Underbody Coating

1. Write a one-pager about Under-Body Coating and its purpose, its types in detail, and its pros and cons.

UNDERBODY COATING

Underbody coating provides long term protection from corrosion to car’s underbody. It also protects parts like internal body panels, frame rails and other inner cavities that are not physically accessible but are prone to corrosion.

Benefits

• Minimizes Sound: It minimizes the sound from underneath the car resulting a noiseless, smooth driving experience.

• Heat Insulation: It insulates the interior of the car from extreme temperatures from beneath the vehicle providing a comfortable cabin experience.

• Anti-chipping property: If any stone hits the coating it does not get chipped away hence protects the underbody from exposure to water.

PURPOSE OF UNDERBODY COATING

The main purpose of undercoating is to check rust especially in the body components like frame rails along with other exposed metal parts.Underbody coating can also reduce wear and tear.

Types of Undercoating

1. Rubberized Underbody Coating
   

   This is generally thought of as the best underbody coating for your car. It preserves the underbody well, protecting it from scratches. Applying this to the undercarriage is not much of a hassle either.

2. Wax Based Underbody Coating
   

   This – more or less – ephemeral undercoating will wear away in a few months’ time. On the upside, wax-based undercoating puts up a big fight against moisture. It is also the most affordable option out there.

3. Asphalt Based Automotive Undercoating
   

   Best suited for lorries, trucks and large vehicles this provides a greater degree of protection compared to rubber-based coatings. However, asphalt-based coatings contain little amounts of rubber for sound-insulation purposes. The process of applying this coating is a bit time-consuming though.

4. Polyurethane Underbody Coating

   This coating closes up splits and fractures on the underbody of the vehicle. It offers up good protection against corrosion and also bonds with the metal. Unlike in the case of asphalt-based coating, you can paint over the polyurethane coating.

Vehicle Undercoating Pros

Let’s look at some of the vehicle undercoating pros.

1) Protection Against Corrosion And Rust

Undercoating offers a layer of protection against corrosion and rust. Any debris will be repelled by the undercoating.

You can expect years of protection from undercoating although it wears out in the end. This is the reason why the process is popular.

A car is a large investment so it pays to take the best care of it you can.

2) Extend The Life Of Your Vehicle

It will extend the life of your car. Undercoating stops rust.

Corrosion isn’t just about causing an issue with the metal under your car but it can also get into cables and wires – in fact anything made of aluminum or steel can be affected including the engine and transmission.

3) Cover Small Damages

You can undercoat damaged parts of the car such as scratches, chips and nicks caused by debris flying up as you drive.

Modern undercoating can cover small areas of damage.

4) You Can Do It Yourself

You have the choice of undercoating your own vehicle or getting it done professionally.

It is perhaps best to get the professionals to do it if you have the budget. It can cost more than $1500 at the shop depending on the type of car you have.

Doing it yourself can reduce this cost by some 90% although it can be messy to do.

5) Many Options

There are different methods to choose from. One is electronic which is used to stop the corrosion of rust already present.

Then you have standard undercoating which applies a thick, tar-like substance.

Another option is dripless oil spray with fills the body of the vehicle with something wax-like and then sets hard.

Finally there is the drip-oil way which can drip for up to 2 days after application and this is the most common method used by car dealerships.

6) Reduce Noise Inside Your Car

Undercoating your vehicle can reduce noise inside the car while you’re driving.

The coating creates a sound barrier meaning the interior of the car will be quieter.

Vehicle Undercoating Cons

And here are some cons of vehicle undercoating:

1) It’s Not Effective On Cars With Corrosion

If your vehicle already has some corrosion it isn’t as effective.

Applying undercoat over rust means that although you’re stopping more moisture and airflow to the rusted area, the rusting process will still keep happening.

An undercoat will slow down the corrosion rather than reverse or stop it. You should attempt to remove the rust before applying an undercoat.

This isn’t always easy though, since rust can penetrate deeply into the metal, so encapsulating the rust and then applying an undercoat could be a waste of money.

2) Doesn’t Work So Well On Old Cars

Undercoating doesn’t work so well on old cars because the residue from under the car has to be removed before the undercoating is applied.

If you don’t remove the debris first, the already-present debris will be sealed in.

3) It’s Useless On New Cars

Undercoating might not be wise if you tend to change cars every few years, since it takes between 3 and 5 years before rust starts to show.

In fact it might be 10 years before your car is affected in any way at all by corrosion.

This means if you get a new car every few years then undercoating it would be a waste of money because it simply isn’t required.

4) Your Vehicle’s Warranty Might Be Voided

Your vehicle’s warranty might be voided if you opt for a third-party undercoating treatment.

Some new cars already come with undercoating so adding anything else risks your warranty.

5) It Makes Your Vehicle Heavier

It makes the vehicle 10 to 20 pounds heavier which affects fuel economy (how far you can travel on one tank of gas).

This is negligible in terms of fuel costs but still something to bear in mind.

6) It Can Be Damaged

Undercoating can be damaged.

Although you can expect a hard layer of protection against debris, driving on dirty or gravel roads often means the protective layer’s integrity will be reduced over time.

7) It Can Be Expensive

Reapply it every 3 to 5 years. This is the only way to ensure your vehicle is protected properly.

Since it can cost $1500 to get the undercoating professionally applied, this is quite a big cost to do it regularly.

Conclusion

Although some vehicles can be benefitted with an undercoat, not ever car needs it. It’s important to figure out whether or not undercoating is a good idea.

Remember also that you can do your own vehicle undercoating. This is the cheapest way but it can also void the active warranty, so check the details first.

It is a good idea to inspect your undercoating, or have the dealership do it, on a yearly basis to check for any issues with the integrity.