Southern Vs Northern Used Vehicles: Is There A Difference?

When buying a used car, it's important to ensure every aspect of the vehicle is up to your standards in terms of its age, technology, safety, and overall condition. You can find a well-maintained, used vehicle from nearly 20 years ago in a near-mint state, while cars from only a few years old can have significant damage. While you may think about the previous owner's consistent maintenance schedule, minimal accident history, or gentle use as being the best signs for a used vehicle, location can have a much larger impact on its condition. 

Living in the northeast, it's vital that local car owners know how to identify and prevent corrosion based on climate conditions. Members of our team here at AutoOne in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, put together this article, explaining how differences in Northern and Southern climates can affect a vehicle's rate of corrosion. Learn about the ways heat, moisture, and road salt can directly impact how much rust a vehicle produces, so you can be sure your next used car meets your standards in quality and condition. 

What Is Corrosion?

HDR 01 by Cody licensed by CC BY 2.0

Corrosion is a process that occurs when refined metals are exposed to elements of their surrounding environment, typically resulting in a chemical reaction that deteriorates the metal. The most common form of corrosion occurs when atoms on a metal surface oxidize, causing it to lose electrons to oxygen in the water or air. This oxidation process can form rust and corrode the metal surface, rendering it irreversibly damaged. All metals are susceptible to corrosion, though some are more prone than others, such as iron. Combining these metals with other alloys can reduce their tendency to corrode, like with stainless steel. 

What Conditions Encourage Corrosion?

Contact with oxygen and moisture are two of the most common ways for metals to oxidize. If you live in an area with frequent humidity and rain, you may experience corrosion more than someone living in a dryer climate. The same goes for exposure to saltwater because this can carry even more electrons to the metal surface, resulting in a faster corrosion process for those living near the ocean. While moisture and saltwater exposure can certainly hasten a vehicle's corrosion, a similar issue can occur for those living in areas with high levels of snowfall. 

Living in Pennsylvania, we're no strangers to cool winters. While we certainly get our fair share of snowfall, relatively warm temperatures can melt it before measures like road salt become necessary. In other parts of the country, this isn't always the case. Consider places like upstate New York or the northern Midwestern states. These places experience intense snowfall each year, resulting in the need for salt to make the roads and vehicles drivable. Repeated exposure of a vehicle's metal surfaces to salt encourages rust to form, explaining why vehicles from Northern states often corrode faster than those from warmer climates. 

How Common Is It For Cars To Form Rust?

Cars are one of the most common items to corrode over time because of their metal structure and constant exposure to the elements. Recent car manufacturing has transitioned to using combinations of metals with less tendency to corrode, extending the lifespan of vehicles in climates prone to corrosion. With the use of rust-proof paint and galvanized steel, you're less likely to experience vehicle corrosion regardless of your local climate. Regardless, exposure to natural elements that cause chemical reactions with refined metals, such as oxygen, water, and salt, can still cause damage to a vehicle's metal surfaces.

How Do Used Cars From Up North Differ From Used Cars From Down South?

The main difference between buying a used vehicle from the Northern United States versus one from the South is the car's level of exposure to corroding elements. A vehicle from South Florida can have just as much rusting as one from Rochester, New York, albeit for different reasons. The prior's damage is likely attributed to long-term exposure to rain, humidity, and saltwater. The latter most likely corroded from constant contact with salt needed to melt icy road surfaces and make them safe for driving. 

It's also common for car owners in these climates to salt some of the vehicle's frozen surfaces, such as the car's doors, windshield, or mirrors. This constant contact with salt, mixed with the likelihood of snow residue accumulating in the vehicle's nooks and crannies, can create the perfect environment for rust to form. It's common for car owners to be oblivious to the level of corrosion on their cars, often because it tends to accumulate on the vehicle's underside. Inspecting your vehicle regularly and staying up-to-date with its maintenance can prevent these issues from getting out of hand. 

What Parts of a Vehicle Corrode the Most Via Rust?

When looking out for rust and corrosion on your vehicle, there are a few primary areas you may want to check more regularly than others because they're more susceptible to damage from oxidation. Perhaps the most important part of your vehicle to check for rust is the under siege, which comes into contact with corroding elements like rain puddles or road salt the most. This can lead to complications in your vehicle's electronic systems that can go unnoticed for quite some time, often until the issues are past the point of a simple repair. 

How To Prevent Corrosion

There are a few methods for preventing corrosion on your vehicle, mainly depending on your local climate. Rustproofing methods like the use of electronic modules can send a weak electric current throughout your vehicle, preventing chemical reactions from occurring between its metal surfaces and exposure to oxygen. Tar and oil sprays are also common techniques for preventing corrosion because they can act as a sealant, blocking elements from contacting the vehicle's metal surfaces. Other tips for preventing corrosion include parking your car inside a garage to limit exposure to the elements and washing it regularly to eliminate buildup.

So there you have it. That's our guide to identifying the types of corrosion and rust formation that can occur on your vehicle depending on the local climate. The next time you're in the market to buy a used car, you can use the information from this article to narrow your options based on the location history of different vehicles. If you're ever in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, area and need a quality used vehicle, contact us at AutoOne, and a team member will be more than happy to walk you through each step of the used car-buying process.