Watching the news and all of the flooding going on in California. Cars are driving thru the streets as if it is no big deal. This is all ocean water. Down the road, the salt is going to do a number on the cars / trucks. Big time damage.
There is a “second tier” car lot in the KC area.
Several years ago they had some really good deals on something we were looking at but had salvaged titles. We researched and realized they were in a flood in New Jersey and we ran, not walked away from that place.
I have always heard if you live in a coastal area the mist alone can damage your car. Your post reminded me of that and I asked AI.
Yes. Even if a coastal area rarely gets rain, salt-laden ocean mist and sea spray can damage a car over time.
The main culprit is not the water itself, but the salt particles carried in the air. Salt attracts moisture and speeds up corrosion of metal parts.
Common effects include:
- Rust on the undercarriage, suspension components, brake lines, and exhaust system.
- Corrosion on battery terminals and electrical connections.
- Paint wear and clear-coat deterioration if salt accumulates and isn’t washed off.
- Faster aging of chrome and exposed metal trim.
The risk depends on how close you are to the ocean:
- Oceanfront (within a few hundred yards): High exposure, especially if mist frequently reaches the vehicle.
- Within 1-2 miles: Moderate exposure, depending on winds and terrain.
- Several miles inland: Much lower risk, though still more than inland areas.
I once lived on Corpus Christ Bayi in South TX, and from Feb thru May the average wind blew from the SE at 18 knots. It picked up salt ftom the bay and coated all the bay-side windows with a layer of salt that we washed off every couple of days. Both our cars had bad rust problems.
A few years ago they were a ton of fllod cars from Louisiana or somewhere that were cleaned up and resold through Arkansas I think, somehow they could take a salvage title and make it look like a normal title.
A salvaged title isn’t always bad, as long as there is tranparency.
In todays world cars are totaled for very repairable damage and then bought and repaired under a salvaged title.
We bought one that lasted us years.
I’ve seen Tesla totaled for very minor damage.