What Does "Rust Free" REALLY Mean?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,362
Likes: 22
From: Florence, SC
What Does "Rust Free" REALLY Mean?
In looking at older, classic trucks for sale, I often see the seller brag that the vehicle is "Rust Free," or "Garage Kept."
Then when I take a closer look, I almost always find some slight rust here and there. Does having surface rust on parts like the engine block, master cylinder, steering boxes, headers, brake lines, exhaust system. etc. not count? I don't mean to be too picky here, and slight rust in these areas don't really bother me, but I don't see how any vehicle can be completely "Rust Free."
I find these same "rusty" areas in vehicles that sellers claim have been "Garage Kept." I have never owned a "garage kept" vehicle before, so I wouldn't know, but is it normal for a vehicle that has been "stored in a garage since new" have undercarriages that have turned light brown from rust?
Wouldn't just one single trip in the rain or even sitting on the dealer's lot cause some slight rust on the parts mentioned above, even if it has been "Garage Kept" all its life?
What Does "Rust Free" REALLY Mean?
Then when I take a closer look, I almost always find some slight rust here and there. Does having surface rust on parts like the engine block, master cylinder, steering boxes, headers, brake lines, exhaust system. etc. not count? I don't mean to be too picky here, and slight rust in these areas don't really bother me, but I don't see how any vehicle can be completely "Rust Free."
I find these same "rusty" areas in vehicles that sellers claim have been "Garage Kept." I have never owned a "garage kept" vehicle before, so I wouldn't know, but is it normal for a vehicle that has been "stored in a garage since new" have undercarriages that have turned light brown from rust?
Wouldn't just one single trip in the rain or even sitting on the dealer's lot cause some slight rust on the parts mentioned above, even if it has been "Garage Kept" all its life?
What Does "Rust Free" REALLY Mean?
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: wisconsin
From my dealing with rust free, garage kept, and slight rust means they quickly sanded primed and painted over what rust was there. Usually when they say rust free they are only talking about the body. Just remember bondo and paint can hide rust like I said. Metal oxidizes or rusts without regular upkeep.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 373
Likes: 0
From: Chesapeake Va.
Yes your thoughts are correct, BUT wow the million dollar question and WOW makes you wonder what the hell some people are smoking when they try to advertise their CRAP.
Most again MOST people assume when someone says "rust free" they are speaking about the sheet metal on their vehicle, just the sheet metal, but in this real world there are some real stupid people with BAD interpretations of "rust free".
The part about most people was not geared to you but towards some people HERE that have sold vehicles on FLEA BAY and claimed "rust free" and they clearly needed Pearl Vision's help and I for one would have kicked his a$$ had I flown to his house to pick up a vehicle that was sooooo perfect.
The guilty party will know whom I speak of but anyway "rust free" will still have some rast on the frames and such it should not have it on or thru the sheet metal NOR in my opinion should it include a vehicle that has had its panels replaced or patched IT SHOULD BE A VEHICLE THAT HAS NOT BEEN WORKED OVER then repainted. Thats not to say you cant repaint a vehicle and call it "rust free" as long as its origonal sheet
Most again MOST people assume when someone says "rust free" they are speaking about the sheet metal on their vehicle, just the sheet metal, but in this real world there are some real stupid people with BAD interpretations of "rust free".
The part about most people was not geared to you but towards some people HERE that have sold vehicles on FLEA BAY and claimed "rust free" and they clearly needed Pearl Vision's help and I for one would have kicked his a$$ had I flown to his house to pick up a vehicle that was sooooo perfect.
The guilty party will know whom I speak of but anyway "rust free" will still have some rast on the frames and such it should not have it on or thru the sheet metal NOR in my opinion should it include a vehicle that has had its panels replaced or patched IT SHOULD BE A VEHICLE THAT HAS NOT BEEN WORKED OVER then repainted. Thats not to say you cant repaint a vehicle and call it "rust free" as long as its origonal sheet
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,593
Likes: 2
From: Prairieville, La
If you can not put your finger, hand or head through it... it is rust free.
Surface rust is when you can knock it down with a little sandpaper to get to clean metal and have no holes.
All frames whether kept in a garage or outside, are going to have rust. If they have ever been in the rain there will be rust. I do not know many people that daily drive there autos and climb underneath to wax the frame.
That is my take on rust free.
Garage kept just means that It is not exposed to the elements as much as those that are kept outside. My autos rest under a huge oak tree. I constantly have poop, limbs, and leaves on the cars. Pine trees drip sap and drop needles everywhere.
Garaged autos do not have those types of issues nor have ice on the body in the winter. They can still have sun damage though. If the owner works full time, they usually have it in a parking lot all day in the sun. But the time in the garage counts for something. It does generally preserve the auto better.
Surface rust is when you can knock it down with a little sandpaper to get to clean metal and have no holes.
All frames whether kept in a garage or outside, are going to have rust. If they have ever been in the rain there will be rust. I do not know many people that daily drive there autos and climb underneath to wax the frame.
That is my take on rust free.
Garage kept just means that It is not exposed to the elements as much as those that are kept outside. My autos rest under a huge oak tree. I constantly have poop, limbs, and leaves on the cars. Pine trees drip sap and drop needles everywhere.
Garaged autos do not have those types of issues nor have ice on the body in the winter. They can still have sun damage though. If the owner works full time, they usually have it in a parking lot all day in the sun. But the time in the garage counts for something. It does generally preserve the auto better.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 9
From: Kasson, Minnesota
My interpretation of "rust free" pertains to the sheet metal. That also includes surface rust on the sheet metal because many people believe that sheet metal having surface rust is "rust free". Just because there isn't a hole now, there will be. Surface rust is just the start and where there is surface rust the metal is thinner. I love it when some says something is rust free and when you look at it, you see bubbling paint all over or signs of thick coats of bondo.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 226
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To me, living in MN, rust-free and garage kept are only terms used to spike interest in buyers. There is no such thing as rust-free, all metals rusts and unless they soaked it in WD-40 and saran wrapped it since new, it's going to have some rust.
Believe Nothing
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,519
Likes: 403
From: W. Central FL.
Rust free means original unmolested unpatched sheetmetal. Of course, frame and suspension should be solid. Surface rust is a given on suspension parts in an old vehicle. I can remember seeing vehicles of this production era have surface rust on suspension and unprotected metal while being unloaded from the transport truck. There was little or no thoughts of preventing rust.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,134
Likes: 1
From: Mississippi
To me, its a relative term. I have recently seen new viehicles with some surface rust on certain undercarriage parts. When someone advertises a 30+ year old truck as "rustfree" I would expect to see no body rot in the sheet metal and that is way better than most. I got real really lucky on fleabay. I bought a '76 sb 4x4 in original condition, somewhat neglected, advertised as rust free barring surface rust. I am much more than pleased with it, it has been taken apart and there is no sign of any rot let alone repairs, it is what I would call a survivor.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 13,149
Likes: 348
From: THIS IS SPARTA!, ...Mo.
I've found people confuse "rust" and "rot". "Rust free" usually means there's no rot holes in the car. At least, that's what I interpret it as.