Painted Rust??

The last potential purchase was gone before I could get there.

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Here is a 2003 DC TRDOR with $180K miles on it. Listed in VA. Inside and outside looks good. It is about a 50-mile drive from my location. This is listed at a used car dealership. They said it has zero rust. I saw some rust on the tailgate and wanted to take a look at the bottom.

Below is what they sent me. There is evidence of black overspray on the muffler, and it looks like a paint job to cover up the rust. It's just hard to tell how much. The question is, is it worth the 100-mile journey just to take a look? Price is listed 10,000.

 

It is definitely painted over. As to weather it's worth the trip, that's up to you. Can't really say if it is worth it without poking around yourself.

FWIW I would not pay 10K for that. I might consider it if it was truly rust free and in great shape, with no issues, etc. That's a 5k truck to me, but the world has lost it's mind over 1st gen's so they put them for sale with these prices waiting for a buyer with more money than sense, IMO.

 

IMO with the amount of painting they did underneath I wouldn’t bother looking at it. Ask for some close up photos of the frame before deciding to make that drive.

 

It’s like fishing. The trip all depends where the 100 miles take you.

 

Is that all paint, or is there undercoating as part of the recall? As I understand it, the treatment is applied to certain areas of the frame (not the whole thing) and looks like an epoxy sealer, not black paint.

 

Coroseal looks like that after being sprayed on and dry. It's a water based rust converter that turns rust to an inert form of iron oxide, Magnetite.
Would need paint top coat if that's what has been done.
Even the catalytic converter has been treated.

 

I'd pay $10k for a truck with 300k miles from the desert well before anything with 100k from the rust belt.

 

texture underneath the paint indicate that there is rust under that black paint but the question is how bad was it before it got sprayed

Is it worth it? Only you can answer the question. Though spending 10k for a truck that has had its frame painted up to hide rust makes me a bit wary...

In order to adress the rust, you will need to scrape the paint off because it is a matter of time before it comes back if it was just painted over without any treatment beforehand

If you ever go check it out, since the rust is painted over, you will need to check the inside of the frame because these tend to rust from the inside out and I don't think they spray painted it on the inside as well. If you don,t have an inspection camera, try to poke a finger in the square holes along the frame rails. If full of rust chunks and flakes, not good

Then you can also bring a hammer and hit around the frame with it. First areas to check is where the leaf springs attach to the frame behind the cab, by the catalytic converter, by the gas tank, then under the bed, around the shock absorbers mounts

 

Black woolwax perhaps?

They missed spots on the cab floorpan it looks like!

 

That’s my guess. I personally chose the clear (ish) to avoid a discussion like that

 

black woolwax's finish is shiny, not matte black and the overspray on the muffler and exhaust would have had evaporated/melted off by now

Here's a picture taken from their website showing what it looks like when applied

 

ooh! the mystery deepens

so is the vote for the corroseal

 

I would have to agree that it looks shiny (and sticky). I pulled this picture off of the web (hope they don't mind) of an application.

 

I'd definitely question them on what they used. Black Woolwax, rust-oleum, spray paint, etc. I would think someone trying to hide something would be more careful about the muffler though.

 

If it’s undercoat, don’t even bother. I made that mistake last year and spent the better part of 3 weeks stripping the undercoat wire wheeling the covered up rust and then painting.

 

Corroseal might be the likely candidate. I will ask them and see what they say. I am not confident I'll get an informed response.
One would think if you used Corroseal, you might not do it 100% correctly over 100% underneath. This application guide might be a good way to spot areas they got right or wrong if they in-fact used corroseal.
http://www.corroseal.com/technical/application.aspx

 

its definitely worth a measly 100 miles to check it out!

 

If you go look carefully at the paint (bubbling, repaint, etc) around the exterior rear wheels, also feel up behind each wheel lip as thats where it will show even after repairs. Who knows whats underneath all the black stuff sprayed underneath. Personally i would not even mess with it as you don't want to be the guy owning the truck thats now showing visible rust here and there as the value and ability to sell really drops then. You might also ask the dealership for the name/number of the person who traded it in and ask them directly about the truck. Good Luck
PS: Rust Sucks!

 

This. I can't get a good look at much other than the axle, but it looks like a good but if rust. And I'd doubt that is anything other than spray paint, which would make me really question what they're trying to hide.

 

50 miles isn't that far. Would hate to let a decent truck pass you by, just for 50 miles.

Go check it out.

Bring a hammer and tap around the frame. If they don't want to to do that, tell them to pound sand and leave.