What are the "Rust States"?

[mtcv]

Hello!
I am getting ready to buy a bus next weekend.
I live in Chicago and I keep reading that there are 'rust' states and that whoever buys a bus has to be careful and make sure there isn't rust underneath. I assume it's any state where there is snow/cold temperatures?

What exactly are the STAY AWAY FROM BUYING BUSES FROM HERE states?
I was thinking of buying a 1996 International Bus from Minnesota. (http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/an...798446104.html)

The bus looks fine online..but I don't want to waste my time driving up there and then running into a bus that actually has a bunch of rust underneath..Obviously the seller can trick me and just say it's fine.

Any advice? Thanks??

EDIT:
http://www.skoolie.net/forums/showthread.php?t=9969
This is the other bus I was thinking of purchasing

[boojiewoojie]

That's basically it- snow/cold states. However, there are some of those states that don't use melting agents that cause rusting. Not sure which ones they are...

And even a bus that has some rust can be cleaned up if you don't mind some elbow grease.

That's a pretty high price for such an old bus regardless of rust issues.

[EastCoastCB]

I can say that some of the "florida buses" here are quite over-rated in terms of rust. The buses in South Florida or in any beach community always rust pretty easily. The furthest one can be from salt water in Fl is 60 miles.

Buses from Ohio seem to be VERY well maintained mechanically, but they have a lot of rust issues for sure, same with Michigan. A buddy just brought his school bus down from Mi, and it has quite a bit of underbody rust. I wouldn't buy that bus.

South and North Carolina buses always look rusty when I check out the auctions there. Especially S Carolina.

Kentucky is a great place to source a bus from. I've had two from Todd county there and neither had any rust at all. maybe a few spots of surface rust in the battery trays...

Iowa and Minnesota seem to be rusty states, too.

This is all just my experience as a bus shopper of many years.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by boojiewoojie

That's basically it- snow/cold states. However, there are some of those states that don't use melting agents that cause rusting. Not sure which ones they are...

And even a bus that has some rust can be cleaned up if you don't mind some elbow grease.

That's a pretty high price for such an old bus regardless of rust issues.

I disagree about the price. That seems to be just about what a decent running bus is going for these days.
I paid 2300 for my 92 Senator. Hell- the ebay prices are WAY worse. I'll bet if you go look at that craigslist bus you can offer 1800 or so and drive it home.
A bonus is that its mechanical not computer controlled. I'd be under it looking for rust and problems.

[boojiewoojie]

Hmm. Not sure what I was thinking other than I was in a hurry. You're right, in the $2k range is about right. I paid $2300 for the bus in my avatar about 7 years ago. And that's good to know about the Florida buses.