[12paws42]

I'm in Ohio now; waiting on hubbys transfer to Florida. I'm just curious, as I know that my Ohio cars rust from underneath due to snow and salt. What happens to Florida cars?

[Prichard]

If you live on the coast, salt water spray will cause cars to corrode faster over time. Aluminum parts are most vulnerable and will pit quickly. Newer cars with good undercoatings usually don't have nearly the problems that older cars had.

In all parts of Florida if the car is left outside, the sun will fade and eventually crack the plastic parts and leather.

[riveree]

From my experience, the sun does way more damage than the salt air.

Try to buy a silver or light-colored car if you can (it really does make a difference) and if at all possible, garage your car. Tinted windows (the legal kind) really help too.

[daniellefort]

I think most cars still look new in FL. That was the first thing i noticed when i moved here was how nice the cars looked even the old ones. I have a 10 year old Grand Prix always been a FL car and not a spot of rust on it. It's still shiny. i wax once a year really good and lotion up the leather seats with conditioner now and then and they still look pretty good. My husband has a 25 year old Plymouth conquest without a spot of rust either. we don't garage our cars. They're neglected and sit outside. I lived in N.H. where seeing a brand new car on the road was only on those rare occasional sunny days so i know what you mean about the rust buckets up there.

[CG&D93]

Can you spell Armor All?

I think in Florida your best bet is a good quality wax-to offset sun and love bug damage- then Armor All your dashboards religiously and you'll be fine.

Tinted windows go a LONG way to preserving the backs of your legs when they hit a blistering hot seat. I wouldn't dream of living in Florida without them.

[JimKing]

Used car dealers in the northeast advertise if a car is a "Florida car". The road salt and gravel used in the winter really eats at cars.

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by riveree

From my experience, the sun does way more damage than the salt air.

Try to buy a silver or light-colored car if you can (it really does make a difference) and if at all possible, garage your car. Tinted windows (the legal kind) really help too.

OH no! not the "tint" issue...lol, yeah, I've had my car outside w/o garage but it's pearl...no problems with corrosion, except around the battery, when I don't brush it off....I have the legal, dark, heat resistant tint & it does make a difference.

[tallrick]

Northern cars rust less if they sit, Florida cars rust less if driven often. The high humidity, acid rain and salt air devastates cars, I need to get a picture of mine here so you can see how bad Florida weather is to metal.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by Ladywithafan

OH no! not the "tint" issue...lol,

Ladywithafan,

Yeah, can you believe I ventured there ? For a brief moment, I considered deleting that line entirely .

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by 12paws42

I'm in Ohio now; waiting on hubbys transfer to Florida. I'm just curious, as I know that my Ohio cars rust from underneath due to snow and salt. What happens to Florida cars?

As many members mentioned newer car have undercoating and if you wash your car al least once a month you won't have a problem. I have one vehicle now for 7 years; live about 5 mile from the beach and drive HWY 98 everyday (next to the sound) and don't have a spot of rust.

If you have an older car keep it clean and should not experience any problem. Also most of the newer car have a corrosion warranty of 4 or more years..

Rust or Corrosion: A rust or corrosion warranty protects you from rust-through problems with the sheetmetal. Surface rust doesn't count. The rust must make a hole to be covered. Keep your car washed and waxed, and rust shouldn't be a problem.

Make Basic (yrs/mi) Drivetrain (yrs/mi) Rust/Corrosion (yrs/mi) Roadside Assistance (yrs/mi)

Acura 4/50,000 6/70,000 5/Unlimited 4/50,000

Audi 4/50,000 4/50,000 12/Unlimited 4/Unlimited

BMW 4/50,000 4/50,000 12/Unlimited 4/50,000

Buick 4/50,000 5/100,000 6/Unlimited 5/100,000

Cadillac 4/50,000 5/100,000 6/Unlimited 5/100,000

Chevrolet 3/36,000 5/100,000 6/100,000 5/100,000

Chrysler 3/36,000 3/36,000 5/100,000 3/36,000

Dodge 3/36,000 3/36,000 5/100,000 3/36,000

Ford 3/36,000 5/60,000 (except Focus)1 5/Unlimited 5/60,000

GMC 3/36,000 5/100,000 6/100,000 5/100,000

Honda 3/36,000 5/60,000 5/Unlimited None Available

HUMMER 4/50,000 5/100,000 6/100,000 5/100,000

Hyundai 5/60,000 10/100,000 7/Unlimited 5/Unlimited

Infiniti 4/60,000 6/70,000 7/Unlimited 4/60,000

Isuzu 3/50,000 7/75,000 6/100,000 7/75,000

Jaguar 4/50,000 4/50,000 6/Unlimited 4/50,000

Jeep 3/36,000 3/36,000 5/100,000 3/36,000

Kia 5/60,000 10/100,000 5/100,000 5/60,000

Land Rover 4/50,000 4/50,000 6/Unlimited 4/50,000

Lexus 4/50,000 6/70,000 6/Unlimited 4/Unlimited

Lincoln 4/50,000 6/70,000 5/Unlimited 6/70,000

Mazda 3/36,000 5/60,000 5/Unlimited 3/36,000

Mercedes-Benz 4/50,000 4/50,000 4/50,000 Unlimited

Mercury 3/36,000 5/60,000 5/Unlimited 5/60,000

MINI 4/50,000 4/50,000 12/Unlimited 3/36,000

Mitsubishi 5/60,000 10/100,000 7/100,000 5/Unlimited

Nissan 3/36,000 5/60,000 5/Unlimited 3/36,0002

Pontiac 3/36,000 5/100,000 6/100,000 5/100,000

Porsche 4/50,000 4/50,000 10/Unlimited (except GT3) 4/50,000

Saab 4/50,000 5/100,000 6/Unlimited (except 9-3) 5/100,000

Saturn 3/36,000 5/100,000 6/100,000 5/100,000

Scion 3/36,000 5/60,000 5/Unlimited None Available

Subaru 3/36,000 5/60,000 5/Unlimited 3/36,000

Suzuki 3/36,000 7/100,000 3/Unlimited 3/36,000

Toyota 3/36,000 5/60,000 5/Unlimited None Available

Volkswagen 4/50,000 5/60,000 12/Unlimited 4/Unlimited

Volvo 4/50,000 4/50,000 12/Unlimited 4/Unlimited