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Rust. Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life for many people shopping for a used vehicle in Winnipeg. Canada is famous for the length and intensity of its winters. Given the amount of road salt and moisture in the winter months, it may be no surprise that Canadian cars tend to rust more quickly than their southern brethren.

This can be a real issue when shopping for a used car. How can you be sure that the vehicle you’re interested in is in great shape, and is not rusty – and hasn’t been repainted to hide rust damage? In this guide, we’ll show you how to check for both rust damage and repainting. Let’s begin.

Ideally, you should be able to examine a vehicle on a lift. But this isn’t always possible when shopping at a dealer, or buying from a private seller – so you’d better be comfortable sliding underneath the car’s undercarriage.

Using a high-powered LED flashlight, start checking every piece of metal that you can. It’s not uncommon for some components like the muffler and exhaust system to be rusty – and that’s not necessarily a reason not to buy the car.

You’re really looking for rust damage to the chassis of the vehicle itself, as well as the body panels and components which may be invisible from the exterior. Note any rusty spots or patches – and if there are any areas that are totally “rusted through,” you probably shouldn’t buy the car.

Check The Joints, Doors, And Other Areas
Rust is quite common on areas of the car that have hinges, or otherwise join two different areas of the vehicle. You’re going to want to check for rust on:

The trunk
The hood of the vehicle and engine enclosure
Doors and around windows
Molding
Lower body panels
Underneath the trunk carpet
If these areas are clear of rust, chances are that the rest of the car is also rust-free. You should still perform a comprehensive inspection, though.

Check The Door And Rocker Panels
Door panels and rocker panels (the panel that runs underneath and along the front and back doors of your car) are often affected by rust. This may happen if the drain holes in the panel are blocked, and corrosive water builds up inside them – especially if the rust-proofing treatment has been worn away. Check the bottom of door panels and rocker panels to identify potentially troublesome areas.

Look For Signs Of Repainting And Repair
If a car has been repainted and repaired from rust, this isn’t always a bad thing. However, in some cases, the seller may have simply done a shoddy job to try to hide rust damage and get a better price for the vehicle.

If you think that a car has been repainted due to rust, make sure you take a look at it in the sunlight for the best possible view. Look for “bubbling” in the paint. This is a common issue when a car has been repainted, but the underlying rust has not been removed.

Look alongside the natural trim of the car. Do you see any variation in paint thickness, or dull or more opaque sections? These could be a sign of repainting after rust damage, or other types of car damage.

Some ppl told me that not to buy car from Toronto due to their rust problem. Is this true? if it is, what about car that 3 -4 years old with undercoating. Does it still have the same rust problem?

Any feedback is appreciate.

Cheers
Coleus

Southern Ontario uses a lot of salt on the roads during the winter. If the previous owner took care of the care and washed it frequently, had it undercoated, and washed the undercarriage it shouldn't be a problem if the vehicle is only 3 to 4 years old.

I bought my 03 Saab from London, ON and there isn't a spot of rust anywhere on the car. I've also seen newer cars that are rusting out already. It depends on how much it was driven and how much care it was given .

It all depends on how it was winter driven. I know a few people that have bought cars from TO with no problems at all. But I also have personaly seen 03 bmw's with rust everywhere.

Most of the rust will be under the hood on all the bolts and strut towers.

I personally would never buy a car from TO for myself or for my business.

look under the hood and the under carriage. i have a 2000 and it was from the east and I've had to replace lots of parts due to seizing. and i think it was only out east for 3 years... i cant even get the rear end aligned due to seizing

No it's not a myth. It's not just the road salt, it's the humidity in Southern Ontario that makes cars rust faster. Of course if the car is newer and washed frequently it may still be okay but you should definately inspect the car in person.

truth is most local dealerships get their used stock from the east and so far almost no one notices it...except the mechanics servicing them. for example, undoing a bolt on an 2 year old eastern car takes wd40 and heat in many cases where a western car would not need that.

i say, if the body shows no sign of rust and it is cheaper, go ahead and buy it because the chances are you wont be servicing it yourself

I had a 2002 car that was winter driven in Winnipeg and was perfectly fine. That is until it spent one February week in Montreal, and it was permanently damaged. Every exposed underhood bolt and bracket had an ugly layer of corrosion that was not there from previous Winnipeg winter driving. The car got so coated in white shit, it was hard to tell it was blue.

It is NOT a myth.

tensazangetsu20:

Gazuzz:
This thread is not for bashing, but for sharing info and knowledge, it is also not placed in the auto section kindly do not derail, post objectively or just read and pass.

Gazuzz:
kindly share your experience if you have ever owned a car imported from canada