What's left?

[Matahoe]

Through the years my 05 Tahoe has been mostly gone over 2 or 3 times front to rear. It's arguably been refurbished and serviced more than it deserves.

Most major parts have been replaced including fuel pump body insulator mounts, heads refurbed... the usual tuneup and all steering and brake lines, wheel tires. The important safety stuff.

I am thinking about doing some research on availability of dealer stock down south because you know they don't get nearly as much rust. Or maybe I'm naive and fooling myself a bit. But from what I've read I don't think I'm off base that much. I'm Thinking of selling my Tahoe and buying a Sierra or Silvy around same 2004-2006 timeframe when drive by wire came on scene. I also like the added HP and torque that came with the later gen 3 LS engines. I don't like the 2007+ frames as they had more rust apparently. I think they didn't zinc plate good enough and used a cheaper frame dip material.

Ok, so to make a long story short...what are your views on how many relatively rust free are remaining down south. Not south of the border. Just looking for some advice on what people are seeing. I don't need to know about double sales tax and all that jazz. I understand. Thanks for your opinions.

Matt

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I bought my 07 used, and it had spent virtually all of its life in North Carolina. It was in beautiful shape rust-wise. In the future, I will source all of my used vehicles from the South.

 

[S33k3r]

Through the years my 05 Tahoe has been mostly gone over 2 or 3 times front to rear. It's arguably totally refurbished and serviced more than it deserves since I'm OCD like that. You can imagine. Aside from the sheet metal on the rockers rusted out and the salted frame...she runs like a beast. Lots of torque. Although I did rent a 1000 HP Lucid Air EV supercar a few weeks ago and my ego was greatly tempered. It awesome being able to go 0-60 in 2.4 sec. Puts you back in your seat. I highly recommend you rent one before you depart this earth. It is for lack of better words a really intense and super giddy experience.

Any way...im rambling. Most of my Tahoe's major parts have been replaced including fuel pump body insulator mounts, heads refurbed... the usual tuneup and all steering and brake lines, wheel tires. The important safety stuff.

I am thinking about doing some research on availability of dealer stock down south because you know they don't get nearly as much rust. Or maybe I'm naive and fooling myself a bit. But from what I've read I don't think I'm off base that much. I'm Thinking of selling my Tahoe and buying a Sierra or Silvy around same 2004-2006 timeframe when drive by wire came on scene. I also like the added HP and torque that came with the later gen 3 LS engines. I don't like the 2007+ frames as they had more rust apparently. I think they didn't zinc plate good enough and used a cheaper frame dip material.

Ok, so to make a long story short...what are your views on how many relatively rust free are remaining down south. Not south of the border. Just looking for some advice on what people are seeing. I don't need to know about double sales tax and all that jazz. I understand. Thanks for your opinions.

Matt

I can confirm there are a lot! I've got a 2004 Silverado 2500 Quadrasteer that will be up for sale in a few weeks. Last I looked, it had about 107k on the odometer. It's currently in Minnesota, at a friend's shop. He is performing repairs I can't. The transfer case has been rebuilt and I think he is working on restoring the Quadrasteer. I'm not sure how much he is going to ask for it, but I can check in if you are interested.

I have a rust free 2500HD cab for sale. It's a GMT800, but I don't know from what yesr (I never looked). I also have a Suburban body (still a GMT 800) that is also rust free.

Finally, I have a 2004 Suburban 2500 Quadrasteer that will be resurrected, eventually; for now it needs and engine, transmission (4L80E) and some interior work. But it is rust free. The engine and transmission are there; it's just that the transmission -- when it was parked -- only hd second and third, and the engine has over 300k miles on it. It was parked 3-5 years ago.

Other than that, take a look at cars in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama on FB Marketplace, and/or Craigslist.

 

[Matahoe]

I bought my 07 used, and it had spent virtually all of its life in North Carolina. It was in beautiful shape rust-wise. In the future, I will source all of my used vehicles from the South.

Interesting. So I guess I just need to quit procrastinating and take some vacation. So, there are just a ton of used trucks a long side the road? Only difference being down there they are in reasonable shape and up here in the north the are literally about to fall apart? Hehe.

