Keep Your GMC Truck Looking Sharp Through Salt, Slush, and Gravel Drive through any Panhandle town after the first ice storm, and you'll spot trucks wearing a white crust of salt up to the door handles. Slush works its way into every seam, and loose gravel peppers the paint. A few easy habits keep your GMC looking sharp all season, and the right trim and accessories make the job easier. Regular washes that reach the wheel wells and underbody rinse salt away before it settles in. A coat of wax before the cold arrives gives your paint a barrier against salt and grime. GMC backs its trucks with rust-through coverage, and genuine accessories add protection where wear hits hardest. Why Salt and Slush Bother Your Truck Road crews treat icy highways so everyone gets home safely, but that treatment sticks to your truck. AAA says salt can corrode the undercarriage, suspension, and exterior, and the lower panels, wheel wells, and frame rails catch the most spray. Sand and gravel ride along too. They chip the paint, and every chip lets moisture in. Wash Smart and Wash Often Regular washing is your best defense. Pick a wash that cleans the undercarriage, and go during the day so your truck can dry before the temperature drops. If you're hosing it off at home, spray out the wheel wells and the spots behind the fenders. Salt loves to hide there. Steer clear of deep puddles and deep snow when you can, since snow packs salt in spots that are hard to rinse. Floor mats collect their share too, so pull them out, shake them off, and scrub them with soap and water. And rinse the wheels every time you wash, whatever the finish. Wax Before the First Freeze Think of wax as an invisible shield for your paint. Put on a good coat before winter starts, then refresh it as the season rolls on. Wash first so you aren't sealing grit under the wax. Clean tires help too, since dirty ones fling grime straight at the body. What GMC Says About Rustproofing Before you book an undercoating, check what the manufacturer says. GMC builds its trucks to resist corrosion and says extra rust-inhibiting products aren't required. Aftermarket rustproofing can even reduce the corrosion resistance already built into the truck, and the new vehicle warranty doesn't cover repairs caused by those products. GMC covers rust-through, meaning an actual hole in a panel, for 6 years or 100,000 miles. Our service team can answer your questions before you add anything to the underbody. Genuine Accessories Do the Dirty Work Molded all-weather floor liners trap water, salt, and mud before they reach the carpet. Splash guards cut down spray along the fender flares. Bed mats and bed liners shield the cargo floor, and a tonneau cover keeps slush out of the bed. Genuine GM accessories are built for your exact truck, so they fit right and stay put. Sierra 1500 Trims at a Glance Every GMC Sierra 1500 trim handles winter a little differently. This chart covers the exterior details that matter most in salt season. Trim Grille and Header Wheels Underbody Protection Bed Protection Pro Chrome Silver steel None listed Liner or mat accessories Elevation High gloss black Machined aluminum with dark accents None listed Liner or mat accessories AT4 High gloss black Machined aluminum available Underbody skid plates Spray-on bedliner AT4X High gloss black with shadow inserts AT4X exclusive wheels AEV boron steel skid plates Spray-on bedliner Denali Chrome Polished or painted aluminum None listed Liner or mat accessories Denali Ultimate Shadow finish Diamond cut aluminum None listed Liner or mat accessories "None listed" means GMC doesn't list that item among the main features for the trim. Trims and features can change over time, so check the window label on the truck you like. The AT4 and AT4X bring skid plates that shield the underbody from flying gravel. Both offer a spray-on bedliner. Available underbody cameras on the Sierra 1500 even have a wash function that keeps the lenses clear of mud and debris. The same winter routine suits the Sierra HD and the Canyon, including the Canyon AT4. Your Pre-Winter Checklist for a GMC Truck Start with a clean truck and a fresh coat of wax. Add floor liners, splash guards, and bed protection before the first storm. Once winter hits, wash often, hit the wheel wells and underbody, and dry the truck in daylight. Ask a dealer before you apply any aftermarket undercoating. Follow those steps and your truck will still look great when the weather warms up. Get Your Truck Winter Ready at Greg Lair GMC We've served the Texas Panhandle for over 30 years, so we know what winter does to a truck. Our parts department stocks genuine GM accessories, and you can order them online. Factory-trained technicians in our service department work on all makes and models, and you can schedule a visit online at a time that suits you. Shopping for a new GMC Sierra, Sierra HD, or Canyon? We keep one of the largest GMC inventories in Texas. Every new vehicle comes with our free Lifetime Powertrain Warranty when you keep up with factory-recommended scheduled maintenance. Stop by and see the Greg Lair difference for yourself.
