Anyone live in the rust belt? (1 Viewer)

[JLee]

I might be moving to NJ for a year or two for work...and I would love to bring my truck, but I grew up in NH and the thought of subjecting it to salt for a couple of winters is terrifying. Is anyone living in a heavily salted area and keeping their truck alive/intact, or am I best to leave it in Phoenix and buy something else? If I do end up leaving, I will keep my Phoenix house so I have room to store it.

 

[lndshark]

I moved from SoCal to SE Michigan (Ann Arbor area) 8 years ago for work. At the time, I had a '93 (2WD) X-Tra Cab and it was my mission to sell it before the move. I knew it would not last here. Have you been to NJ much for interviews or to look around at all? You'll see ZERO older cars - they get scrapped. I see very few cars from the late 90's and early 2000's here. We did bring my wife's 2004 Toyota Echo and that car has always been babied: regular washes and details and fastidious undercarriage cleaning throughout and after winter. I've started to see some bubbling around the right rear quarter panel and all under the body near the pinch welds along with some discoloration (rust) of the painted surfaces. This has me quite disconcerted but that's life in this part of the country. We are moving back west at the end of the year and it's not soon enough! Oh, to answer your question, I'd leave the truck at home. I'm about to get another truck (Tacoma/Land Cruiser/GX) and there is no way I am 1) Buying a local car or, 2) Buying one (anywhere) and bringing it into Michigan for any length of time.

Sorry for the long rant...just don't want to see your GX get trashed. I'm actually thinking of selling my Subaru Outback and getting something cheap to sell right before we move. I've got my eye on a Scion xB...there's tons of them around and they are as reliable as the day is long (plus it shares plugs/filters/oil/brakes with our Echo!). Just a thought.

 

[JLee]

Oh I left NH less than 4 years ago and lost my first Tacoma to frame rot when I was up there. I was just wanting to make sure there wasn't any magical alternative before I bought another vehicle.

I think you're right- not worth it. I have thought about selling my GX and finding another one in a year or two when I come back (this isn't permanent), but....man, it was so hard to find an 07+ Sport!

 

[little_joe]

Personally I'd hang onto your current GX, put it in storage or whatever - and get an economical beater for NJ. I lived much of my life in the Rust Belt and it's why I waited til my move south to get the 80, then the GX. Even if things don't rust, you still get to fight all of the nuts and bolts, wind up with premature failure of components (my wife's CRV brake system got eaten by Cleveland winters), and just generally all work becomes a PITA.

......unless you're moving to a part of NJ where they don't use road salt..........