Binghamton car detailing company says protective coating can extend vehicle life as road salt takes toll on undercarriages

By Cameron Brown

Published: Mar. 31, 2026 at 7:53 AM EDT

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WBNG) - Road salt clears snow from Southern Tier roads, but it collects under vehicles and can cause corrosion, rust and damage over time.

Car wash undercarriage treatments can help, but Jon Oliver, franchise owner and CEO of Ziebart-Binghamton, a car detailing company, said those become unnecessary after a fresh coating of Ziebart.

“The way it works is it’s a physical film that’s designed to create a barrier between the metal and all the elements to protect salt from getting entrapped underneath your car,” Oliver said.

Salt collects in compartments under vehicles and in wheel wells after drivers travel over salt-covered roads.

Ziebart as a business has been around for 67 years, founded in 1959 by German immigrant Kurt Ziebart.

Oliver, who became the third owner of the Ziebart-Binghamton franchise in 2025, said salt began to affect newer cars in more ways than one.

“Unfortunately, due to quality control, ever since after COVID, I’ve noticed the quality of vehicles have started to go downhill,” Oliver said. “The paints are water-based. The metal isn’t as thick as it used to be. And corrosion still isn’t a thing that manufacturers are thinking about. They’re thinking about shelling out as many vehicles as they can.”

Oliver said his company sees the coating as an investment.

“Doing nothing is the worst thing you can do,” Oliver said. “Just buying a car and not doing anything. It’s the same as not doing oil changes in a consistent time, like what your manufactured date would tell you, too.”