Garage Kept or Outside in the Elements

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EricM

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UV will **** up paint and rubber. All the pollen, buds, leaves and other crap from trees clogs up sunroof and body drains.

OTOH when it's cold, icy and salty, you are better off leaving it outside. Every time you bring it in a garage above freezing, you are greatly accelerating the rust process.

I consider my Raptor the last truck I'll ever buy. It stays in the garage during the winter shit. For the most part I avoid rain as well just so I don't have to wash off the road grime. Washing it is just a big PITA. I have other cheaper vehicles I drive in the winter or when it's raining.

I've already had one nice, paid off F150 4WD rust away on me, that shit ain't happening this time around. Keep it dry and the body will last forever. You can wax the topside all you want- it won't stop the rockers and core support from rusting out if you drive it in rain/salt. Jennifers DO have a major advantage with the aluminum body.
 
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jaz13

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Most "garaged cars" spend all day soaking up the Sun's rays in a surface parking lot at work. And most cars seem to handle it well.
 

Frank N

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I have never garaged any of my trucks, I have never stayed away from driving them in the ****** weather, they have all spent countless hours driving and sitting on the beach getting salts spray baths from April to December, I have never had an issue with rust.

I have also never not rinsed the undercarriage at regular intervals. I will find time in the winter, I always do. I don't give it a full wash but I will make sure that everything top and bottom is hosed down.

A garage will keep your vehicle better than sitting outside, its silly to think other wise, but so will never driving your vehicle, wrapping it in bubble wrap and putting a battery tender on it. **** that, I buy my vehicles to use them. The delta in resale in 8-10 years will be nominal if properly maintained and this truck has too many smiles per mile to let her sit.
 

EricM

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Frank-If you are selling vehicles you purchased new after 8-10 years, no- I'm sure you don't have any rust issues.

In the salt belt, the rockers start to get bad about 10 years in- big holes start to appear about 15 years in. Rinse it all you want, but be assured it's going to happen. Once the rockers have big holes, spray from rain comes into the cab through the holes and at that point I consider it "done". I'm not driving around in something that has moldy carpet.

Jaz13- I hear you, but consider the 5 hours a day in the summer and another 12 each weekend day that it could be garaged even if it's outside all day at work. You are talking about 2500+ hours a year difference. If you keep your cars for 10 years, that 25,000+ hours of exposure to the sun, or not, will make a big difference in the rubber, plastic, paint, and even the interior. I've bought plenty of used cars over the years, and I can tell if something has been garaged or not when by the time they are 5 to 8 years old. The rubber and plastics are noticeably better on garaged cars, it's the dead give away on something that has sat outside it's whole life. The paint is always better too. Sunroof tracks are cleaner, all the door jambs are cleaner etc.
 

AndysLog

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i have never bought a vehicle with consideration to the next owner...


"No i dont want to **** her that much, i know the next guy will really appreciate me when he is after that ass."

said no one ever except maybe cucks lolololololololololololol
 

EricM

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I could give a **** what the new owner thinks after I sell it. The point is- I don't WANT to sell my vehicles and buy new ones. I want to be able to use it as long as possible before the body rusts away. I keep the high dollar, nicer vehicles I own garaged and out of the crap weather. I have cheaper "sacrificial" vehicles for those days. There's basically nothing a new car can do that an older one can't, except drain your wallet faster. A new one might have a few new techno widgets, but it's still 99% the same. The only real advantage of a newer vehicle is they are safer.
 

Snowsled

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Always garage kept. The argument that it will be just as good living outside is ridiculous. Garaged vehicles always look better after just a few years. The ten year old vehicles that have sat outside in the Colorado sun no longer have any paint on the roofs and hoods, the weather eats it right off. Mine sits in the garage when not in use and gets strategic parking on the job, usually in the shade. Mine will definitely continue to look better than cars that live outside. It is a big expenditure, take the best care of it you can.
 
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