GUNK and RUST

[Alaskan]

I love my 4Runner and do everything I can to keep it in ship shape, but am also pretty ignorant on auto maintenance and upkeep. In the 8-month winter I drive on salted wet roads, and during summer I drive on roads caked in fine glacial silt. Last month at 48,000mi my calipers seized up while changing pads and needed to be replaced due to rust. There is pretty extensive rust on the steel parts that anchor the drivers seat to the floor in the interior as well. Also, there is a ton of dirt on my chassis and in my engine compartment.

1. Rust. Its ugly. What can I do to combat it?

2. What products can I use to clean up the outer parts of my engine? What effect will all this dirt have on longevity and performance?

 

[diverscale]

oil/grease anti-rust, professionally applied is what you need.

No sand/grind/brush + anti-rust paint will get you through even one winter without the rust always reappearing and getting worse.

Rust on your brake discs and calipers is inevitable though.