I called Toyota Canada and inquired what was their position on rust proofing a TCH. They said Toyota doesn't recommend it and the electronic units that prevent rust by sacrificing a metal anode are not recommended since they might shut down the hybrid system.

After the disertation on not rust proofing the agent said I should contact my service department to find out what they sell.... I guess if they apply a product, the car knows it's a Toyota dealer but if I or a third party apply the same product it won't work properly

What do the forum people recommend or use??

 

Have you ever heard about ToyoGuard? Not sure if it is offered in your area, but it includes the following:

Toyoguard Protection Group-XY40 $619
Exterior Paint Sealant

Glass Etch Theft Deterrent

Interior Fabric Protector

Toyo Guard Sealant Cleaner

Undercoating/Sound Shield


As an FYI, my future 2007 TCH will get it, once it arrives at the port.

 

The paint jobs on most new cars these days are pretty resilient IMO, especially with a "quality" car. You can never be too careful, but the chances are, you will likely trade in or sell your car long before rust shows up, if it ever shows up.

Rust proofing at the dealership is probably just a gimmick to get you spend extra. I would take normal precautions like washing your car with mild soap on a regular basis. Removing bird droppings or other contaminants from the paint coat as its spotted. Waxing a couple times a year if you can.

 

Personally I would not want to take a chance to mess up the factory rustproofing process (that they also warrant for what 100,000 miles?) Adding rustproofing sprayed on to the factory dip and spray job could lead to areas where moisture could be trapped and actually cause rust where it would not normally occur. As far as the paint protectant, a $10 bottle of good wax and 2 hours 2 X per year will do the same as the ToyoGuard. If you have cloth you can scotch guard yourself, not sure why they charge the same if you have leather.

 

My expertise is in automotive materials and corrosion.

1. Modern automotive body materials are highly resistant to rust-through from the inside-out or outside-in. Steel body panels have a protective coating applied during the steel manufacturing process. The most common coatings contain Zn or Zn-Fe or Zn-Ni alloys, and prevent rust-through for the effective life of the vehicle.

2. Modern automotive paint systems provide outstanding resistance to superficial corrosion, even when scratched or moderately dinged. Large scratched, chips, or dings should be touched up.

3. Additional rustproofing products or coatings are simple pure profit generators for those who sell them. Totally unnecessary in the modern auto. The same applies to paint protection layers that are sprayed on.

4. Sacrificial anode systems for automotive body protection are ineffective. The conditions required for them to work like they do on marine applications are not present in the automobile. Again, just pure profit for snake-oil salesmen.

 

4. Sacrificial anode systems for automotive body protection are ineffective. The conditions required for them to work like they do on marine applications are not present in the automobile. Again, just pure profit for snake-oil salesmen.

Sacrifical anode systems need a medium in which the current can flow to the anode. In marine systems it's the water, on pipelines it's soil. On pipelines in rocky areas the anode is ineffective. I don't see how an anode on a car can be effective unless the anode is bonded to the body and frame and the body itself is providing the current path. If that's true then like a pipeline any spot with no coating (a nick) would be more prone to corrosion than if it did not have an anode. I'd have to study the system to understand it but I don't see the need.

Then again does anyone want to buy a turbo ventalator for $25 for your air intake that can get you 200 mpg?

 

Car construction today is far superiour to the 70's when cars rusted through rather easily, especially in areas where snow covered roads got salted. All these manufacturers usually offer very good rust/body warranties. I think all these add on's are a marketing gimick to pad even more profits. (Ever see Fargo, very hilarious scene abouyt that). My dealer tried to pimp the Toyoguard, and I laughed. I bet it is 95% profit for the port. My car is extremely quiet, I doubt any undercaoting is going to make a difference and honestly, I woudl bet if it is applied incorrectly it can block the drainage holes in the chasis that allow water to get safely away from the body. I wash and wax my car regularly, but truthfully most of today's cars can probbably never get washed or waxed and the finish will hold up very well.

 

I have Toyoguard in my TCH only because Southeastern Toyota or my dealership apparently puts it on all of them. I had told them I don't want one with Toyoguard since I think it's a waste of money, so they threw it in for nothing. I understand it costs them $200 for the Toyoguard for which they charge $699.

 

I politely listen when they try to sell me all the high price, high profit add-ons. Then I say no. One day when they sit down with me I'm just going to say, "let's save both of us time. The answer is no".

 

That's pretty much what I did. The finance manager just smiled and said "I'm suppose to do this, so can I just run thru it really quickly. She spent 2 minutes on it and never mentioned it again. I believe the purchase satisfaction survey asks if you were given the opportunity to buy unnecessary add-ons (my words of course) so she got the check mark for her 2 minutes...