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Can i buy a 11 year used 2003 Honda Ody with rust in wheel wells. No rust seen in Engine compartment or inside floor. I am not able to view trunk as i could not remove the floor carpet. Tires new, Battery new, Timing belt, water pump replaced.
I went to a Mr Tire and showed them the rust area. Mechanic told that they are cosmetic. I would like to get some opinion. Please share feedback
All 3 pics are taken from near rear wheel.
1. We can see both tire and view from inside
2. same view with different area
3. outside view with some more rust near gas filling vent
Please provide your opinion
Last edited by place; 01-03-2015 at 08:34 PM..
Reason: added impages
It is body rust, and it is not going to go away. Rust in the rear wheel well is rust from the inside out as moisture/salt gets between welded body panels. It is not a structural issue, so the vehicle will be sound. However, I would not get my hopes up on a permanent fix.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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It will grow and grow, if left, and when there is visible rust, there is also going to be invisible rust. We had a used S10 Blazer that had undercoat and no visible rust, but when the fuel pump went and they dropped the tank, the floor under the rear storage area and all of the fuel lines were badly rusted and had to be replaced. Turned out it originally came from the northeast.
You didn't mention what your intentions for the vehicle might be. Maybe you need cheap transportation to get you by in a harsh winter climate and this will suit you just fine. Maybe you want a long term vehicle that you can depend on for years of service and ought to consider passing on this one.
That rust is deeper than appears on the surface. It will only continue to spread. It's not an easy or cheap fix to remove it and doing it right will likely exceed the value of the vehicle. The trim on the edge of the wheelwell is either a contributor to the condition (trapping moisture and salt) or an attempt to hide the worst of the damage. It doesn't need to be there, someone added it. I'd pull it loose and probe the metal underneath with a screwdriver... I'll bet it's pretty crusty and maybe rotted through already.
Could be that it's mechanically sound and the cosmetics won't bother you, but know that right there as it sits today, is as good as it's ever going to look and it's will get worse quickly unless you dump a big chunk of money into it. Make sure you get into it for cheap, because any notion of resale... well, you might be disappointed when that time comese around.
Good luck with your decision.
I just purchased an 2004 Odyssey with some minor rust similar to what you described. Mine has some in the front of the rear wheel wells. It's typical to see these in the Northeast. Just make sure you inspect other parts of the under carriage. I removed all the seats and carpet this past weekend. Not rust on the floor at all.
Since you mentioned it's an Odyssey, my concern would be more with the transmission.
As long as you are not paying high prices, I wouldn't worry too much about the rust.
It doesn't look that bad, though maybe on the high side for its age. But it may be a sign of of structral rust in more important places, such as the undercarriage. You should check the vehicle thoroughly. And as said, the body rust will spread, so if you're planning on keeping the vehicle for a long time it could become a problem. If you're planning on keeping it for a few years and running it down with lots of miles than it won't matter.
My experience with rust on vehicles is once it starts, it's hard to stop. I always buy used vehicles and one of my criteria is rust free. You may want to look around and see if you can find a rust free vehicle.
Thanks for all the replies. I bought it for 5K from a Popular Dealer. No Rust Underneath and in floors. Transmission looks good as of now. No abnormal sounds. The purpose behind this purchase is to buy reasonable 6 Seater without huge investment for small commute not more than 2K miles per year and only if i have more people to travel. When i drove , i feel this old Ody gives me better power and comfort than my 2010 Accord. It flies till 50 MPH without any engine sound.
Are you saying the engine starts making noises above 50 MPH, or just that you don't really drive it any faster than that?
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