I bought a new 2025 Cadillac XT5 for my wife. I am wondering if I should get it rust proofed (Ziebart), and have the body paint clayed while the vehicle is still brand new?

Save your money. Most new vehicles have pretty extensive rust warranties. Clay barring the paint is to remove embedded impurities - environmental impurities. If it is brand new claying will be of little benefit.

Have a detail shop apply a good ceramic coating - best investment I've made for my 427 Vette and Chevy SS.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

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I am wondering if I should get it rust proofed (Ziebart) ...

In MI, you need all the help you can get. And as with any rustproofing, it needs to be done while still new and clean, otherwise any existing rust will simply be encapsulated and keep on rusting.

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... and have the body paint clayed?

Is this clay barring? I thought you did that when there are, for example, embedded particles. Why would new paint need that?

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Originally posted by Pizza Bob:
Save your money. Most new vehicles have pretty extensive rust warranties.

quote:

Originally posted by Pizza Bob:
Save your money. Most new vehicles have pretty extensive rust warranties. Clay barring the paint is to remove embedded impurities - environmental impurities. If it is brand new claying will be of little benefit.

Have a detail shop apply a good ceramic coating - best investment I've made for my 427 Vette and Chevy SS.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

Thank you, I really didn't know what "clay barring" was.

I lived up north, not Michigan north, but north and my modern cars never rusted out. I think it’s a suckers bet to pay for it on a new car. I am no expert though.

claying the car is a simple process and even a new car can have impurities embedded in the paint from rail/truck travel and the like. I would at least clay the hood, top and trunk, basically any horizontal areas. You will be surprised at the difference in the smoothness of the paint after claying.

Rust proofing should absolutely be done, but not by Ziebart. They are not what they used to be and their product is not as good as others. My preference is for one of the oil or lanolin based undercoatings applied annually. Your undercarriage will always be dirty/ greasy feeling because the oil attracts dirt, but it will absolutely keep your undercarriage from rusting. My favorite is a product called corrosion free. It’s a Canadian based product that supposedly won the Canadian government’s testing for rust proofing products for government and military vehicles and I can attest that it works as well. My second favorite is Krown undercoating. Whatever you use should be reapplied annually or every other year. If you live in the rust belt you reall need rust proofing to get he most of your vehicles. Even if the body panels look good, salt from the roads wreaks absolute havoc on your undercarriage.

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Originally posted by Pizza Bob:
Save your money. Most new vehicles have pretty extensive rust warranties.

Not exactly correct.
Cadillac covers you for 6 years and only covers body and sheet metal.
I am a huge advocate for a nice Woolwax coating every year or so to the exposed under carriage and frame.
Then every 3 years or so to the internals on the doors and rockers.

Cost about $200 an application here.

Krown is great too but we don’t have them this far south.
Being you are in Michigan you may have one close. They do a great job popping body plugs and getting door, wheel well, and rockers interiors.

https://krown.com/en/pricing

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Originally posted by pedropcola:
I lived up north, not Michigan north, but north and my modern cars never rusted out. I think it’s a suckers bet to pay for it on a new car. I am no expert though.

How long have you been gone???
Back in the day when it was just rock salt used as long as you washed it off quickly after it was not a huge deal.

However now that everyone is using this salt brine solution that stuff wreaks havoc on the under carriage.

I would skip the rust proofing. You could take the car to a detailer and have it waxed.

I bought a brand new Ram pickup one year in August. By January it was developing very visible rust spots all over the paint. Turns out it was "rail dust" from the train transport. I had to have it clay barred. The dealer paid for it (not cheap) - after a couple of "discussions" with them.

I would wait a few months. If nothing shows up, spend your money on somethimg that protects the paint. Clay bar just cleans, it does not protect.

If you get an experienced Ceramic Coating expert they will do a paint correction on a new car ( or at least they should). Both my Tesla and Porsche had the paint corrected prior to the ceramic coating.

Thank you everyone for your opinions on this matter.

If it was me, I’d skip Ziebart. They’re living off the name at this point.

I have a brand-new GMC 2500 HD. Got it April 30 and have only put 250 miles on it.
I have been detailing it on weekends.
Clar bar and 2 coats of ReJex for the finish.
New vehicles absolutely need to be clay barred due to rail dust mainly.
My truck is white so I can see the little bitty spots. They are gone now.
would definitely recommend getting it clay barred and getting a good coat of some sort of protection on it. Make sure your detailer doesn't get any crap that will turn white on any black plastic trim. I tape all mine off with blue painters tape.

Yes, have it Ziebarted.

By the way = you can easily clay your car in under an hour with a kit through anyone who sells car care products. YouTube is your friend.

I have never rust proofed a car and I live in the snowbelt in Ohio. I rarely keep a car past 80k miles and they never rust.

I know my coworkers will do something called fluid film under their vehicles, but they have all been pickup owners.

Last car I bought in April, it took me about five hours to do some paint correction, 47 minutes to ceramic coat it (I tried Gyeon Mohs Evo), then I let the car sit for 48 hours. It takes more time to paint correct than to wash, clay, prep, ceramic coat, top coat, etc. lol

We'll see how long the Mohs Evo lasts. So far it's been great. I can pretty much foam the car, quick wipe, rinse and blow dry. Car still sheets water like crazy.

Well before rust is an issue the electronics will be out of date, I'd not particularly worry about rust. I do like Cadillac just the nature of the beast.

Wife noticed before I did yesterday evening a gorgeous ‘67 Cadillac convertible at the stop light. What a work of art!