I'm going to check out a car this weekend and after some due diligence prior to seeing it, I asked for a picture of the frame.

I am not an expert by any means and have been reading around regarding rusting and how big of an issue it should be and am not finding a consensus. The seller indicated that the underneath was undercoated (I am not fully aware of what this is or how it affects rusting going forward).

The car is a 2004 with approx 100k miles, it was in MA/NH for it's entire life through the end of 2021. If I purchased it, it would be spending the foreseeable future in Charleston, SC (coastal city in the south east). My main concerns are safety (during normal driving and in the case of an accident) and longevity (I am purchasing an LS430 with the hopes of it being our households 2nd vehicle for 8+ years).

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

That looks nasty; other unseen areas are probably much worse. If I was in your situation I would run from that car and try to find one from a rust-free area of the US, such as West Coast, AZ, etc. Rust is an unwinnable battle, only gets worse.

 

Depends what the rust sounds and feels like. Knock on the frame like you would a door to your friends house. If it makes a mashing sound like it's going to give in, run. If you hear metal after knocking it solidly, chances are it's just superficial rust and nothing to really worry about. If other parts have been rusted pretty badly you can replace them but all you're worried about is the frame.

 

If it's cheap enough go for it.
I live in the UK where we can't get more than 70 miles from the sea and our roads get salted in the winter.
That looks no worse than my 136k mile 2004 which is solid with minor surface rust on some parts.
Buying a rust-free LS is possible and desirable, but you will pay for it.

 

my experience when I was looking for LS430, glad I passed up

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...40k-miles.html