Rust on undercarriage of used 2011

I'm looking at buying a used Tacoma. Found a 2011 4cyl 5speed with 35,000 Kilometres on it.

Im not sure what "normal" rust is on trucks. Do these pics look OK or should I walk away from this one. The body and cab are mint. The rest of the underside looks not too bad....just near the wheels is rough looking

 

Looks to be excessive rust for a 2011 to me. Mines a 2001 and don't have that much rust.

 

Looks like normal surface rust from salted roads. I would try to find with less rust and get it under coated ASAP.

 

I live in northern Manitoba, tough winters so they use lots of salt. So i guess untreatable than....

 

My 07 doesn't even have that much!

 

If you don't mind some extra work, you might be able to get a good deal on it due to the rust. Then clean it off and keep reapplying a good rust inhibitor every fall and you should be fine. I'm not a big fan of solid undercoatings though, they get perforated from road debris and then hold salt and moisture against the frame. This can make it rust faster and hide it from you until it's too late.

 

that looks excessive for a 2011. either it was near an ocean, driven in salt water often (not just winter) or ??? looks sort of bad

however it is just surface rust, nothing that can't be taken care of with elbow grease

and scrubbing that off and putting on (whatever rust goop you want) should take care of it

 

Thats normal for Manitoba. Hell thats normal for all of Canada.

We're in an area where resale value is stupid for these trucks. They're not built to deal well with our harsh climate. Either buy brand new and protect it well with constant undercoating/rust proofing or buy a different vehicle with lower resale value so its not as much of a kick in the nuts when the frame buckles in half from rust.

 

Wow that is a lot for having less than two years of avg driving miles... if you keep on top of it though, it should be manageable.

 

I wish my 2008 looked half as good as that and I have it Krowned twice a year.
As much as a love Toyota's (my family been driving them since 1974) and I have had 2 4runners, a Camry and 2 Tacomas I wouldn't buy another one due to frame rust issues.
I sold my 96 Tacoma a week before I got my recall letter for frame rust, and my 08 isn't looking any better.
It's too bad, I'm willing to look over breaking/weak leaf springs, noisey fan motors and squeaking clutch pedals, all of which my 96 exhibited and wasn't rectified on my 08, but to have to worry about frame rust again, had turned me off of buying a new Tacoma.

Shawn.

 

Neither does my 06. Yeah that's pretty rusty.

 

That looks pretty rusty to me. I have an 06' and its not even close to that but like you said it just depends on where you live and how much salt they use on the roads during winter.

 

My 14 with 1600 miles already has rust in a few small spaces. I just looked. Is this really the norm? Wtf.


I'm in Alabama no salt either.

 

looks like my 2011 with 28.000 miles on it. bracket for the right side bump stop for the rear rusted right off already

 

That'd be normal for our salted climate - I'm a southern MB guy and I Krown rust proof mine every fall and touch it up a bit in spring.

It's just surface rust now - you could wire brush it but heck you'd be fine with Krown rust inhibitor like I said and just keep doing it - it won't get worse as long as you are up on it.

 

I agree with finding another truck with less rust issues and began an initial rust treatment. This particular truck will give you headaches and problems from just routine maintenance or suspension mods such as removing/installing new shocks or leaf pack. I would also be worried about the shock mount breaking under load stress from weakened rusted mounts. I understand about normal rust in areas with salted roads but it doesn't mean you can't be picky buying. I would prefer to look out of state, pay a little more and have it shipped than having to deal with excessive "normal" rust. There's not much cost savings if you have to spend the time, cost, and labor to fix rust problems on a new truck you just bought and want to just enjoy.

 

looks like toyota better get off their ass. we pay too much for these trucks, just to throw them away after 5-7 years. doesnt matter how good the bodies look or the motors last, the recycled garbage metal they use in the frames and then not have better rust protection.

 

maybe they need to make the frames out of 304 for up north

 

That truck was never cared for and I think was exposed to some harsh chemicals besides salt. Stay away.

My salt belt state 08' with 94,000 miles on it looks 100X better

 

Doesn't look that horrible to me but I live in the salt belt. All of that rust looks easy to deal with. Rust is just a fact of life if you live where it snows. That said, I would not buy this truck, but I would never buy a Tacoma used. They ask so much money for them it seems to make zero financial sense- unless you aren't going to keep it for a long time? That '11 with 35k on it, they probably want big money for it.