I posted up a bunch related to this rusting issue back around April/May when I ordered my truck thru Mark Dodge. I was absolutely horrified by the pictures I was seeing from local Nebraska dealers, with the truck all muddy inside and out. And all the black plastic trim pieces already looked like they'd sat in the desert sun for 20 years. I appreciate you researching and finding this is a problem with their storage lot. I was always told it was from the train ride. My theory is they probably have a dust control chemical like calcium chloride. They spray that on gravel roads in Nebraska, and while it does keep the dust down, it is the same stuff they use to de-ice the roads in winter, and it rusts things out super quickly.
I wouldn't use any POR 15 products. I've applied them following their instructions to a T and they actually caused worse rust.
My experience with my May 2025 Cummins was that it looked brand new underneath, and I was able to add my extra paint without having to prep it very much at all. The top and inside were detailed very well by Mark Dodge. However, they missed the entire roof and painted area below the rear window. Once I cleaned the roof, I found a massive scratch down to the metal and a huge dent. If I ever get another new vehicle, I guess I'll go over the whole damn thing with a magnifying glass while I'm picking it up. Unfortunately for me that day, I had pulled an all nighter, caught a 430am flight, and stepped out of the plane to 100% humidity and 90°+, and their dealership's power went out. So I was tired and sweating my brains out. I think Mexico probably feels their jobs are threatened and they are sabotaging trucks a little bit this year. Mark Dodge actually told me they've had countless claims submitted against Ram to be reimbursed for excessive cleaning. 10k miles later, and I still haven't gotten my truck as dirty as it was when it showed up to MD.
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