Is Undercoating Worth It?

After more than 30 years in the Rust Prevention Business, I would like to share my experience with anyone trying to determine if an Undercoating is really a good investment or just a gimmick to add to a car dealers profit margin.

Car manufacturers have over the last 30 years gone to great lengths to better protect our vehicles from rust. However, as MPG’s became more and more important, weight was taken out of the car to squeeze more miles out of a gallon of gas.

We see now that some cars have serious rust problems after only a year on the road. So, yes, in certain cases, an undercoating treatment is not a luxury but a necessity.

To Undercoat or Not to Undercoat? That's the Question.

You definitely should consider a good undercarriage rust protection if you live in an area that deals with snowy and icy road conditions on a yearly basis. Municipalities are using some strong oxidizing chemicals to keep our roads passable during the winter months. Unfortunately, these chemicals are causing a lot of damage to our vehicles.

Same goes for anyone that lives within a 150 mile range of a coastal area. Salty air will travel inland.  If, however, you live in the sunny and dry part of the country, a rust treatment will not be important as long as you are sure that a move North is not in your future.

Best time to get an undercoating application is when the vehicle is brand new.

Very little cleaning is needed when the car has not been exposed to road grime and dirt. A good degreaser and a power washer rinse will allow great adhesion of the coating on the entire under carriage.

For older car applications, some more elbow grease might be needed (see Undercoating Manufacturer’s Application Instructions for details).