Rust problem?

I think I just made a BIG mistake. I bought a used 2011 Ford Ranger with only 44,000 miles. I got it for a very good price from a dealer. I was so excited about buying a pickup truck that I impulse bought without really checking things over. I didn't even think about rust. I got it home the other day and finally, about a day and half too late looked under the truck and discovered quite a bit of rust.

First of all I am wondering how big a problem this is. There is no visible rust on the outside of the car, no rust bubbles or anything in the paint, stuff like that. However, underneath there is what to me looks like a rust problem. No holes or stuff flaking off but some of the pieces underneath are totally brown. I'm going to take it to a trusted mechanic just to have him take a look at it. How much trouble do you think I am in?

I looked at the contract and at MD lemon laws stuff and it doesn't look like I have a way out of this thing. I'm not super knowledgeable about cars or trucks though I love them. What an idiot I am? Maybe it isn't that bad. Any advice or suggestions? Face?

How many years in purgatory does one get for selling a rusty car, without disclosing it, to a priest? I think 20,000 is about right.

This is probably the kind of thing that is right up Face's alley. The first car I ever bought also had a rust problem I didn't fully appreciate when I bought it. My mechanic, in Santa Barbara, said it was obviously a "back east" car and pointed out all the rust the previous owner painted over. That PoS (sorry father) didn't last long. Buying it was an awful decision.

Given this is out of my area, I'd say that there isn't much you can do about rust. I lived in Baltimore for ten years and you don't see too many old cars do you -- because they rust out before they can get old. My advice is to accept the rust and get as many miles as you can out of the thing before it falls apart.

Isn't there a passage in the bible about things not rusting in heaven? Until then, you'll just have to live with it.

If you've only did the deal for a few days, you may still have an option to get out of it, lemon or not.

It can be a short time period sometimes. 72 hrs.

I looked up that state and don't see options for you either.

Well, I drove a badly rusted car from New York for over a year. A couple things went wrong with it, but it didn't cost me too much to keep it going.

I don't have any experience with "drowned" cars. Dealers and others sometimes sell cars that were underwater in flooded areas.

This is very hard to say without actually seeing the vehicle. First thing first, in northern climates, the undersides of cars show rust. We see the clean bodies now days and think the rest of the car is as nice. This is because starting in the early-1980s they began using more and more galvanized steel in the bodies. Galvanized is more expensive than regular carbon steel, so they use the later on unseen parts of the car.

If nothing is "flaking" you are probably in good shape. Some steel is made to turn brown in fact. For an example of this, see the US Steel Building in Pittsburgh, PA.

At 5 years old with that low of mileage, my guess is what you see is normal and no issue. You are right to have a mechanic friend check it out since Face or myself are not local. As to "lemon laws" you are probably out of luck in forcing a dealer take-back. Let us know the verdict before we go there, though.

It's 4 years old, probably been on the
road almost 5. It's going to have some
rust on the undercarriage, especially
where there is salt on the roads. It's
not a big deal.

I don't know nothin' about lemon laws, but I doubt one would apply to rust unless it was so bad a motor mount ripped out or major parts started falling off.

As for how bad it is, it... depends on how bad it is =) "Brown" doesn't say much. You need to see how deep the brown goes, and what it's on.

The frame should have rust on it. It'll likely even have areas where the rust is flaking and can be chipped off. But it shouldn't envelope the entire frame, nor should any of the areas be soft or "squishy". Certainly there should be no holes. Commonly, you should see strips or patches of rust, mostly in areas where there's a joining of pieces (weld or bolt), combined with areas that still have the factory coating on it. Probably more coating than rust, being a 2011. But the presence of rust would be totally expected (assuming still NE north of the Mason-Dixon).

Wheels, assuming stock steel wheels, shouldn't have any visible rust, save for maybe a bit in corners or tight spots. Around the valve stem, where the wheel weights are attached, in any divot or depression.

Springs will probably be completely brown, yet not flaky. Shocks should have small spots here and there on the reservoir.

The exhaust shouldn't have any, maybe just the tiniest smudge of it near joints, likely on the hangers. Brake lines should be clean. Drive shaft could be completely brown, but that's no worry.

The body shouldn't have any on the outside. Likely places you might see it is on the rear bottom of fenders, the rocker panels (below the doors), and the bottom edge of the tailgate. This shouldn't yet be flaky, and certainly not squishy. Anything north of your hips should be spotless.

Note that all these claims of "should" is based on the evils of the north. In reality, this stuff should not be rusting so fast, or at all. But, you know... chemistry and all that =p

There's not a whole lot you can do about it, unless you want to sacrifice a hundred+ man hours into it. If it was really bad, so much so that you're talking about lemon laws, a conversation with the dealer is about your best bet. Despite legal obligation or lack thereof, I'd like to think a dealer would right a severe wrong. But I'm thinking it's not really to that point, as it's only an '11. So mostly, you live with it. If the exhaust is bad, you'll know soon enough and it will be replaced. Ditto for the brake lines. About the only other real worry would be the body, and even my life-extender advice is quite a time sink.

Also, if the vehicle was parked on the
bare ground most of the time, expect
the undercarriage rust to be twice as
bad. The metal draws moisture to it
from the ground like a sponge.

Quote: Face

I don't know nothin' about lemon laws, but I doubt one would apply to rust unless it was so bad a motor mount ripped out or major parts started falling off.

Funny, my rusted NYC car came with a broken motor mount, and the fuel pump just kind of started acting like it had a hose to the ground installed.

With the broken motor mount, if you pressed the gas pedal too hard, the car would accelerate straight to 30 mph, unless you laid on the brakes.

I had made a date with this girl and went to pick her up in this car, when the fuel pump started spewing a gallon of gas per mile. So I ran out of gas a couple blocks from her apartment. (like 10 gallons on the road) I ran the rest of the way, and showed up in nice clothes sweating. (this was Texas in the summer). I explained that my car had "broke down" and she would have to drive.

Never got a second date with her.

The news of my rust problem turns out to be exaggerated. I took it to a shop today and they kind of looked at me crazy. They were like, "Okay, you just bought it and you want us to inspect it and see if it has rust issues?" They said as far as the Ford Rangers they have seen it looks fine in regards to rust. They did of course talk me into a new fuel filter and air filter for their trouble. Anyway, I must not know what to look for in regards to rust. I see a spot of it and I think it is like cancer for the car. Maybe it is but maybe I'm exaggerating how aggressive or harmful this type of cancer is.

I thank you for the comments and the advice I can sleep a little more peacefully knowing that I was ripped off royally in buying my pick-up truck. Peace!