'08 Tacoma -- Undercoating -- Yea or Nay ??

Hello Everyone,

I've just purchased a brand-new '08 Tacoma 4x4, 2.7 litre engine.

Previously, I owned an '86 Toyota pickup 4x2, 22R engine. Purchased new, I maintained it regularly and finally sold it at 240,000 miles to a friend. I can't remember if I'd ever had it undercoated. Based on the history of my previous Toyata, I can see that I'm liable to be keeping this new one for awhile.

I'm looking for opinions: Should I get my new Tacoma undercoated. It wasn't even offered at the dealership. The salesman said undercoating just isn't needed on my Tacoma. Imagine, a salesman who didn't want to sell an add-on.

I live near Seattle and will be moving to central Oregon. I do a lot of driving in the mountains and lots of that is on gravel roads, kicking up a lot gravel.

So what do you think? Undercoating, or not ??? Thanks in advance.

The Rocket Man

Reply to
Hober Mallow
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You don't need it. The dealer would have sold it if it would be helpful.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

Toyota chassis is made of plastic it won't rust.... just kidding. I dont have undercoat, I dont drive on gravel roads but we do have salt covered roads in NJ during winter. I just bring the car to a car wash with undercarriage cleaning after a snow storm.

Reply to
EdV

Waste of money.

Reply to
Art

There are dealers who sell it even if it is not helpful (which it isn't).

Reply to
Ray O

Toyota recommends that you do not apply undercoating. The tarry stuff can trap moisture and actually accelerate rust. Just get the undercarriage washed after exposure to salt or mud.

Reply to
Ray O

Nay!! You do not want to add any undercoating as long as the factory paint and rustproofing coatings on the bottom of the car remain undisturbed. If you get in an accident and it damages the factory under-paint and undercoating, make sure they get fixed back the way they were, even though it isn't a "cosmetic" repair it is still vitally important to maintaining the value of the car.

Some cars may have one or two trouble spots where they always rust - and if your mechanic knows where they are a spot coating of extra paint on them might help. Otherwise, the added coatings trap salt and moisture.

An oil or wax based rustproofing treatment on the hidden cavities inside the doors and fenders might be helpful - as long as they don't drill a bunch of holes in the body to spray it in. Even when they put plastic plugs in, the metal still starts rusting around the holes.

And when you drive on salted roads, get the underside of the car washed off often. Snow belt car washes have an undercarriage spray bar setup just to do this.

You can build an under-car sprayer yourself to do the same thing -

10' piece of pipe with two caster wheels and a fan spray nozzle on the end, and at the other end a female garden hose fitting. Hook up to a laundry faucet where you can feed the garden hose with warm water.

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Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

If you are going to keep your vehicle for a long time, yes. Don't use or apply any rustproofing that is a polymer based formula, only use a petroleum based product. Most chain, franchise, and dealers use polymer based. The polymers will eventually dry and crack only to attract moisture and in turn, begin the oxidization process (rust). Petroleum based will not.

I can suggest using one product, Texaco Compound L. This is specially formulated for rustproofing. Do not consider undercoating as rustproofing. There is a difference.

I have used this product for many years, rustproofing many vehicles and implements. It is important to apply the product inside door frames, and anywhere on the vehicle where the metal is pinched together closely (hoods and trunk lids) during manufacturing. That is where rust will begin.

I remove the tail lights, inner fender panels, rocker plastic, trunk and hood trim and insulation, sound deadening materials, battery, and anything else that can be removed to apply the rustproofing directly to the metal. Spend the time and take the car apart. It can be applied to the underside of the vehicle as well, staying clear of exhaust components and after a few years can be re applied easily if needed, and if you want to start fresh, it can be steamed off.

If you do this yourself you will be drilling a few access holes. It is most important to know where you are drilling. Use a brad point one half inch diameter drill bit, so it won't "walk" along the metal when you drill. Don't use a hole saw.

It is imperative that you coat the drilled hole edges with rustproofing before you insert the 1/2" plastic plug (coat the edge of that too). Any place you "break" the paint coat, you want to coat with rustproofing.

Use low odor mineral spirits to thin the rustproofing. If you use just regular mineral spirits, the smell is much worse for much longer. Spend the extra nickel. The colder it is, the more you will have to cut it for spray ability.

When you are finished, clean up big drips using the mineral spirits, it won't hurt the clear coat. Wash the car with hot water, sudsy detergent (not laundry soap), and about a quart of mineral spirits mixed in a five gallon pail. Wash it again using just hot water and detergent. Remove all water spots and then wax the car.

I have applied this to cars that had a bit of rust beginning on the inside bottom of the doors and fender wells and it pretty much stopped it from advancing. As long as you coat the metal, rusted or not, so the air can not come in contact with it, it probably won't rust.

You can usually buy this rustproofing from your local petroleum dealer if they carry Texaco stuff. It comes in drums (55 gal. and 110 lb.) and

30 lb. / 5 gal. pails. I think a pail is about seventy five dollars.

It will probably take you the better part of the day to do the job right, but if you take your time and care doing this, you will come out with a fine job that will keep your vehicle on the road rust free for many years. Sorry I went on so long.

Reply to
user

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for all of the replies.

I checked out the underside of my truck and it does seem to be pretty well protected.

I live near Seattle now where it rains a fair amount and will be moving in a few months to Bend, Oregon, where its much drier.

I'm going to take the chance and skip the undercoating.

Special thanks to Ph@Boy for the explanation of the Texaco compound L.

The Rocket Man

Reply to
Hober Mallow

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