4-runner, heated garage and road salt.

[diverscale]

I know all the theories that oxidation will occur faster in a heated garage, that melting and salt, and bla bla bla... cool.

I want to hear personnal and real-life experiences of cars, trucks (expecially 5th gen 4-runners, if possible) sitting in heated garages during winters, that see road salt. Did you experience faster rusting? To which extent? was your car/truck rust-proofed?

My 4-runner is professionally grease rust-proofed, but won't get the undercarriage washed during the winter (never had any rust problems with grease anti-rust and not washing the undercarriage during winter, but didn't have a heated garage.). Anyway, I don't see any sane person washing his undercarriage everytime he gets the truck in the garage...

real facts wanted, I've read a lot on the subject and most of the "facts" are not real life experiences...

 

[westwind77]

I want to hear personnal and real-life experiences of cars, trucks (expecially 5th gen 4-runners, if possible) sitting in heated garages during winters, that see road salt. Did you experience faster rusting? To which extent? was your car/truck rust-proofed?

I've have mine since 11/09 and it spends the winters in the garage. The garage is not heated but it is 'under' the house and usually maintains around 50 degrees during the winter. I live in a salty environment just from the air alone, but normally don't see but a few snow storms needing road salt each winter. I don't really see any issues so far with rust, nothing that stands out at least.

 

[1engineer]

I know all the theories that oxidation will occur faster in a heated garage, that melting and salt, and bla bla bla... cool.

I want to hear personnal and real-life experiences of cars, trucks (expecially 5th gen 4-runners, if possible) sitting in heated garages during winters, that see road salt. Did you experience faster rusting? To which extent? was your car/truck rust-proofed?

My 4-runner is professionally grease rust-proofed, but won't get the undercarriage washed during the winter (never had any rust problems with grease anti-rust and not washing the undercarriage during winter, but didn't have a heated garage.). Anyway, I don't see any sane person washing his undercarriage everytime he gets the truck in the garage...

real facts wanted, I've read a lot on the subject and most of the "facts" are not real life experiences...

My 4Runner is not garaged. My wife's Rav4 is and it's heated. We have had this same patttern for 28 years. We get lots of snow and lots of salt. I have never gotten rustproofing on any vehicle since the 1980's. The verdict? No difference. There will be rusty spots on suspension components and bolts and other components will rust too. Good luck and don't worry. If it has iron in the material it will eventually rust no matter what you do to it. Some rust proofing slows it down but given time it will eventually succumb to the brown stuff. Whatever the OEM's do (spray coats, dipping the material, etc) really work and we just don't see any problems and have not in 20 years. We have owned Hondas, Subarus and Toyotas in that time period with an occasional Dodge truck thrown in. My daughter's 2005 CR-V still looks good underneath as does my son's 2007 Subaru. So does my 2012 4Runner lol.

 

[diverscale]

exactly what I was looking for guys, thanks a lot. This question was present in my head since snow started here, I will probably keep it in the heated garage after all.

 

[NJshadow93]

I would suggest running it through one of those touch-free car washes in the winter at least once a week to get the salt off. Whether heated or not, it is never good to let the salt sit on the truck. Make sure the setting you pick has the undercarriage blaster.

 

[Deadly_Scionide]

I would suggest running it through one of those touch-free car washes in the winter at least once a week to get the salt off. Whether heated or not, it is never good to let the salt sit on the truck. Make sure the setting you pick has the undercarriage blaster.

I do this, but I also put one of these old fashioned

sprinklers under the car(heated garage with a drain). Let it run about 2-3 minutes up front, in the middle, and in the rear. Ohio puts OMGTONZ of salt/de-icer down any time it sees more than 4 flakes of snow. Kept my 2007 tC "less" rusty than it could have been?* I think it makes sense to rinse all that crap off of there, and this sprinkler made it way easier/more thorough to do.

*there is no science to this, and i could be completely wrong

 

[jspagna1]

My trucks kept in an unheated garage and have never had issues with rust. Living here in CT, I always rinse my truck off once a week with the hand wand at the car wash. Did that with my 97 that I still own and very minimal rust issues on that truck to.

 

[Catchlight]

My 1998 'Runner got soaked by a lot of road salt on three ski trips a week every winter. We also live right by the ocean, which can accelerate oxidation.

I kept it in an unheated garage (30 to 40 degrees F. in winter), and took it through the touchless car wash once a week. Eventually the bumpers rusted, and a harmless layer of rust formed on some of the frame components, but the body remained rust-free until I sold it 18 months ago.

My 2011 TE gets a similar amount of salt during the same travel for skiing, and on the occasional days when salt is used on the local roads. I'm treating the TE the same, and am hoping that all the plastic on the 5th Gen bumpers and body will help keep rust at bay for as long as I own it.