Oxidation/rust of engine parts in 2017 Yaris

[06YarisRS]

It's interesting that there's that much corrosion on the motor mount specifically. My formerly rust belt driven '06 is anywhere near that rusty, nor is my currently winter driven '08. I do rustproof everything but these cars were both close to 10 years old when I bought them. The rear battery bracket retainer and hood latch assembly seem abnormally rusty too. I have seen some newer cars with similar rust and I think it's possible that there there a inconsistencies in paint quality and paint application by the supplier of parts to the car manufacturer. And, the US northeast states do use a lot of salt on the winter roads. Although those rental companies do a good job of exterior and interior cleaning, I don't think they touch the engine bays. If the car was run in very salty conditions and then sat for a period of time on the lot, I suppose these poorly painted parts could rust quickly.

Since the car comes from a reputable rental company, ask for a Carfax vehicle history report. I think you're safe as, as far as I know, major companies like Hertz don't circumvent reporting of damage as some unscrupulous used car dealers might.

You could also check out the car's title via vehicle history.gov.

Have your mechanic thoroughly inspect the car and like you say, look for rust underneath and debris in nooks and crannies, under engine cover, mud or silt under carpets. Given its location, flood damage seems unlikely. It's most likely that the car was just in conditions that allowed for condensation under the hood. My '06 is in an unheated garage and when the ambient temp changes, the car can have moisture under the hood.

I hope it pans out for you and if you buy it...see you in the forums!