Do Garage-Kept Jeeps Really Last Longer?

[GladiatorUp.com]

We’ve all seen them: legendary old Jeeps with faded paint and 300,000 miles on the odometer, still running like they’ve got something left to prove. And then there are the others—the ones that don’t even make it past 120k before electrical gremlins, leaks, and corrosion start winning.

I'm curious if the difference between those two Jeeps often starts in the same place every night.

So here’s the question worth asking:

Is garage-keeping the secret to a long-life Jeep?

I propose yes—because most modern vehicle deaths come from environmental stress (including poor maintenance), not mechanical wear.

And it gets even more interesting when you look at how late-model Jeeps age.

More: Read full post at GladiatorUp.com

Comment and take the poll!

 

[SVTRIT]

I have had garage kept vehicles that get moved outdoors to make room for the replacement and immediately start visibly rusting. Indoors is better. If mine gets snowed on like that, it was by accident....

 

[craig333]

They do fine here in CA

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

We had a regular customer when I was at Chrysler, he had a soft top TJ he drove an hour each way to work every day. He had around 400k on it, it wasn't a creampuff but it also wasn't super sketchy. They guy deserved a medal for putting up with that vehicle for a long distance DD for so long...

We had much rougher looking ones come in with a lot fewer miles.

I've heard in snowy climates outside is better if they are driven. If the stuff stays frozen on your car it doesn't really interact with your car. If your car melts off every night it gets a salt bath every night and when it dries off the salt is still there.

 

[Zeep]

Considering the above posts, it would seem that salt exposer is the determining factor. While most California and Florida vehicles fair very well, the ones closer to ocean air, seem to have the same issues as ones in the rust belt.

 

[FrenchieXJ]

I read the article and for myself, The climate where roads have salt on then and how much they are used in bad climate zones, makes a big difference. California 60+ living there distance from the coast always 20+ miles from the beach. I had very light problems. For the people which live less then 2 miles from the coast have a lot more rust problems. They still have fog which can get up to 40 miles inland for months at a time, so that is a contributor.

Where I live in New Mexico for the last 15 years with a year round average of near 15% humidity. You do not see very much rust compared to even California.

What I see has not taken into consideration is the how each person uses it. The Pacific North West with drizzle and a lot of mud is much harder on every part of a vehicle then the dry desert with far less moisture.

Also the ability to navigate around boulders and trees and not through them. Driver skills!

Just also maintenance and pride in their vehicle.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Considering the above posts, it would seem that salt exposer is the determining factor. While most California and Florida vehicles fair very well, the ones closer to ocean air, seem to have the same issues as ones in the rust belt.

Salt air rust is weird.

I have lived in the rust belt my whole life. Rockers, wheel arches etc are common to see rust in vehicles around here.

We went to Hawaii for our Honeymoon and it was nuts. They had no "common areas" like we do, it was rust anywhere and everywhere... it was chaos.