When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I'm looking for a replacement cab for my 2000 f-250. My plan is to get one from the TX area. My theory is they don't spread salt as much, if at all.
Do the southern trucks actually hold up better than the ones in the north? Or do they all rust out regardless of climate?
a few years ago a dealer had a '97 F350 that came from CA and that truck was spotless inside and out. I crawled all over/under that truck for probably 15min and couldn't find so much as a scratch on it. I wanted that truck bad since that model has always been my dream truck, but the $13,000 price tag scared me away.
I think as long as it's not close to the coast a southern truck should hold up better, especially if it's in a dry climate like Arizona.
Yes, they certainly do. A few years ago I flew to Alabama to purchase my Excursion because I was unwilling to have a 12-year-old truck that has been in the salt its whole life. It was completely worthwhile, the underside was almost pristine, and I sold it for well above book value up north.
Thanks guys. Looks like I'll be making a trip to Texas.
No reason it has to be Texas unless you want it to be. Anywhere far enough south to rarely see snow will do. I might be buying a used truck towards the end of this year, and my plan is to locate the cheapest airport down south to fly into and find a truck around there.
Obviously you're planning on picking it up and driving back with it. Why not look at the southeast? Lots closer than Texas!
My 99 Superduty spent the first 13 years of its life in the Pacific NW and had not a spec of rot and only mild surface rust on the differentials. The undercarriage was quite literally pristine and it did not spend a day of its life indoors..
I lived in Texas for a dozen years and you have to be careful of trucks from the coast. The rustiest Camaro I have ever seen came from Corpus Christie TX.. It had been beach driven quite a bit and even the rear roof sails were rotting through..
Then there are the people that move to TX from northern states and the truck title is changed to TX (naturally), so a CarFax would help you find a truck that spent its life in Texas or AZ, etc..
There are some northern states that don't use salt - but not many...
I live within a mile of the coast in Southern California. We get dense fog/moisture at least 3-4 days per week and I have never heard of anyone with rust issues because of it.
I wouldn't be afraid to buy a truck somewhere because of the ocean, but I can't really speak for other areas.
A lot of the Super Duty trucks I have seen for sale lately have been in Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana. The trucks in Texas tend to be listed at higher prices than other states (the rest are pretty evenly priced), so be prepared to haggle if you are looking for the whole truck; if you're just after a wreck with a cab in good condition, that would be another scenario entirely.
Otherwise just scrutinize the truck's titling history to make sure it wasn't spending any time in a state you're wanting to avoid purchasing from. There's no way to tell if the truck was used by someone for extended periods in a state using salt on the roads (kids going to college, long haulers, so on and so on), so poke around underneath anyway.
As long as the truck wasn't in the surf or beat all to hell and left in the rain for years, it shouldn't be rusty.
Trucks do have a higher resell price in Texas due in large to demand. There is a large need for Superduty trucks not only due to the Superduty truck fan, but because they are a staple tool for farmers, ranchers, horse breeding operations, industry not to mention the demand for them south of the border.
And also the ole saying about the sum of the parts are worth more that the whole equates very well to the value of the Superduty truck.
My 04 when I bought it came from the east coast in Canada. Somhow it ended up in salt lake around may 2010 when I bought it. I used it as a plow truck for a few years. Then sold it to a place that sells their big truck trade in texas........ So not all trucks from texas are really from texas!
The plan is to buy a wrecked truck with a good cab at a copart auction. I'm not dead set on Texas, I just know there are a lot of trucks there, and it's warm and dry for the most part. I hadn't even thought about transplanted trucks coming from another state. Thanks for the heads up.
Having lived and traveled around the country, I just say that my Texas trucks have been flawless as far as any rust but watch the paint on the roof as the sun can get kind of harsh. My 2005 yellow truck never seen the inside of a garage and was just starting to get some cracking in the clear coat when i traded her in last fall. No rust, underside looked brand new at 200k miles...
I have a 99 dodge van from RI....it is rusting from the bottome side up. Body not bad on top but under is terrible....
