Newbie: Engine bolt corrosion on a 2002 OBW?

[gofargogo]

Hey all-

I'm hoping to buy a new (to me) OBW in the next few weeks, and I've been devouring this board to get up to speed on these unique cars. I've been test driving a lot of outback wagons recently and I think I found one that fits almost all my criteria, except there's one main worry: All the fastners in the engine compartment are corroded.

 

It's a 2002 OBW with 72k, originally from New York/Connecticut but now out in California. And every bolt head, and ring-clamp and bracket is heavily corroded, but the body looks great, and the undercarriage looks pretty good (exhaust is rusty but not excessively so).

 

Is this normal for an east coast car? Should I expect more problems later in it's life? Or are my suspicions correct that it's had its nose dunked? Carfax seems clean, but I'm wary.

 

Many thanks.

[cookie]

you might hold out for a CA car. If you are in the San Mateo area I can show you my Forester so you can see what is normal for here.

Usually east coast suspension parts and brakes are harder to work on. I pulled my brake drums last week by hand with no puller or bolts. When I grew up in Maine I used to use a sledge hammer.

[BigMattyD]

There is a normal amount of corrosion that occurs out here due to all the salt on the roads in winter, but it may be hard to tell if it is excessive or not unless you post some pics.

 

 

There is probably a big difference between what a Californian or Arizonan would call excessive corrsion, compared to a Minnesotan or New Yorker.

 

Matt

[cookie]

In CA we sell cars because we are tired of them or we wreck them.

When I lived back east it was always because they rusted out. It is amazing how much easier a CA car is to work on. When I read about you guys struggling to get a bolt or something off it makes me remember how often I had a cutting torch out to do a simple job.