Anyone have experience with cars driven in VA?

 

I have an opp to buy a Soobie today and found out the car was bought/driven in VA until last month when they moved out here.

 

So I am concerned about things like rust and other environmental factors, not really knowing such for cars in VA.

 

Anyone with quick info (I'll be leaving in a few hours to see it). Of course I can look at the car but may not catch it if it's small enough, or only rusts in the left clavicle of the clamish strut switch :-p ..

some may depend on where in va, norther va may be different. but generally , va doesn't have the rust problems that new england does. it does snow here but not every week, usually 3 or 4 times a winter. so i wouldn't be too concerned.

 

on the other hand if they lived in va and commuted to ny... well that could be different. but still, i don't see rust on va cars/subarus.

 

john

 

Anyone have experience with cars driven in VA?

 

I have an opp to buy a Soobie today and found out the car was bought/driven in VA until last month when they moved out here.

 

So I am concerned about things like rust and other environmental factors, not really knowing such for cars in VA.

 

Anyone with quick info (I'll be leaving in a few hours to see it). Of course I can look at the car but may not catch it if it's small enough, or only rusts in the left clavicle of the clamish strut switch :-p ..

I grew up in Northern Virginia. Rust is a problem on cars along the Atlantic coast areas (Norfolk, VA Beach, etc) and to a lesser degree in Northern Virginia. Road salt is used during the occasional winter storms that come through there. If the car spent its life in western portions of Virginia, there is a lot less likelyhood of rust being an issue. The easiest may be look for sure signs of corrosion is with the help of a trusted mechanic...or find a member here from the rust belt that tell you (or share pics) where to look for rust on that particular Subaru model.

...or find a member here from the rust belt that tell you (or share pics) where to look for rust on that particular Subaru model.

 

Good points!

 

The car is a 98 Legacy GT Ltd. sedan....60K miles

 

I will find out where in VA they were (she did say it was a very short commute to work and as the car only has 60K....that's a good sign!).

 

oh yea, and their cell phone number (that they have kept) is a 703 area code...North... bummer

 

oh yea, and their cell phone number (that they have kept) is a 703 area code...North... bummer

 

 

I live in the good old 703, I wouldn't worry too much about rust or salt. They usualy put salt down 3-4 times a year here like someone above said. I've never had major rust issues on a car. I see plenty of older cars driving around without major rust issues. Its not going to look like a car from AZ or something but I'd worry more about all the other used car things then rust.

Northern VA, the 703 area code (Washington DC burbs), has awful stop-and-go traffic and congestion, so expect a much higher amount of wear than a 60k car from the midwest, for example. More use of brakes, more transmission shifting, up and down revving of engine, more likelihood of fenderbenders, etc. That said, I've bought two used Subarus from the Northern VA area, and both have been good reliable cars. Environmental factors like salt and rust aren't going to be much of a problem like they would be from farther north, although the roads are salted here when it snows, but expect door dings, scratches, etc. that would be typical from an urban setting.

very good all...thanks!

 

I fugured for an 8 yr old car, 60K or so is pretty low mileage - but I will ask how far and where the commute was to/from...

 

They rated the exterior as an "8" when I asked to rate 1-10, 10 being mint....we'll see!

Looked real good overall....some more dings than I was hoping to see, but no rust...

 

I will also have a soobie mech check out the car.