[vanos84]

I have always avoided used vehicles from the extreme North like the plague. This is obviously due to the insane amounts of salt that they douse the roads with up there. Then this salty icy sludge coats the undercarriage of vehicles and creates a healthy environment for corrosion. I'm not that familiar with all the materials used under these cars. Looks like a lot of aluminum. So is this still an issue with a modern BMW like the F90 M5?

[micvite]

Originally Posted by vanos84

I have always avoided used vehicles from the extreme North like the plague. This is obviously due to the insane amounts of salt that they douse the roads with up there. Then this salty icy sludge coats the undercarriage of vehicles and creates a healthy environment for corrosion. I'm not that familiar with all the materials used under these cars. Looks like a lot of aluminum. So is this still an issue with a modern BMW like the F90 M5?

Somewhat? like over years it'll matter, up to 10 you probably wouldn't notice anything... Like I bought my e93 from CT, car had 150k on it, only rust was bolts and like some surface rust here and there.

[CFoote]

The majority of M5's in the northeast are put away for the winter, inspection is definitely advised but you really shouldn't worry, most M5 owners have a winter beater.

Chris

[spuntyb]

I drive the shit out of my F90 here in the northeast. If it can't go 365, it doesn't get a place in my garage.

These cars are designed to be driven all year, in hard weather and driving conditions. That said, yes road salt will absolutely contribute to long term corrosion if it isn't countered by good maintenance efforts. I polish and wax mine before they start salting for the winter and give the underbody a once or sometimes twice weekly high pressure wash, along with washing the outside about once a week.

You'll either find F90s that sit in the garage all winter, and see very little salt, or you'll get a mix of them that spend all winter on the road, but may or not be well maintained. Yes, lots of aluminum underneath, all of it prone to corrosion.

Doesn't mean you can't find a good car from the NE, you just have to find an owner like me who takes care of it. Even if you don't, it's not going to make a huge difference over like 3-5 years, I promise you. If you plan to keep a car to like 100-150k miles, then *maybe* it will start to matter.

[DryBark]

Most modern cars are designed with undercarriage rust protection in mind now. They don't even recommend you do the annual rust prevention coat like we used to do back in the day because it's a waste of money. That being said, it will have a certain degree of impact over the course of time. You can also scope out regions that don't use as much salt as others, some areas use more sand and rock than salt or vice versa.

[Aronis]

I had a 2003 Audi RS6 and drove it for 15 years in the north, in all the snow, all the conditions, and it had very little rust on it. Just on one spot where I was hit (rear fender skuffed by Little old lady driving old, caught her as she was shoehorning her 1988 Buick next to my then 1 year old Audi, actually a patient of mine (no HIPA, she's passed, hell she was 85 at the time, nice lady).

I did a lot of DIY and even did an engine pull for an oil leak, and all the bolts and fasteners were NOT corroded. I was amazed by this. Or '15 Q7 similar driving for 5 years, no corrosion. Used '08 A4 cab. Similar in my '97 M3 that I drove for 5 years, despite the Salt and other shit they use on the roads for winter, I have not seen an issue with BMW's or Audi's due to those conditions. Our Civic '13, ya, working on that car shows corrosion on some of the fasteners. I did brakes including calipers this past summer and had fun with rusty bolts. Same for my '97 CRX.

Lets face it, the German car manufactures use better materials than the others.

Mike

[micvite]

Originally Posted by Aronis

I had a 2003 Audi RS6 and drove it for 15 years in the north, in all the snow, all the conditions, and it had very little rust on it. Just on one spot where I was hit (rear fender skuffed by Little old lady driving old, caught her as she was shoehorning her 1988 Buick next to my then 1 year old Audi, actually a patient of mine (no HIPA, she's passed, hell she was 85 at the time, nice lady).

I did a lot of DIY and even did an engine pull for an oil leak, and all the bolts and fasteners were NOT corroded. I was amazed by this. Or '15 Q7 similar driving for 5 years, no corrosion. Used '08 A4 cab. Similar in my '97 M3 that I drove for 5 years, despite the Salt and other shit they use on the roads for winter, I have not seen an issue with BMW's or Audi's due to those conditions. Our Civic '13, ya, working on that car shows corrosion on some of the fasteners. I did brakes including calipers this past summer and had fun with rusty bolts. Same for my '97 CRX.

Lets face it, the German car manufactures use better materials than the others.

Mike

German manufacturers use better materials? Cough cough w210 e class mercedes cough cough lol... it's just that German cars now have good rust protection and use a lot of aluminum which doesn't rust as bad as iron lol...

[BDR529]

My 21 M5C IS my winter car. I drove it less than 200 miles last summer and have put on about 7k this winter. I bought it expressly for that purpose, and it's an amazing winter car with proper winter tires. The M5 is a big, heavy sedan with great safety and self driving systems and I have never had a better winter car that combines capability, comfort and winter performance. The next closest I've had is a trackhawk. I am sure there are people that store these in the winter but i am just the opposite. I guess it just depends on what else you have in your garage. Combine all of that with the fact that you are getting the same trade in price as the guy who didn't take care of it, drove it through hundreds of automatic car washes. As great a car this is, it's not nearly rare enough and it will be slightly better than, but will follow general used car pricing trends until there are none left. Just find one you like, drive it and don't worry about it.