Hello new to the forum and looking to purchase our first lc. Living up in the rust belt (milwaukee) and looking at the thread below about help with a purchase curious from those that live in rust prone areas how much is acceptable. Currently have and 06 subaru fxt with rust showing only on undercarriage. Looking at an 04 LC with 94k on the clock and can only find rust on frame and a minor spot on rear fold down portion of hatch. Chipped at the rust on the frame and seems mostly surface but with all the plating under it hard to really get at some of it or see all of it. I know flying to look at a clean one out of the area would be ideal but just not in the cards for us right now. We have two little ones in school and I work a rotating schedule so no time to fly to get one and find out it isn't worth it mechanically. This would be a dd with some time on logging roads, and in mountains. So for those of you up in the rust belts what do feel is acceptable. FYI 04 is being advertised at 18k. Thanks for the help
rust
- Thread starter 06 flstfise
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
You are not far from me. I'm in Madison. I also have an 06 Subaru (outback sedan 3.0) anyway......
Just sold my 99 with Wisconsin rust. Don't worry about the frame. Check front and rear quarters especially by the wheels. Stuff can get trapped in there and Rot them from inside out. Check around windshield also-important!
At that price I wouldn't want to see anymore than you talked about.
Pics would help if you have them.
Just sold my 99 with Wisconsin rust. Don't worry about the frame. Check front and rear quarters especially by the wheels. Stuff can get trapped in there and Rot them from inside out. Check around windshield also-important!
At that price I wouldn't want to see anymore than you talked about.
Pics would help if you have them.
I just bought a "rust belt" 05 LC and previous to that car was the original owner of a 06 4R with 9 winters of salt. Both look the same underneath. Rusty looking frames and armor underneath. Basically looks like a nightmare to anyone from the south but, meh. It's a good car with incredible maintenance history, low miles, great interior, and I had a timeframe for the purchase with no travel flexibility. I'm glad I found it and I'm not worried about it.
I have been systematically scaling and treating the frame rust on the LC since it's my "new" baby and questioning my sanity repeatedly while doing it, as it's all surface rust and not circumstantial. It "looks" bad but when I scale it away with a needle scaler it's just surface rust. I've been treating with CorrosionX and POR-15 depending on the areas in question. I have had rust raining down on my face, eyes, etc. upside down and in a variety of yoga positions under the car for probably 12 hours of this so far and again, I'm starting to wonder what the heck I'm so worried about and if this really makes any sense to be doing. Probably a huge waste of time. Left untreated the frame might only last what, 20 more years?
Body rust is another story but if you can get to and treat that one spot as well as any others, then treat the rest of the doors with something like CorrosionX, you'll be OK. Inspect both rear wheel wells extremely carefully. You are bound to find rust behind the mudflap on the passenger side rear wheel and in the very front of each rear wheel well. Again, I instantly ground down and treated all of those areas if they even had one speck of corrosion. Good for another 10+ years.
I have been systematically scaling and treating the frame rust on the LC since it's my "new" baby and questioning my sanity repeatedly while doing it, as it's all surface rust and not circumstantial. It "looks" bad but when I scale it away with a needle scaler it's just surface rust. I've been treating with CorrosionX and POR-15 depending on the areas in question. I have had rust raining down on my face, eyes, etc. upside down and in a variety of yoga positions under the car for probably 12 hours of this so far and again, I'm starting to wonder what the heck I'm so worried about and if this really makes any sense to be doing. Probably a huge waste of time. Left untreated the frame might only last what, 20 more years?
Body rust is another story but if you can get to and treat that one spot as well as any others, then treat the rest of the doors with something like CorrosionX, you'll be OK. Inspect both rear wheel wells extremely carefully. You are bound to find rust behind the mudflap on the passenger side rear wheel and in the very front of each rear wheel well. Again, I instantly ground down and treated all of those areas if they even had one speck of corrosion. Good for another 10+ years.
