Buying a Bronco from Michigan and driving it home to Alabama. How can I prevent future rust?

[Onestepmore]

I’ve found a fantastic deal on a 2021 Bronco with 30k miles on it that I’ll be buying from a dealership in Michigan and driving home to Alabama. It’s a one-owner vehicle with meticulous maintenance records, but I’m a bit concerned about it getting rust in the future as I’m planning on keeping it for 6-7 years.

Since it’s seen 3 winters in the midwest so far, is there anything I can do to to prevent future rust from happening? I know that it currently is covered by the 5 year corrosion warranty, but from what I could tell, the extended Ford warranty doesn’t cover rust if I were to purchase that.

I'm not sure but I was at a rally race and needed to put my magnetic antenna on my Badlands 2 door and it wouldn't stick anywhere except above the windshield...I then checked and all of the Broncos are made with aluminum body??? So my experience with aluminum is it is less prone to rust... or doesn't rust all...it will oxidize when not protected by paint...any thoughts are welcome...Amos

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[Fly by Nite]

Wash it well. Wire off any rust flake it has (might not yet), treat it with a rust converter product and you should be fine since it won't be going through yearly salt baths anymore.

wash it really well, use chemical guys or other cleaners/degreasers on the underneath and dry it off real good. Fluid film inside the frame and all underside components and youll be good. Reapply in 6-8yr depending on how much salt/beach visists you make

I agree.... start with a good wash & dry. Existing rust can be wire wheeled, treated with a rust converter, and painted if you want it to look new. And/or just spray everything with Fluid Film. Fluid Film will creep into crevices, preventing additional rusting.

I'd be less concerned with prior rust affecting body panels and heavy steel items like frame and axles, but items such as hardware and thinner brackets will be affected more substantially. 30k miles means a fair amount of driving and exposure to the elements. But if you're only keeping it 6-7 years it may not bee a big deal. If you were buying a 'forever truck', I'd buy one in better condition.

 

[Mjasi3]

Dude… It’s a 21 from Michigan. It already has rust.

 

[#1Broncogirl]

I’ve found a fantastic deal on a 2021 Bronco with 30k miles on it that I’ll be buying from a dealership in Michigan and driving home to Alabama. It’s a one-owner vehicle with meticulous maintenance records, but I’m a bit concerned about it getting rust in the future as I’m planning on keeping it for 6-7 years.

Since it’s seen 3 winters in the midwest so far, is there anything I can do to to prevent future rust from happening? I know that it currently is covered by the 5 year corrosion warranty, but from what I could tell, the extended Ford warranty doesn’t cover rust if I were to purchase that.

I undercoat ours each fall with PB Blaster, you can use NH oil also

I’ve found a fantastic deal on a 2021 Bronco with 30k miles on it that I’ll be buying from a dealership in Michigan and driving home to Alabama. It’s a one-owner vehicle with meticulous maintenance records, but I’m a bit concerned about it getting rust in the future as I’m planning on keeping it for 6-7 years.

Since it’s seen 3 winters in the midwest so far, is there anything I can do to to prevent future rust from happening? I know that it currently is covered by the 5 year corrosion warranty, but from what I could tell, the extended Ford warranty doesn’t cover rust if I were to purchase that.

I undercoat ours every fall with PB Blaster “Surface Shield”, there is also NH oil. The spray gun is very inexpensive. It’s easy to do. We have a 2021 and a 2023. Driven in the PNW where our roads have been salted for salted for a number of years now.
no rust on the under carriage. I learned about this a little late, i have rust started on my F250, it no longer is driven in the winter and is sprayed to prevent further rust.
remember to spray everywhere including the weep holes in the bottom of your doors. It will wash off with a pressure washer if you hit it hard in the spring. It accumulates dirt.you VSP can reach out to me if you’d like further info about applying it

 

[jeisfoto]

I’d want to see the underside. I’m in northern Indiana but travel through Michigan frequently. I’m surprised how many cars are worse off there for the age vs my area. Being only a few years old it might be fine…but I’d still want to see it. My trucks, since new, get fluid filmed annually before winter and sprayed off at a self-service car wash when temps rise above freezing and have minimal underbody/frame/suspension corrosion. Who knows if the original owner did something similar, or if Ford’s factory treatments (if any?) are still holding up.

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