Should I be wary of trucks from up north?

[Tuco]

So I've pretty much narrowed down my decision to a '15-'17 1500 CC 6 cyl. Big Horn/Lone Star. That seems to be the best bang for the buck. Still deciding on a 2 or4WD. I drove a '17 QC V6 4WD last week, It had plenty of power for what I need. Of course a Crew Cab will be a little heavier, I can't imagine it would make a huge difference in power. I've looked for the weight difference between a QC and a CC but I never could find it.
I've noticed a few trucks exactly like what I'm looking for across the south that are lease trucks from up north i.e. Ohio, Indiana and Michigan bought at auction. Should I give these consideration or pass? I'm from the south and obviously concerned with possible salt damage. Thoughts?

 

[Firebird]

I would pass if there are available southern trucks

 

[averageguy]

As long as you don't mind rust they're fine. It snowed 6in here in the metro Detroit area yesterday. All the cars are white with salt and so are the roads. No one is rushing to wash it off either because it will be melting/wet for days, and its 11 degrees right now, doors and windows will be frozen in the morning. People that are keeping a vehicle 1-3 years don't worry much about cleaning the wheel wells and door jams because they are getting rid of it before it matters.

 

[jerryt]

It may not be visable now, but once it starts it's not easy to fix. If you can get it up on a lift to check it over good it might be ok, but I agree with Firebird on this. I would look for a nice southern rust free truck. Ask any body shop about repairing rust.

 

[mboymopar]

It may not be visable now, but once it starts it's not easy to fix. If you can get it up on a lift to check it over good it might be ok, but I agree with Firebird on this. I would look for a nice southern rust free truck. Ask any body shop about repairing rust.

After it starts to rust, there's really no way to get it under control.
I agree southern truck would put your mind at ease.

 

[huntergreen]

As stated, no one really takes care of a leased vehicle. If you are keeping for 3 years and turning it back in, why bother. If I was looking like you are, I would be looking down south where they don't use salt.

Also if you are looking for a crew cab V6, you are going want 3:55 hear hear .

 

[TMyers]

I looked at a 14' Powerstroke with 60K miles. The interior was spotless. Price was almost too good to pass up. Then I saw the first clue. The front shock through the wheel well had bubbles in the paint. Then I got down on a knee and looked under the truck. It was almost rusted through in places. I could have pushed my finger through the paint of the rear door rocker panel. This was almost two years ago so that truck was only 3 years old. This truck was from Pennsylvania.

 

[Ratket]

Be mindful and on the look out for flood damage as well on trucks from the south.

 

[bryan28]

Be mindful and on the look out for flood damage as well on trucks from the south.

I was say going to this.

 

[huntergreen]

Be mindful and on the look out for flood damage as well on trucks from the south.

Unfortunately, I can only like this post once.

 

[tidefan1967]

I always look inside the bumpers for rust(there’s still no rust on the inside of the bumpers on my old 2001 Silverado 200K) and for rust/corrosion under the hood. My dads 2008 Silverado is just now starting to develop a little corrosion on the alternator after 11 years. When I bought a brand new F1 50 back in 2013 it had more corrosion underneath it on the frame and the trailer hitch that I had ever seen on any vehicle before and it was brand spanking new.

 

[William Hastings]

This forum is awesome for tons of information. Threads like this scare the **** outta me. Im in southeast PA, ive had rust issues with one car, a 2001 Nissan maxima which was cared for like my 3rd child. Never buy a Nissan again and they were known for bad sheet metal those days. Ive had over a dozen other cars and suvs, mostly honda and toyota and have never had any issues. Never used fluid film or krown. After snow storms id run through a car wash that had undercarriage wash. So, when i bought my 1st truck i wanted an American truck, loved RAM and price was right. This rust issue that keeps being talked about, is this RAM issue, or all trucks? Constantly hearing about northern trucks and rust makes me wonder if i made a bad decision.

