How long will it take to rust out?

Hi everyone- new member here looking for some answers. I live in NH and my 2004 4Runner is getting to end of its life due to rust. My brother lives in Texas and I was thinking I would buy a replacement for it (maybe an 08 or 09 Lexus GX470) and started to look for them. Then I saw a 1996 tacoma xtra cab with 118,000 miles that looked brand new due to a recent paint job. I contacted the owner and he said there is no rust underneath. My question is if it is worth driving back to NH only to have it last for just a few years before rusting out?

 

Kinda need pics before we can estimate.

 

With that said, if it's truly rust free or minimal rust from a southern state, then 10 years is not uncommon. 15 if you have it heavily undercoated and maintained every year or so.

 

I'll be the first of many to say that if you keep it coated with Fluid Film, it will live a long life in NH.

 

True.

My 04 has been FFed every other year and it's frame is just fine. It gets driven in the salty conditions every year. I also own my own pressure washer and rinse down the frame several times a year.

 

Yup. Will die of mechanical issues before it dies from rust if its treated yearly. Fluid Film or Krown, either will keep you rust free.

 

Really, I was told that I have to FF two time a year. I’m in central Ohio where it’s doesn’t snow much.

 

I'm sure that is fine. A 20 year old truck is not getting me to put that much effort into try to make live forever. I know what is put on the roads around here. I'm perfectly fine with postponing the inevitable. I just don't have the time I'm sorry to say.

With that said, I'm sure I put more effort in protecting my investment than 90 percent of the rest of Toyota owners.

Gotta pick my battles.

 

not necessarily
the FF is not THAT durable, i have now extensively tested it under extreme conditions, which are normal to me in my area, it may be different in your area by the ocean, very different in the middle USA and probably the north east
it washed off of mine in an area I was trying to protect and induced some flash rust, some of it was more than just flash and will not just wipe right off

and there must be something more durable out there that will not readily wash off
there are just SO MANY products out there to try

after removing the failed FF i am now trying this stuff out as of today
winter storm moving into the cornfields late tomorrow so maybe i can give it a good testing


the FF did stick relatively well under the frame rail but not so well on the side, have pics if you need 'em
this next product is brushed on, not sprayed or misted
the difference with this test vs FF is I will not be going through the touchless wash with undercarriage sideblaster sprayer, i will be hosing my truck off by hand at the ghetto wand wash

 

if there is a good amount of water in your area you probably will have to FF twice a year, it washes off rather easily

it gets to near 0 degree F here with high winds, i do not have the energy to keep checking if the FF is doing its job or not,

i hear you there, i know exactly how 20 year old Toyotas start wearing down in this mid west climate from the 2 70s models i have had and the current 96 Corolla that is about to kick the bucket one of these days. but my truck is so much different acting than those cars ever were, it amazes me! it honestly feels like it is just now getting broken in, and i see the miles others are getting on their trucks, and its just Wow

and nice new trucks are nearing the $50k mark
but they are so big

i am sure FF works very well if it does not come into direct contact with a heavy water source, i may just end up having a smorgasborg of corrosion protections lol

 

your best bet to fight the rust is fluid film and keep the salt off. seriously. underbody washes work wonders.


any rust you do see, clean it up and paint it. it'll stop the spread

 

Speaking from experience two winters !!

The damp climate is hard enough on steel I have new steel inside that rusts

The liquid brine is brutal .

the painted new steel is holding up just fine.

 

its just difficult to place anywhere from $12k-$15k potential repair in the hands of some weird, yellow somewhat smelly stuff to protect without checking
the FF on the bottom underneath rail stuck well but i had not yet tested it in rolling through huge salty puddles in the curb lane, that usually occurs in the melting spring if there are enough mucky snowbanks sitting on the side of the streets, sometimes its a slow melt, sometimes its very rapid here leading to bigger puddles, that i do try to go around because more than likely under that puddle is the mother of all potholes

 

https://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/cto/d/granbury-x4-toyota-tacoma-xtracab/7059234772.html


Pretty sure he’s referring to this one.

 

that is a sharp looking truck with some custom upholstery, I am curious what the approx cost is to convert that to MT or is it possible to do that?



not sure why they did not replace the crusty scuff plate screws with the new carpet




@FLBAdrian did you see this Texas truck? i know how you like to

 

@GQ7227 It is a very nice looking truck. I thought the exact same thing on the screws haha. There are a few nice Tacoma’s for sale around me right now.

It is possible to covert to M/T but I’d guess about $1300-1500 if you did it yourself.

 

i just replaced those screws on mine last year and it added 5hp
... interested in the sale of that one for insurance purposes, if they get what they are asking for, its not an 'exact match' for mine but its the closest i have seen in probably six months!
but it would have to be equipped with MT, so that is an extra cost added

 

I wouldn’t say it’s a extra cost. It really just depends on what transmission type the buyer wants, not every wants a manual transmission

 

Yes thats the truck! He sent me some pics of the undercarriage. I have never used FF but I have used oil undercoating on the 4Runner a few times, but apparently I should have been going every year. What do you think of the underside?

 

i meant if my truck were to be totalled by some insurance company, how much extra cost to add on to replace my property
on several occasions I have talked to my insurance agent regarding the event of something like that happening and he gives me no confidence of what i am entitled to or what they will cover for uninsured or under-insured motorists! sucks that i need to gather proof of what these old trucks are actually worth out there