We live in S/W Ontario, and Hwy dump trucks routinely sprinkle harsh salt & abrasive sand, down on black ice &/or snow covered roads...off & on, for like 4 months of the year.
While I don't expect a 2013 Toyota to start rusting, rusty hinges is usually the first place any vehicle will start corroding - due to metal on metal exposure & friction.
- once rust starts, killing it completely is an ongoing battle
I am a firm believer in using Fluid Film, on all hinges & door pins...to start with.
- FF spray can is $10, at Auto Zone
Undercarriage & inside doors, quarters, etc. get wax/oil spray undercoating yearly...on our vehicles.
- our last used car was a 2002 Volvo V70 wagon, and still rust free
Our 2008 RAV4 will get fully undercoated, next month.
- the hinges, I just spray a few times a year with the spray can method
Warranty or not, I like to exercise some Preventive Maintenance, and curtail rust from forming (in first place) or delay the cancer, as long as possible.
FLUID FILM:
Fluid Film Spray Applicator Guns
FLUID FILM in an easy to handle. Long term protection. Economical. Apply by brush, roller or pressurized spray. FLUID FILM products offer powerful corrosion protection for all metals and superior lubrication for all moving parts. They are long lasting, thixotropic liquids and gels that have been used for over 55 years in the highly corrosive marine environment of ships and offshore drilling rigs. More recently they have been introduced and successfully utilized in the lawn & garden, aviation and automobile industries, as well as providing an environmentally friendlier solution for home maintenance. Facilities where they are used include government, commercial fishing, gas companies, farming, salt, power, and industrial plants. FLUID FILM is formulated from specially processed wool-wax, highly refined petroleum oils and selected agents to provide corrosion control, penetration, metal wetting and water displacement. These long lasting products contain no solvents, will not dry out and will penetrate to the base of all metals, providing corrosion protection from both natural and industrial atmospheres. Heavily corroded and/or frozen parts such as nuts, bolts, shafts, etc. that would normally be damaged during maintenance, can be salvaged by applying FLUID FILM.
2002 Volvo V70 may be 13 years old (never garaged & daily exposed to Canadian winters) & still no rust started, due to proper wax/oil undercoating.
- a little TLC with the right products, goes a long way
- its all in the auto body preventive maintenance, and maximizing resale value is the added bonus