UNDERCOATING???????

Just bought a 2014 double cab. The dealer strongly recommended NOT undercoating my new truck. They even went so far as to say it may void my 125,000 mile warranty. I was planning on undercoating it, I live in Michigan and the winters can be very salty. I don't know what to do????

 

That's crazy talk.

 

That doesn't make much sense. Unless you're undercoating it in some really obscure awful way I don't see how it would ever void your warranty.

 

Dealer claimed that it may affect electronics and wiring..... I agree sounds stupid. I would like to keep the truck for a long time. Will the frame last? Dealer said they are better now and not to worry.

 

POR15 or KBS coating

 

My dealer said the same thing when I bought my truck back in 2007 in NJ. A lot of people here including myself have just applied fluid film once a year with great results.

 

I think your dealer want's your truck to rust out quicker so you need to buy another one sooner.

I was actually just at the dealership yesterday and they had a Yaris up on a rotisserie with the undercarriage visible, to advertise the factory undercoat application. A $1000 to $2000 option.

I've been undercoating with Krown (www.krown.com) for years with good results. It doesn't void the warranty where I live and doesn't destroy rubber either. I periodically re-apply Fluid Film on the frame where it's wind blown continuously.

 

Rust is a major issue where I live and unless your vehicle is made of non-ferrous metals, undercoating is a must. Vehicles that aren't rust away within a decade.

 

Krown is now available here in Rochester NY but I think is mostly a Canadian company and does have to be reapplied each year like Fluid Film. I know the dealership here in Rochester offers an undercoating service and I would undercoat a new vehicle.
I am surprised that the dealer is discouraging this.

 

I agree when it comes to hard undercoatings, from what Ive read or heard it seems any hard undercoating can become a problem by trapping moisture and accelerating the rust process.

I would try to use one of the oil based options that have good creep qualities. They do need to be reapplied but seem to work best. I just applied Fluid Film to my frame this week and will be doing it again in the spring.

 

I have Krown re-applied every year. It's very effective at keeping rust at bay.

OP, where in MI are you? Just curious...

 

I agree with DoorDing on the hard undercoating causing longterm problems due to salt being trapped behind it and the base metal. Your better off with a yearly application of a fluid undercoat... or galvanizing any exposed steel but that's not realistic. I wish Toyota galvanized their frames. They would've saved a lot of money on the 1st gen taco's!

 

Fuid Film!

I just sprayed EVERYTHING underneath and in the engine bay, door jams, tail gate hinges and welds with 5 cans.



I bought a case of 12 cans for $79 shipped.



go to this link, scroll down and click the numbers for the picture to see the little test they did

http://www.theruststore.com/Fluid-Film-55-Gallon-Drum-P228C67.aspx

 

My Owners manual says aftermarket undercoating and rustproofing is discouraged amd could void the warranty. At least the dealership wasn't trying to pressure sale the OP. Go with fluid film...it's cheap enough and will last through the winter.

 

I'm in "Mid Michigan" ......Sanford Lake. I believe I'm going to order a case of fluid film. THANKS!!

 

That's the craziest thing I have ever heard, not the stupidest. I think someone was smoking the wackie tabackie at that dealership. I think that they're saying that so your truck will rust out quicker and you'd buy a new one. Toyota wouldn't offer if if in the end it was going to lose them money. It's false advertising on the dealerships part. I'd go to a different dealer for now on.

 

i'll just leave this here:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/detailing/238549-undercoating-protection-worth.html

 

In about 8-10 years it will have so much surface rust on it from road salt, sand, gravel and normal use, that you won't know what to do with it(ghough it will still be pretty structurally sound). I've seen 05s that were pretty bad. If i could afford a brand new, first thing i would do would be to undercoat it. That way if i wanted to pass it down to someone else or just run it until it died, i wouldn't have to wory about the frame. I would also feel alot better about it if they would finally put a fully boxed frame on these trucks.

 

I used the spray gun supplied by Kellsport to spray on my Fluid Film. I used a cheap air compressor(under $100) that I bought years ago on clearance at Target. I think its Duralast or Durabilt, something like that. I wasn't sure if it would work or not, but it worked great.

 

Your dealer can say anything he wants but the federal law says undercoating will not void your warranty.