"...inference that GMs rust more than Toyotas?..."
The worst rust bucket I ever owned was my 1986 Toyota PU. Rotted out in 3-4 years. At 12 years old you could put your foot through the bed by stepping on it.
Speaking of GM, I just bought a 93 Caddy Deville with almost NO rust. To go almost 18 years in upstate NY where they pave the streets with salt in winter the car must have sat in the garage a lot.
In my experience cars of the 60s and 70s rusted out after 7-8 years. Cars of the 90s lasted 12-15. Brand new cars might go 15+
So much depends on where in the country they are driven. Down south I see 30-40 year old cars that look showroom new. I guess in the south you replace the paint and in the north you replace the sheet metal.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
"...in New England, both the '85 and '97 would be ancient history..."
My '85 Ford F-150 went to the graveyard last year because it was so rusty that the weight of more than one passenger would cause the cab to flex and the doors wouldn't close. At that point I was only driving it 5 miles a week to the farmer's market but it seemed to be a good time to bury it. :lemon:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I just took a look on cars.com for used Chevy pick-ups and I didn't see one with a rust spot. These included some for around $2000-$3000 with high miles and 10 or more years old. I never see any old trucks around here (NY) with that much rust.
I have a 2006 Silverado with not even a hint of rust, including the frame.
I suspect those trucks are used often at boat ramps where they submerge the rear end in salt water.
I have family in the region of NY, so am there a lot. If you ever need a couple thousand totally rotted out 80s-90s vintage GMs and japanese models, head up there.
all the salt, lots of people parking outside (and probably too poor or cheap to wash them!) = rust.
and it is shocking to see how severe, as in missing outer panels, some of these cars are. Hard to believe some of them are safe, since that is just the parts you can see. 1 big bump and easy to imagine rotted out suspensions mounting points just collapsing.
In the north, rust is the biggest killer of cars. All the cars I have sent to the junk yard died from rust rather than mechanical failure (except for the ones my kids drove off cliffs or ran with out any oil). People in NY expect to be able to do 70 in a snowstorm so the state uses WAY too much salt.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I saw (soon after it happened, not eye-witness) a very rusty Audi break in half after an accident on Hwy 82 in Colorado. I remember it was an east coast car because it had Michigan plates. The front half and rear half ended up 25 yards apart. Yes, someone was killed.
That's the way my mind works-- RUST = EAST of the Rockies.
Well, gee, Shifty - Denver is east of the Rockies, and we don't have a huge problem with rust around here.
In fact, another car-related forum has a regular spot that shows pictures of older cars in and around Denver and uses the tag line "the city that rust forgot".
Comments
The worst rust bucket I ever owned was my 1986 Toyota PU. Rotted out in 3-4 years. At 12 years old you could put your foot through the bed by stepping on it.
Speaking of GM, I just bought a 93 Caddy Deville with almost NO rust. To go almost 18 years in upstate NY where they pave the streets with salt in winter the car must have sat in the garage a lot.
In my experience cars of the 60s and 70s rusted out after 7-8 years. Cars of the 90s lasted 12-15. Brand new cars might go 15+
So much depends on where in the country they are driven. Down south I see 30-40 year old cars that look showroom new. I guess in the south you replace the paint and in the north you replace the sheet metal.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
My '85 Ford F-150 went to the graveyard last year because it was so rusty that the weight of more than one passenger would cause the cab to flex and the doors wouldn't close. At that point I was only driving it 5 miles a week to the farmer's market but it seemed to be a good time to bury it. :lemon:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I just took a look on cars.com for used Chevy pick-ups and I didn't see one
with a rust spot. These included some for around $2000-$3000 with high miles
and 10 or more years old. I never see any old trucks around here (NY) with
that much rust.
I have a 2006 Silverado with not even a hint of rust, including the frame.
I suspect those trucks are used often at boat ramps where they submerge
the rear end in salt water.
all the salt, lots of people parking outside (and probably too poor or cheap to wash them!) = rust.
and it is shocking to see how severe, as in missing outer panels, some of these cars are. Hard to believe some of them are safe, since that is just the parts you can see. 1 big bump and easy to imagine rotted out suspensions mounting points just collapsing.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
In the north, rust is the biggest killer of cars. All the cars I have sent to the junk yard died from rust rather than mechanical failure (except for the ones my kids drove off cliffs or ran with out any oil). People in NY expect to be able to do 70 in a snowstorm so the state uses WAY too much salt.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
In other news, you can now share your beater on your coast and still get insurance coverage. That should encourage more of them to stay on the road.
Meet the beater: A low-stress way to carshare (SF Gate)
California Bill Would Help Neighbors Share an SUV (matternetwork.com)
Was this east or west of Aspen?
No, Michigan is sometimes called the Third Coast since it has more coastline than any other state except Alaska.
Is Michigan east of the Rockies? There you go :P
Well, gee, Shifty - Denver is east of the Rockies, and we don't have a huge problem with rust around here.
In fact, another car-related forum has a regular spot that shows pictures of older cars in and around Denver and uses the tag line "the city that rust forgot".
Okay, East of Rockies + Humidity + Road Salt = East Coast.