My first major rust lesson was my 1995 Explorer, which had spent most of its life in PA. This was around 2008, so it was only 13 years old, and I had spent a whopping $950 on it. It was a green on green 4x4 Sport that was almost fully loaded, so I was happy until I had to deal with the rust. The frame was actually okay aside from the rear cross member the shocks bolted to (one broke off pulling into my parents steep driveway), but fixing anything on it meant dealing with rust. Just replacing the blower motor resistor was 10 times harder than when I have done it on my rust free trucks. I finally got rid of it when the brake lines started leaking and the body was just not at all sound. Did have some fun off roading it, on one trail a guy said "how did you get that thing out here?" Front bumper valance had been tossed in the trunk is how. My 1994 Ranger had rust too. I should have known better, but the drivetrain and trim package (4.0, 4x4, manual everything, STX) was a had to have it situation. That truck put me through hell too, there are pictures of the rear frame clean up/gas tank strap repair somewhere on here.
Thankfully everything I own now is totally rust free. For some reason the 94 Explorer got Ziebart done, I'm assuming when new, even though it was originally sold in Pensacola, FL. May have been a retired snow bird truck originally since it's a loaded 2-door. It went to Cullman, AL around 1996 and apparently stayed there until I bought it, and looks almost like a new truck underneath now.