I have relatives in a Florida so I'm somewhat aware to be on the lookout for oceanside seasalt damage as well. I had a dealer try to sell me a Sierra with a Vortex Max 6.2 some years ago. Problem was is that is was purchased in Canada for use by a fishing company around the Labrador Coast. I looked it up. And it took some investigating let me tell you! Upon further inspection was almost completely rusted apart so obviously I called their bluff. I had Carfax to thank for that heads up. It's tricky when used vehicles are shipped interstate or between countries. From what I gathered it is called title washing.

 

[homesick]

I don't know what 'south' is to you; but, living in OK, I'm careful with vehicles from TX. Rust is not an issue in most of TX, except along the Gulf Coast. TX has flooding too, and lots of those vehicles are shipped out.

I check CarFax as much for a truck's past address[es] as for its past damages, repairs, or maintenance.

joe

 

[S33k3r]

I don't know what 'south' is to you; but, living in OK, I'm careful with vehicles from TX. Rust is not an issue in most of TX, except along the Gulf Coast. TX has flooding too, and lots of those vehicles are shipped out.

I check CarFax as much for a truck's past address[es] as for its past damages, repairs, or maintenance.

joe

I have the benefit of living in Texas, so I can actually go look. For the stuff further out, I've used Lemon Squad in the past. They have saved me a few thousand dollars.

If any of y'all are interested in stuff in the Dallas area, hit me up. I'd be happy to go look and video call so you can too.

 

[Fless]

When you get serious about looking, don't forget some of the not-so-far-western States. My '04 came from Wyoming -- but bought in Denver -- with just surface rust on the frame and no body rot. Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico all should have some good prospects.

 

[Matahoe]

I have the benefit of living in Texas, so I can actually go look. For the stuff further out, I've used Lemon Squad in the past. They have saved me a few thousand dollars.

If any of y'all are interested in stuff in the Dallas area, hit me up. I'd be happy to go look and video call so you can too.

Ok thanks. Lemonsquad? Hmm. Let's just hope that name has nothing to do with the vehicles being lemons. Ha.

 

[Matahoe]

I don't know what 'south' is to you; but, living in OK, I'm careful with vehicles from TX. Rust is not an issue in most of TX, except along the Gulf Coast. TX has flooding too, and lots of those vehicles are shipped out.

I check CarFax as much for a truck's past address[es] as for its past damages, repairs, or maintenance.

I don't have any relatives in "it's ok do have a a few friends that are aircraft mechanics. It's been awhile. My boss is in

There must be a ton of escalades and higher end gmt800s around Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Lots of aerospace families with engineers and AP mechanics. That's a good bet I'm sure. Thanks

 

[Matahoe]

When you get serious about looking, don't forget some of the not-so-far-western States. My '04 came from Wyoming -- but bought in Denver -- with just surface rust on the frame and no body rot. Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico all should have some good prospects.

Does Denver use salt on roads?

 

[Fless]

Does Denver use salt on roads?

Yes, some salt with corrosion inhibitors. See the below site, scroll down to the "Snow Removal Products" and expand that for the types of products that are used.

Snow Removal & Safety — Colorado Department of Transportation

www.codot.gov

 

[nick0789]

I live in eastern NC (ENC) and there are tons of tahoes and suburbans, and their GMC equivalents, in this area. You have to do some digging to avoid the "fake country boy" specials i.e. 380k miles on its third rebuilt transmission with a destroyed interior and a crappy lift and wheel lights as well as the true country beaters but they are around. These things, along with the silverados, are the toyota camry of ENC. You just have to be careful the closer you get to the coast because of the ocean, as well as towards the mountains because of rust.


I purchased my 2005 Tahoe back in the summer of 2017 and I have had zero issues with rust. My biggest issue comes down to the typical GM paint issue: I've got a chunk of paint missing from near the antenna on the roof, just in front of the sunroof, and some clear coat peeling on the driver's rear door at the top of the window opening but it is otherwise in great condition. The vehicle has spent its whole life in ENC.