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks for the replys. I am going to try to go look at it again tomorrow and I will try to shoot some pics and double check the wheel wells. Read somewhere else on here to pop off plastic that surrounds it and have a look so will do that. ogsuv love the Subaru but just need more room. have an 08 Impreza that we are going to keep.
Watch the liftgate as well, open it up and tap around the bottom. Water and the associated salt get trapped in there. Had a 2000 LX that lexus replaced the liftgate due to that problem.
I live in the salt belt and treat mine annually with fluid film. Takes a couple of spray cans to do the entire underside, doors, and clam shell. Mine spent most of it's life in CA, but the last 4 in New England. Even if you bring home a rust free truck, the underside will be rusty in no time if you live and drive in the salt belt.
http://www.amazon.com/Fluid-Film-11...TF8&qid=1445897582&sr=8-6&keywords=fluid+film
Doing what @m3fan is doing with needle scaling the rust, followed by corrosion protection and finally POR-15 is the right way to go. I will eventually go this route when time permits.
http://www.amazon.com/Fluid-Film-11...TF8&qid=1445897582&sr=8-6&keywords=fluid+film
Doing what @m3fan is doing with needle scaling the rust, followed by corrosion protection and finally POR-15 is the right way to go. I will eventually go this route when time permits.
- Thread starter
- #7
Here are some of the pics. Last one is the worst I could find and is by rear bumper. Wheel wells had no plastic cover but had rhino liner type coating w no rust showing or on body. Also no rust by windshield
Looks about right for our area. Just have to get used to wearing safety glasses under the thing when you are tinkering cause rust in the eye sucks. I always tell myself it is what it is in the rust belt but I do have a bit of jealousy every time I see a rig like SWUtah's that is absolutely pristine underneath.
Like snapaxle mentioned pay close attention to the under side of the rear lift gate. That is the only place on my truck that has rust bubbles on a painted surface. Right near the license plate lights. However a replacement rear lift gate is only $500 or so so if mine gets too bad I'd just replace I suppose.
Like snapaxle mentioned pay close attention to the under side of the rear lift gate. That is the only place on my truck that has rust bubbles on a painted surface. Right near the license plate lights. However a replacement rear lift gate is only $500 or so so if mine gets too bad I'd just replace I suppose.
One way ticket south. Buy a rust-free rig. Enjoy the road trip.
- Thread starter
- #11
Thank you all for the reply. Made a low ball offer and never heard back so going to move on, had looked previously at the GX and may go back to that as they seemed to be a lot cleaner for some reason than the LC that I have found. So if anyone has input on the GX would love to hear it. This will be a DD for a family of 4 and at times will need to accommodate 5 adults and 3 kids.
- Thread starter
- #12
and now the dealer came back and agreed to 15k. going to still think about it though. thoughts welcome
That seems like a great price for an '04 with under 100K miles! Post pics of the tailgate. That's the only concern I would have.
happy you got a 100 series but that rust looks a lot; I am from jersey and we have all sorts of crap in winter that eats us up. Yes my tail gate is rusty but that is a LC/LX toyota issue. I am very bad a cleaning in winter; its just to cold I post pics so you can compare
- Thread starter
- #19
Yes the Timing belt, water pump have been done. Still on the fence w it though. Seems like the price is right but I also know rust is a pain to stop. Think I am going to put it up on my buddies lift and look really close at it. Also in the mix is an 06 LX w 118k but no tb done for $19k. A tons cleaner underneath too.
i would go with the 06 and try to haggle with the price; timing belt you can do the rust is a big concern for me cause its something you can't really control. you can try to fight it etc but in the end it WILL win. here is my opinion; if you get it up on the lift use your finger and poke at stuff; if you are making marks etc and crap is flaking off then walk away its not worth it. timing belt etc is a known fix and what needs to be done you can't fight rust thats real bad. hey I can post more pics which differ from the one you are looking at. Was this vehicle sitting in salt water or lots of beach stuff? I surf and have taken mine into the water for fun but cleaned that stuff off afterwards. it just looks different then mine
