Car question for my "North East" fellow riders!!

[Tx Bohemian]

A month ago a lady ran a stop light and clocked me on the right side of my '08 Silverado totaling it!

I'm in the process of "duking" it out with the insurance company on payment!

Also been looking for another truck and would like to find one similar like I had. (it's got a few amenities that GM doesn't make anymore)

I found one that looks fabulous, and I'm quite interested in it.

It's in New Jersey. Originally purchased in Maryland. One owner, extremely low milage (and through research I'm confident it is legit).

My question is: what do I look for as far as the wintering "salting of the roads" results?

There are a few pictures of the bottom of the vehicle, and it looks great and they claim it's "rust free" (but of course we're talking about "used car salesmen").

I'd greatly appreciate any guidance / help on this as we don't have this issue here in S. Texas!!

[da prez]

  Get it on the rack of an independent shop. Expect to pay around a $100 to $150. Ask the owner if he would buy the truck for his child or loved one. 
  Look up on line for known failures on this specific vehicle.

                                            da prez

[GiG]

Inspect the wheel wells & fenders and bottom of the doors & rocker panels.
Stand back by the tailgate & look longways towards the front. Look for blisters in the paint that could indicate rust underneath.
When I was in NJ, I would look around & it seemed cars had much less salt damage than Detroit area. Not sure but it seems they use sand mostly on the roads instead of nacl
My winter car is a 20 year old Ranger I describe as “see through” because of holes on both sides of the bed  

[Jersey mike]

Unfortunately that’s quite subjective. I’ve seen trucks especially go from no rust to having rust patches in just a few years. Areas like rear wheel wells, bottom of doors, rocker panel, front fender bottoms and not to mention the tailgate and beds.

Mostly it depends on what its service has been…work or personal/pleasure. If it was not a work truck it most likely may have been washed on some type of regular maintenance and most automated car wash around here offer an undercarriage wash option which is just a high pressure spray rinse.

NJ isn’t afraid to salt, even at times when it may seem like it’s not necessary (sometimes I think they just have to use their supply in order to replenish) we use actual salt and brine, it depends on who (township, county, state) uses what and what the equipment each department has.

[old2soon]

      Find a Club Member near and see if he or she will eyeball for you. And take it for a test ride-20  25 miles or more to get it COMPLETELY warmed up. Chicago and the eadt coast KNOW how to do ice removal BUT vehicles pay a terrible toll in the long run. RIDE SAFE.

[GiG]

Expecting to buy a 20 year old truck with zero rust seems like quite the tall order; there are many solutions… buy a “southern” truck or a more recent model, add whatever options you like. Paint jobs may help, cost is negligible considering you get the exact ride you are looking for…
MI uses salt, most people have a winter- going to work car - $ leave the nice rides parked November to April, so no salt ever sees the nice rides - so it’s probably not the thing to do to rule out a vehicle due to geography. My main ride is a ‘95 El Dorado Cadillac - Zero Rust. Also, 2002 conversion van, zero rust, - never seen salt
Just got an offer on my 20 year old See through Ranger @ 200,000miles: $4000 (paid $3000) 7 yrs ago…
Good luck! Your replacement truck is out there! 

[98valk]

well salt is not the big problem but the Brine they use.   chevy's and a few other car makers had problem a few yrs ago with the brake lines rotting away from it since more went to a cheaper metal brake line material.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/worse-than-salt-brine-sprayed-on-roads-will-munch-your-car-to-pieces/2015/02/22/b89294e6-b949-11e4-aa05-1ce812b3fdd2_story.html?utm_term=.944af1e6e08e

[GiG]

Salt doesn’t seem to do much damage until it gets wet. Brine come wet from the factory, seems to be much more insidious

New paint, new brake lines seems like a small price for a long out of production dream car…

[Hook#3287]

well salt is not the big problem but the Brine they use.   chevy's and a few other car makers had problem a few yrs ago with the brake lines rotting away from it since more went to a cheaper metal brake line material.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/worse-than-salt-brine-sprayed-on-roads-will-munch-your-car-to-pieces/2015/02/22/b89294e6-b949-11e4-aa05-1ce812b3fdd2_story.html?utm_term=.944af1e6e08e

Exactly right, it's the brine that kills vehicles and they pour it out big time. Cheaper that sand and salt and no spring cleanup.

A buddy and I both bought new trucks in 2003, my Dodge dually and his 1500 Silverado.

About 2013, he needed to replace all his brake lines.

When he went shopping for parts, the sales guy on the phone told him they call them SilverROTos.

His frame final gave up the ghost around 2016 and he bought a F-350.

I replaced my first brake line 2 years ago and have a quarter panel that needs loving, but the rest is still in decent shape.

I remember Subaru had huge rot issues back in the day.

What may be more of an issue is vehicles that were caught in a flood, lots of those going around.

[Tx Bohemian]

      Find a Club Member near and see if he or she will eyeball for you.

