Rust On A Used Truck

When you're buying a used vehicle, one of the easiest things to look for is rust. Someone without any mechanical knowledge or training can easily crawl under the cab and look for signs of rust--making rust one of the biggest reasons for a used truck sale to fall apart. However, since the products used in road ice and snow removal tend to be the primary cause of most rust cases, it's pretty common to find rust on a used truck that's been on some winter runs.

All of this adds up to a confusing purchase experience for most customers. That said, if you know a little bit about rust and what to look for on a used truck, you can find a reliable truck at a great price without having to worry about rust compromising your investment.

Surface vs. Structural

What you're looking for at this stage is the presence of surface rust--the flaky, chipped type of rust that begins to flake away with a wire brush. Sometimes, the area affected by surface rust can appear intimidating. You shouldn't let that necessarily impact your decision to buy, though. This type of rust is easily treatable.

On the other hand, the presence of structural rust is a different story altogether. Structural rust is when the corroded medal has developed pitting, or in some cases, outright holes in the metal. In these cases, the structural qualities of the metal are compromised. Since repairing the rust is impossible without replacing the entire part in cases of structural rust, you'll want to avoid vehicles in this condition.

Location, Location,

Anywhere that there is a seam or a joint should be rust-free. That's because rust weakens the metal it resides on. You don't want to purchase a truck that could have weak joints and seams. Since it's difficult to determine if the rusted areas are weakened or not, this situation is bad for a buyer.

Also, as a rule, you should avoid trucks where the engine or other moving parts have rust issues--surface or otherwise. These parts are expensive repair jobs, and your safety while driving the truck is reliant on these parts functioning properly. Be sure to check these areas thoroughly when assessing a potential purchase.

Treatment Cost

If you decide that your potential truck is worth pursuing despite the presence of rust, you should know how much to budget for repairs. You should consider it mandatory to have the truck treated immediately after purchase, in order to prevent future problems. On top of that, you might be able to negotiate a more favorable purchase price if you understand how much the treatment will cost.

Unfortunately, a lot of factors contribute to the cost of a rust mitigation for your truck. These factors include:

Location