01
The first dose comes before the first flake
Anti-icing starts ahead of the storms. Protection that goes on after the first snow is already a round behind.
Winter prep · 2725 N Nevada Ave
Mag chloride protection. Paint on top. Metal underneath.
Colorado Springs sprays liquid magnesium chloride on main streets before the snow falls. Coat the paint and protect the underside now, while it is clean and dry, and you are covered for the whole season.
Fluid Film undercoatingWheels-off prep · renewed once a yearUndercarriage cleaningSee the condition before you protect itGtechniq ceramic coatingSo brine rinses off instead of bonding
Before the first stormFluid Film Undercoating from $325Book Fluid Film
Short answer
How do you protect a car from mag chloride in Colorado Springs?
Protect the two places it attacks before the first storm. Coat the paint so the brine film rinses off with a normal wash, and put a corrosion-inhibiting film on the metal underneath. Then wash it off after storms, which is what CDOT itself advises. At ST6 that means a Gtechniq coating on top and Fluid Film underneath, renewed every fall.
What mag chloride actually does
It doesn’t wait for the snow.
Mag chloride is not the rock salt people picture. It goes down as a liquid, it clings, and Colorado’s freeze-and-sun cycle keeps reactivating it. That is why a car wash in March misses most of the damage.
Beforethe first flakeThe city’s anti-icing is liquid magnesium chloride on main streets, put down ahead of storms.Source ↗27–29%magnesium chlorideThe strength of CDOT’s liquid de-icers. It is sprayed on, so it reaches the underside.Source ↗Dry, then wetagain and againCDOT’s own study: it sticks and crystallizes on metal when dry, then turns back into a corrosive solution when wet.Source ↗Afterevery stormCDOT tells drivers to wash vehicles after snowstorms to remove the residue.Source ↗
Sources: City of Colorado Springs Public Works; CDOT de-icer fact sheet; CDOT report CDOT-DTD-R-2002-4.
Why do it now
Fall is the window. Here’s why.
Four reasons the timing matters more than the product.
02
The underside is cleaner now than in March
Prep is condition-based. Summer dust comes off faster than a winter of crystallized brine, so fall prep is simpler.
03
One application covers the whole season
Fluid Film lasts up to a year. Applied in fall, it is in place from the first anti-icing run to the last spring storm.
04
Every wash after a storm actually works
On coated paint the brine film releases with a normal wash instead of bonding, which makes CDOT’s wash-after-storms advice realistic.
Which one do you need?
Start from your vehicle.
Four common situations and what we would actually recommend for each, cheapest honest answer first.
New vehicle you’re keeping
Start it right: a 5-Year or Ultra coating on top, and Waxoyl’s new-vehicle underbody package underneath.
Coating + WaxoylAlready coated
You don’t need a new coating. A maintenance visit tops it up before the season, and the yearly check is free.
Coating maintenanceTruck or SUV on I-25 and dirt roads
This is the one that lives in brine. Fluid Film every fall, prepped with the wheels off.
Fluid Film, yearlyOlder vehicle, rust showing
Clean it first so you can see what is there, then decide. Undercoating protects metal; it does not rebuild it.
Clean, then decideWinter services
Every option. Published prices.
Tap any service for prices by vehicle size, then book the exact service in Square.
Fluid Film Undercoating
$325–$375- All four wheels off for access
- Full degrease and iron-removal treatment
- Soft corrosion-inhibiting film on suitable metal
- Up to 1 year · renewed annually
Undercarriage Cleaning
from $225- Accessible underside inspected
- Degreased, pressure washed and steamed
- Reviewed with you before handover
3-Year EXO
from $899- Decon, clay and two-step correction
- Gtechniq EXO v5
- 1 day in the shop
5-Year Serum Light
from $1,099- Full paint correction
- Smart View glass included
- 1 day in the shop
9-Year Ultra
from $1,599- Installer-only Crystal Serum Ultra
- C5 Wheel Armour and Smart View glass
- 2 days in the shop
Coating Maintenance
$199- Decontamination wash
- Panel-by-panel check
- Gtechniq top-up where thinned
Woolwax, Dinitrol & Waxoyl
from $450- Longer-life undercoating systems
- Woolwax 2–3 yrs · Dinitrol 5+ · Waxoyl 5–8
- Quoted with your vehicle
Reviews
1,260+ reviews. Here’s why.
