[CNYBri]

Has anybody done their own undercoating? I'm curious if it is easier to attempt a quality job versus paying an undercoating company to do it for bigger $.

 

[OCInsomniac]

Don't waste your money - cars within the past 10 years or so don't need rust protection, in fact I see it's still being pushed by dealers, and is really just an unnecessary high markup item to pad their profit. Cars today have extensive use of galvanized sheet metal and paint process is much improved to retard rust with hi-tech urethane primers.
With minimal care, rust doesn't start to show on most models before being on the road for 10 years or more. Electronic rust control modules that dealers were pushing a few years back were an even bigger scam.

Even auto guru(?) Consumer Reports indicates that it is not necessary with the quality of recent sheet metal and paint technology in auto industry.

 

[CNYBri]

This is so true. I'm so used to GM vehicles of old that was almost a given to have to treat the undercarriage and doors. Now that the new addition is coming soon, we'll be a 2 Toyota family! Thank you for the advise.

 

[inlets]

For sure! Don't waste yoour money it's just a dealer pad. And a very high profit margin.

 

[backtolife]

In my previous vehicle I have used oil sprays each year, but they were always too messy & dripped for the longest time.

On my 01 CRV, I put Ziebart undercoating which is like a tar, but does not drip.

I have been thinking of either using the tar again on my new Rav or doing nothing a leaving it, hoping there will not be a rust problem.

I was also thinking of applying a diamond gloss paint protection from the same people.

 

[flyingn]

Rust on todays cars are just about a thing of the past. Save your $$

 

[Dnipro Max]

I did Zeibart undercoading for $150, just because my 2005 Pathfinder had some rust with just one year of winter here, good thing i trade it in, the 2002 camry i had before I did undercoating it was like new under car

 

[backtolife]

Since I live in Canada, I decided to Ziebart my Rav tomorrow as well as put on the Diamond Gloss paint protection at the same time.

 

[vroom2grow]

Backtolife,

how much does Ziebart charge to get the undercoating?

how much for the diamond gloss paint protection?

I am in Kitchener, just a stones throw from where you are.

thanks,
vroom2grow
8)

 

[flyingn]

My neighbor has a car that was Ziebarted new and its rusted out today.. Save your $$ and wash it requrlay. Thats your best defense against rust

 

[bmorton]

Another highly-recommended anti-rust shop here in Canada is Krown - people who use it swear by this one. Costs around $100 for an annual treatment.

It's not the body rust that's a concern these days so much as the rust in areas you either can't or don't clean when you wash it.

 

[backtolife]

Backtolife,

how much does Ziebart charge to get the undercoating?

how much for the diamond gloss paint protection?

I am in Kitchener, just a stones throw from where you are.

thanks,
vroom2grow
8)

It was 400 Canadian for both, but I know the person who owns it.

 

[seadragon]

When we bought our 2002 Highlander, I did the Ziebart rust treatment throught the dealer. I forget how much it was now.

But... you have to read the fine print. You must take it in once every year for an inspection in order for the warranty to continue. Nobody reminds you about it and I totally forgot to do that. So I have no rust warranty through Ziebart now. Plus I had to get some minor body work done on it due to a close encounter with a garage door frame. They repainted a portion of the fender and there's no Ziebart there now anyway.

So when I purchased our RAV a few weeks ago, I just said no thanks to rust protection. There just aren't many rust buckets on the road anymore like there used to be.

Wash it well regularly and save the $$.

 

[Dnipro Max]

Zeabart send you post card every year for the follow up, to come and do touch up, and your warranty forever, it worth for $150 bucks, and only 15 car washes

 

[vroom2grow]

I wonder if the dealerships warranty on the undercoating and paint protection works like this too?

I guess they can tell you that it's a lifetime warranty, which sounds great, but if you for one reason or another forget to take your vehicle in within a year...then ooops too bad. I guess, I have to read the fine print...or point blank ask them or the Ziebart folks, what exactly voids the warranty. Can you show me in the contract where it states which conditions apply? They may not like it or agree that maybe it isn't such a great warranty after all.

 

[seadragon]

Zeabart send you post card every year for the follow up, to come and do touch up, and your warranty forever, it worth for $150 bucks, and only 15 car washes

Well, I never received a postcard or anything else for that matter. And I paid around $700 for it, not $150. I can dig up my invoice and verify.

 

[seadragon]

I wonder if the dealerships warranty on the undercoating and paint protection works like this too?

I guess they can tell you that it's a lifetime warranty, which sounds great, but if you for one reason or another forget to take your vehicle in within a year...then ooops too bad. I guess, I have to read the fine print...or point blank ask them or the Ziebart folks, what exactly voids the warranty. Can you show me in the contract where it states which conditions apply? They may not like it or agree that maybe it isn't such a great warranty after all.

vroom,

I still have the paperwork for the Ziebart. I can check it when I get home tonight and let you know the exact wording. I won't bother with it again on any future vehicles I buy.

 

[Dnipro Max]

Zeabart send you post card every year for the follow up, to come and do touch up, and your warranty forever, it worth for $150 bucks, and only 15 car washes

Well, I never received a postcard or anything else for that matter. And I paid around $700 for it, not $150. I can dig up my invoice and verify.

I just got my done few weeks back for $150 plus tax for undercoating only
they where trying to sell me all other junk with it like paint gloss, seats, windows all kind of crap, but i told them only undercoating that all, and they where droping prices by $50 every time I come or call, I guess they where very slow than

 

[vroom2grow]

They were willing to negotiate prices on the applications of undercoating and other stuff?

I may be a bit of a paranoid skeptic, but I'll bet if you haggle them tough, they would just do a half a**ed job. I have this opinion only because I used to work in the service industry, and I have witnessed others give certain customers payback because they were difficult. It would be really nice to have some auto tv show do a show on things like this with my future vehicle. Then the company applying the undercoating or whatever, would explain the proper way to do it, and how others cut corners.

hehehe..probably just wishful thinking. :wink:

 

[Snowserpent]

I have to disagree with some on the Undercoating. I just traded in a 2004 Colorado that I washed religiously and it still had the beginnings of rust on it. We have bad winters here where I live and the salt takes its toll.

I had my Rav4 in for an alarm system install so I haggled with them for undercoating. Got it for around $200 with the sound deadening tar base material. One less worry for a car I plan on keeping for a long long time...