Why post here? I joined this forum to make this post because one of the places I ended up was here when researching rust. The reason I decided to post this here is because I have no desire arguing with someone from Arizona who tells me newer cars don't need rustproofing. Anyone who researches rust learns the Canadians know how to rust cars "real good". The drippy aspect of Krown doesn't bother me. I went with Corrosion Free 3000 for two reasons. First, it sprays on watery and penetrates the seams using capillary action just as with Krown. Secondly, it doesn't swell and rot the rubber. I went with the complete package. My purpose for posting this is to save people some hair follicles looking for someone within range that will do a good job. After a lot of research and phone interviews, I ended up going with the unlikely sounding Choice Q Lube in Ann Arbor Michigan. They are the only place in Michigan Certified by Corrosion Free 3000. While there were places closer in other states, I drove 294 miles round trip to get it here based on my research and telephone interviews. I learned this place used to be a rustproofing-only business. Be advised that the full package is going to tie your vehicle up for a while.
My experience: When I got there, they said, this is the guy that will be doing your rust proofing as they introduced me to one of the guys in the shop. While watching him, it was obvious he was REALLY into it. He said, rustproofing is an art form to me. I learned he was the son of the founder, and learned the rustproofing business from his father starting when he was 14. I had no idea till I watched, how many places the manufacturers add so that the vehicle can be rustproofed. Above my liftgate there were manufacturer drilled access points where they could get below my roof luggage rack. I cringed when I watched, but ended up with no spots on the head liner. I can see people getting their clothes dirty where the squirt it on bracket and hinge areas and strikers. So you actually get all the hinges and strikers lubed that you are supposed to lube, and nobody ever does. While I was there I noticed they also putting in ball joints and wheel bearings on another SUV. These guys are mechanics that are "into" cars. They noticed a 10MM bolt missing on the engine that was supposed to be there to tie down the air inlet duct and replaced it.
Common questions I saw asked while I was researching are:
1. Do they drill holes? I asked the guy doing the job. He said, that used to be my job when I was learning. He said it has a lot to do with the vehicle, and how old it is. The newer vehicles already have access holes and plugs, and where they don't have them, there is often plastic that is flexible enough to make room for the wands. On my particular vehicle they didn't have to drill any holes, even on the doors, and he could get in there just fine. I expected they would need to drill holes in the doors, and wouldn't have minded if they had. (People could then see it had been rustproofed.)
2. What is the stuff like? This is tough to describe. It sprays on liquidy, but morphs into a consistency of what I would describe as the thinnest Vaseline in the world. It slowly levels and leaves a shiny surface, but wet to the touch. It feel somewhat like what detailers leave behind to make things look shiny. That's the best I can do.
3. Does it make a mess under the hood? No. It seems like they control things with the gun of how find and how heavy they want it. The places they concentrated it on are a lot of the hidden areas where there is metal to metal contact and seams. Other areas seem more like coated with dew, and well painted areas are not done at all. Hopefully that helps.
4. Does it drip like Krown? It doesn't seem to.
Too much information: I know most people won't do what I did, but before I had it rustproofed, I put it up on ramps and put large shop lights underneath. I blew out and cleaned the undercarriage. It did not need pressure washing. I wiped down all but the springs and suspension parts with Windex and a rag. The heavy welded frame pieces that are not protected by zinc galvanizing had lots of areas where the paint was missing or had rust bubbles. The unprotected fuel tank straps were significantly corroded. The sheet metal looked good but the white powder of the galvanizing was showing on the spot weld joints. The paint was easy to chip off on the top of the spot welds. I scaled the loose rust off the heavy frame pieces and fuel tank straps. I scaled the loose rust off the heavy frame pieces and chipped off any loose paint on the tops of the spot welds. I did not remove the fuel tank straps to do the other side of the tank straps that were in contact with with plastic fuel tank. I sprayed the just rusted areas with 3 coats of rust converter and followed up with 3 coats of Rustoleum semi-gloss black to match the factory finish of the rest of the undercarriage. I did not spray the edges of the spot weld seams so that a penetrate could wick into them during rustproofing. When I look under the vehicle after the rust proofing, it is all shiney black and looks like a new car underneath.
