Got a question for you folks from up north. I'm starting to look for a slightly used truck. I can't seem to find one in the southeast. I've always heard about the road salt up north rusting cars out. I can also see it making getting rusty bolts loose a real pain.Would a truck that is a less than 2 years old with 20-30k miles affected to bad??Not I've decided I want a Ram 2500 Big Horn with the 6.4 gaser, it is the lowest trim level that has the 60/40 split seat. I need that so I can put my 2 kids and a Golden Retriever in the back seat :) I'd be fine with a Tradesman if it wasn't for the back seat. I'm not sure why, but I see very few of this configuration.

"up north" doesn't help us. There are plenty of places in "the north" that don't get much ice or salt. There are many that do.

bought a truck up north once " in the salt belt ", never again.

Redwoodcamper wrote:"up north" doesn't help us. There are plenty of places in "the north" that don't get much ice or salt. There are many that do.Thanks for the reply, having always lived in AL and GA, we don't really know how all that works. We get a 1/2" of snow, and close the schools for 2-3 days :)I noticed several in Illinois, and Ohio. I'm not sure if I want to travel that far for one, but I'm trying to decide if I should even consider these areas.

I guess it depends on how far north you mean. I live in a State that uses lots of salt and it does a number on all vehicles in just a few years. On the other hand I wouldn't buy a southern truck that has been in a flood so it works both ways. As mentioned, there are lots of northern States that don't use a lot of salt so they may a good place to buy a used truck.Our schools may delay opening by 2 hours during a blizzard or more than 6" of snow to allow road crews to get the roads cleared for the buses. We got 6" last night and I didn't even see any school delays. We do see lots of accidents but I think that's either because people forget how to drive in snow or are in too much of a darn hurry to slow down.

A truck 2 years old are mostly ok up here in Maine but I see 10 year old trucks with rusted rocker panels exc. Some never wash the salt off after a storm.

Buying a truck from up north?? | Good Sam Community

Redwoodcamper
Explorer
Dec 13, 2017
"up north" doesn't help us. There are plenty of places in "the north" that don't get much ice or salt. There are many that do.
1stgenfarmboy
Explorer
Dec 13, 2017
bought a truck up north once " in the salt belt ", never again.
wowens79
Explorer III
Dec 13, 2017
Redwoodcamper wrote:
"up north" doesn't help us. There are plenty of places in "the north" that don't get much ice or salt. There are many that do.

Thanks for the reply, having always lived in AL and GA, we don't really know how all that works. We get a 1/2" of snow, and close the schools for 2-3 days :)

I noticed several in Illinois, and Ohio. I'm not sure if I want to travel that far for one, but I'm trying to decide if I should even consider these areas.
George3037
Explorer
Dec 13, 2017
I guess it depends on how far north you mean. I live in a State that uses lots of salt and it does a number on all vehicles in just a few years. On the other hand I wouldn't buy a southern truck that has been in a flood so it works both ways. As mentioned, there are lots of northern States that don't use a lot of salt so they may a good place to buy a used truck.

Our schools may delay opening by 2 hours during a blizzard or more than 6" of snow to allow road crews to get the roads cleared for the buses. We got 6" last night and I didn't even see any school delays. We do see lots of accidents but I think that's either because people forget how to drive in snow or are in too much of a darn hurry to slow down.
mat60
Explorer
Dec 13, 2017
A truck 2 years old are mostly ok up here in Maine but I see 10 year old trucks with rusted rocker panels exc. Some never wash the salt off after a storm.
wowens79
Explorer III
Dec 13, 2017
George3037 wrote:
I guess it depends on how far north you mean. I live in a State that uses lots of salt and it does a number on all vehicles in just a few years. On the other hand I wouldn't buy a southern truck that has been in a flood so it works both ways. As mentioned, there are lots of northern States that don't use a lot of salt so they may a good place to buy a used truck.

I heard that, I found 2 in central Florida, that I crossed off because of the hurricane. Texas/Louisiana is also off the list :)
Ivylog
Explorer III
Dec 13, 2017
It only takes one time in salt to have it do it's thing. Find the seat you need from a wrecked truck to expand your number of choices.
rockhillmanor
Explorer
Dec 13, 2017
wowens79 wrote:
Redwoodcamper wrote:
"up north" doesn't help us. There are plenty of places in "the north" that don't get much ice or salt. There are many that do.

Thanks for the reply, having always lived in AL and GA, we don't really know how all that works. We get a 1/2" of snow, and close the schools for 2-3 days :)

I noticed several in Illinois, and Ohio. I'm not sure if I want to travel that far for one, but I'm trying to decide if I should even consider these areas.

IMHO NO.
I am from originally from Illinois, moved to Wisconsin.

Illinois, Ohio, Indiana are all around the bottom of the Great Lakes. They use COPIOUS amounts of salt in that area. More than anywhere else because of the constant lake effect snows in that area causing very dangerous driving on those roads.

And it's not just rusty bolts. It's rusty everything. 99% of the people in that area do NOT wash the undercarriage of their vehicles after each snow fall where they coat the streets with salt each and every time.

I faithfully washed the undercarriage of my Tahoe after driving on salted roads and it still did not stop the rusting.

Fast forward to 2017 I am in Florida.
I had a fuel line leak with that same Tahoe I took such fine care of the undercarriage.

Pulled into an auto repair and asked if they could slip me in and fix a fuel line leak.

The guy only looked out the window at my Tahoe and said NO! I asked why? Mechanic said: "Because I see you have "Wisconsin" plates. The lines will be all rusted and it will take me almost all day to get them off and replace them."

That should answer your question if you should buy from 'up North'. :B

You want cheap no salt cars? Look into centrql Florida. The selling prices on cars and RV's are so low it's ridiculous.

I waited till I got down here to sell my truck and MH. What a mistake. The selling prices down here are over 50% less than what a truck or MH would sell for up north. :(
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Dec 13, 2017
In SoCal we close the schools if it might rain, wowens.
Bedlam
Moderator
Dec 13, 2017
I would look at the southwest before the northeast. Like you pointed out, you have to watch for salvaged vehicles from flooded areas, but I'm also reluctant to buy anything used near a salty coast since I have seen what that air does to cars even if not driven on the beach.