[PhotoT]

Hello! My family is considering moving to Vermont from PA. I've read there can be an issue with vehicle rust, due to the amount of road salt and moisture. Is this a common issue?

[68vette]

Yes, vehicles rust quicker in Vermont. It's not even a minor difference in the New England states, it's significant. My wife is used car shopping for a similar vehicle to what she has. Everything we looked at in state had some and in a few cases, significant rust. We found two cars that had no rust. Come to find out, both were from out of state. One was from CT and the other NJ.
Most newer cars have better rust protection than years ago, but they will still rust over time. Especially on the undercarriage where you can't see it as well. The undercarriage is probably more important than the body. It's not just aesthetics, it's where many of the important repair parts are located. Things like brakes and ball joints can turn into more difficult repairs because of this.

[harpoonalt]

To keep rust away, you have choices. Oil undercoating (done yearly and messy), fluid film (yearly and much less mess), or my favorite, Waxoyl. Waxoyl is pricey upfront and you get yearly touchups for wear spots, but it works and has been around for years. Worth every penny if you keep your cars for any length of time.

[vter]

I was just talking about this with my mechanic the other day and he said he's seen an increase in rust since the state started using salt brine on the roads. Luckily my seven year old car is faring well. I go through the car wash frequently during the winter-especially after a storm when lots of salt is used.

[Oriz]

Exactly what we do with our 01 Jeep. Car wash Car wash Car wash. 14 year old car with hardly any rust on it.

[domc]

Funny... I guy asked me in ACE hardware a few weeks ago about my 98 Jeep. Says he's never seen one so clean. I said yeah, washed it a couple days ago. He was actually asking why there was not rust. We moved here from the west 3 years ago with the jeep. <grin>

[lanhvtnymd]

Bought my Subie in Louisiana. Lived in New England and Vermont for the first three years. Coming up on 6 years now, and I am beginning to see the result of the salt exposure.

Wash your car! The salt will eat it up.

[thunderkat59]

My Suzuki did a few winters in Vermont and the undercarriage was a ball of rust when I sold it. The exhaust was gone and all of the bolts that connect the shocks, struts and stuff like that were just crusty nubs. I came from PA, too.

[GregW]

Our politicians, representing most of us, have decided that destroying our cars and the economic value they represent is cheaper and more humane that picking the people that cannot slow down and drive properly on slippery roads out of the trees. Driving in New Hampshire on our brine covered roads has already cost me several cars and thousands of dollars in undercarriage and bodywork repairs.

[joe moving]

Our Subaru is doing pretty wel. I've replaced some cheap galvanized exhaust parts but no frame or body damage. I try to wash like once a month in winter. Seems like you could probably justify the cost of washing over the life of the vehicle as a preventative maintenance item.