Rustproofing and undercoating your vehicle protects it from corrosion and rust. This is especially important for the undercarriage of your vehicle in Minnesota, which commonly comes into contact with water, salt, and other dirt and debris from the road. Without some sort of protection, the bottom of your vehicle will eventually rust and corrode, leading to part failure.

Unfortunately, the “protection” from the factory is pretty nonexistent. Sure, you may not have bare metal exposed on your frame as it’s likely been e-coated, powdercoated, or treated with GM’s frame wax (which is the worst thing created, ever!!), but that isn’t going to hold up long in the face of MN’s DOT salt trucks. Road salt will get trapped inside of your frame channels, your rocker panels, door panels and any other nook/cranny salty water can worm it’s way into. For the best protection and longevity of your vehicle, it’s imperative to get it undercoated before rust develops.

We always need to ensure a vehicle is clean before working on it which is why we start by thoroughly washing and degreasing the undercarriage. Southern vehicles or those that are driven on gravel roads frequently require a bit of extra prep as dirt is often stuck inside of frame channels and body cavities, but we’re diligent in removing dirt/grease. In the winter time, we also use a pH neutralizer (saltsgone) to make sure we’re not coating over any lingering road salt. If your vehicle has existing rust, we will take the time to remove and treat as necessary. You can find more info about that entire process here.

We generally don’t sandblast to remove rust on a vehicle’s undercarriage for a number of reasons. Blast media can damage many materials, including: steel panels, gas tanks, heat ducts, wiring, hoses, floor panels, and brake lines. In addition, media can and will get past many sealing designs such as wheel bearings, transmission seals, suspension joints, grease fittings, etc. It’s for those reasons we prefer to descale, wire wheel and sand appropriately.

The time of year doesn’t affect the quality of work we do on your vehicle. However, a couple extra steps need to be taken in the colder seasons. For example, we need to wash every vehicle with a pH neutralizer (saltsgone) before working on it. Due to colder temperatures, we also like to hang onto vehicles for a bit longer to ensure everything is dry and ready for you to drive home.

We use Cosmoline as it’s simply the best product we’ve come across on the market. It isn’t rubberized or asphalt based, so you don’t have to worry about it trapping/sealing moisture. Compared to oil-based products, it’s nowhere near as messy, has far less maintenance (oil-based products generally should be reapplied every 6 - 12 months) and we think it looks much better too. It is a durable, long-lasting wax-based product that offers excellent water displacement and rust prevention, while still offering a sleek finish and ease of working on mechanically.

Cosmoline conforms to MIL-SPEC: MIL-PRF-16173E Grade 4, Class 1 and MIL-C-83933. The use of "milspec" is just the informal way of signifying that something meets a certain Military Standard (MIL-STD) or Military Specification (MIL-SPEC). To sum up, Cosmoline is very durable and long-lasting which is a large reason it’s used often in the military.

On average, we’ll need your vehicle for about 1.5 - 2 days. However, during the winter we may need it for up to 3 days.

The cost will vary depending on the vehicle you have, as well as the condition it’s in. For a quick idea, prices start at the following:

Cars/Sedans - $350

Mid-Size SUV’s - $550

Trucks/Large SUV’s/Vans - $700

You can find pricing specifics located here.

No matter what product is being used, undercoating is something that requires ongoing maintenance to ensure it’s effectiveness is the best it can be. Wear and tear and is natural and is to be expected, which is exactly why we offer warrantied packages that will cover annual touchups.

Here at Carson Undercoating we pride ourselves in offering the best undercoating service possible through honesty and hard work. We go the extra mile and do everything we can to provide your vehicle a service that will last years to come, unlike our competitors who don’t remove rust and use a rubberized undercoating that will cause more harm than good. Our mission is to put your mind at ease, winter is tough enough already.

Frequently Asked Questions