Rustproofing and undercoating

[jungleboy]

Loooking for input. We are just going through the process of buying a new car, a RAV4 to be specific . Of course the dealer has already begun the process of the upsell . All the things you never realized you have to have like …tire insurance, rim insurance ,scratch n dent insurance , lost keys insurance, insurance for your regular insurance so that if your car is stolen you get an extra big settlement, ceramic paint coating and 3M coatings , undercoating and rust insurance.

A very long list which added up comes to over $5000 worth. The only thing that I feel compelled to do is the undercoat and rust proof which I would go to the source for because I am sure the dealers just farm it out and up charge for anyway.

My question is, is the rust proof that nessecary these days ? The undercoat I will likely do but more for noise suppression than any other reason

[elkhunter11]

I go to Canadian Tire, buy a can of Rustcheck, remove the plugs into the body, and spray the inside crevices of the hood, tailgate/trunk, body rails, the bottom insides of the doors, inside the fenders through the drain holes, and leave newspaper under the side of the vehicle for a couple of days until they stop dripping. My Tundra is a 2007, and no rust after 12 years for me, and a friend is still not having rust issues. The one thing I always purchase is 3M for the front, and for the leading edges of hood and fenders .

[JB_AOL]

3m is definitely worth it, but I wouldn't go thru the dealership, you'll find it cheaper elsewhere.

Rust proofing isn't really worth it nowadays, but to each their own.. proper rust proofing needs to be done regularly, so I wouldn't trust the dealership to do that.

[jungleboy]

Sounds like diy rust proof is the way to go.

[KGB]

Say big no to all the extras from the dealer, they make 100% mark up on all if not more! I wouldn’t worry for a rust proofing at all, today’s vehicles are well protected from the factory and we live in a very dry climate to boot.
Same goes for the undercoating. Absolutely not necessary unless you live in Ontario or Quebec.
3M is a must I would say, but do it away from the dealer.
Ceramic coating is great but it lasts 4-5 years and then needs to be re-done. The problem is that you need to remove the existing coating before applying the new one and that process is a major pain in the butt! That will cost you more than the new ceramic coating itself! My knowledge is about a year old but I doubt anything has changed….
If you want to protect the new paint- any good detailing shop can do it or you can do it easily yourself if you have time. Chemical Guys make really good stuff that is easy to use without any experience. You can buy it now at the Crappy tire. Just buy the Jet Seal, Butter Wet Wax and Extreme Slick synthetic quick detailer- and you are all set!

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by KGB

Say big no to all the extras from the dealer, they make 100% mark up on all if not more! I wouldn’t worry for a rust proofing at all, today’s vehicles are well protected from the factory and we live in a very dry climate to boot.
Same goes for the undercoating. Absolutely not necessary unless you live in Ontario or Quebec.
3M is a must I would say, but do it away from the dealer.
Ceramic coating is great but it lasts 4-5 years and then needs to be re-done. The problem is that you need to remove the existing coating before applying the new one and that process is a major pain in the butt! That will cost you more than the new ceramic coating itself! My knowledge is about a year old but I doubt anything has changed….
If you want to protect the new paint- any good detailing shop can do it or you can do it easily yourself if you have time. Chemical Guys make really good stuff that is easy to use without any experience. You can buy it now at the Crappy tire. Just buy the Jet Seal, Butter Wet Wax and Extreme Slick synthetic quick detailer- and you are all set!

My thinking on undercoat is more for round noise than any other benefit. The one thing that didn’t thrill me on this new Rav is the road noise.

[Whitetail200]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

Sounds like diy rust proof is the way to go.

Sounds like that maybe the way to go for your situation like Elkhunter 11 mentioned . I have a 2017 Chev silverado LTZ which I bought used in 2021 from a dealer lot , beautiful shape , low km's , one Elderly owner . Now has rock chips on edges of fenders as well as under lip of fenders. Received these while running a area while Elk hunting last yr in November . Could add touch up paint to cover chips if that was all that was needed for a temp fix .There's a very light surface sign of rust on under side of fender lips . There would be a bit of sanding involved for removal of surface rust & applying a primer for those areas as well as adding possibly the Rustcheck, then touch up paint . Something I may consider but a lot involved /work . May have a body shop do it but Just waiting on a exact quote to do the work & also add the 3m to the fender edge areas . Also option of doing the complete fender areas with 3m protection after painting the whole area . Rough estimate was in the 3 to 4000 range. It comes down to weighing out your options & cost .