 

[Ratket]

Everyone should search “ What to look for for flood damage” so they are aware of the signs.

 

[15 Handicap]

Too many trucks for sale down here to settle for a salt shaker.

 

[huntergreen]

This forum is awesome for tons of information. Threads like this scare the **** outta me. Im in southeast PA, ive had rust issues with one car, a 2001 Nissan maxima which was cared for like my 3rd child. Never buy a Nissan again and they were known for bad sheet metal those days. Ive had over a dozen other cars and suvs, mostly honda and toyota and have never had any issues. Never used fluid film or krown. After snow storms id run through a car wash that had undercarriage wash. So, when i bought my 1st truck i wanted an American truck, loved RAM and price was right. This rust issue that keeps being talked about, is this RAM issue, or all trucks? Constantly hearing about northern trucks and rust makes me wonder if i made a bad decision.

I think all all mfgs have this issue. My wife's 2004 grand cherokee, traded in 2016,. Had very little rust underneath. Like you, I am up here in the salt belt.

 

[mamaluke]

I bought a 2017 Laramie from a local dealer in Illinois . They got the truck out of Canada . Before buying it I was all over underneath it and also the two trucks next to it . All three trucks were the same underneath . 10000 miles later this truck is still like new . It had 7000 miles on it when I bought it .

 

[Stitches]

If the truck is still within its warranty makes sure its not from Canada... myn came from a auction then to a dealer from Canada has a cam issue and cylinder miss fire code... thought it'd get fixed under its powertrain but chrysler denied the claim.

 

[Jim Bowker]

This forum is awesome for tons of information. Threads like this scare the **** outta me. Im in southeast PA, ive had rust issues with one car, a 2001 Nissan maxima which was cared for like my 3rd child. Never buy a Nissan again and they were known for bad sheet metal those days. Ive had over a dozen other cars and suvs, mostly honda and toyota and have never had any issues. Never used fluid film or krown. After snow storms id run through a car wash that had undercarriage wash. So, when i bought my 1st truck i wanted an American truck, loved RAM and price was right. This rust issue that keeps being talked about, is this RAM issue, or all trucks? Constantly hearing about northern trucks and rust makes me wonder if i made a bad decision.

It's all vehicles. Is there a difference with northern vehicles? Yes. Is it as bad as everyone says? No.

I had an old F-150 that I put almost 200,000 miles on. It eventually rusted out, but for the first 8 years or so, it looked great. The rust started in the rear end, because it got dunked in salt water at boat ramps a lot. After a little over a decade, I started to see body rust. That truck wasn't washed for years.

I had an F250 Superduty after that one, and nine years into ownership it started showing a tiny bit of rust along the bottom edge of the tailgate.

I seldom keep vehicles for much longer than a decade or so, which means I don't generally worry about rust issues.

 

[William Hastings]

I plan on keeping this truck a long time. At the time i bought it i could only afford an 8yr 75k max care plan. I have had some of those vehicles for 10 plus years, no rust, and bought used ones 10 yrs old, no rust. If there was a krown or fluid film shop around id prob do it before each winter, but closest is over an hr away, and its only that one shop.
Sometimes ignorance is good, i never joined a forum for any other vehicle, who knows what info i could have found on those. This is the first time i really loved a vehicle and am interested in modding and taking care of it. I guess she'll get alot of under carriage washes in the winter!

 

[vweaver]

Living in N. Indiana, I'd be concerned about it being a leased vehicle as much as salt. Leasers/renters sometimes beat the crap out of vehicles because they just don't care. On the other hand, there are plenty of people up north who baby their trucks (like me).
Are the floors and seats pristine? Is the bed/tailgate scratched? Was it a 'working truck' or 'driving' truck? My first '17 (before it got hit and totaled), the hood chips and scratches (all clear coat) told me it was highway commuter miles. Current one- I could tell had been driven on gravel/dirt roads some, but was otherwise near perfect.
Be Sherlock Holmes about its history and usage.