The best used cars to buy if you live near the ocean
If you live near the ocean, your car will be much more vulnerable to rust than if you live farther from land. And the fact is, when it comes to rust resistance, not all cars are the same. Ideally you should...
If you live near the ocean, your car will be much more vulnerable to rust than if you live farther from land. And the fact is, when it comes to rust resistance, not all cars are the same. Ideally, you should invest in annual rust protection, but it's also important to start with a car that you know has been protected at the factory level. This is just as important when buying a used car as it is when buying a new one.
We have researched several different vehicles and for the purposes of this article, we will stick with manufacturers and refer to several models. Generally speaking, manufacturers provide the same level of rust protection for all of their vehicles. Our leading manufacturers of rust resistant vehicles are Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo, BMW, Mini and Honda.
Audi: All A3, A4 and S4 receive excellent rust protection during the manufacturing phase and can be counted on to stay rust free for a long time even if you live near the ocean and are frequently exposed to salty air.
Volkswagen: Beetle, Golf, GTI, Passat, Rabbit and Jetta get excellent factory rust protection but can rust in some places earlier than Audi.
Volvo: CX70 and S60, V50, V70 and S40 get excellent rust protection at the factory and stay rust free for quite some time.
BMW: Factory level rust protection is good, but you may find that rust will appear in some areas of the car before others.
Mini: Cooper and Countryman got good factory rust protection.
Honda: Acura CSX and TL, CRV, Fit, Accord, Civic and Odyssey got good protection. However, Acura CSX, Civic and CR-V rust in certain places earlier than other models.
The used cars we have evaluated have resisted rust very well, but eventually almost any car that is constantly exposed to sea air will rust to some degree. Regular rust protection beyond that provided at the factory can extend the life of your vehicle. We recommend annual rust protection for any vehicle, regardless of age, make or model.
