Rust issues

[No Moa]

Morning!

So i'm in the process of looking at several cars on the east coast. Unfortunatly they are min of 4 hours away, so i'm trying to compile all the info I can find. I have what to search for in the way of mechanical, but what about body rust? are they cars seeing any specific rust points? Like the old cars caprices used to rust in the lower rear quarters and the front body mounts.

Thanks
Glen

[CrashTestDummy]

I haven't seen any 'classic' spots these cars rust, but I don't live in the rust belt. Our Caprice did come from Wisconsin, though, and it was, to me, surprisingly clean. We do have a spot on the front fender at the very front, up where the bumper cover contacts the fender, where it looks like the paint got chipped, then some rust set in. I'm getting that fixed while they fix some rock damage on the hood.

When I took the car in for the fuel pump recall, the service writer indicated they had some significant issues with a rusty bolt attaching the rear subframe to the body. It delayed me getting the car back for several days. Other than some rust on the exhaust, that's about all I've found.

[No Moa]

Thank you Gene.

Looking at a 13 with 80k on it. I was just curious what to look for when I make the trip.

Glen

[CrashTestDummy]

Check the expansion joints on the exhaust where the mufflers attach to the rest of the exhaust system. Those seem to rust and break. I do seem to remember that the threads on the rear swaybar end links were a bit rusty, but not something that I couldn't get off with normal wrenches. It certainly wasn't anything like the oval-shapped bolts one would find on older cars that lived in the north.

[Raunchtastic]

I also had rusted out flex joints at the rear of the exhaust just before the mufflers. That and the front fender just above the plastic front bumper. Also, under the air box the paint started peeling back and rust has started to set in. As well as all of the body seams under the car. My vehicle came from NY. The entire exhaust system, with the exception of the manifold to cylinder head bolts, is completely frozen. I just recently bought a used G8 system to replace it, as all of the flanges were leaking. Good luck!

[No Moa]

Thank you for that, I'll look them all over in these spots.

[No Moa]

Drove 400 round trip miles yesterday to look at 2 2013s. The 80k mile one the joints were bad. The 99k one they looked ok.
Wouldn't give me half what my trade was worth so I had to walk away.

[Siid]

Ouch. That's always a pain. Sorry to hear that they wasted your time!

[No Moa]

it happens, I was hesitant to begin with, I should have listened to myself. lol.

[lsxJERRY]

My car is from Brown County Wisconsin (Green Bay area), and salt gets used from there to Michigan a lot. I live in Indiana and have driven my car in salt (because why not?) only issue with rust so far is flex pipes in the rear section of the exhaust, they completely fell off.

Replaced it with Solo Performance exhaust and better than new now.

Plan on driving again this winter with Blizzaks on the steelies.


Also as an fyi, pushing close to 170k miles and cleanest car (rust-wise) I've ever had.