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I have been looking at new Dodge trucks for a few months. This is probably my last new one and I need to choose wisely. My question is do they rust quicker than Ford and Chevy trucks or am I imagining things? Besides keeping the undercarriage clean is there a way to prevent premature rusting? I am sure that the trucks that I notice rusting are rusting from the inside out. Your thoughts are appreciated.

All of the Dodge pickups that I see around here rust through at the top of the bed wheel wells. The rest of the truck will look great, but there will be 12" to 18" of rust at the top of the wheel wells. It happens on the second style of Durangos and Aspens too.

I guess it depends on where you live. My 98 Dodge has no rust at all. If the DOT uses a lot of salt in their sand mix, that is a big culprit.

I am in Illinois and the wheel well rust is the biggest problem that I see.

We use the brine on our roads here and everything is rusting. It is normal to see a nice looking vehicle with no real flaws, then you look lower and notice missing rockers,cab corners or wheel wells.

Idaho doesn't use salt and a truck will last a long time. I recently sold a '92 Chev with 160k that had virtually no rust on the body. It had multiple other problems, but no rust.

You can pop out the rear tail lights a couple times a year and get the inner fender well a good wash.

I always hand wash my vehicles and about every other time I always go along the underside with my hand and hose and flush out all the crud that accumulates on the inner body panels.

Also on the Dodge trucks that don't come with them, you can purchase wheel well liners for the rear wheels.

I live in PA and we use the brine and salt. I see rust on every make, no one is immune to it. I am fortunate to have a heated garage and I thoroughly wash out underneath the vehicle at least once a week. That seems to be key because I have no rust issues, even on my 2003 Chev Silverado.

I have an '08 Dodge Ram. After 80k miles, it has no sign of rust. Except for a few trips to the coast, it's spent it's whole life in the high desert of so. Idaho where no salt is used.

I flush/wash the under carriage of my Silverado every spring and during the summer, the underneath is sprayed with used engine oil.

I've drilled a small hole in each door to allow oil to be sprayed inside and I plug the hole with a rubber body plug.

As stated before salt and brine will rust them all, but you can slow it.

Perhaps it's just me, but it seems as if the auto makers are cutting corners on something, I don't know what it is, but I've seen several trucks; Ford and Chevrolet alike that have rust bubbles developing after a year or two of being manufactured.

I was reading an article the other day you may want to check out since you live somewhere that uses a lot of brine. The article stated heated garages allowed the brine to be more corrosive because of the temperature inside. This article was advocating leaving the vehicle outside until it could be washed off. Not sure if it is true but I'd consider it if I had to deal with that all winter long.

Thankfully where I live in VA we don't see much snow and they do not use a lot of salt...mainly sand and cinders.

Some people have brine problems in warm weather.

Thanks for the thought there VAhuntr. Yes I do think think that simply keeping the car in a garage and not rinsing off the salt/brine could lead to more problems. Notice in my original post I stated at least once a week, but probably average 2-3 times a week. Must be workin because my 12 year old truck has no rust issues!

Not to say wash/rinsing is a waste, but the Pa DOT claims the brine will stay on the road for a couple days and be effective, even after some rain. If you have to drive through some of that stuff when it is first put down or after a light rain, how the heck is it possible to get it out of the crevices of your vehicle? Not trying to argue, just asking. We have seen brakes rusting between friction material and metal, breaking the friction material and it falls out or gets caught.

Ain't a scientist or a chemist, but it does stand to reason that if that crap gets washed out on a regular basis, there is less time for the chemicals to do damage. All I can tell you is it works for me. I have a rust free 12 year old truck, my neighbor has a 2004, which he rarely washes in the winter, that the fenders and rockers are falling off of...

God do I love living in Oregon, when a subject such as this comes up....don't have to deal with rusty vehicles anymore...

I know of a few with rust above the rear wheels on the bed. Those trucks would probably be 2006 and newer. The brine and some other chemical they use wrecks havoc on everything though. Eats up spring hangers, works on brake lines, wished they would stop using it.

I assume the State of Oregon does not use salt or ice melting products on the highways?

VT dealers are offering a 10 year rust warranty for a significant amount aimed directly at brine issues. Vehicles are eaten alive.

W

Remember the recall on Tacomas for the rusty frame problem? My nephew in NY had one so he took it in for an inspection. When they lifted it to inspect it, the frame broke. That was an extreme case, of course, but it sure shows how much damage salt can do to steel.

Oregon uses brine a lot in urban areas. Junctions and corners on the highways. Rust is becoming a real problem. Surprised you did not know this.