Fleet van question re rust

[irishgypsy]

Hi, I’m eyeing a 06 Chevy express here in New England.  It was a Comcast van for most of its life.  Do fleet vans get rust tx usually in the northeast?  I haven’t seen it yet.  My friend said as long as no rot not to worry about rust.  It’s not over book value and that seems rare right now.  And I know the reputation of the seller and they are honest.  In this market, those 2 facts alone make me wanna jump if it has no rust. Just barely over a hundred thousand miles.

 

[MrNoodly]

There are two basic types of rust on vehicles. Surface rust which is common in most parts of the country. It's a thin coating and usually nothing to worry about as long as the metal underneath is solid. Then there's the rust that makes the metal flaky, bubbly and weak and creates holes or destroys joints. It's typical in areas they use salt on roads when it snows. To see which kind you have you need to crawl around under the vehicle and poke at rusty areas with something like a screwdriver. If anything sounds or feels less than solid, run away.

 

[bullfrog]

There is surface rust that forms on the outside surfaces and doesn't penetrate very deep into the metal and structural rust that gets inside the metal and causes it to flake and fall off. Have a frame inspection at a body shop and let them tell you how serious the damage is and what the future holds for you if you buy the vehicle.

 

[Matlock]

Get it inspected up on a lift and ideally tell the guy you want to see what it looks like whlie he inspects. You need an experienced mechainc that works on all things underneath a vehicle to evaluate whats what. He can give you some idea about tire wear, brakes, shocks and drivetrain. It's just the right thing to do.