I purchased my 4/4 in April 2017, it was registered in May 2016, so I believe I have the coated chassis ?
It looks very clean and shiny black under the car, but saying that my car hasn't seen any wet weather yet. The 4/4 is my weekend toy to use on nice days when I'm not working.
Therefore Should a galvanised or coated chassis really mater? I'm sure it will out last me at this rate !
Quite likely unless you are a teenager! The new coating process will make sure that the coating gets everywhere - until MMC drill holes for fitting bodywork and exposes the underlying metal. And thats where the problem comes with painted systems, when they are breached and bare metal is exposed to water and air and salt etc. Galvanising not only "alloys" itself to the steel and so cannot be peeled off, but round a breach the zinc preferentially erodes and so protects the steel until, that is, its used up.
And as Peter said earlier there are different sorts of zinc coating with some, such as on my mooring's Chinese made galvanised shackles being so thin that its really cosmetic and only until it sees any salty water. On the other hand,in my galvanising plant at work, we used to hot dip steel fabrications and that gives a really good thick layer that on my anchor, (and thats dragged through rocks and sand in salty water), is still good after 25 years use.
Hopefully the bits of your chassis that face the road have been covered with stone chip paint like the big car makers use. If not and the car was mine, I think I would apply some black waxoyl.
