In places that salt the roads in winter, are all cars doomed to rust out at 10?15?20? years old. I come from a place where rust in cars stopped being an issue in the 1990s. So seeing pics of modern cars rusting to pieces blows my mind.

Question

In places that salt the roads in winter, are all cars doomed to rust out at 10?15?20? years old. I come from a place where rust in cars stopped being an issue in the 1990s. So seeing pics of modern cars rusting to pieces blows my mind.

In: 14

Answer 1

A car that’s even basically maintained will easily last 15-20 years, without much consideration for its environment. That being said, salt will cause a car to rust much faster than normal, for sure. Having your car [oil sprayed](https://www.jiffylubeontario.com/rust-proofing-your-car/) every year before winter will greatly increase the chances of a vehicle lasting 15-20 years.

Additionally, you’ll want to wash the areas where salt accumulates as often as possible. I just assume it’s everywhere and wash the whole car. It’s also important to remember that your boots/shoes have snow on them, which means more salt to clean. Frequently vacuuming and cleaning with specific chemicals is recommended. I usually have winter footwell mats as well, which prevent most of the salt from touching the vehicle itself.

Basic maintenance like frequent oil changes and changing parts at regular intervals (sometimes years, depending on the part) prior to failure also help.

Notwithstanding accidental damage, as long as you treat a vehicle with care and respect and don’t beat the hell out of it when you drive, a car in winter can easily last 15-20 years. Especially modern vehicles.