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by Whitetail200

Sounds like that maybe the way to go for your situation like Elkhunter 11 mentioned . I have a 2017 Chev silverado LTZ which I bought used in 2021 from a dealer lot , beautiful shape , low km's , one Elderly owner . Now has rock chips on edges of fenders as well as under lip of fenders. Received these while running a area while Elk hunting last yr in November . Could add touch up paint to cover chips if that was all that was needed for a temp fix .There's a very light surface sign of rust on under side of fender lips . There would be a bit of sanding involved for removal of surface rust & applying a primer for those areas as well as adding possibly the Rustcheck, then touch up paint . Something I may consider but a lot involved /work . May have a body shop do it but Just waiting on a exact quote to do the work & also add the 3m to the fender edge areas . Also option of doing the complete fender areas with 3m protection after painting the whole area . Rough estimate was in the 3 to 4000 range. It comes down to weighing out your options & cost .

Don’t leave it. My 08 gmc started like that and I thought , meh looks like galvanized metal so no biggie ,I’ll fix it some day.
Now the box sides are completely rusted out above the wheels. GM has no drainage up in the wheel wells at the fender lip so dirt and muck sits in there and rusts the truck box sides out from behind. Design flaw, if you are seeing rust on the surface then it’s worse in behind.

[Whitetail200]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

Don’t leave it. My 08 gmc started like that and I thought , meh looks like galvanized metal so no biggie ,I’ll fix it some day.
Now the box sides are completely rusted out above the wheels. GM has no drainage up in the wheel wells at the fender lip so dirt and muck sits in there and rusts the truck box sides out from behind. Design flaw, if you are seeing rust on the surface then it’s worse in behind.

Yes I hear you on the debris in behind , from what I could feel & see without taking the tire off , they don't bend upwards facing the top wheel well creating a bent lip , the just seem to go straight out flat . More closer investigation needed , they do have that felt like protection coming up towards the edge though .

[W921]

Road noise? Haha my ears ring after I drive my trucks.
You might have to drill out certain compartments to undercoat but you can plug them afterwards. Example cab corners or rockers,from fenders .etc
I use heated up old motor oil in a purpose undercoating air gun but I'm sure elkhunters do it yourself rust check from Canadian tire would be cleaner and easier and way cheaper than dealer

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by Whitetail200

Yes I hear you on the debris in behind , from what I could feel & see without taking the tire off , they don't bend upwards facing the top wheel well creating a bent lip , the just seem to go straight out flat . More closer investigation needed , they do have that felt like protection coming up towards the edge though .

I don’t think you can feel it though. The dirt gets above the wheel well between where it meets the outer panel. I don’t even think you can get at it with a pressure washer. Needs to have drain holes in the wheel well side but I do t even know if that would do it as it’s so narrow.

[Dean2]

I tried 3m on the rockers and flares of my 2021 2500. Nowhere near tough enough to stand up to gravel that cloze to where the tires are flinging the rocks. . Put on a properly installed set of bushwacker flares that cover the lip in the wheel well. For the rocker panels, Bushwacker also makes protective strips for them.

Bushwacker Trail Armor Side Rocker | 4-Piece Set, Black, Textured Finish | 14083 | Fits 2009-2018 Ram 1500; 2019-2022 Ram 1500 Classic, Extended Cab https://a.co/d/5Wh5wK1

For the protective film on the hood, back of mirrors etc try Proform on the south side. They have done 4 vehicles for me. Good work, fair price and they use better film than 3m or Sunteck, they use Stek Dynoshield, which is a much better product. Should run about 700, which is about half what the dealers usually quote.

As far as rust proof. TT Automotive in the West end does a great job. They will do Rustcheck, which is what I use, or actual under coating. Rustvheck on the Rav would be about 350.

[Duramaximos]

Big fan of woolwax rather than traditional undercoating. I find it only requires minimal upkeep every 2-3 years but will not fail and flake off like a hard film coating will.

Completed the entire frame of my truck a few years ago in one afternoon. Will touch up again this spring. Surface rust in the trouble areas stopped dead in its tracks.

