Yet Another Rust Question Thread (1 Viewer)

[benihana88]

Hey ya'll, I have a 1-owner i'm looking at out of Norther California. Before I fly out and take a closer look, I had the guy take some pictures of the undercarriage. They are not the best pictures, but I figure if anyone can help me, the fine people here are the experts.

Quick stats:
2005 LX470
120k Miles
Good Service Record (every 5k at a lexus dealership) up until about 20k miles go.
One height sensor has been replaced at roughly 60k miles, I had heard those can be susceptible to rust.

Images attached, is the rust out of the ordinary, and should i be worried. I'm particularly looking at the rear axle area as my concern.

TIA!

 

[diego355]

That is not even rusted

 

[Jeepster09]

Stay away....looks terrible!

 

[benihana88]

Stay away....looks terrible!

Well now you guys are sending mixed signals! Thank you, I just don't want a headache down the road and i'm willing to buy another vehicle. It's been a long 8 months of searching, so one more getting axed isn't a problem.

 

[Ohthetrees]

I don’t see anything of concern. I like to look at bolt heads, and they all look fine.

 

[Kabanstva]

Well now you guys are sending mixed signals! Thank you, I just don't want a headache down the road and i'm willing to buy another vehicle. It's been a long 8 months of searching, so one more getting axed isn't a problem.

I am pretty sure the guy that said it looks terrible is being sarcastic lol.

All the rust you're seeing is just surface stuff and gonna happen on a vehicle that is 13 years old in most parts of the country. Especially coastal areas with salt air. If this would have been a salt belt truck, that rust would've been ten times worse.

Nothing to worry about here.

 

[Jeepster09]

I am actually amazed you are asking. This is pretty outstanding looking for the year. You are not going to find much better for the year. You may need to lower your standards or raise your price range. Even then IT IS 13 YEARS OLD. OR.....go to rust free southern states.

 

[Kabanstva]

I am actually amazed you are asking. This is pretty outstanding looking for the year. You are not going to find much better for the year. You may need to lower your standards or raise your price range. Even then IT IS 13 YEARS OLD. OR.....go to rust free southern states.

That truck IS from a rust free southern state... Northern California is one of the best places to buy a vehicle from. No salt and doesn't have the intense heat of a place like AZ/NM, etc... so the weather stripping, rubber seals, and paint have a bit more chance of still being in good shape.

I think the e-coating Toyota uses on their frames and most suspension components is so ridiculously thin and cheap that even from a great area like Norcal you will eventually start seeing the coating fail and the parts get a light coat of surface rust all over. A few weeks ago on my trip to SEMA in Vegas, I took a day off and drove toward Socal to pick up a completely rust free 04 LS430 in Covina CA which is just east of Los Angeles. Not a spec of surface rust anywhere, all the aluminum components look brand new etc.

I have looked at a few dozen other LS430 and LS400s in the Socal region and was amazed that alot of them actually looked like the pictures in this thread, tons of surface rust everywhere (not that heavy scaly rust that you get in the north but still rust nonetheless). The only conclusion I could come up with is that those vehicles were maybe closer to the coast and the salt air just took its toll over the years. It's very hard to find the perfect vehicle... sometimes it's spotless underneath but the body and interior is not in great shape or the maintenance has been neglected or there's bodywork or accident history. You just have to settle for the best one I guess unless you plan on spending several years finding "the one", which odds are, you will OVERPAY considerably to acquire. Sometimes "the one" might not even be ideal especially for a vehicle like a 100 series that I am guessing most people on these forums take offroad to some degree. So owning something that is in brand new condition just takes the fun away due to fear of getting a paint chip or new scratch in the finish.

 

[uHu]

Looks like there is no real rust there. Just some surface discoloring.

 

[benihana88]

That truck IS from a rust free southern state... Northern California is one of the best places to buy a vehicle from. No salt and doesn't have the intense heat of a place like AZ/NM, etc... so the weather stripping, rubber seals, and paint have a bit more chance of still being in good shape.

I think the e-coating Toyota uses on their frames and most suspension components is so ridiculously thin and cheap that even from a great area like Norcal you will eventually start seeing the coating fail and the parts get a light coat of surface rust all over. A few weeks ago on my trip to SEMA in Vegas, I took a day off and drove toward Socal to pick up a completely rust free 04 LS430 in Covina CA which is just east of Los Angeles. Not a spec of surface rust anywhere, all the aluminum components look brand new etc.

I have looked at a few dozen other LS430 and LS400s in the Socal region and was amazed that alot of them actually looked like the pictures in this thread, tons of surface rust everywhere (not that heavy scaly rust that you get in the north but still rust nonetheless). The only conclusion I could come up with is that those vehicles were maybe closer to the coast and the salt air just took its toll over the years. It's very hard to find the perfect vehicle... sometimes it's spotless underneath but the body and interior is not in great shape or the maintenance has been neglected or there's bodywork or accident history. You just have to settle for the best one I guess unless you plan on spending several years finding "the one", which odds are, you will OVERPAY considerably to acquire. Sometimes "the one" might not even be ideal especially for a vehicle like a 100 series that I am guessing most people on these forums take offroad to some degree. So owning something that is in brand new condition just takes the fun away due to fear of getting a paint chip or new scratch in the finish.

Hey thanks so much for the thoughtful response! I drove the 8 hours to come take a look in person and plan on picking the beauty up. You talk about finding the right one, and not the perfect one. After all the positive feedback, (and some more research), this one is the right one for me! It isn't the right color (Eucalyptus Mica), but hey, it checks every other box that i was looking for (including the price!).

Thanks ya'll, i'm hoping to post my first "I'm a new owner and not just a creepy lurker" post on the forum.

 

[guardcompany]

That rust doesn't look bad, however that's more rust (more so on the rear diff) than normal for a California vehicle. I bought a 2004 with zero surface rust (and more miles) and it lived and still lives within 10 miles of the coast in Southern California. Maybe it spent a lot of time in the mountains in the winter?

 

[TheForger]

I don't see anything of concern either other than some surface rust and minor imperfections. You could see if a member in that area could do a PPI for you.

I am actually amazed you are asking. This is pretty outstanding looking for the year. You are not going to find much better for the year. You may need to lower your standards or raise your price range. Even then IT IS 13 YEARS OLD. OR.....go to rust free southern states.

Solely out of curiosity - why does your username have Jeep in it and your profile image is a Jeep? You do know you are on a Land Cruiser forum right....?

 

[Jeepster09]

I have many Jeeps and a Land Cruiser. Holy Cow this is a Land Cruiser Forum?

 

[Julian Stead]

My truck looked exactly like that 19 years ago. It has got some ginger under it now but it gets dyed black annually before winter with some dinitrol. So judging by mine, yours should last another 1000 years.

 

[TheForger]

I have many Jeeps and a Land Cruiser. Holy Cow this is a Land Cruiser Forum?

View attachment 1580522 View attachment 1580523 View attachment 1580524 View attachment 1580525 View attachment 1580526

Ahhh I gotcha! Wasn't trying to be a d*ck just curious hahah That last Jeep is slick I love how the sliders protect the door sill too. I've seen quite a few Jeeps with similar sliders and I really like them, makes me want to replace my destroyed rocker panel with some steel in a similar fashion.

 

[benihana88]

I don't see anything of concern either other than some surface rust and minor imperfections. You could see if a member in that area could do a PPI for you.

Solely out of curiosity - why does your username have Jeep in it and your profile image is a Jeep? You do know you are on a Land Cruiser forum right....?

Fixed it with my actual vehicle now.