car lot.

Cosmo free aluminum Porsche driven on Cali roads is a princess life for a car. You guys worry more about heat / sun damage to exteriors and interiors though.