Great idea, or if I could find a reputable garage/body-shop and pay them to take a look.

And take it for a test ride-20  25 miles or more to get it COMPLETELY warmed up.

And your right, unfortunately it's 1700 miles away!

[f6john]

I flew into Houston in 2006 to buy an 8,000 mile 05 Titan. In 2010 I flew into Oklahoma City to buy a 99 Corvette with 49,000 miles. In 2020 I drove 1000 miles round in one day trip pulling my bike trailer to buy a Goldwing, and came home empty handed. In 2021 I drove 1600 miles round trip to buy a 2008 Goldwing with 20k on the odometer. The trips where I flew in, I was fully prepared to fly back home. The round trip where I came back empty was disappointing but was the right decision. I wouldn’t pay anyone to look at a vehicle that far away and make a buying decision and possibly pay to ship it back home. But that’s just me, others do it all the time, sometimes you just have to roll the dice!

I still have the Titan, the Corvette, and the Wing, all have been very satisfactory purchases.

[Tx Bohemian]

I flew into Houston in 2006 to buy an 8,000 mile 05 Titan. In 2010 I flew into Oklahoma City to buy a 99 Corvette with 49,000 miles. In 2020 I drove 1000 miles round in one day trip pulling my bike trailer to buy a Goldwing, and came home empty handed. In 2021 I drove 1600 miles round trip to buy a 2008 Goldwing with 20k on the odometer. The trips where I flew in, I was fully prepared to fly back home. The round trip where I came back empty was disappointing but was the right decision. I wouldn’t pay anyone to look at a vehicle that far away and make a buying decision and possibly pay to ship it back home. But that’s just me, others do it all the time, sometimes you just have to roll the dice!

I still have the Titan, the Corvette, and the Wing, all have been very satisfactory purchases.

I get it!

I did all I can do here 1700 miles away.  Being an old Chevy mechanic employed at the local dealership I do have a little better insight/connection to research, which I've done.
With all that the vehicle looks legit.
The pictures look fabulous but, as we all know, nothing compares to looking in person, right?
Also living in the south we don't have the "winter issues" like up north, thus the questioning.

[f6john]

I flew into Houston in 2006 to buy an 8,000 mile 05 Titan. In 2010 I flew into Oklahoma City to buy a 99 Corvette with 49,000 miles. In 2020 I drove 1000 miles round in one day trip pulling my bike trailer to buy a Goldwing, and came home empty handed. In 2021 I drove 1600 miles round trip to buy a 2008 Goldwing with 20k on the odometer. The trips where I flew in, I was fully prepared to fly back home. The round trip where I came back empty was disappointing but was the right decision. I wouldn’t pay anyone to look at a vehicle that far away and make a buying decision and possibly pay to ship it back home. But that’s just me, others do it all the time, sometimes you just have to roll the dice!

I still have the Titan, the Corvette, and the Wing, all have been very satisfactory purchases.

I get it!

I did all I can do here 1700 miles away.  Being an old Chevy mechanic employed at the local dealership I do have a little better insight/connection to research, which I've done.
With all that the vehicle looks legit.
The pictures look fabulous but, as we all know, nothing compares to looking in person, right?
Also living in the south we don't have the "winter issues" like up north, thus the questioning.

So, “Whatcha gonna do, Willis?” 

[GiG]

Please be careful about buying a car based on geography! If that Jersey truck may have once been on a road where they de-ice with salt -so what??!!??
  oooo maybe it might need new brake lines 
Around here; you can’t give away a Florida car .  Warm moist Salty Fla air destroys  every automotive system  much more completely than a bit of road salt Ever Could! - even after spending months under 9’ of seawater

[hubcapsc]

I have a 1st Gen Tacoma, we hear a lot of scary stories about
their frames and salted roads...



Mine was kind of tired when I got it (like the Logtruck) but
no frame rust...

-Mike

[Robert]

Have the dealer put it up in the air with the car running and video the complete bottom of the truck. Not only will you hear the engine and transmission but you will see the results of the rust. I did this with a car I was going to buy that was in Colorado.

 Also check the brake lines that run under the battery if applicable.

[cookiedough]

expect some rust for 15 year old truck, especially bumpers and behind rear rocker panels in front of bed of truck down low.  I highly doubt it is rust free since not many use car washes weekly in winter to get the salt somewhat off. 

Toyota tundras/tacos are rust bucket issues on frames, etc. but in recent years they have become better, although ONLY time will tell on that as well since NOT old enough to start rusting badly if newer.

[Hotrodwing]

I agree being in northeast Pa  the brine is a killer and it sucks.  If the truck was near the coast it can also rust out too. Make sure the dealer didn't spray the frame with under coating.  That crap can hide a lot of rot and holds the moisture. I started oil coating my trucks a few years ago and the frames look very good .  They are messy to work on but a least the frame and brake lines are solid.     Look for a southwestern truck.