If you're going to powder coat it, now would be the time.
Mine has been on and held up well for 2.5 years now, for several long wheeling and cross-country trips, plus I drive it a lot at home too. It's parked in a shop/garage but I don't wash it very often. Anyway, after 2.5 years it doesn't have any rust, and it's not in a dry climate either. The paint has rubbed off on the top of the bottom rail, where the rubber bumpers that hold the weight of the swing-outs sit on it. When I first installed mine, I touched-up any worn, scratched, or flaked areas with black Rust Bullet and it has absolutely stuck and done its job. Two thumbs up for Rust Bullet.
Here is a photo I took yesterday, after taking the top off for the season:
Here are some rear shots from last summer in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado: