Toyota Refuses To Replace My Frame

I remember you were happy with the service, so I guess it's between them and Prestige for me to go for the inspection

 

This guy got his chevelle frame galvanized (after all welding) for $200: http://einstyn.com/einstyn-hardtop-02.htm

 

It was actually a well designed and properly treated frame... but thanks for your useful comment.

 

That kind of crap just needs to be banned, honestly they blow so much of our tax dollars on salt and brine and EVEN STILL we have disasters. Just drive slow, it is possible to a point... I honestly can't argue with people who want to laugh at Georgia for struggling in the snow...



But back to the point... They must really have some kind of an issue at other plants or something... My frame and under side is totally rust free. 210k miles and it's all just normal and black. No spots no nothing. Drive shaft and rear axle as well. They are a bit ugly but rust free. Same goes for grandpa's 1998 GMC truck, and mom's previous old 4runner that my cousins family bought from her. No rust. Honestly the only frame rust I've ever seen in person was a poorly cared for 1st Gen that Atlanta Toyota was trying to pass off as fine, and also some old neglected redneck mobiles from time to time.

And I know for a fact that Georgia salts, so going back to taco's the only thing I can assume is that by 2011 Toyota finally figured out how to properly coat a metal frame.

 

Probably is but sadly stainless steel sucks at just about everything else.

 

Maybe some parts of Georgia put salt down once in a while, but not quite in the same sense as having your frame bathed in salt-slush all winter long, the way you do in, just for example New Hampshire. I wouldn't expect a big problem in GA.

 

Unless you live up in North Georgia, the state as a whole, anywhere south of Rome area probably sees 2 days of the year (on an average year) where road salt gets put out, and that includes Atlanta. That’s not significant enough to really do anything.

 

2011 frame was made by Metalsa.
But also, while Georgia may salt *occasionally*, its not on the same scale as the northeast. I'm in Ontario, and the roads have been wet and gooey with salty crap *continuously* for the last month. They have NOT DRIED. Every single night, a half inch of snow and 3 inches of salt.

 

True but according to the previous owner my truck has been all over the state and up to SC/NC a lot. So maybe it isn't as much but I would still expect to see some amount of rust.

I just feel like Toyota fudged a ton of them hardcore.

 

A drive I've done what feels like a thousand times... NY --> PA --> WV --> VA --> NC --> SC --> GA --> FL.
The big changeover with respect to "kinda salt a bit" and "would you like a road with that salt" happens in WV.

 

I used to travel to Georgia (Columbus) all the time for business. With all due respect, you have no idea what "lots of road salt" really looks like. I live in Rochester, NY and we have salt on our roads pretty much constantly from late November to early March. In fact many times there's so much dried slat on the roads that visibility becomes limited as the cars kick it up. That kind of salting leads to just about any vehicle rusting out within 10 years.

My 2014 Tacoma was undercoated and rust proofed by Ziebart (don't get me started) the day after I bought it and has been back every year for it's annual free re-sprays. But due to the amount of salt we use, my frame (and many other body parts) have a decent amount of rust on them. (The re-sprays conveniently cover most of the rust up.) But trust me, Georgia residents don't have nearly the worries about salt causing corrosion that we do.

 

Had the inspection today and they said they couldn’t replace the frame. They also tried telling me that since I had it undercoated I can’t have a replacement anymore. I really should have gone with a Ridgeline despite how ugly they are

 

The 'can't replace the frame because it was undercoated' is bullshit, as you seem to suspect. Find another dealer. They really are all different in how they approach this. But if the frame has holes, they have to replace it, undercoating or no.

 

It seems like the holes that I had pictures of are actually there from manufacturing the frame. They showed me a brand new frame that had the same holes for some reason. I don’t think mine has penetrated yet but it’s on that border of penetration essentially with the amount of big rust chunks that’s been falling off the frame. At least I’ll get better mpg because my frame is half the weight it used to be


I was upset that they tried to tell me that my coverage was done because it was undercoated. They had a 2010 with a brand new frame in the shop as well because he had penetration

 

Heh heh, glass half full...

I don't know what the terms and time limits are in Canada, but I reckon you don't have a lot of time left to wait for holes to develop. But maybe, after one more Ontario winter (I understand they use plenty of salt up your way), have it checked somewhere else late next year? Anyway, best of luck!

 

Thank you very much, it’s a 2008 that has been undercoated so a I believe it’s 12+3 years so I have until June 2022 if they honour it the way that I understand. Both Toyota corporate and the dealer has said I don’t have warranty anymore since it was undercoated. It’s disappointing seeing such ignorance on their behalf

 

So you have a bit of time. A few years can make a big difference. Mine was a 2007, operated in New Hampshire all its life, and the frame was in very rough shape when I had it inspected this spring - the tech said 'like swiss cheese'. It didn't seem so bad just a couple of years prior. But really, if you've been following any of these rusty frame threads for any length of time, it becomes clear that dealers are very different, and I wouldn't hesitate to try a different dealer. A new frame has given my truck a new lease on life - worth a bit of effort!

 

Like I said, you're jumping the gun. No holes no replacement. Instead of being patient you kicked at the bear until it got pissed off.

Let's hope when holes have actually developed in the next couple years, toyota corporate hasn't already blacklisted you.

 

I would like to hear your experience with Ziebart because I have heard some really negative things about this product. One of the most eye-opening reviews came from the south main Auto repair YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXvl9nt57Kg

 

I absolutely agree with everything that video shows about Ziebart. It's a perfect scam. They charge you $800.00 just to undercoat (no inner body panel protection), but say you get "free annual re-sprays." As the video shows, those re-sprays just cover up the fact (and evidence) that the product really doesn't do what it's supposed to. So although your vehicle - without careful inspection on a lift - looks great, but underneath it's a ticking time bomb. And as for the "free" part, hell, you paid for all of the re-sprays up front.

The other problem with Ziebart is the people that sell it. They say the annual re-sprays are "free," but every time you go in for one, you have to endure an arm twisting by their sales people who really press you to buy even more products from them. I've gotten to the point were I refuse to sit down with anyone. It's that bad.

Last year I got into an interesting conversation with a sales representative at Ziebart when I took my truck in for it's third re-spray. I asked him if their undercoating stopped / prevented rust. He said it did. Then I asked why they were so insistent on coating my truck when it was new if that was true. He replied that the product works best when there is no rust present. This indeed makes sense and my truck was two days old when they originally did it. But then I showed him where rust had started on several areas of my frame for a variety of reasons. I asked if their product would neutralize that rust and prevent it from spreading. It was then that the mumbling and back pedaling began. Yea, we're all done here.

Although I'm not the least bit thrilled with the Ziebart product and will never get it applied to another vehicle, I can't say for sure if it's extended or shortened the life of my Tacoma. I live in an area that uses lots of road salt and not doing anything just isn't an option. I will most likely go with Krown next time around.

Does that answer your question?