Snowbelt Rust & Decaying Cars

[slow&rusty]

One of the primary reasons I moved away from the North East was the salt and snow and how my cars turned into decayed heaps...I came across these pictures today as a reminder that every car no matter how expensive is spared.

The rust is so bad on this C-Class it is being offered for less than $500 and it runs.











At least he loves his geeetar!

[oldE]

That is the very reason we purchased, in '07 a VW with a 12 year corrosion perforation warranty. In the past 5 years, VW has replaced the hood, trunk lid, both front fenders, repaired rear fenders and is replacing the second rocker panel this week. All at no cost to us.
When we were making our purchasing decision, it was a toss up between the Jetta and a Mazda 3 sport. As much as we liked the Mazda, the rust protection was 5 years or less. We tend to keep our cars >10 years.
On the other hand, a friend of mine has a GMC 5 ton with a Jerrdan body. It looks to be in show room shape because it gets washed at least once, sometimes twice each week.
Last month, I was on Vancouver Island and couldn't help noticing 20 and 30 year old cars and trucks with faded paint. No rust to speak of. Sigh.

Best
Les

[stevej37]

That car is a mess! Doubt the owner ever washed it after getting it loaded up with salt.
Mich layers the salt on in the winter. My 04 Ranger has been driven in every winter and still doesn't show rust. Not sure of the year of the MB.

[masraum]

We lived in northern Japan when I was younger, twice, for about 2.5 years each time. We were there through 3 winters each time. We got LOTS of snow. In Japan they didn't put down salt or sand, I think. We used snow tires, and if it was warranted, chains. Often during the winter there would be times that you couldn't see the roads through the snow/ice/slush. There was rust, but it wasn't that bad.

[fastfredracing]

I have always just kept winter cars. Anything you want to keep nice here , you basically have to keep off the roads Nov- March.
I pressure wash the underside of my cars frequently in the winter months. Try to keep all that calcium chloride from making its way into all the seams.
My dually , does not really even see winter driving, and I keep it super clean, the rocker panels, however are not going to make it much longer .
You should see the underside of my plow truck. Takes wrenching on it to a whole new level of total pia.

[asphaltgambler]

Looks like the owner drove it into the ocean, several times - not just near it.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Ugh! Shoot it and put it out of its misery! Poor car!

SO glad to be gone from the NE - one of many reasons I’m never looking back!

[ckelly78z]

This is more a picture of neglect, not fixing earlier damage, and probably never washing/waxing. So many people just drive a car like an appliance, and don't care about taking care of/fixing/maintaining it, that there are examples like this out there....so sad !

[speeder]

Look at the bright side, teenagers can get a schit bucket Mercedes for $400 and when it breaks, just push it off a cliff or have a kegger and charge everyone $10 for a beer cup and 5 whacks w a sledge hammer on the Benz.

Glass half full.

[GH85Carrera]

When we spent a week in Travers City, MI and we saw a lot of fairly new cars with horrible rust like that. It is the very essence of a winter beater. I guess people that can't afford a second car don't buy new cars, just old rusty beaters. I can't imagine spending 40 or 50 grand on a decent new car and having it rust to crap in three or 4 years. Oh well, not my problem.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

This is more a picture of neglect, not fixing earlier damage, and probably never washing/waxing. So many people just drive a car like an appliance, and don't care about taking care of/fixing/maintaining it, that there are examples like this out there....so sad !

Why is it sad?

This car is an appliance. It's also a POS model that is not worth buying in CA. or somewhere else where they are in mint condition. Unless a vehicle is very special to start with, it's just a mass produced appliance with a consumer purpose like a coffee maker or an oven. No reason to attach emotional significance to it.

You could make the argument that someone should have taken better care of this appliance for economic reasons but I've always suspected that people who don't GAF about cars get more actual enjoyment from them, (or at least a lot less stress), than someone like me w OCD who fixes every small and large thing and steam cleans the undercarriage in SoCal.

[slow&rusty]

Sadly the highly regarded (today) 123 Chassis evolved into the C Class and its a shame that the C Class has morphed into an appliance or however you want to describe it.

When I was in my 20s, it would have been an honor and privilege to own any Mercedes.

When I lived in the North East I drove only Japanese cars of '80s and '70s vintage and they basically disintegrated after each winter, you then spent all spring and summer fixing the rust only to have it rust again the following winter, so you always chased your tail. The worse part was snapping the head off bolts when doing any suspension or maintenance work and spending hours trying to re-drill and re-tap...only to have the drill bit walk on you....painful memories.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by slow&rusty

The rust is so bad on this C-Class it is being offered for less than $500 and it runs.

Dude, I could so make it that you would not see any of the rust, and all for a few cans of dollar store spray paint, masking tape and some Permatex (turns rust black).

All you need to do is love Zebra Stripes or Razzle Dazzle, it's camouflage for rust.

My rolling art project and winter beater.



She's so pretty in our first dusting of snow, turns 20 years old in a few months.

[exc911ence]

Originally Posted by oldE

That is the very reason we purchased, in '07 a VW with a 12 year corrosion perforation warranty. In the past 5 years, VW has replaced the hood, trunk lid, both front fenders, repaired rear fenders and is replacing the second rocker panel this week. All at no cost to us.
When we were making our purchasing decision, it was a toss up between the Jetta and a Mazda 3 sport. As much as we liked the Mazda, the rust protection was 5 years or less. We tend to keep our cars >10 years.
On the other hand, a friend of mine has a GMC 5 ton with a Jerrdan body. It looks to be in show room shape because it gets washed at least once, sometimes twice each week.
Last month, I was on Vancouver Island and couldn't help noticing 20 and 30 year old cars and trucks with faded paint. No rust to speak of. Sigh.

Best
Les

Which is one of the reasons I moved from Eastern Ontario (is there a bigger rust belt in the world?) to Victoria! Left my Jeep 4x4 behind and now enjoy a rust-free 2WD pick-up as a beater.

West is best!

[aigel]

That car was very prone to rusting. The sealing of the door bottoms etc. was sub par. So, yes, it is the salt, but other cars fare much better.

In a climate like that, an Al bodied car is the way to go.

It still sucks to work on cars in rust belt areas. I have a buddy that moved from OH and his car was practically new. 1 year on it in OH, doing anything on it was so much harder busting loose hardware than the CA cars I am used to.

g

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Hell, that car is just getting started. It has another good 10 years left in it!

[cabmandone]

Someone should have told that owner there are these newfangled things called drive thru car washes. $8 gets the crud off. The local one here give you $3 off if you come back within 7 or 14 days. $23/mo for 5 or 6 months seems like cheap insurance in preventing your car from looking like the one above.

[Brian 162]

I get my truck sprayed (Krown Rust Control) every year, it has 160,000 miles. The body shows no sign of rust.

[pavulon]

Imo, the salt induced corrosion of vehicles is the worst part of living in the snowbelt. It's depressing to see what happens to your investment/appliance/transportation (whatever term you use) every winter. It truly sucks.

[stevej37]

13 salty Michigan winters on mine. Just have to wash them.