From my casual vehicle browsing, the following states usually have good finds: NC, FL, TX, OK, OR, CA, AZ, and VA (sometimes). There may be more, but those are the states I usually see them in good condition.

 

[S33k3r]

I live in eastern NC (ENC) and there are tons of tahoes and suburbans, and their GMC equivalents, in this area. You have to do some digging to avoid the "fake country boy" specials i.e. 380k miles on its third rebuilt transmission with a destroyed interior and a crappy lift and wheel lights as well as the true country beaters but they are around. These things, along with the silverados, are the toyota camry of ENC. You just have to be careful the closer you get to the coast because of the ocean, as well as towards the mountains because of rust.


I purchased my 2005 Tahoe back in the summer of 2017 and I have had zero issues with rust. My biggest issue comes down to the typical GM paint issue: I've got a chunk of paint missing from near the antenna on the roof, just in front of the sunroof, and some clear coat peeling on the driver's rear door at the top of the window opening but it is otherwise in great condition. The vehicle has spent its whole life in ENC.

From my casual vehicle browsing, the following states usually have good finds: NC, FL, TX, OK, OR, CA, AZ, and VA (sometimes). There may be more, but those are the states I usually see them in good condition.

Did you skip New Mexico in your list on purpose? Also, you really want to look everywhere. Some of the rusty states import non-rusty gems for resale.

 

[nick0789]

Did you skip New Mexico in your list on purpose? Also, you really want to look everywhere. Some of the rusty states import non-rusty gems for resale.

I did say that there may be more.
I haven't looked too much in NM personally so I couldn't vouch for them. I've had some friends that lived in the area over the years and they talked as if everyone out there beat up on them hitting the trails, etc. and accrued a lot of mileage driving between cities.

Edited to add ... I may be cheap, or not willing to be conned given the availability of vehicles to me within a few hundred miles, but while there are some good finds in rust prone states my experiences with seeing them for sale highlights your point about resale: I'm not going to drive up north to overpay for a good vehicle just because they bought it cheap in the south to flip at a premium up north. That said ... if there was a true creampuff being overpriced I could possibly still be tempted lol

 

[homesick]

Did you skip New Mexico in your list on purpose? Also, you really want to look everywhere. Some of the rusty states import non-rusty gems for resale.

LOL, so they can get a head start on rusting?

Seriously, I have to wonder about so many classic and collector cars being sold from Florida. Is rust not a serious issue down there?

joe

 

[mountie]

I live in West Palm Beach... I have seen quite a few '99 to 2015 Tahoes & Yukons, of all types..... ( I just saw ( at a friend's shop), a mid-2000 Yukon, 2500, with the rare big block. ( 4" lift )... 2-tone, and in great condition....

We should have a thread, for members looking for them..... So, instead of driving past one with a for sale on it, I would check them out.

 

[mountie]

LOL, so they can get a head start on rusting?

Seriously, I have to wonder about so many classic and collector cars being sold from Florida. Is rust not a serious issue down there?

joe

Only if you use it to launch a boat, or a pool service..... I rarely see anything rusted around here.....

 

[S33k3r]

My Duramax is from Florida, via Nebraska. And it is a cream puff. I did have to remove the 37" wheels and the 6" lift, though.

 

[Matahoe]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I didn't realize this subject would get this much attention/replies. I will pick this up and let everyone know when I am pre-approved from my credit union. My research thusfar says a loan in my home state is best. PM me if you would like to help me when I expect to be in your area. We don't need to meet, you can just be a scout for me. A trip out west sounds like a good vacation. Lots of stuff to see starting from the black hills of SD. I would be more than happy to pay a finders fee at a reasonable rate.

 

[mountie]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I didn't realize this subject would get this much attention/replies. I will pick this up and let everyone know when I am pre-approved from my credit union. My research thusfar says a loan in my home state is best. PM me if you would like to help me when I expect to be in your area. We don't need to meet, you can just be a scout for me. A trip out west sounds like a good vacation. Lots of stuff to see starting from the black hills of SD. I would be more than happy to pay a finders fee at a reasonable rate.

My Mom was born in Grand Rapids..... She used to say to me: " If you are cold, you are not dressed right"......