Rust Proofing needed anymore?
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You MUST get it done, because your vehicle will eventually rust away. The original Ziebart was bad, because it dried out and trapped water underneath. You must buy a WAX-OIL product, or an oil product that is applied annually. Fluid-Film is superior, and there are lots of others that are quite good. The person doing the application, and the reputation of the shop is very important.
Rustproofing is completely unnecessary with today's modern steels. My last two cars were not rustproofed. My previous car was a '99 Camaro, had it for 8 years and drove it through harsh Cleveland winters with lots of salt. After 8 years, the floor of the car had only minor surface rust and some of the welded seams. The double sided galvanized steel used today is nothing like steel from 20 years ago, or even the first generation single sided galvanized steel which lasted longer but still rusted. Today's steel will still rust, but it will take 10 years or more in a harsh Midwest environment with lots of salt to do it. Anywhere else it will last much longer. Don't waste your money, or even worse, make matters worse with that gunk clogging all your drain holes trapping water and rusting it out faster!
Read the owners manual section titled "after market rustproofing" before adding anything.
It basically voids the factory sheetmetal rust through warranty if you do.
It basically voids the factory sheetmetal rust through warranty if you do.
Last 2 posts are correct IMHO.This truck was oil sprayed and is bubbling at the bottom of one door because the drains were plugged and I couldnt get them cleared enough.Also have a friend works in paints and coatings (glasshouse)said DO NOT DO IT.his words ,read your warranty,the manufacturers soft peddle this because the dealers get p.o'ed as it is a income stream for them.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Depends on the product and where you live. Krown works phenomenally well, and the dealers up here recommend it.
My 1989 Town Car is rust free from that stuff.
My 1989 Town Car is rust free from that stuff.
I've had good luck with Ziebart but I believe it is only because of the excellent dealer I go to. He only allows one of his employees to do the work. I go back yearly to make sure all the drain holes are still clear and the bottom gets powerwashed and any missing coating is reapplied. They also reapply to the inside of the trunk at the back lip and also the inside of the hood at the front lip. They have touched up the bottom edges of the doors on the inside where the factory paint flakes off starts to surface rust.
I agree that most new cars can go about 10 years before the rust takes over so if you live in the rust belt. I typically keep my cars longer than that so I'm giving Ziebart a try since I was familiar with the dealer. My Grand Prix was bought new and is now 8+ years old. Since most GP's are completely rusted through below the doors on the bottom sill long before now I'd say it was a good move. I'm not sure what was up with those years of GP's but they all seem to rust out really bad. My parents had a year older GP that rusted completely through at year 6. My '94 GP was never like that. I see most others of that age around here seem to be rusted as well.
If you already have a car that is starting to show some surface rust underneath then I'd be hesitant since the coatings won't stick as well. I kind of wish we had what the Canadians have available to them. They can get their cars oiled I believe which isn't done around here. I'd guess it is a safer and better way to go.
I agree that most new cars can go about 10 years before the rust takes over so if you live in the rust belt. I typically keep my cars longer than that so I'm giving Ziebart a try since I was familiar with the dealer. My Grand Prix was bought new and is now 8+ years old. Since most GP's are completely rusted through below the doors on the bottom sill long before now I'd say it was a good move. I'm not sure what was up with those years of GP's but they all seem to rust out really bad. My parents had a year older GP that rusted completely through at year 6. My '94 GP was never like that. I see most others of that age around here seem to be rusted as well.
If you already have a car that is starting to show some surface rust underneath then I'd be hesitant since the coatings won't stick as well. I kind of wish we had what the Canadians have available to them. They can get their cars oiled I believe which isn't done around here. I'd guess it is a safer and better way to go.
Rust makes repairs on suspension parts take twice as long as they should. I recently had to spend an hour removing one screw.
Think about it of course the dealers recommend it ,ask them about the conflict with the owner manual re warranty?Ask if they will assume the cost of the 5 year rust warranty?
Then ask for it in writing
Then ask for it in writing
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
Rust makes repairs on suspension parts take twice as long as they should. I recently had to spend an hour removing one screw.
