Automotive Oil Undercoating/Rust-Proofing

[SpaceCow]

For the last several years, I have gotten my 1999 Crown Vic undercoated at a shop that uses the Krown oil-based rust proofing product. https://www.krown.com/en/

It's about $120 per year, and I feel that it has significantly reduced (but not completely inhibited) the rust that has started to form on the vehicle. In addition, the product acts as a penetrating oil, so it makes working on the car easier. I do all of the work myself and rarely encounter stuck/seized fasteners.

There are several other companies that have similar products. It seems to be more popular in Canada than here in the states. However, I think for most of us in the rust-belt, it is worth it.

It may be particularly valuable for mustaschians who do not drive many miles, as rust often kills otherwise perfectly good cars. Do you guys get this stuff on your cars, and do you think it is worth it?

[Car Jack]

I haven't yet, but watch Eric O (South Main Auto) who showed a truck that had the Ziebart type rubberized garbage that sealed in all the moisture and prematurely rusted out the frame.

Both fluid film and krown appear to be good products.  They don't hold in moisture.  Back in the olden days, we'd spray regular old motor oil under our trucks.  Of course these days, rust prevention is a million percent better than back then.  Some car makes didn't paint the inside of fenders at all!  Raw steel to start rusting before you even took delivery.

[RWD]

watch Eric O (South Main Auto)

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiIym5JiMOc

Fluid film appears to be the way to go.

[Phenix]

watch Eric O (South Main Auto)

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiIym5JiMOc

Fluid film appears to be the way to go.

Thanks for the link.  Definitely something to consider for driving on salt in the winter.

[GuitarStv]

Snake oil.

Cars manufactured today have corrosion resistant metals on the undercarriage that don't need (and aren't helped by) spray on undercoatings.


I have been driving a 2005 Toyota Corolla since we bought it (in '05), and there's no place on Earth that is saltier than Toronto roads in the winter.  No rust problems. No spray on 'rust coating' ever applied.


I also don't wash my car.  The dirt creates a protective film that enhances the protective effects of the paint.

:O

[ApacheStache]

I just buy the Krown spray cans in bulk through their website, jack up the car in my garage and spray the vehicle myself. Takes all of 15 minutes and I only use 1 can per vehicle.

Snake oil.

Cars manufactured today have corrosion resistant metals on the undercarriage that don't need (and aren't helped by) spray on undercoatings.

I'm sure some cars do, but I can guarantee that not every car manufactured in the last 10 years has corrosion resistant undercarriages. Many automotive assembly lines apply an undercoating to the metal frame during the final stages of assembly. In fact there's an ongoing class action lawsuit attempt that alleges a certain line of Toyota vehicles in the early 2000's were missing the undercoating and thus resulted in vehicle owners with deteriorating frames that were no longer serviceable or under warranty. Essentially, owners had perfectly good vehicles but their frames were crumbling and automotive shops refused to work on their vehicles because it was too dangerous to put the frame on the lift. The article isn't terribly exciting, but I can dig it up if anyone is interested.

I also don't wash my car.  The dirt creates a protective film that enhances the protective effects of the paint.

:O

That's awesome :)