WaxOyl Undercoating & Rust Proofing in Otisville, MI
Midwest Paint Protection applies WaxOyl rust protection at our shop in Otisville, MI, a short drive from Flint, Davison, Lapeer, Grand Blanc and Fenton. WaxOyl is sprayed onto the underside of the vehicle and into the hollow sections of the body. It leaves a protective film over the metal so water and road salt cannot sit directly on it. People search for this as undercoating, rust proofing or rust protection. It slows rust down. It does not reverse rust that has already eaten through the metal.
Why Michigan vehicles need rust protection
Rust needs bare metal, water and oxygen. Salt does not cause rust by itself, but salty water speeds it up a great deal, and Michigan roads get plenty of it between rock salt and the liquid brine sprayed ahead of storms. Brine creeps into seams, pinch welds and the backs of panels where a hose never reaches, and slush packs into the wheel wells and sits there. Corrosion moves fastest when things are wet and just above freezing, so a slushy week in February can do more harm than a dry, frozen one. Most rust starts where you cannot see it: inside the rocker panels, along the bottom seams of the doors, behind the bumpers and anywhere a stone chip has opened the paint down to bare metal.
What a thorough job covers
A good rust-proofing job covers more than what you can see when you look under the vehicle. These are the areas that matter most:
- Frame rails and crossmembers
- Floor pans and the underside of the body
- Rocker panels, inside as well as out
- Door bottoms and the tailgate or liftgate seams
- Wheel wells
- Suspension mounts and brackets where water collects
Tell us the vehicle and we will tell you what we would treat on it.
How it works
- Talk it through. Tell us the vehicle, its age and how long you plan to keep it. We give you an honest opinion on whether WaxOyl is worth doing on it.
- Clean and dry the underside. The treatment covers best on a clean, fully dry underside, which is why fall is easier than the middle of winter.
- Apply WaxOyl. The film goes onto the underside and into the hollow body sections.
- Plan the re-application. Road spray, gravel and pressure washing wear the film down, so we agree when to bring the vehicle back.
Is WaxOyl right for your vehicle?
| Your situation | Worth it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New or nearly new vehicle | Yes, the best time | The metal is clean, the factory seam sealer is intact and nothing has started yet |
| You plan to keep it for many winters | Yes | A truck or SUV you will drive for years gets the most from yearly treatment |
| Surface rust, nothing structural | Often | Once loose rust is dealt with, treating it now can slow things down considerably |
| Lease ending in a year or two | Probably not | You will not be around for the winters it protects |
| Rust is already structural | No, repair first | Holes, flaking metal or a soft frame are a job for a body shop or a welder |
| You will not come back for re-application | Probably not | One treatment does not last forever, so you would not get the full value |
What WaxOyl will not do
- It will not reverse rust. Light surface rust can be cleaned up and treated over. Heavy rust needs repair first, because spraying over it only hides it for a while.
- It is not a one-time treatment. In Michigan’s salt, re-application is usually recommended every year or so, with extra attention to the spots that took the most abuse.
- It is not tidy. It goes on wet and the underside stays coated. It will not look factory clean afterwards, and a few drips or a bit of smell in the first day or so is not unusual.
- It does not replace washing. A rinse under the vehicle after a salty stretch still matters, treated or not.
When to book
Fall is the best time, before the brine trucks start running. If winter has already started, it can still be done, but the vehicle has to be washed and dried out first. Spring is worth a look too: once the winter’s salt is washed off, it is easy to see where the film wore thin and needs touching up. We work by appointment, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, at 341 S State St Suite 300 in Otisville.
Protect the paint as well as the metal
Rust does not only start underneath. A stone chip on the hood or the lower doors opens the paint, and salt does the rest. XPEL paint protection film on the front and lower panels keeps many of those chips from reaching the paint, and a FeynLab ceramic coating makes salt haze on the paint much easier to rinse away.
WaxOyl Questions
Is WaxOyl the same as undercoating?
People usually search for it as undercoating, but it is not the thick rubberized undercoating some remember from years ago. That older material could crack as it aged and hold water against the metal. WaxOyl covers the metal with a protective film and gets into the seams instead of building a shell over them.
How often does it need to be redone?
In Michigan’s salt, re-application is usually recommended every year or so, with extra attention to the spots that took the most abuse, such as the wheel wells.
Can you treat a vehicle that already has rust?
Light surface rust can be cleaned up and treated over, which is worth doing. Holes, flaking metal or a frame that is soft in places are a job for a body shop or a welder first.
When is the best time to have it done?
Fall, before the brine trucks start running. The underside has to be clean and fully dry for the treatment to cover well, and that is much easier before slush season than in the middle of it.
Will the underside look clean afterwards?
No. The treatment goes on wet and the underside stays coated, which is the point. A few drips or a bit of smell in the first day or so is not unusual.
How do I book or get a quote?
Call (810) 529-0019 or send a request through our Get Quote page. Tell us the vehicle, its age and how long you plan to keep it.