Think a California truck lasts longer than a Ohio truck?

[ERdept]

Just a question to ponder and keep the forum's blood alive a flowing for our pleasure to ponder.

Do you feel that a truck from, say California, because of it's milder climates causes the Same Toyota to last longer than say a truck from Ohio?

Take into account California has a much milder climate, almost Medditeranian, no salt on the roads usually, winter cold starts are like 30-40 degrees at the coldest for a day or two.


Whereas a truck living in Ohio has a very harsh cold winter and the associated cold start, then has to deal with icy roads, to sliding and body damage, and salt, and rust.


In the end, will the milder lifestyle of the California truck allow it to have more longevity?


Again, just thoughts to ponder on our favorite subject the Tacoma. No real info on this thread. Just a mental exercise.

[squad314]

I'd have to say yes.....One of the biggest problems in my opinion is the temperature fluctuations.Around here it can go from bitter cold to downright balmy in a matter of hours.I've seen it change 30 degrees c literally overnight.....Condensation+salt=corrosion.

Actually,units advertised"Southern truck"are touted as more valuable than vehicles that have lived thier lives on the Northeast coast.

[nd]

Salt kills vehicles. i've heard that buying a used car up north where there is alot of snow is vehicular suicide. no mater how well its undercoated or cleaned its still gonna have salt related issues.

As far as temp fluctuations, you should live in SC. Just last week it was 35 when i left the house at 8AM and 76 by 2PM. gotta love a state where you need a jacked and heat, then 5 hours later you need shorts and AC

[jphiflyer]

I would say Southern California vehicles in general will last longer. I bought my truck in Cali when I lived there for a while, and I now live in Michigan where I am originally from. Besides the salt factor of eroding a vehicle, the salt and plow trucks also mutilate the roads and highways causing all sizes of cracks and potholes to destroy your suspension and jolt your components like crazy. It seemed the roads in SoCal were never a fraction as bad as they are here in Michigan (but then the two economies dont even compare). I also noticed that despite the smog standards of Cali, you still see a lot of older cars that are in better overall condition whereas it is difficult to find older cars in the midwest that arent rusted out.

[zmtnbik]

Depends on where in CA you live. If you live in the desert areas, the plastics will suffer (dash will crack prematurely, hoses/belts will rot and tires will crack.
If you live near the beach, then you have to deal with salt in the air.

Everywhere else in CA, you are pretty safe, and my last Taco was 5 years old when I sold it and still looked brand new.
My 06 Taco, with 15,000 miles on it, looks like ass...that's what happens living in CO, which is a very similar climate to Ohio. Mag chloride on the roads does wonders! My polished rims are going to need some serious work as soon as it warms up.

So to answer the OP's question, yes...a truck in CA will last longer than a truck in Ohio, especially when it comes to rust and Toyota's of the past are notorious for rust.

[ph16drive]

I live in Ohio and I tend to think that a cali taco will succumb to wild fires, mud slides, earthquakes, LA riots, bank robberies with automatic weapons or some other premature truck killer. I know rust won't be a problem.

[tacotoe]

Positively.

[ZonKs]

How bout increased traffic density (esp in Los Angeles) = greater likelihood of a traffic accident.

[concrete jedi]

You pose a valid question, yes the traffic I've heard is very bad and stats will tell that a crash is pretty definite, and the weather is pretty bleak in the mid-west, so I'm thinking move to Texas, because who the hell wants to live there ? both cause are eliminated.

[zmtnbik]

Originally Posted by phofener

I live in Ohio and I tend to think that a cali taco will succumb to wild fires, mud slides, earthquakes, LA riots, bank robberies with automatic weapons or some other premature truck killer. I know rust won't be a problem.

You forgot #1......car jacking!

[piercedtiger]

I was thinking the same thing about salt in the air in any coastal environment.

As for temp swings, it'll get down to -25F in NY and up to 100F or more during the summer. So far I've had a door handle, washer fluid cap, and various other plastic parts just crumble when touched due to the cold here. My Corolla was used, but came from Virginia and was in great shape after 2-3 years when I got it. Funny part is, it has better undercoating than the the truck I bought brand new in NY.

At least when I was in SC I knew people that bought $500 cars and ran them for years. Same $$$$ in NY will get you a rust bucket that needs new floor boards, rocker panels, etc. Hell, you can't FIND a vehicle for that cheap here! Most go for $700-$2,000 and still need extensive work! I've had friends and family buy $500-$800 cars that need new body panels, drive train components, exhaust, tune up, won't pass inspection with $1,000 worth of repair, broken gas or brake lines.... The list goes on. To get a car up here that you can DRIVE without dumping money into repairs will cost at least $8,000-$10,000.

