Topic: KROWN rust proofing: good and bad experience

[ArticSteve]

I agree that the ppl who apply it are key for an effective job and I would not drive 4 hours to get a Krown job either.

However, you got feed a line of BS regarding why Rust Check got dumped by the APA.  Rust Check got dumped because the owners of the day declared bankruptcy on numerous occasions to weasel out of customer's rust claims and debts owning suppliers.  They watered down the spray and it became in effective at one point and so watery that the Ontario Ministry of the Environment got on their case about it.

There was not a ten year lawsuit launched and won by their own dealers over "politics".  A judge agreed with the dealers and released them all from Rust Check and Krown as born as a result.

Why don't you call them back and ask whoever has ownership of it now and get into specifics of their numerous bankruptcies and ten years of litigation with their own dealers.

[Icecube]

Another option is to do it yourself. Yes, you can do so with Civics and other cars as well. Honda / acuras' door panels can be removed super easily, as well as the rear speakers to reach the back rear panel (over the rear wheel well.). You can do the rear hatch by removing some of the rubber plugs that acts as stoppers, and opening the hatch to let the product drip up... and down... Same with the hood and the front fenders. All too easily accessible it is a crime not to do it yourself...

I did so with 1 can of the "none-drippy" ("undercoat") rust check (RC) followed by 2 cans applications of the drippy stuff. Every year, I open up the door and speaker panels and check; it is still oily and all, but I re-apply some RC just in case. You can do a lot with a little patience. It takes me 1.5 hours tops, and I can be sure it is done properly, at a fraction of the cost. And the best thing: no holes. I also apply it exactly where I want it and avoid the electrical and rubber components, unlike monkeys at wally mart or elsewhere who simply do no care about my baby!

For the underside, however, I get it done when I do my fall oil change at (gulp!) Midas, of all places. They always have a special for, like, 60$ for the whole underside of the car and I can check how they apply the stuff.

Oh, yes. It does drip as well when I use the drippy stuff when i DIY, but I park over cardboard boxes and all is fine.

PS: 1 can of undercoat and 2 of RC drippy does the whole car.
 

[safristi]

Dat be COOL CUBE..........SPRAYS _BE _TO_U    and Welcome.........

[nan_wpg]

articsteve , do you have any links on this matter? Maybe I will do a search of Ontario's courts on Rustcheck.

[roundupready]

I think it is not as bad Saffy. Yeah, it drips for a while, but after I get it Krowned I go to No Frills and take their large carton boxes. So I have a carton layer in the garage for a couple of weeks, but that's about it.

Heh.  So I'm not the only one putting folded out cardboard boxes on the floor to catch the drips.   

[ArticSteve]

articsteve , do you have any links on this matter? Maybe I will do a search of Ontario's courts on Rustcheck.

Atlantic Corrosion Control Ltd. v. Rust Check Canada Inc. [1998] NSJ No. 81 (NSSC). 7.
http://www.canlii.org/ns/cas/nssc/1998/1998nssc10206.html

Rust Check was acquired by the Marchant family in 1995. Since that acquisition, the relationship between the parties has soured and disputes developed. In 1996 a serious dispute occurred between the plaintiffs and Rust Check concerning a warranty program offered to Rust Check customers. Atlantic claimed that Rust Check was not honouring the warranty claims presented to it under the arrangements (not necessarily pursuant to the written agreement) between the parties. Atlantic had paid out warranty claims and Rust Check either refused or failed to reimburse Atlantic for these claims. Legal proceedings were commenced by Atlantic and application was made to the Court for an injunction. The parties then reached a settlement agreement and the action was dismissed on consent.

 

Notwithstanding the settlement agreement, further disputes have continued to occur, especially with respect to the matter of warranty claims and with respect to the pricing of the Rust Check chemical. In August, 1997, this action was commenced with respect to these items of dispute. According to the plaintiffs, when this action was commenced Rust Check told Atlantic that it intended to distribute the chemical in direct competition with Atlantic and then served "Notices to Cure" alleging breaches of the distributorship agreement and threatening to terminate the agreement.


The whole business regarding the revolt of Rust Check dealers in Ontario leading to the court decision which allowed them to form Krown Rust Control I have been unable to locate in the few minutes I have tried.  Call Krown and ask for specifics.

The previous owners to these Marchant people were 3 guys and they were really bad actors.  Possibly Rust Check has new owners since this Marchant fellow.

