Rust protection (undercarriage) and winter daily driving

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

Pictures not showing for me....

Darn, let's try again, this time as a normal attachment.

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[scotty]

I don't understand why some people in here are getting worked up over those who decide to drive their cars in the winter... What about all those people who are driving six-figure BMW's, Mercedes, etc in the winter? Heck, I saw a Lambo Urus ($300,000) on the road during the latest snowstorm this past week. This mentality is silly.

The world has changed in 2020, there are many people working from home 100% of the time now - Why would someone want to fork out extra money for insurance, fuel, maintenance, etc to drive a piece of junk in the winter time (when compared to the mustang)?

Not trying to start an argument here, just sharing my two cents...

 

[dom418]

I haven’t read through the 9 pages but my thoughts on driving in the winter is no matter how much oil, coating, or whatever you spray on the underside, the salt will get into the areas you can’t see and over time will rust. If I had no other option, I’d probably skip buying the mustang from day one and go with a better year round car.

plus getting hit from salt trucks and dealing with pot holes probably does more harm to the paint and suspension than anything.

I also like to detail the underside of my cars so that fluid film is too thick and oily.

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

Just got my Krown application done yesterday, $140, but seems to have been done well. I'll definitely report after my full winter with the Bullitt.

I'll be getting new rims and tires soon, I just want to have a fun driving in the winter as well, plus it's my only car and I don't have a choice.

 

[1MeanZ]

I don't understand why some people in here are getting worked up over those who decide to drive their cars in the winter...

I'm certainly not worked up about anything. People can do whatever they want. Most of the people you mentioned are not planning on keeping their car more than 5 years or so, in which case negative effects from driving in the salt won't be visible yet, but rest assured the rust never sleeps. I'm keeping mine indefinitely and I don't want to be fixing rust, so I'm keeping it out of the salt. If I was just going to flip it in a few years, then it would be less of a concern.

Just got my Krown application done yesterday, $140, but seems to have been done well. I'll definitely report after my full winter with the Bullitt.

I'll be getting new rims and tires soon, I just want to have a fun driving in the winter as well, plus it's my only car and I don't have a choice.

Only one winter likely won't show a visible impact one way or another. 3 or 4 winters, and you'll certainly see rust on the suspension components, subframes and possibly along the edges of the pinch welds on the rockers. Rust is inevitable. Salt and moisture is a chemical reaction that never stops and the only way to prevent it is to eliminate the salt.

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

I'm certainly not worked up about anything. People can do whatever they want. Most of the people you mentioned are not planning on keeping their car more than 5 years or so, in which case negative effects from driving in the salt won't be visible yet, but rest assured the rust never sleeps. I'm keeping mine indefinitely and I don't want to be fixing rust, so I'm keeping it out of the salt. If I was just going to flip it in a few years, then it would be less of a concern.



Only one winter likely won't show a visible impact one way or another. 3 or 4 winters, and you'll certainly see rust on the suspension components, subframes and possibly along the edges of the pinch welds on the rockers. Rust is inevitable. Salt and moisture is a chemical reaction that never stops and the only way to prevent it is to eliminate the salt.

Oh I know, I get it. I guess joy of driving it daily and having a grin ear to ear to me is more important. Ask me in 5yrs, dunno, maybe I'll look at it differently, but right now that's how I see it.

 

[K4fxd]

Just hit a car wash that has an undercarriage spray. I do this once a week in winter.

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

Just hit a car wash that has an undercarriage spray. I do this once a week in winter.

I get people like to protect their babies, I do too, but I've been over this before - rather than buying a POS that's going to make me hate my commute, I'll rather drive my nice ride and have fun doing it. It'd tear me up if I had this sitting in a garage under a tarp and have to get into a rusty bucket to go anywhere.
In the end, I don't intend to ever sell this and if in 10yrs or something it's got a ton of rust, at least I'll have (hopefully) lots and lots of VROOM miles under my belt. To each their own I suppose!

