Hey Scotty Just looking for some advice Im thinking of buying a 96 suburban that has only had two owners have already checked the report with two different auto report agencies (Carfax, Autocheck) one says two owners the other says one owner but both have no accidents and mileage is accurate in both as it was reported yearly since 1997 asked for pictures to see the undercarriage and engine bay as it is in Omak, Washington where it is probable that is has rust I live in Las Vegas Nevada where it hardly ever snows maybe once every 7-10 years and the summers are 115-118 do you think I face problems buying it with this amount of rust or do you think something could still be done. Truck has 85000 miles and I would still have to fly out to look at it. Do you think that its worth it, I was thinking of offering $6500. Would appreciate a response, Thanks!
This is the listing link with pictures posted by the dealership: https://www.omakautoplaza.com/inventory/chevrolet/suburban%201500/3736/
It actually looks pretty solid aside from needing a new muffler which is not a big deal. Floors look intact and it looks like just surface rust on the frame and leaf springs.
If it's just surface rust it's OK, what you want to be careful of is severe rust-through. Take a hammer to the frame. If it bounces off the frame is good, if it crunches or goes through run away. Pay particular attention to critical areas such as suspension attachment points.
Check the nooks and crannies around the suspension components especially. Rust likes to hide, big, exposed frame rails are usually less rusty than more enclosed things like crossmembers and mounts.
As an example, my '99 Ranger came from a place with less snow than where I live, Northern Kentucky vs Dayton, Ohio. I didn't notice any frame rust at first, but about a month later I was underneath and pulled myself out from under it by the driver's side rear shock. The shock flew away from the frame when my weight was on it and I wasn't expecting it to. It really surprised me. The shock mount had completely rusted off the frame and a hairline crack in the driver's side frame rail was rusting out from the inside. I paid a friend $200 to patch weld quarter inch steel plate over the areas. I may be needing to pay attention to the frame near leaf spring shackle now. These are all really small spaces where dirt can easily get caught and start the steel cancer.
I wouldn't touch it.
First of all , that price is insane. It's worth half that at best.
The rust on the frame ... it's not horrible. It's not the best either. The frame is heavy gauge steel so it can probably hold up for a few years still. But I would be more worried about the body. If the frame looks like that , then the body will be in worse shape. You can already see the edges of the bumper rust up. I bet if you opened up the rockers where water tends to get trapped, it'll be rusty on the inside. Sometimes there's plugs behind there that you can pull out and peek inside. Plus this truck has cladding and running boards which tends to hide rust underneath.
I also think the odometer is suspect.
