Sequentially applying two different coatings, in two steps, to metallic surfaces. Metallic surfaces are contacted at temperatures from 10-100° C. with aqueous solution A and then with aqueous solution B, or vice versa, wherein solution A contains an effective amount of zirconium, hafnium, titanium, silicon and/or boron, and of fluoride as ions and/or complex ions able to pickle metallic surfaces and generate a coating on the pickled metallic surface and that solution B contains an effective amount of one or more of XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* where Y is an organic group with 2-50 carbons, where X as well as Z is a group—each same or different—of OH—, SH—, NH2—, NHR—, CN—, CH═CH2—, OCN—, CONHOH—, COOR′, acrylamide-, epoxide-, CH2═CR″—COO—, COOH—, HSO3—, HSO4—, (OH)2PO—, (OH)2PO2—, (OH)(OR′)PO—, (OH)(OR′)PO2—, SiH3—, Si(OH)3—, where R′ is an alkyl group with 1-4 carbons, where R″ is hydrogen or an alkyl group with 1-4 carbons, and where X and Z are each bound to the Y in their terminal position, where Y* is an organic group with 1-30 carbons, where X* as well as Z* is a group—each same or different—of OH—, SH—, NH2—, NHR′—, CN—, CH═CH2—, OCN—, CONHOH—, COOR′, acrylamide-, epoxide-, CH2═CR″—COO—, COOH—, HSO3—, HSO4—, (OH)2PO—, (OH)2PO2—, (OH)(OR′)PO—, (OH)(OR′)PO2—, SiH3—, Si(OH)3—,N—CH2—PO(OH)2—, —N—[CH2—PO(OH)2]2— where R′ is an alkyl group with 1-4 carbons, where R″is hydrogen or an alkyl group with 1-4 carbons.