 

[bknight21]

If you had the undercarriage sprayed with Krown they actually advise you not to spray the underside of your car very often if I’m not mistaken. And this thread has gotten a little out of control haha. At the end of the day it’s your car and you can do whatever you want with it. I can understand the argument for both sides and that’s the beauty of it. It seems some people are getting angry at the fact that some people are using mustangs as daily drivers (while they might view them as a weekend/fun car). I live in Upstate NY where we notoriously get a lot of snow every winter and just 2 weeks ago there was a driving his Lamborghini Aventador on the salt covered roads. There is also someone near me who daily’s a Mercedes Benz AMG GT (snow and all). At the end of the day people enjoy their cars in different ways and there shouldn’t be any argument over how someone should use their car that they paid for. Although I think we can all agree that the Lamborghini on salt covered roads hurts us all haha.

 

[1MeanZ]

Just hit a car wash that has an undercarriage spray. I do this once a week in winter.

You just keep doing that telling yourself that the fender lips and insides of the rockers are getting properly rinsed and that no rust is currently forming...

Let me be clear. Everyone should drive their car whenever they want. However don't be fooled into thinking that ANY rust preventative measure is actually preventing the inevitable. Some of the rustiest cars I've worked on have been treated with commercially available rust preventative coatings like Ziebart, Rusty Jones etc. If you drive your car in the salt IT IS RUSTING, PERIOD. If thats OK with you then have at it.

 

[K4fxd]

It does have a 5 year corrosion warranty. If I see any rust or corrosion I will have Ford replace the panels or whatever has rusted.

 

[Fly2High]

If you do not want to drive a car with rust and live in a place where rust happens then the only way to prevent rust is... not to drive at all.

Sorry, I am happy to have the rust in order to experience the joy of driving.

I also think that anywhere it rains you will find rust too.

I also hope no one is paranoid about paint fading from sun exposure because then you can only drive at night when it is dry out.

OK, enough talk about when to drive and back to the regularly scheduled broadcast.

I think we all need professional help and a couch. The OP said they will drive in the winter and wants to know how to setup the car with the most protection for how he plans to use it in the winter. Enough trying to convince him/her not to.

Of course, I wonder if you send all of us who drives in the winter cash installments, we might be convinced to change our minds .

 

[K4fxd]

I spent a month in Jacksonville and every morning my rotors were rusted. After every rain I had salt spots on my paint. I had to wash the car everyday.....

 

[Jmtoast]

I get people like to protect their babies, I do too, but I've been over this before - rather than buying a POS that's going to make me hate my commute, I'll rather drive my nice ride and have fun doing it. It'd tear me up if I had this sitting in a garage under a tarp and have to get into a rusty bucket to go anywhere.
In the end, I don't intend to ever sell this and if in 10yrs or something it's got a ton of rust, at least I'll have (hopefully) lots and lots of VROOM miles under my belt. To each their own I suppose!

most likely won’t have any rust. My truck has 200k miles and is 12 years old and is just now rusting. Rust starts usually on the hood, around the wheel wells where chips happen. , bottom of the doors, And where metal that is covered by rubber or plastic comes undone as salt\moisture gets trapped. All you have to do is fill in chips, wash regularly, and keep all metal unexposed. Underneath is least of your concerns. Which is why dealers don’t push under costing anymore. People in the north know better.

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

If you do not want to drive a car with rust and live in a place where rust happens then the only way to prevent rust is... not to drive at all.

Sorry, I am happy to have the rust in order to experience the joy of driving.

I also think that anywhere it rains you will find rust too.

I also hope no one is paranoid about paint fading from sun exposure because then you can only drive at night when it is dry out.

OK, enough talk about when to drive and back to the regularly scheduled broadcast.

I think we all need professional help and a couch. The OP said they will drive in the winter and wants to know how to setup the car with the most protection for how he plans to use it in the winter. Enough trying to convince him/her not to.

Of course, I wonder if you send all of us who drives in the winter cash installments, we might be convinced to change our minds .

I like how you've been looking out for me and helping me out with this whole tire ordeal (just so others are in picture, Fly2High has been super helpful via direct messages).

It is kind of the case. I understand why people don't drive theirs through winter. Whatever the reasoning, I get it. But yes, exactly, I'm driving mine (again, even if I didn't wnat to, I don't have a choice), so I'm looking for anything that can help prep it and protect it. I'd be a fool thinking anything is a 100% guarantee, but I don't mind spending a little on rust treatment hoping it'll push off INEVITABLE rust just a few months/years back...

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