The fact is that Rust Check has a really dishonest history regardless of who owns it now.  Their product is not as good, but if you got to use it due to location then you've got to use it.

[yugrus]

I wonder though if it is possible to buy a can of the Krown stuff and replace that tiny little squirting nozzle with like a longer nozzle and a flexible hose attachment such that I could stick it into the holes drilled into my car and spray around myself. 

If only I had a proper place to do that, I'd be all over it. But I'm afraid it would be too messy, even with "precision" squirting. It is not a driveway job.

[Junkcar_Audiowner]

Do new cars even need this?

The last Toyota I bought had a 12 year rust/corrosion warranty, so if it gets even slightly corroded, take it back...

I can understand using this stuff on older vehicles but new?

I know this thread is almost dead but...

I just looked over my Honda 2006 warranty book again. Rust corrosion etc. is

Rust Perforation   5      years no distance 
Surface corrosion  3     years no distance 
Not even close to 12 years!

[Icecube]

I wonder though if it is possible to buy a can of the Krown stuff and replace that tiny little squirting nozzle with like a longer nozzle and a flexible hose attachment such that I could stick it into the holes drilled into my car and spray around myself. 

I was thinking of doing exactly the same thing last summer; I found a 20 inch small rubber tube that extends the reach by 20 inches, more or less,  but this is still not enought. So I resign myself of simply taking the door panels off once a year, squirk A LOT of RC all over and close them.  I do the same for the rear panel (via rear speakers). No biggy. Oh, and if you a wondering, the metal is dry to the touch after 12 month so the oilly, drippy stuff does eventually drip off the metal, thus the need to reapply yearly (and it is not like if I do not spray enougt!). I now squirk some the less drippy stuff (called RC "undercoating" in the green can) along with the drippy stuff and the metal stays oilly and greasy real good for 12 months 

[jhorton]

When they spray do they take off your headlights and taillights? Or do they just spray in around them?

[yugrus]

When they spray do they take off your headlights and taillights? Or do they just spray in around them?

The place I go to does not take anything off. They sprey all around.

[stevek]

Krown is the only one approved by CAA, isn't that right? When I bought my Vibe last summer the salesman was telling me the business manager in closing the deal would offer me some extras including GM's rustproofing. I told the guy I was inclined not to get that, and that I'd gotten Krown in the recent past, and he said yeah they're good - he recommended getting it right away on a new car. Also a guy at my local Honda dealer's body shop told me once when they replace a body panel they offer free Krown spraying on the new panel.

There used to be a place called OilTek in Barrie, I had the impression they were supposed to be better than RustCheck at the time.

I also once used a guy who oil-sprayed cars on his farm as a side business. He charged about $50 - half of what the specialist shops do. But I had no idea of the quality of his material. Since I read about CAA and Krown, I have used Krown for several years and it seems good. My 97 Odyssey has almost no rust since I started taking it to Krown about 5 years ago.

[PJungnitsch]

Another option is to do it yourself.

Very true. Two cans of Castrol aerosol motorcycle chain lube from Walmart. About 3 bucks a can IIRC, cheap, oily, and sticky. Reapply every spring after a thorough washing to get the salt off (the pickup is reasonably easy to crawl under). A good way to prolong the life of an older vehicle.

[barrie1]

I remember when Ziebart was the biggie on the block but Krown has been given the 5 star by the Used car dealers of Cananda as the best one there is so far. It is a very good product and a used car generally sells for more with it applied since new.

[safristi]

Hmm to be RUSTY or NOT 2B...that is a seemingly OLD QUESTION that keeps rearing it's UGLY RED_RUSTY_HEAD........how much "protection" is really offered on NEW CARS...a LOT NO!!?.... so maybe after 5 years or so when the car has a few chips and saltines under the chassis a quick Krown every few years (HOW MANY??) would suffice to keep it running RUST FREE!! fer the rest of it's useful life...10years or so............... ...

 Castrol mo'cickle chain lube.......yuck ya have no pollution by_LAWS in  Lethbridge......

[68bullitt]

 the queensway/kipling krown location was run by peter and his dad.They have always done a fantastic job,very thorough and very professional.I have recomended many friends to him and they were all very pleased. He gets into every nook and cranny with the oil, the proof is in the pudding.My 12 year old truck looks like the day it came off the showroom floor.Peter has now moved locations from the queensway to streetsville. his new location is 100 emby drive
highly recomended and wouldn't go anywhere else.

