Rust on your car? How bad is it there? (home, living in)

[TootsieWootsie]

Near the Seacoast with the Atlantic Ocean blowing seawater--and all the salt they must throw on the icy streets in winter--I got to wondering just how bad a beating your car must take living in the Seacoast area of NH. And what do the natives to about it, so that they can make their car last?
I had a car (my first) in Chicago when I was a poor student and starting a career. I barely could afford gas then let alone washing my car's undercarriage at a carwash. Well...guess who's battery plate got so rusted it was literally leaning on the motor? One good bump and the battery would have gone down to the floor! So, this could be a concern. (I have the finances--and good sense now--to have the undercarriage washed off occasionally now, in case you were wondering.)
And what about your silverware? I know people in Florida's silverware tarnishes due to the salt in the air!
Just how BAD is the salt air there in the Seacoast area?

[bingo08]

My family lives on the cape, no problem with the cars or the spoons, lol.

They do not live directly on the water, but not far from it and never have they had either problem.

No matter where one lives, if it snows, then they salt some of the roads and when you have chance you wash the car. It is not a concern or a big deal for us. I have never had a problem with my cars.

[swbtoo]

Pretty bad. It all depends on how long you plan to keep your car, and how often you want to thoroughly wash the undercarriage - not that that helps much if the streets are wet and salty. Some days it's so cold you don't dare wash your car because your door locks will freeze up.

[daniellefort]

You don't need to be near the ocean to get rusty cars, just the winter weather alone does the damage with the road conditions, the sand and salt on the roads. Just driving on the roads your tires are kicking that stuff up into you car. I live in FL and i can't even remember the last time i saw a rusty car in FL (unless it was from up north then they stick out like a sore thumb) and we're surrounding by sea salt and the moisture in the air all the time. Even the old cars look new down here but a car in NH will look old in 5 years time you can count on that.

[Tarastomsgirl]

I heard there was a spray that they can put on the bottom of your car to coat it from the salt on the road and minimize damage... Danielle you're right, never had a rusty car in Fla , oddly enough with all the salt water .. But we sure noticed who was from up north!!

[bingo08]

Originally Posted by Tarastomsgirl

I heard there was a spray that they can put on the bottom of your car to coat it from the salt on the road and minimize damage... Danielle you're right, never had a rusty car in Fla , oddly enough with all the salt water .. But we sure noticed who was from up north!!

I saw your post in the florida thread, sorry to hear you don't like it up here.
Wish you well on your move! Good luck.

[Tarastomsgirl]

Originally Posted by bingo08

I saw your post in the florida thread, sorry to hear you don't like it up here.
Wish you well on your move! Good luck.

I DO like it up here.. I LOVE it up here. I never said I didn't. Infact I'm going to miss NH TERRIBLY! The past week or so though the snow has gotten to me.. And with the family probs that arose with my dear mother in the last couple weeks I've had enough.. Everything is bothering me right now I suppose.. and the weather is especially getting to me. Its hard to live in one place, especially a tropical place your entire life, then all the sudden move where you get dumped with snow for weeks! I didn't think I'd have such a hard time with it, at first I didn't. My husband even looked at me the other day, who is a native New Englander and said I'm so over this. Lack of sun and these constant snow storms are just hard.. My neighbors told me this is the most snow they've seen here in 10 years. Now they're saying two more before New Years. I got hit hard and fast.. It was cool like the first couple times heck even the first couple weeks.. and I loved it, now its getting to be monotonus and a pain to shovel, and de ice, and fall and slide.. I guess I've decided I'm a beach baby afterall.. And I'm really missing my friends and family right now, as we don't have any here at all. It hit me hard for Christmas when my husband was the only officer to get ordered to work both Eve and Day and I sat at home by myself both days, when I realized I could have been with family and friends if he had to work. So its been a combination of a lot of things.. But your right I dont' like NH.. I LOVE NH!

[jthibodeau]

One of the best ways to prevent your car from rusting, or continuing to rust further, is to have your car's underside and body cavities oiled prior to the winter season. There still are a few shops that offer the service and, when properly applied and maintained on a yearly basis, will prevent rust due to water and salt intrusion of your vehicles.

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by Tarastomsgirl

I DO like it up here.. I LOVE it up here. I never said I didn't. Infact I'm going to miss NH TERRIBLY! The past week or so though the snow has gotten to me.. And with the family probs that arose with my dear mother in the last couple weeks I've had enough.. Everything is bothering me right now I suppose.. and the weather is especially getting to me. Its hard to live in one place, especially a tropical place your entire life, then all the sudden move where you get dumped with snow for weeks! I didn't think I'd have such a hard time with it, at first I didn't. My husband even looked at me the other day, who is a native New Englander and said I'm so over this. Lack of sun and these constant snow storms are just hard.. My neighbors told me this is the most snow they've seen here in 10 years. Now they're saying two more before New Years. I got hit hard and fast.. It was cool like the first couple times heck even the first couple weeks.. and I loved it, now its getting to be monotonus and a pain to shovel, and de ice, and fall and slide.. I guess I've decided I'm a beach baby afterall.. And I'm really missing my friends and family right now, as we don't have any here at all. It hit me hard for Christmas when my husband was the only officer to get ordered to work both Eve and Day and I sat at home by myself both days, when I realized I could have been with family and friends if he had to work. So its been a combination of a lot of things.. But your right I dont' like NH.. I LOVE NH!

I know exactly how you feel. I feel the same way here in FL. I miss my family terribly up north. I have nobody down here either. Sure i got my husbands mother, father and brother but they all live in their own little world here. We too spent the holidays by ourselves and it's so hard to make friends here especially when i work at home and can never get out of the house. That's the reason my husband is moving us back home because he knows i need my family around me. He's been in FL since age 6 but he's up to the change. We have visited in the winter time and snowmobiling and skiing he enjoyed and my family is always doing something on the weekends all year long whether it be hunting, fishing, 4 wheeling or whatever. Hope all works well for you and just keep in mind that how you feel now by missing your family and friends so much isn't going to change and only get worse years down the road. At least that's how it's been for me. It's been 14 years for me and that's plenty long enough to be away from the people i know.

[tinkerbell08]

We don't see rusty cars around here, but if you own an old car and not take care of it, then you be seeing some rust. But it is truly not a problem, You should be maintaining and taking care of your car anyway, so if you lazy and don't care what your car looks like inside or outside, then you get rust.