a used car from our neighbors when we were living in Alabama. They and the car were from Michigan. I told him to take the car to a mechanic for a check but.... No... what could I possibly know. Wasn't a month later when we were driving it and the brakes went out. The brake lines were completely rusted through as was most of the underside of the car. The only good thing was we didn't hit anything and no one got hurt.

My Pontiac, which had no other major issues throughout the life of the car, just failed to pass inspection because of frame rust. I've been diligent about maintenance and I get it washed regularly, too - just not in sub zero weather. It's heartbreaking for me because it's been a such a terrific car - and I can never get another Pontiac.

And you were absolutely right in getting the car checked out. It does depend on the state. I was complaining to my cousin who lives in Colorado about this - another state where they have a lot of snow - and he didn't know what I was talking about.

You want to leave it outside if you can't wash it anytime soon. The cold will slow the chemical reaction between metal and salty gunk.

TlalocW

through when I was younger. But in recent decades, even though I have lived in places that get snow, and do snow removal, I have not seen that sort of dreadful rusting in decades.

To be honest, I haven't lived on the east coast since the very end of 1981, but even then I wasn't seeing serious rusting. And yet I frequently read stuff about how cars rust out. What am I missing?

Rusted out cars mean JOBS! Somebody has to replace those cars.

I live in California. Cars here rarely rust out. My mid-eighties car with 300,000+ miles on it (and a bullet hole in the upper rear left fender, from times living in bad neighborhoods) is still going strong.

The only salt damage it's ever suffered is beach parking lots and it's negligible.

Surf's Up!