Help Assessing Rust

There is a 1997 4Runner for sale near me, have always thought about one as a project and admired these trucks since I was young. I’m originally from south but living now in a snow state. I am really bad at assessing severity of rust because I didn’t grow up with it. Some pictures attached…any reactions greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

Walk away and don't look back.

 

These were a couple of the parting shots of my 15 yo 2000 T4R Limited. Nearly a full round trip to the moon and back. Lived its life along the coast so lots of that salty marine air yet I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one in this condition. In all fairness I would regularly rinse off the undercarriage whenever I washed the truck. Most of the ‘rust’ is superficial and can be arrested with any of the rust treatment solutions out there.

I would carefully take a closer look at surfaces like the exposed threaded ends of bolts where those are typically not treated surfaces. If there’s excessive pitting or worse, any visible signs of decay/holes along the frame (can’t tell by the one image you posted) then I’d pass.




A definite no if there’s any one spot that looks like this!

 

Just buy one without rust.

 

Thanks all. I’m going to pass on this one.