Agreed 100%.
Anything to be taken off my Townie comes off with ease....Even if its been on there since new. Just another benefit to annual spraying.
Rust makes repairs on suspension parts take twice as long as they should. I recently had to spend an hour removing one screw.
Agreed 100%.
Anything to be taken off my Townie comes off with ease....Even if its been on there since new. Just another benefit to annual spraying.
In the 60s I learned from an old timer( while I was stationed in Maine( to spray the underneith of my car with engine oil. A good use for dino. HA. Any way it works well. Every 2 years spray it in the wheel wells and other nookes and crannies under the car.
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Depends on the product and where you live. Krown works phenomenally well, and the dealers up here recommend it.
My 1989 Town Car is rust free from that stuff.
+1
We had our '85 Caravan that went to the scrap yard 20 years later and it sill looked like it was in show-room condition. We would probably still be driving it except I had an electrical fire that cooked everything under the hood.
Does the OP live close to the Windsor, Ontario border? You could find a Krown place in Windsor to have it done.
Money well spent IMO!
I will take pictures of my Santa Fe under the vehicle next time I'm servicing it. It spends 8-10 hours a day on the road driving through treacherous road condition including tons of salt in the winter and it looks like new. My floor mats are white with crusted salt on them by the end of winter that's how bad it is...
Depends on the product and where you live. Krown works phenomenally well, and the dealers up here recommend it.
My 1989 Town Car is rust free from that stuff.
+1
Does the OP live close to the Windsor, Ontario border? You could find a Krown place in Windsor to have it done.
I will take pictures of my Santa Fe under the vehicle next time I'm servicing it. It spends 8-10 hours a day on the road driving through treacherous road condition including tons of salt in the winter and it looks like new. My floor mats are white with crusted salt on them by the end of winter that's how bad it is...
I still think its a good idea if you want your car to stay looking good. Complete rust out is rare these days; even if you don't get a car treated, but you still get ugly surface rust that get the edges of doors, etc...
Its nothing like it was 30 years ago - dad had a 1967 Mustang he drove daily in Ontario winters for 8 years. He used to get it undercoated every year with heavy, thick, 'asphalt' coating...even so, the floor/frame/door bottoms complete disappeared from rust. He had to stop driving it b/c there was nothing left to support the seats or your feet in it.
Its nothing like it was 30 years ago - dad had a 1967 Mustang he drove daily in Ontario winters for 8 years. He used to get it undercoated every year with heavy, thick, 'asphalt' coating...even so, the floor/frame/door bottoms complete disappeared from rust. He had to stop driving it b/c there was nothing left to support the seats or your feet in it.
I wish we had Krown here in Western NY. Some cars, particularly, GM and Chrysler and some Japanese (non-Toyotas, non-Hondas) and Korean cars rust like krazy here.
My 95 Ranger finally started rusting in the wheel wells, but you see some Focus & F-150s that are rusted out and not that old. Some Hondas have the rear quarters rusted out.
Bolts, lines are pretty bad here. Tons of salt, but come on, the technology to preevnt this has been around along time.
My 95 Ranger finally started rusting in the wheel wells, but you see some Focus & F-150s that are rusted out and not that old. Some Hondas have the rear quarters rusted out.
Bolts, lines are pretty bad here. Tons of salt, but come on, the technology to preevnt this has been around along time.
Originally Posted By: addyguy
I still think its a good idea if you want your car to stay looking good. Complete rust out is rare these days; even if you don't get a car treated, but you still get ugly surface rust that get the edges of doors, etc...
Its nothing like it was 30 years ago - dad had a 1967 Mustang he drove daily in Ontario winters for 8 years. He used to get it undercoated every year with heavy, thick, 'asphalt' coating...even so, the floor/frame/door bottoms complete disappeared from rust. He had to stop driving it b/c there was nothing left to support the seats or your feet in it.
Yeah they don't do that anymore because they found out that the "Asphalt like coating" actually held in moisture and accelerated the rust. Now they coat the metal parts underneath the vehicle and inside the door/quarter panels etc. with a moisture displacing oil that causes the moisture to run out and evaporate.
