rust - please help evaluate the car
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It looks decent from what I can see in the pics (I have a laptop screen), but there is rust on the body weld joint (e.g., where the cross members are welded to the frame rails). You'll have to take a screwdriver to those to determine if it's just surface rust or deeper with damage to the strength of the joint. Also, the exhaust looks pretty rusted...mine, at 70kmi, looks (seriously), new (bare, shiny metal!!) although I do live in SoCal. Hope it's good enough for you to join our group!! Where are you located?
For an 11yr old vehicle, I would consider this on to be in good condition (based on pics)...
...... Philip
...... Philip
I don't see anything I'd be too worried about - not even the exhaust.
There is some discoloration (I'm not certain that it's corrosion) where the body mounts attach to the frame rails - maybe take a wire brush to that, clean it up and put some anti-corrosive paint.
From the looks of it, that thing has never been off the paved road ...
There is some discoloration (I'm not certain that it's corrosion) where the body mounts attach to the frame rails - maybe take a wire brush to that, clean it up and put some anti-corrosive paint.
From the looks of it, that thing has never been off the paved road ...
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75 Posts
That thing looks like it's in really nice shape! I wouldnt be worried about that little bit of rust underneath the car...if it were mine, I'd sand it down really nice and remove all the loose stuff and then paint over it with some POR-15 or rust-encapsulator spray paint. I'm doing my rocker panels with that stuff and then perhaps topping it with bedliner soon since the weather is finally warming up...
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263 Posts
If it's not structural, you should be able to wire brush it down and coat with undercoating. If you poke at it with a screwdriver, does it chunk or flake off or just a little dust? That should tell you if it's structural. If it is, it's a hassle to fix. Doesn't look that way from the balance of the car, though. These are pretty tough vehicles to do some heavy winter duty or off-roading.
I say- you are certainly home free. I'll show you structural rust--see pics. And in an area where the transmission support was bolted. I found a guy who bragged as the only "reasonable" rust repair on frames in our area--and he is right. They do exist but many shops will not touch this--too much liability attached to it. I wanted to keep my '89 Lincoln as it is still a dream to drive.
I bought a 2002 Tracker months ago and it is on par with your GV--and serious rust is just not there. You can buy rust treatment/undercoating stuff and do it yourself. I did so on the Lincoln last summer--despite it being 24 years old. Wished I had done it years ago, but hindsight... I did not expect to keep the vehicle +5 years after buying it in 1993. The problem with applying such stuff is--the undercarriage will have oils and dirt on it from road use. You could clean it (messy) or just go ahead and apply the stuff. If it cakes off, just keep working on it. I applied Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer to some brake line fittings years ago, and I swear it prevented them from rusting out or leaking and they have not changed significantly in appearance.
JR
I bought a 2002 Tracker months ago and it is on par with your GV--and serious rust is just not there. You can buy rust treatment/undercoating stuff and do it yourself. I did so on the Lincoln last summer--despite it being 24 years old. Wished I had done it years ago, but hindsight... I did not expect to keep the vehicle +5 years after buying it in 1993. The problem with applying such stuff is--the undercarriage will have oils and dirt on it from road use. You could clean it (messy) or just go ahead and apply the stuff. If it cakes off, just keep working on it. I applied Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer to some brake line fittings years ago, and I swear it prevented them from rusting out or leaking and they have not changed significantly in appearance.
JR
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