Do cars rust out when you live near the beach? (sale, oceanfront)

[ruski]

Just a thought...

[Nolefan34]

I have heard they do over extensive periods of time due to salt accumulation. Not sure how accurate this is.

[NowSoFlorida]

Yes, my car roof is damaged from the salt air and the sun. I only live 3 short blocks from the beach, but it doesn't mean it will happen to all cars but I would look out for it and find ways to prevent it. And it's not rust in my case it's just while splotches.

[cfbs2691]

I can't speak for cars, but I was in the window/door business a few years back.
It was incredible what the salt did/does to window & door hardware.
(Even if you're a mile or so away from the beach.)

Because of the above, the salt's got to do some damage to cars?

[jhlcomp]

Absolutely - the salt air creates havoc on a cars paint and metal. If you live near the ocean you have to rinse your car off with fresh water daily ... been there done that.

If you have ever lived up north and experienced snow ... well besides sand they also use salt. Does anyone remember what the salt does to cars if they are not cleaned shortly after a snow fall + salt that gets encrusted around the bumpers, under carriage, etc.? Rust!!!

[City Guy997S]

absolutely.....2 instances

I bought a 4 year old Mercedes and the 1st owner lived on the ocean in a condo. Car was fine until it was in a wreck and I saw what it looked like with the plastic bumper removed, rust bubbles the size of half dollars. Apparently rust settled on the metal below the plastic bumpers/panels and the corrosion began. This car was perfect otherwise but it obviously got cared for very well in areas you could see/access but below it was a different story.

I sold a 3 year old truck to a guy that lived on the ocean and subsequently bought it back 2 years later. I change my own oil so I had been under that truck several times before the sale and I was stunned how rusty it got from 2 years of oceanfront living. It sat in an underground garage but since it was vented the salt air still blew into the building. Nothing rotted like the Mercedes but suspension parts/engine parts/undercarraiage are now visibly rusty (surface area) when they had not been before.