Hi all Received notice last night that our Prime ordered in Nov 22 is arriving next week here in Ottawa Canada. We weren't expecting it until the spring, so now we need to contend with winter tires (dealership carries Michelin x-ice, hopefully in stock), and considerations for rust protection. We will be financing some of the car's purchase price to preserve some cash savings while on parental leave and plan to keep the car as long as we can, as we currently still have our new to us in 2018 2003 matrix. Wondering if people do rustproofing from as close to day 1 as possible, or if they wait for the Toyota rust warranty to end before doing stuff like Krown? I don't mind doing the application annually, we did it for a few years on our matrix but now it's just too old to bother with since the new car was ordered. Available near us is official Krown locations, and certified Corrosion-Free locations (mostly Canadian Tire unfortunately, but there are 2 independent shops in town certified for it too). Fluid-Film as a brand isn't, afaik, available here. In the spring I'll get paint protection like ceramic coat to help with paint longevity as well. Yeah it's a base model, and yeah it's a daily driver, but if I'm financing I want it to last to be my kid's first car as long as we're not in any collisions to write the thing off, God willing
Do you have a garage, able to DIY? You might be able to do a more thorough job, takes 5 times as long, but... I just raised one end (of our '10) at a time, removed wheels, and any plastic pieces covering potential rust zones. Then brushed loose dust (and rust) off, and coated everything I could reach, with brushes, sponge brushes, rags, old toothbrushes, using boiled linseed oil. Paid particular attention to nuts/bolts, suspension components, screws, any and all steel. Any small bolts/screws removed to take off plastic pieces I oil soaked. Do the rear one weekend, the front the next. I'd start with the rear, since it tends to be more vulnerable; I think because the wheels kick up the salt. I hate salt btw. This has held up well on ours. Tactics help too: if the roads are a salty swamp, and you don't have to drive, don't. Wait it out as much as practical. I wonder too: is there any practical reason, other than expense, why the car manufactures couldn't hot dip galvanize all the suspension components? Or are there more practical alternatives, something better than the current debacle. I've heard for example, that bolts/nuts used to be available with more rustproof coatings, but they were toxic or something?
I have a small 1 car garage. Couldn't lift the car and do the work safely in there, not much room for a jack that I don't own either. Apparently the rust proofing is better nowadays from factory but I still want to do what's best for super long term personally given we don't want to sell and change the car any time soon. Also, in Ottawa it's always salty and gross outside in the winter and spring especially as the snow melts. Lots of salt in snow that sits there until it melts later in the winter/spring. My wife does hospital shift work so there's no choice but to drive in bad weather often for her.
I found the opposite, was dismayed at how fast the rear suspension in particular started rusting, at least on our ‘10. Token coat of black paint on the solid rear axle started rusting within a few years, even with our mild, west coast winters. Welds were the worst. Suspension bolts bad too. Prius rust what’s your experience ? | PriusChat
I think they've improved their materials since 2009, but I don't have anything other than surface rust on my 03 matrix that I had krown applied to for the first 2 years I owned it - on the frame and underbody anyway. The fenders are another story, they've got rust bubbling under the paint as of last winter and after we had the windshield replaced from a small accident, we have rust developing near the top of the windshield now too. For all its been through, the thing staying in an unheated garage with regular cleanings and some rust prevention has done well, so I can only assume that treating our new car right should help a lot. Really mostly concerned about the hybrid system and how the warranty works with stuff like Krown that drills holes. I guess I could always just wait until warranty ends to do the hold drilling for rust prevention. The new prius' have a LOT of underside plastic but that's worrisome in the sense that if salt water gets up under there at all, there's no way its getting out either.
Unheated garage is actually best for corrosion resistance. You want it as cold as possible when there's salt on metal. Get the salt washed off quickly on temperate winter days.
yeah we only have 1 garage slot though, so eventually one of our newer cars will be outside. In the end, the garage is still insulated so snow does melt once it gets closer to 0 overnight. But I do plan on washing the underside of the car off every few weeks. Still need to figure out what is a "safe" and not mess up warranty way to get the thing rust protected for long term though Maybe I'll just do no drill Krown for a few years until the warranty is over, lest the holes mess up warranty?
