Thanks for all the replies, folks.
People I've talked to in Madison say that the city doesn't use salt, since it would all go into the lakes there.
It's certainly not in "pristine" condition, but it doesn't have a speck of rust anywhere. Is there any truth to the idea that spraying the underbody with a relatively "drying" (fast-oxidizing) vegetable oil will penetrate and help keep rust off? (I know, I know, ya'll must think I'm nuts!) Some people say it works, and some people say it attracts a good number of squirrels and rats and such.
I totally understand the comment about selling it here for a heck of a lot more money. I tried to sell my '83 BMW 320i in Chicago one summer (it spent its whole life in the Pacific NW), and no one would take it seriously or even come look because they all assumed it was a rust-bucket and didn't believe me that it had none.
I think in the beginning, I may not have a garage there, so I can't count on that. And as far as I can tell, there's no biodiesel available in the area. I'll hopefully be working at the University, and within walking distance, so I may not even need a car.
So then I just have to convince the girlfriend that she should drive her beat-up Camry across the country with her cat.
But first I have to convince her to get the oil leaks, power steering seal, and all 4 struts fixed!