Apparently rust starts from the inside/out because moisture is trapped and has nowhere to go.
It's funny, you come up here and you see very few rusting vehicles... South of the border you see a lot more, especially in Michigan. When I pass through Michigan to go to Kentucky I'm shocked at some of the stuff that is running around on the road.
I still think its a good idea if you want your car to stay looking good. Complete rust out is rare these days; even if you don't get a car treated, but you still get ugly surface rust that get the edges of doors, etc...
Its nothing like it was 30 years ago - dad had a 1967 Mustang he drove daily in Ontario winters for 8 years. He used to get it undercoated every year with heavy, thick, 'asphalt' coating...even so, the floor/frame/door bottoms complete disappeared from rust. He had to stop driving it b/c there was nothing left to support the seats or your feet in it.
Yeah they don't do that anymore because they found out that the "Asphalt like coating" actually held in moisture and accelerated the rust. Now they coat the metal parts underneath the vehicle and inside the door/quarter panels etc. with a moisture displacing oil that causes the moisture to run out and evaporate.
Apparently rust starts from the inside/out because moisture is trapped and has nowhere to go.
It's funny, you come up here and you see very few rusting vehicles... South of the border you see a lot more, especially in Michigan. When I pass through Michigan to go to Kentucky I'm shocked at some of the stuff that is running around on the road.
stuff your uncle's brother friend did in the 60's doesn't count any more.
M-B found out about 20 years ago that the electical potental of the paint ,sheet metal and primer have to match pretty close,something that nobody cared about until they were proven right.
Since then cars dont rust before our eyes anymore,back then you could measure the volts a car body put out just sitting.
They were holed usally with in two years,thats why Ziebart is gone ,they used to be on every corner like muffler shops...........hummm and where have they gone?
M-B found out about 20 years ago that the electical potental of the paint ,sheet metal and primer have to match pretty close,something that nobody cared about until they were proven right.
Since then cars dont rust before our eyes anymore,back then you could measure the volts a car body put out just sitting.
They were holed usally with in two years,thats why Ziebart is gone ,they used to be on every corner like muffler shops...........hummm and where have they gone?
Last edited:
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: ffracer
I wish we had Krown here in Western NY. Some cars, particularly, GM and Chrysler and some Japanese (non-Toyotas, non-Hondas) and Korean cars rust like krazy here.
My 95 Ranger finally started rusting in the wheel wells, but you see some Focus & F-150s that are rusted out and not that old. Some Hondas have the rear quarters rusted out.
Bolts, lines are pretty bad here. Tons of salt, but come on, the technology to preevnt this has been around along time.
The Tacomas rusted out pretty bad....
I wish we had Krown here in Western NY. Some cars, particularly, GM and Chrysler and some Japanese (non-Toyotas, non-Hondas) and Korean cars rust like krazy here.
My 95 Ranger finally started rusting in the wheel wells, but you see some Focus & F-150s that are rusted out and not that old. Some Hondas have the rear quarters rusted out.
Bolts, lines are pretty bad here. Tons of salt, but come on, the technology to preevnt this has been around along time.
The Tacomas rusted out pretty bad....
The rocker panels on my 99 Buick LeSabre that spent the previous 10 years in western New York are pretty holey. I've patched one big one on the passenger side, and am currently letting the stripped areas on the drivers side soak in rust converter before repairing them.
I have a thread around here about repairing a giant rust hole in the rear wheel well that let an inch of salty water into the rear seat.
This is a car that was garaged for the first 5 years of its life, and saw almost no winter use for the next 3. A year of driving around western New York did this, even with regular washings.
I still believe modern cars need rustproofing. In the battle between salt and steel, salt always wins unless the steel has a lot of help.
I have a thread around here about repairing a giant rust hole in the rear wheel well that let an inch of salty water into the rear seat.
This is a car that was garaged for the first 5 years of its life, and saw almost no winter use for the next 3. A year of driving around western New York did this, even with regular washings.
I still believe modern cars need rustproofing. In the battle between salt and steel, salt always wins unless the steel has a lot of help.
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