New ORP to undercoat rustproof or not?

Guys,

Would you put undercoating/rustproof a new ORP?

I live in Michigan but will not be driving this in snow/salt at all; its simply a spring-fall vehicle that will be garage stored and not be outside?

It seems like the dealers around here send them to Ziebart if requested and Ziebart gets awful reviews around here. Then there is Krown from Canada but they are new seem to lease space and not have big building, so it makes me wonder if they are here for the long haul or not

 

No. Keep clean as necessary.

 

Yeah I plant keep for 15 years + if I can. I had my old body on frame Explorer undercoated years ago and its been fine in garage (but never saw salt or snow either). Only reason I was considering undercoating is because of frame. Its not everyday I buy a car and things change quickly after 15 years

 

I have an 18 and on its 3rd salt season wv/oh/pa region...I have been using fluid film with good results.

-also humidity >80% can speed rust on untreated surfaces so I like to keep a thin layer of protectant all year round

 

even if parked, I would still do an annual Fluid film or Wool wax. I would not have a rubberized undercoating done though.

 

If you're not driving it and it's in the garage I wouldn't do anything.
I've got a '01 Focus that I garage in the winter (since '05). I don't do anything and it's clean. I'm also in Michigan

 

save your money. ziebart is a waste. keep vehicle clean .

 

The rust proofing might not be a bad investment, things change, and maybe, just maybe you'll be forced to drive it in the snow or salt sometime (never say never) Fluid film works good from what I hear on the forum. We traded a '17 Tacoma, the first thing the dealership did was put it up on a hoist to check for rust. 3 yrs. of snow/salt etc., not a rust spec to be found, that is whatever the Toyota dealership put on it from new, and I do recall it was $400... cheap insurance in my opinion.

 

You know the odd thing is none of the dealers around here do rustproofing, I found one in northern Michigan that will. I thought having it done at a dealer would be wiser since you can say the dealer did it; as opposed to a future issue and a dealer pointing the finger at someone else. If a local dealer did this I would be more inclined.

I remember years ago having my Explorer done and I cleaned the overspray for days. They gave me a bottle of cleaner and I sat on a milk crate for hours and then polished the truck. Granted I would do it again if necessary.

The Ziebart reviews around here are awful. Unfortunately, nobody around here does the fluid film thing either and unfortunately and I cannot lay on my back and do it myself. I have to give this serious consdideration, its nothing urgent just trying to work through what is best to do.

 

A large portion if not all do some kind of rustproofing here (Wisconsin, next door to you) granted there are probably some that don't, we got it done at the dealership because of the fact to get it 'touched up' every year at no additional cost, was a selling point. I hear ya on the laying on your back thing! One time we had 'overspray' on a vehicle, I believe it was a guy with no expierience. Then the dealership cleaned it off. Best of luck on your decision, I too would stay away from Ziebart from what I've heard.

 

Your buying a very capable 50-k SUV and it's never going to see winter? It isn't a Ferrari enjoy it.

 

I was about to post the same thing. I feel for you northerners. How cruel it must be to have such a highly capable off road vehicle and not get to try it out in the snow. Greetings from South Carolina

 

I'm in New England also and yeah the winters do suck but it is what it is. When I start becoming unhappy with rust (if I have mine that long and I won't) it would be gone.

 

Fluid Film all the way.

 

I got an ORP this December and bought the Fluid Film Kit from Amazon. Think it was $60....quite easy with the high clearance.

 

The rubberized and similar undercoatings are indeed a terrible idea... unless they get sealed perfectly, they're just as likely to trap moisture and salt and do more damage than good; especially considering that it will also hide the damage until it's too late.

The treatments like fluid film, woolwax, etc... however... are a great idea. It's just an oil layer that will protect and can get into all the little holes and crevices too. Only downsides are that they have to be resprayed periodically, and if you have to work on the vehicle, it's a little messy/annoying to work around.

Myself (also in Michigan), I just get under my vehicle twice a year to wire brush away any surface rust, hit it with a rust converter, then rattle can some satin black over it. I do use mine year round though.

 

The dealer I bought our 4R ORP from in January said they undercoat all their trucks when they come off the transporter. I told them that if they undercoat it when it arrives, they loose the sale. They were pretty quick to say they wouldn't coat it. I instead sprayed the frame with a can of Boeshield T9. I'd rather keep up the maintenance on the frame myself right from the get go.

 

I had mine coated with fluid film this past December, right after I bought it. Still nice and greasy on the under carriage after almost three months of harsh Canadian winter weather and road salt. Purchased a few cans of additional fluid film and will keep touching up when necessary. Never “under coat”, ever! Will actually seal in moisture and rot your frame.

 

IMO, if it’s just sitting in a climate controlled garage you should be done doing nothing. However a light coating of something like wd40 would protect from any moisture in the air.

 

Thanks guys. My old Explorer the dealer rust proofed back in the day and it was always in detached garage (not heated) and held up.

Gosh I am torn here. I like the look of that fluid film but the closest place to me is 60 miles and they did not know a lot about it. I can’t get on my back for long and am I not confident I’d know what to spray versus not. I won’t be getting mine until summer now anyway. So I am confident no salt around and I don’t plan to take it in salt/snow. She will get covered in October and come out in April each year. Maybe I am just anal over this but with what we pay dor these vehicles trying to make the best educated decision.

I was suprised that a previous poster in Wisconsin and one in Canada (assume Ontario) have so many options. This whole Midwest area would seem to have a very similar climate.