[Railton]

the queensway/kipling krown location was run by peter and his dad.They have always done a fantastic job,very thorough and very professional.I have recomended many friends to him and they were all very pleased. He gets into every nook and cranny with the oil, the proof is in the pudding.My 12 year old truck looks like the day it came off the showroom floor.Peter has now moved locations from the queensway to streetsville. his new location is 100 emby drive
highly recomended and wouldn't go anywhere else.

Railton

[MadMav]

My parent's 1994 Ford Escort was "Rust Checked" every year since new, they still have it and after 14 Ontario winters the only rust is a small patch above the rear window.  Rust Check does seem to work although it does make a mess on your driveway.

Anyone have any opinions on the either Rust Check or Krown in Richmond Hill?  My girlfriend is getting a new car soon and is interested in getting it treated before winter comes.

[krownguy]

It is most unfortunate that CD does not have Krown as a sponsor so this topic could recieve a sticky.

Here is a history of Krown.

The idea was invented by a Canadian airline pilot who flew for TWA.  He made a deal with TWA to spray all their transatlantic aircraft due to ocean salt.  The company he formed was Lear Chemical.  This pilot also happened to have a summer place at Shallow Lake just north of Owen Sound.  Consequently, the first RUST CHECK was started outside Shallow Lake attached to a local autobody.  Soon after, this pilot realized he did not have the time to run a retail franchise operation so he sold the operation to a bunch of guys that turned out to be dead beats.  However, the deal was they were to use the chemical spray from Lear.

After years of a few planned bankruptcies by the Rust Check dead beats and watering down of the chemical and a very long litigation, all the Rust Check dealers were released from their non competition clauses and Krown was formed as a co-operative.

Now it is not a perfect world and Krown dealers differ so beware, however the two sprays they use are vastly superior to those of Rust Check.  As for the Krown dealer at Markham and Eglinton, if they are the old Polish or Ukrainian couple from Leaside that have the shop tucked away at the back of a plaza on the southeast corner, they are the original Rust Check people of the entire GTA and are beyond excellent.

The Krown people in Owen Sound are the original Rust Check ppl period.  That's where I get my vehicles done.  The Army gets all their vehicles done there as well from the ultra modern Army base outside of Owen Sound that occupies 20 miles of prime Georgian Bay water front and that was stolen from the locals in 1942. 

Krown applications are more like $135.00 I believe plus tax.  If I was in the GTA I'd get it done every 2 years.

Krown is best applied in summer as heat allows the chemical to creep faster/further.  June is a good month because the dealers are dead at this time.  Bad time is fall, anytime from Sept. 1 to X-mas is very busy and obviously the opportunity to spend more time on each car is not there.

For the 99% of you ppl that never see the undersides of your car and the massive and complex wiring connectors and harnesses, particularly with automatics, together with brake lines and fuel lines, it might be hard to rationalize this service.  However, any mechanic can tell a Krown car and to a lessor extent a Rust Check car when it is lifted up in the air.  Everything is in such better condition namely the electrical connectors and the steel hydraulic lines regardless were the car has been driven.

Civics do not have galvanized steels fenders or inner fenders and are most in need of this service regardless were they are operated.  Porsche are all galvanized.

Owner's who actually do the spraying have the best service.  Krown shops are like Midas; some good some not.

The drilling of holes is a complete non issue.

Remove your trunk liner yourself before you go.  Chances are you will get a better application. 

Tell the Krown shop to load up your trunk lid.  Some don't because ppl complain that it's too messy.

Krown was formed from 20 ex-Rustcheck dealers. McMasters University did the testing, proving Krown out performed Rustcheck.

I should know, I worked for Rustcheck from 84 to 86 and Krown from day 1
Apr. 86 till now.

[Railton]

Krownguy, A question or two for you.
1. How does the Krown treatment stand-up to automatic car washes that use an underbody spray wash and so called "rustite" spray applications? Will continual use of the automatic washes 'wash' away the krown undercoating?
2. In the Krown brochures it states that it is not recommended to park a freshly sprayed car/truck on concrete (like in the garage) yet it is OK to park on asphalt. How long does it take for the drip residue to wash off the driveway then or will it ever? If not I would suggest that the brochure be edited to read park it other than an asphalt or concrete driveway.
Railton