Chris I enjoyed your post.  I'll add to the fray with a few comments.

I agree pretty much with everything you said.  I just have a few
questions/comments for folks who do body work for a living.

1.  I am completely a fan of using epoxy primer.  It's expensive, but from
the work I've done with it, performs very well.  From what I've seen, body
shops don't use rust treatments...they just prep properly and use an epoxy
primer (which is hydrophobic).  So are rust coatings the "teflon oil
additives" of the industry?

2.  Living in the "salt belt" with long and cold winters I have a different
perspective on rust.  First, is that prevention is everything.  That means
carefull attention to exterior maintenance and regular rust control.  Krown
is the one the CAA seems to like.  I actually purchased a pressurized
cavity gun just for the purpose of hitting areas during repair. With the
vanagon's insulation, taking it to a shop and having a 16 year old blast
the inside cavities with rust treatment is not a good idea, and a waste of
money.  To do the job right, the insulation should be removed, or at least
paid careful heed to while doing the cavities.  For that matter, I've taken
vehicles back to "Rust Check" and finally given up using them as a result
of poor application techniques.  I am of the opinion that good products are
often maligned as a result of poor application.

3.  Body "penetrations" are my pet peeve.  If you're drilling a hole in the
body and putting in a bolt or screw, then there is really a proper way to
do this.  Cleaning, epoxy primer, then a plastic insert are the only ways
to keep the thing from rusting.  Time and time again I've stripped vehicles
to paint them, and found the sins of a previous owner's sloppiness in this
regard.  Drives me crazy.

I've learned (personal experience unfortunately) that if you half bake the
job, particularly here in salt/gravel land, you'll be doing it again, and
again ... Unless you're willing to do (or pay for doing) the job right,
it's much less frustrating just to sell your vehicle and move on.  Cheaper
too.