Can someone explain to me exactly what a business does to a vehicle when its been Ziebarted/ "rustproofed"??

Question

What exaclty do they do to a vehicle when they Ziebart/ "rustproof" it?? How much does it cost for a full size pickup truck?Thanks.

Answer 1

Don't do it. Late model vehicles do not need it and in fact if you do any rustproofing, it actually VOIDS your mfg warranty on the body.

Answer 2

I've been doing auto body repair for 40 years.In that time I've cut apart untold numbers of cars and trucks that have been rustproofed.I can honestly tell you to save your money for something else.The factory does an excellent job by dipping and coating the high quality steel,there is no need for someone to attempt to improve on this,it's not possible.Most vehicles I've seen that were rustproofed have holes drilled all over the place and any material that was actually applied was useless.

Answer 3

I would like to encourage you to touch bases with as many body shops in your area to see if this expensive undercoating is warrented or necessary. *New car dealers and aftermarket applicators spray a heavy black tar looking material to the under-body and inside doors of your vehicle hoping to delay surface rust from forming. From talking to body shop in our area I've learned that as this material dries it becomes hard and shrinks. If moisture and road salt loges between your under-body and the undercoat it can't dry and instantly causes rust that you can't see. It's buried and rust acts quickly.
My father had a new Chevy 76 Impala undercoated at our local Chevy dealer by a man you see every Sunday driving the pace car at every Nextel Cup Race. He was a high school lad who's older brother raced asphalt modified race cars in our area based in Chemung NY.
The bottom line of this story is that he said it took $20.00 dollars of material incliding masking tape and paper plus two hrs. of labor to do the job. Total cost to the dealer less than $100.00. At that time the cost to my dad was $450.00.

Today these companies charge between $2,000 - $2,600. Its a pure and simple profit margin builder for a car dealer to offer this option. Before you decide think of this fact: When you buy your car you pay for packages of acessories. If General Motors or any new car company thought for one second they could make more money by offering undercoating as an option from the factory they'd do it in a heartbeat.

In my book undercoating is a non-essential scare tactic. If applied to the inside of the doors and tailgate will you be absolutely sure water will drain from the factory weep holes at the bottom of the doors?

I worked with an old machinest who swore by covering the weep holes in doors and squirting automatic transmission fluid inside and letting it settle for a couple of hrs. before uncovering the holes to let the oil drain back out. This way the folded creases get the light viscosity fluid and is drained away. If these small areas are loaded with undercosting there's no way on this earth that the creases actually see the undercoat. It lays on top and provides a hibernation barrior for rust and corrosion to begin.

Let's get back to my dads 76 Impala for a moment. I bought it from him and the chrome side door strip covered a monster rust hole in the outer door panal on the right front door.