So
We are trying to figure out a semi retirement plan, and have happened across a rather stunning ocean front property.

It faces west, at the tip of Vancouver Island, and has a couple of channels funneling onto a small beach

The plan is/was to buy the property, and in time build a nice, comfortable home WITH (finally) a sturdy, well insulated garage that would store the 2 teeners and some other old stuff, some of which is already rusted and patiently waiting resto

As we were about to leave the vacant property, we chatted with the next door owner, who built there within the last 2 years.
Apart from confirming that we would experience severe storms, he noted that his less than 2 year old aluminum/powder coated railings (for glass panels) were getting severely pitted, through the paint into the aluminum, as were his exterior lamps (i anticipated degredation, but NOT to the degree he showed
AND
he said that even metal stored in his insulated garage, at the rear of the property, well away from ocean spray, was rusting considerably.

No interest in buying, if old cars stored in an insulated (but likely unheated garage) will turn to rust/

Any experience/thoughts?
Thanks
Paul

Took about 20 years for the salt in the air to rot all of the cast iron drain pipes in the house. I don't know of any way to protect from the airborne corrosion.

Hey Paul,of course you know that rust never sleeps. I live 30 miles from Daytona Beach. Moved here from from Huntington Beach, Ca. 3 miles from the beach. Forty years there. Things in my roll-a-way rust much faster here than there. But the cars are holding up fine. I keep them warm and dry. Unless you're cars are in real trouble already they will probably out last you. I am sure mine will out last me. Just my opinion but I'm always looking for a folded teener to make a Bar-B-Q out of. Cooler in the front trunk grill in the back. One of my cars is an ongoing project and I may not see it completed as I am approaching 75, but I still keep trying to work on it everyday.
Do what ever keeps you going, don't let anything keep you from doing what you want. Nobody is going to appreciate your cars as much as you.
I turn the A/C on here more for the humidity than cooling.

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Taco Tuesday is on my Bucket list.

My parents live very close to the Atlantic ocean (not on-water, but 1/4 mile away). They have heard of people having issues with some appliances and plumbing, but have not experienced it themselves. Same thing with car rust. My dad is convinced that their cars have faired so well because they have good paint and he has used cavity wax-type undercoating. I know that's not super helpful, but I will say that it hasn't deterred him from wanting to move his 911 up.

I used to live 7 houses from the coast in so cal .
I had a guitar in a case under my bed for around ten years . When I opened the case I was stunned by all the rust. My ford van I bought new I had for twenty years parked on the street completely rusted out. My first 914 started to rust so I sold it before it got bad.
Yep all hardware on the house were pitting.
So what did I do ? Moved and bought a house on the Oregon coast.
Life’s a beach !

This is a 2015 Honda that I bought new..
It was garaged every night and lives 6 houses
from the ocean on the front and 3 houses
to the side of a tidal inlet..
Commuter car that ran 100 miles a day
before my wife retired..

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My 2008 Chevy Colorado rusted the frame through last Oct..

We keep our 914 at our coastal home. Directly on a salt marsh and less than 3 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. We installed a dehumidifier in the garage and keep it less then 50% humidity (prior to installing the dehumidifier, it was about 80%). In the last 2 years, all has been fine (I admit to checking a lot and being nervous about this).

1 mile from the beach. Two 914's. Yes its a problem
Climate controlled garage is the key. Not difficult or expensive.
The split systems are cheap to buy and cheap to install.
Retiring at the beach is worth it.

The saying with teeners is that if you think your car is rust free, you simply have not looked very hard.

The 914 is probably one of the worst vehicles to keep near the ocean. Salt ions are carried through the air and will get into every crevice or hidden area. The bodies were never properly treated to prevent this. Things like brake lines can quickly be destroyed.

A friend of mine moved to the shore with a beautifully restored 1960s Cutlass. Despite being garaged, it literally rotted away over the course of 10 years, starting with lots of paint bubbles.

If living at the shore is the goal, do your 914 a favor and pass it along or sell it beforehand. The harsh reality is that you can't have it all.

Slightly off topic..

But anyone looking to retire at the beach.

I got 2 things to say

AirBNB and VRBO..
They destroy neighborhoods..
Check how many weekly rentals are nearby
and be ready to have a new crowd of idiots
moving in next door all summer..

Amen

Live on a lake, 5 houses on my lane. Two are now short term rentals, PIA. Parking all over, beating up the roads. Some party people. Glad summer is over.

quote name='gandalf_025' date='Sep 13 2022, 06:40 AM' post='3029244']
Slightly off topic..

But anyone looking to retire at the beach.

I got 2 things to say

AirBNB and VRBO..
They destroy neighborhoods..
Check how many weekly rentals are nearby
and be ready to have a new crowd of idiots
moving in next door all summer..
[/quote]

Cars in beachfront locations rust. Period. End of story. Part of living near the ocean is dealing with corrosion. You can mitigate it somewhat with climate controlled garages, maintenance, etc. But they are stll going to rust faster then a place where there is not salt air.

Honestly I don't know if its any worse then the corrosion of living anywhere that salts the roads though. And that includes 1/3 of the country and over 1/2 the population....

From what we've seen, regular salt road corrosion is just as bad. I guess your mileage varies relative to you garage design, environment on that particular piece of coast, etc.

We get rust here from the cold and damp frost over the winter. You can store a car in a perfectly good garage. But unheated any bare metal with start the process. Both my garages now have in floor heat.

Yes, but road salt is avoidable by not driving in winter. I doubt many people in the snow belt daily drive their 914 in winter.

Salt air will find your car when it is simply parked indoors or outside.

You might want to factor in your age, and how long you can honestly get in and out of your 914, while still looking cool doing it.
As long as it lasts that long, go buy the house.
Do some dehumidifier in the garage and enjoy the time you have left to drive the car.

This is the number 1 reason that my wife and I have not moved either of our old Porsches out to HI. We are about 100' above sea level here, maybe 1/4 mile as the crow flies? Everything corrodes here. Stainless, brass, chrome--it doesn't matter, it starts corroding in short order.

Similar reasons are why I won't bring my 60s posters here too. The climate will destroy them, and I really don't want to see that.

--DD

Not the Ocean but waking up to views like this never gets old. I would get a climate controlled garage with a hose and just keep the car clean and dry.

Yes, it's all a trade off. You cant live in two worlds, nor can you take it with you in the end. Decide what's most important to you and let the rest go.

Rick
Wow, Beautiful fresh water photo

Our Michigan Great Lakes Sunsets fresh water are beautiful
Tom

Nice Tom!

It never get old

I 100% agree with whole summer rental problems when on the coast. People who do not own the property generally have little respect for it or the neighbors. They figure they are paying big money to stay there for a couple nights and they are going to do everything they want regardless. That is why a lot of the nice places have CC&R's that restrict these types of rentals and rightly so.

Absentee Owners only care about collecting maximum rent.
They tell neighbors they only rent to 5 Star Renters..
That means everyone is a 5 Star Renter unless they happen
to burn the house down..
Nobody gives less than 5 Star for fear of return bad feedback …
If they are a disaster, the owner just won’t rent to them again.
Also 700.00+ a night doesn’t weed out bad renters.. Just makes them bring more people to split the cost..
I’ve lived in my house for 35 years and have never needed A/C until 2 years ago.
Can’t sleep with the windows open anymore because of idiot renters partying at all hours.
Police can only do so much. And a new batch of idiots every week..