When I was shopping for a second car my wife kept saying to get a used one, pay it off in a year, and trade it for something else. Well, that would mean buying a $10,000 used Kia shoe box, and paying more than I am for the truck just to pay it off in a year to trade for something newer. She eventually realized this and agreed with my choice to go new. Just doesn't pay to get used up north. That fact has been drilled into her head I think by watching her parents deal with used cars, a friend from work, and all the work I've spent helping a buddy work on the used ones he gets. (Days on end in the garage, trips to the junkyard and Autozone for parts.....)

[Charli]

I'd say worse for the body and the frame in OH. Hubby still gets nostalgic about his 88 Taco ("The Beast") whenever he sees pristine (or nearly so) 88s from the south on AutoTrader. The body on the Beast rotted out, including the frame. Mods make it worse up here--Beast originally was my step-dad's and he put on a roll bar, flares, you name it. Every place a hole got drilled, it rusted through. Didn't have to worry about finding that thing in a parking lot though! It stood out!
The engine had no problems with over 200,000 on it, so we were bummed when we had to get rid of it because our Toyota mechanic refused to fix it anymore because it was "unsafe. "

[Mat-taco06]

I’m located in the bay are Cal, But I would say that a Cali Tacoma has the same expected time frame than any other taco out there. A Taco in Ohio may be all rusted and faded but will still run and sound good while a Cali taco will be nice and shiny but rattles like hell with all this mess up road.

[ERdept]

Originally Posted by Mat-taco06

I’m located in the bay are Cal, But I would say that a Cali Tacoma has the same expected time frame than any other taco out there. A Taco in Ohio may be all rusted and faded but will still run and sound good while a Cali taco will be nice and shiny but rattles like hell with all this mess up road.

So your belief is that only the frame and body will suffer from the bad weather, salts, and plowing.

But you don't think that the more extreme cycles of temperature will have any effect on engine or mechanical longevity at all?

[lawnrevenge]

Colder startups might wear bears quicker, of course the tacos use very thin oil now. Once the truck is at operating temp the ambient temp isn't so
important unless you're over heating or never warming up. A california car will outlast a ohio car because rust will destroy the thing and roads in cold snowy climates are in worse shape due to temp variations and plowing and are in constant states disrepair. I work in that field, I know what I'm talking about. California overall has above average roads. Arizona, Nevada, other western state in the dry, regions have better roads. I use to drive a 1969 bug. It spent all of it's 39 years outside. It didn't have any rust, and it didn't rattle. I miss that car. But it's proof that California cars outlive ohio cars. It was on it's 3rd or 4th motor and original gear box when I sold it.

[willard417]

yeah rust might be bad... but i think falling into the ocean would be worse for a tacoma

[Jeff]

I feel I can weigh in as I have been a bodyman/painter for 30yrs and live in rusty, salt encrusted New England.

Yes, Calif, Arizona and New Mexico climate is easier on cars and trucks in general, tougher on vinyl roofs and interiors........Some of those are relatively inexpensive compared to replacing rocker panels, shock towers , fenders and attached parts, also front and rear frame horns.
In the past 10yrs the manufactures have had to stand up behind there vehicles in the rust dept. There have been many improvements in panel making too, no seams etc. You can blame the manufacturers for a great deal of the rust in the 70's/80's as they could have very easily put a better undercoat system on the frame and underbody. They just did not give a damn until they were forced to.

Southern cars too, for the most part are cleaner than northern cars, except when flooded and submerged by rains and they often clean them up and ship them to the north for sale or to South America, depending on the model.

I remember in the late 70's looking at a 65 GTO that a friend bought from Arizona and the frame was very clean, almost like new, he had it undercoated right away. I also had a acquaitance who lived in Fla. and bought 60's and 70's cars from his area to resell up north just because they often were owned by retiree's and had reasonably low miles and rust free.

Jeff, 06,V6, 6spd, SR5 , 4x4

[squad314]

Great input Jeff.

[river rat]

Winter cold and road salt is hard on everything. Newer cars don't rust out as easily as they used to though. I remember when a Japanese Brand meant self destruction in several years in the midwest. My '89 Nissan pickup had rust through in seven years.
I don't see that stuff anymore.


Rob

[RedruM29]

Originally Posted by Mat-taco06

I’m located in the bay are Cal, But I would say that a Cali Tacoma has the same expected time frame than any other taco out there. A Taco in Ohio may be all rusted and faded but will still run and sound good while a Cali taco will be nice and shiny but rattles like hell with all this mess up road.

If you are from the bay area... where i was born and raised(go to college up north) learn to speak like it first of all... and yes the roads may be kinda worn but compared to back east where i lived in the navy the roads are substantially better. get the facts the bay area has some of the best roads around. it is all the S#!&&* drivers that make it hazardous for your taco. Feel me!