Topic: How to identify a stupid car dealership.

[blackdiamond]

I stopped by a local Dodge dealership the other night to look at some trucks with my sister-in-law and while I was drooling over the SRT-10 quad cab for under $50k I noted that the truck next to it sitting on the ramps had severe rust on the yokes and rear driveshaft.  This brand new truck had more rust than my 85 truck or 89 4Runner.  Of all the trucks on the lot they chose to display the obvious flood truck for all to see.  What a bunch of idiots.

 

[83yota]

no one said they were smart and i dont know that all that many people would notice funny though

[Rocksurfer]

I had to school the dealer I just bought my truck from, I was looking at a Toyota Pre-Runner and he told me it had a rear locker, my reply was I don't see a TRD sticker on it so it does not have a locker. I made him show me the actuator, of course he couldn't find one.

[83yota]

now thats funny

[alwayzbroken]

You guys don't know what rust is. If you can't scrape it off with a screwdriver, then it aint rusty  

[NT-OUTBACK]

If the rust is not coming off in flakes who gives a rats, it's a truck

[motorider228]

Blackdiamond, the new dodges all have a problem with the driveshafts and yokes having rust on them.  My 06 ram has it and had it with less than 20 miles on the clock.  No signs of a flood vehicle either.  On the dodge boards I freequent most guys had this issue with their brand new dodges for some reason.  I am not keeping the truck due to an unfixable warranty issue but if I was I would just yank the drive shaft, sand it down, and hit it with some grey anti rusting rattle can.

Edit: I don't mean all, I mean about 90%

[blackdiamond [OP]]

I guess I didn't crawl under any of the other new Dodge trucks, but I did look under some of the used ones and they all seemed to look fine.  If that is a common Dodge problem, then I can't imagine purchasing a 30-40k truck that comes with rust on it.

 

[blackdiamond [OP]]

You guys don't know what rust is. If you can't scrape it off with a screwdriver, then it aint rusty  

I am a qualified structural inspector on Navy ships and I have seen some excellent rust.  It's amazing how bad minor rust can look.

[kneedownnate]

I've noticed that on may domestic trucks over the years.  I've always been surprised by how much surface rust there is on the undercarriage/drivetrain no a new truck, then look over at a jap truck and they're all nice and clean underneath

[iNfErNaL]

I've noticed that on may domestic trucks over the years.  I've always been surprised by how much surface rust there is on the undercarriage/drivetrain no a new truck, then look over at a jap truck and they're all nice and clean underneath

I've noticed the exact same thing.

[alwayzbroken]

The surface rust on new vehicles looks bad because it has not changed color to the dark that most undersides of vehicles look like. On a newly rusted piece of metal it is fairly bright and really looks eye catchingly ugly. I would doubt if the domestic manufacturers even paint the steel on the driveshafts etc. Once most of that stuff gets a thin coating of oxidation on it I think it actually provides a protective coating. Most of the rust will take place on the thinner most succeptible pieces of the truck like the body first. Once the body is rusted out then watch out!