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Well, whether a car rusts out depends in large part on whether it's cared for. Most Buick owners don't give a damn about their car, especially if they bought it used. When someone dumps a boatload of cash into buying a new BMW, they tend to wash it once in a while.
You don't see 1965 Mustangs out there that look in showroom condition because their owners abused them.
That Honda Civic is going to rust, too, but its clutch will probably last longer than the one in a Saturn.
For years, US carmakers intentionally made cars that would wear out and need replacing. It was their way of making sure people would keep buying cars. Then the Japanese came along and made dependable cars. Now US automakers are putting out cars that last a bit longer, but the perception that they're crap still lingers in the minds of folks who switched to Jap cars in the '80s.
My 928 is 18 years old and still has almost every one of its original parts, except for shocks, tires, lightbulbs, etc. The engine and body is aluminum, and neither are showing any signs of rust. Show me an '85 Ford Crown Victoria that's still on the road, and I'll show you an American car that is probably more rust than metal.
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