★★★★★Highlights from ST6 Google listings★★★★★Praised the ceramic coating, interior work, paint correction, and the team's professionalism.
★★★★★Highlighted fair pricing, friendly service, and how clean the vehicle looked afterward.
★★★★★Said the Volvo looked better than when it left the lot and planned to use ST6 again.
★★★★★Was very happy with the finished truck and the overall detailing result.
★★★★★Loved the transformation from a dog-hair-covered interior back into a car they enjoyed driving.
★★★★★Called the service easy and convenient and planned to use the mobile team for additional vehicles.
★★★★★Had two vehicles coated and praised the crews as professional, hardworking, and trustworthy.
★★★★★Loved the convenience of service at home, strong communication, and the finished detail.
★★★★★Said a nine-year-old family SUV with kids and a large dog looked and smelled new again.
★★★★★Praised communication, on-time mobile service, deep cleaning, and the lack of pressure for unnecessary add-ons.
★★★★★Reported a dramatic recovery after years of toddler and dog messes inside the Jeep.
★★★★★Praised the ceramic coating result and the guidance provided when choosing the service.
★★★★★Praised the ceramic coating, interior work, paint correction, and the team's professionalism.
★★★★★Highlighted fair pricing, friendly service, and how clean the vehicle looked afterward.
★★★★★Said the Volvo looked better than when it left the lot and planned to use ST6 again.
★★★★★Was very happy with the finished truck and the overall detailing result.
★★★★★Loved the transformation from a dog-hair-covered interior back into a car they enjoyed driving.
★★★★★Called the service easy and convenient and planned to use the mobile team for additional vehicles.
★★★★★Had two vehicles coated and praised the crews as professional, hardworking, and trustworthy.
★★★★★Loved the convenience of service at home, strong communication, and the finished detail.
★★★★★Said a nine-year-old family SUV with kids and a large dog looked and smelled new again.
★★★★★Praised communication, on-time mobile service, deep cleaning, and the lack of pressure for unnecessary add-ons.
★★★★★Reported a dramatic recovery after years of toddler and dog messes inside the Jeep.
★★★★★Praised the ceramic coating result and the guidance provided when choosing the service.
Request a Quote
Tell us what you drive. We’ll tell you what it needs.
Year, make and model, and whether it is already coated. Photos of the underside help. If a $225 cleaning is all it needs, that is what we will tell you.
Request details2725 N Nevada Ave
Mag chloride FAQ
What Colorado drivers ask us.
(719) 517-7220 · 2725 N Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs
What de-icer does Colorado Springs use on its roads?
The City of Colorado Springs uses liquid magnesium chloride for anti-icing, applied to main streets before storms when conditions allow, then de-icing agents after snow accumulates. It also uses a sand-and-salt anti-skid mix and IceSlicer for colder conditions. CDOT uses liquid magnesium chloride de-icers on state highways like I-25.
Is mag chloride worse for cars than road salt?
It depends on conditions. CDOT's own corrosion study found magnesium chloride more corrosive than sodium chloride to bare metals in cyclic wet-dry testing, because it sticks to metal when dry and re-dissolves when wet. In continuous-spray testing the result reversed. Colorado's freeze-thaw and sunny days between storms are exactly the wet-dry cycle.
Does mag chloride damage cars?
It is corrosive to exposed metal and it clings to the underside, wheels and lower panels. CDOT advises washing vehicles after snowstorms to remove the residue. A coating on the paint and a corrosion-inhibiting film underneath limit what it can reach.
When should I undercoat my car in Colorado?
In the fall, before anti-icing starts. Fluid Film lasts up to a year, so a fall application covers the whole season, and the underside is easier to prep before it has a winter of brine on it.
Can I still undercoat in the middle of winter?
Yes. The underside is degreased, iron-treated and dried before anything goes on either way. Cleaning is priced on condition, so a winter of buildup can mean more cleaning time first.
How often should I wash mag chloride off my car?
After storms, which is CDOT's own advice. On coated paint the residue releases with a normal wash, and an undercarriage cleaning takes the buildup off the parts a wash bay cannot reach.
Does ceramic coating protect against mag chloride?
On the paint, yes: the brine film rinses off a coated surface instead of bonding. It does not cover the frame or underbody, which is what undercoating is for.
Can undercoating be done mobile?
No. Undercarriage cleaning and undercoating are done at our 2725 N Nevada Ave shop in Colorado Springs, with the vehicle on the lift.