[455Grandville]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Well, I guess based on that you are definitely not a fan of the early 2002-2004 Duramax trucks. Those engines REALLY had issues. Your diesel mechanic friends probably love all those engines. They are making them rich men!

Never owned a Dmaxx, but I’ve seen people really sink themselves in debt buying a well used late model diesel that was neglected only to bury themselves deeper in debt from very expensive repairs.
But, it’s not just diesels; of my high school classmates owns a garage and he loves the fail prone 5.4 Fords as there’s so many out there. As he put at our 25 th HS reunion “Those 5.4s are putting my kids through college.”

[poncho-mike]

I think my 96 Suburban 2500 4x4 is a good example of what you can find down here. I bought it back in 2002 with 90K original miles from the original owner. It was sold new in the Raleigh NC area and has stayed in the area since new. It still wears the original paint and currently has 165K miles. It has never been garage kept, sits outside mostly in the sun in my front yard.

It has no rust anywhere that I'm aware of. There is no bubbling in the rockers or bottom of the fenders or quarters. I am under it once a year to change oil (I only drive about 2500 miles per year), so I check out the bottom side. There is no floor rust, no rocker rust, no fender rust at all. But the clearcoat on the roof and hood are shot.

Here are a couple of pictures of my old 1978 Suburban. I owned it from 1982 until 2010. It spent all its life in the Charlotte and Raleigh areas. It had over 320K miles when the rear end when out on it. I had already bought its replacement, so I yanked the 454 and TH400 and took it to the scrap metal yard. It was 32 years old at the time, and had just started to get some rust in the bottom of the fenders and on one of the rear quarters. It had no rocker rust at all, and the floors were solid. It never spent a day inside a garage in its life.

So if you're looking for a solid car or truck, run the CARFAX, and if it has been a central NC or SC car, it will be fine. Stay away from cars that show they were operated in areas where flooding occurred, coastal cars, and cars from the mountains.

[455Grandville]

Originally Posted by poncho-mike

I think my 96 Suburban 2500 4x4 is a good example of what you can find down here. I bought it back in 2002 with 90K original miles from the original owner. It was sold new in the Raleigh NC area and has stayed in the area since new. It still wears the original paint and currently has 165K miles. It has never been garage kept, sits outside mostly in the sun in my front yard.

It has no rust anywhere that I'm aware of. There is no bubbling in the rockers or bottom of the fenders or quarters. I am under it once a year to change oil (I only drive about 2500 miles per year), so I check out the bottom side. There is no floor rust, no rocker rust, no fender rust at all. But the clearcoat on the roof and hood are shot.

Here are a couple of pictures of my old 1978 Suburban. I owned it from 1982 until 2010. It spent all its life in the Charlotte and Raleigh areas. It had over 320K miles when the rear end when out on it. I had already bought its replacement, so I yanked the 454 and TH400 and took it to the scrap metal yard. It was 32 years old at the time, and had just started to get some rust in the bottom of the fenders and on one of the rear quarters. It had no rocker rust at all, and the floors were solid. It never spent a day inside a garage in its life.

So if you're looking for a solid car or truck, run the CARFAX, and if it has been a central NC or SC car, it will be fine. Stay away from cars that show they were operated in areas where flooding occurred, coastal cars, and cars from the mountains.

That’s in much better shape than most rust buckets here. Wife has a lot of family in Southwest Texas; my son is wanting a 4wd pickup as he’s an avid motocross rider so I’m looking now as were planning on going soon.
The only issue with southwest cars is it’s hell on the interior bits and 4wds are less common.

[MUSLCAH]

Down south ...from New Hampshire....I would look at Tennessee cars and trucks.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by 455Grandville

That’s in much better shape than most rust buckets here. Wife has a lot of family in Southwest Texas; my son is wanting a 4wd pickup as he’s an avid motocross rider so I’m looking now as were planning on going soon.
The only issue with southwest cars is it’s hell on the interior bits and 4wds are less common.

He's been gone from the board for some years now, but Bill Morgan used to post photos of old cars he'd found in the Lubbock, TX area - the interior parts were usually gone and the paint burned off, but boy were they rustfree.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by Stuart

He's been gone from the board for some years now, but Bill Morgan used to post photos of old cars he'd found in the Lubbock, TX area - the interior parts were usually gone and the paint burned off, but boy were they rustfree.

I forgot about him. I really enjoyed his posts. He posted some really interesting finds!

[455Grandville]

Originally Posted by Stuart

He's been gone from the board for some years now, but Bill Morgan used to post photos of old cars he'd found in the Lubbock, TX area - the interior parts were usually gone and the paint burned off, but boy were they rustfree.

I remember him and he sure found some nice stuff. Working on some leads for my son when we head for Amarillo and Lubbock before long, might find some goodies.

[AkCamaro]

I love in Anchorage Alaska. So Canada, Seattle, Portland. Any of the lower 48 is down south.

[TAKerry]

Originally Posted by AkCamaro

I love in Anchorage Alaska. So Canada, Seattle, Portland. Any of the lower 48 is down south.