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

[TS0323]

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.

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[Karl_in_Chicago]

Don't drive it back up north. You'll be fine.

 

[skyhunter]

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.

 

[Dmorty217]

There are several products you can buy to spray under the vehicle to prevent rust and companies that will do it for you if you’re that concerned with it.

 

[Offroadalliance]

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

 

[ChrisB351]

Clean. clean. clean some more. coat it.

 

[MadMan4BamaNATL]

Sweet Home Alabama and my hometown of Birmingham no less; by way of Georiga Tech is it?

There is spray as others have pointed out, but it’s not like rusting from 40 years ago. Modern vehicles don’t really rust out, particularly down in the Deep South.

Even with some wet and muddy trails, my undercarriage doesn’t have much rust other than short term surface rust after being wet and only on the bare metal.

Clean it good underneath when you get home and hopefully it won’t be a big deal.

Are you asking because you see a lot of rust already? Coating the underside would likely be costly.

 

[1986Bronco]

It depends how much you hate rust. I lived in the midwest long enough to despise it.

My southern only Bronco arrived with more rust than it should have. With 3 winters in the North, I would keep looking for a deal in the South.

If you move forward, I would invest in a dry ice blast and some Waxoyl.

Will be about $3,000, easy. But it would let me sleep at night.

I hate rust...

 

[Butzy]

6-7 years.....maybe a woolwax or fluid film treatment and you're set...

 

[P52Ranch]

FWIW, the only steel body panels on the Bronco are the rear quarters and the floor is also steel. The rest are aluminum.

 

[Dog]

So many Broncos out there. I would never buy used from a rust belt state without clear pictures of the entire underside / frame.

 

[LowerSlowerDelaware]

"Rust Never Sleeps" ~ Neil Young

 

[Bugkillah]

Driving from Michigan to Alabama and trying to avoid rust? Detour around Tennessee. Go Dawgs!

 

[LowerSlowerDelaware]

So Rust up north from Road Salt/Brine is Worse than rust from Salt Water and Beach Sand?

What about Rust from Mud that's been caked, baked on the chasis from years of never visiting a wash rack after off-roading and swamping?

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