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Should "Beaters" Be Taken Off the Road?

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Comments

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    edited October 2010
    "...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

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    "...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

  • greg128greg128 Member Posts: 526
    Those pictures are awful.

    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.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,441
    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.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,564
    "...Hard to believe some of them are safe..."

    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

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    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.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    East Coast? You mean one of the Great Lakes coasts perhaps? Ironwood MI is farther west than New Orleans. :shades:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    East of ME...okay okay, point taken....a MIDWEST car (even worse).
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited October 2010
    I'm reminded of the famous New Yorker Magazine cover, but you're on the wrong coast. :)

    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)
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    I saw (soon after it happened, not eye-witness) a very rusty Audi break in half after an accident on Hwy 82 in Colorado.

    Was this east or west of Aspen?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    This was west, towards Glenwood Springs, as I recall just past Woody Creek.
  • m6vxm6vx Member Posts: 142
    Michigan - east coast?

    No, Michigan is sometimes called the Third Coast since it has more coastline than any other state except Alaska.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    That's the way my mind works-- RUST = EAST of the Rockies.

    Is Michigan east of the Rockies? There you go :P
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    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".
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    BARELY east of the Rockies.....but you're right, cars don't rust much in Denver.

    Okay, East of Rockies + Humidity + Road Salt = East Coast.
This discussion has been closed.