Need insight on rust problem

[spipedong]

Hi guys,

I live in an area where we don't deal with vehicle rust so I'm kind of at a loss here.

I'm looking at a truck; it's a 1999 powerstroke originally from Michigan and priced $5K under bluebook. It's a great looking one owner truck meticulously clean inside and out.

Unfortunately I noticed some minor rust spots along the bottom of the doors and everything on the undercarriage was pretty rusty looking. There's a tiny little bubble (smaller than a dime size) on the driver's door as well.

So my question is: Will this truck continue to decay even though it's been removed from the corrosive environment?

I read alot about rust coming back even after coating with rust inhibiting paint... That's assuming the vehicle stays in a salty area though right?

For what it's worth, the KBB value in this area for the truck with the mileage it has is 15,900. It's at 10,900 and its this one here: http://tinyurl.com/2fnzuk

This is really my first encounter with rust... Pass on the truck or do you guys think it would be alright out here?

 

[Big Wang Bandit]

I want a 6 speed of my dads truck :[

Usually the rust you see on the outside, is jsut hte tip of the iceberg. But im not familliar with rust either.

 

[Murd]

Rust will come back. You could strip it to bare metal, acid etch it and prime/recoat though. Any spot that currently has rust, or is bare metal, will start rusting no matter where you live, just the degree it will rust changes depending on where you live.

 

[spipedong]

Sounds like I might need to pass on the deal. I don't want to dump a bunch of time and money into something I already spent 11K on

 

[Junior]

ya, sand, etch, primer will solve the problem, doesn't take THAT long, and to get that kinda deal on that truck, I'd definitely consider it.

 

[spipedong]

ya, sand, etch, primer will solve the problem, doesn't take THAT long, and to get that kinda deal on that truck, I'd definitely consider it.

Damn that's a tough call... Any ideas on cost, and does it work for undercarriage as well?

 

[Supracentral]

I'd pass. Rust is the cancer of vehicles. Once you start dealing with it you tend to keep dealing with it forever. What's the frame like? If it's from Michigan you can be sure it's seen lots of road salt.

Buy something that spent it's life local and it'll never fall apart.

 

[Jeff Lange]

I've been dealing with rust on my 86 Corolla, it's cost me 4x what the car is worth fixing rust, and I'm not done yet, all said and done, my restoration will put me at about $17,000, on a 21 year old car that cost $16,500 new, and I'll still have old bushings, brake lines, etc, etc. It will cost me more on top of the $17,000 to replace all the brakes, suspension parts, etc. I'm balls-deep though, no way out.

Decide how long you want to own the truck, and if it's not going to be that long, buy it, use it, sell it. If it's something you want to hang on to, find one without rust.