I prefer Dynamat inside the doors and floor boards to help reduce sound.

Sent from my SM-G990W using Tapatalk

[cranky]

Originally Posted by Duramaximos

Big fan of woolwax rather than traditional undercoating. I find it only requires minimal upkeep every 2-3 years but will not fail and flake off like a hard film coating will.

Completed the entire frame of my truck a few years ago in one afternoon. Will touch up again this spring. Surface rust in the trouble areas stopped dead in its tracks.

I prefer Dynamat inside the doors and floor boards to help reduce sound.

Sent from my SM-G990W using Tapatalk

I use same stuff wool wax. Stuff I get is at Can Tire called Fluid Film. Spray can is about $15. Stops existing rust as well. Wife bought her little Toyota brand new in 2008 still no sign of rust anywhere on it. I spray the front end parts suspension and all with it to. Friend had to get all kinds of new front end parts on newer vehicle cause so corroded the couldn’t align it without all new parts. Talk to front end or tire shops they will tell you.

I would definitely do something,they are spraying huge amounts of salt, more volume every year and the ring roads are done with Calcium. This straight from a city dump truck driver relative.

[Sooner]

Ex body man here. What I know. You can go to a Zeibart type place and get all of that for cheaper.

Undercoating is only good where the rocks don't hit and it eventually peels off. Go to CT and buy the spray cans and do it yourself and where you want it. I used this stuff on my sled trailer, right above the wheels. That stuff stuck to the wood like crazy and is still there many years later.


Rust Proofing, well worth the money if they do it right and spend the time to get it in every nook & cranny.


Paint Protection, its just a wax unless its a ceramic coating. Paint these days is super durable and don't need a wax. I thought Ceramic coatings was a hoax kinda thing but my best bud who still runs a body shop has seen it in use for a few years, says it is well worth the money. 2 friends have had it done and I have changed my mind now too.


When my kid was looking for his first truck, the one dealer had a deal in principle and had talked him into tire & wheel insurance. First I heard of it and we quickly told him nope nada. He didn't buy that truck but an eye opener to what they try to pawn off on people these days.

[Grizzly Adams1]

vehicles are well protected from the factory and we live in a very dry climate to boot.

I used to believe that, but all the rusted out fenders I've seen made me change my mind. I'm thinking the drive to save weight and complex vehicle shapes have brought us thinner metal, more prone to rust.

[guster]

Had a 2012 GMC. Pop out taillights and stick pressure washer in there.Did this every spring and never had bit of rust.

[-JR-]

You might want to look under your new ca first . alot of them are under coate from the factory .

[Peace Meal Farm]

My opinion as a mechanic ...

I think it's criminal what gets applied to some of our roads in the winter. My vehicles get eaten away in Alberta, whereas in the Yukon there's no salt on the roads and things seem to last forever.

Not a fan of undercoating. I feel that they peel, and once moisture gets trapped behind the 'layer' it can't get out. Corrosion accelerates.

I prefer a wax type (lanolin) product. I use Surface Shield. I buy it in the gallon buckets, put it in the hopper and do it with the car up on the rack. Works like a hot damn.

[6.5 shooter]

Both of our Subaru's cost ~ $500 bucks each to undercoat and the diamond finish coat put on the windshields. Sounds like your dealer is ripping you off!

[triguy]

If getting 3M make sure they wrap around edges. Mine now has chips between 3M and edge of protected surfaces.

[Lastcast]

I personally like undercoat and rust inhibitor on my vehicles.

One huge benefit to getting it done at the Toyota dealership is its lifetime warranty. Every year when you bring it in for the free oil change - ask them to apply it again to any spots that are wearing.

But it is pricey - and you could just do that yourself cheaper. I'm just at that point in my life where there aren't enough hours in the day - so paying a little extra makes sense for me.

[lakerman]

Lifetime warranty is just that never in your lifetime, my 87 toyota pick up never made it 10 years rusted out with the undercoating the seem in the bed was the killer, magically no coveraged due to the seem, the 97 taco frame went bye bye, everyear checked by the "professionals" you got it diamond coat didn't cover it, toyota didn't care but thats just my experience.now I don't get why the 2000 ford still hasn't rusted through?