20th Oct 2018, 10:14
Don’t you love waxing the top frequently, and the cars rust inside out. You would think you could wash the underside once in a while. What’s amazing with a heated garage is it actually is a detriment with snow and ice. The thaw and unthaw daily is worse than a cold garage. It accelerates rust.
20th Oct 2018, 12:49
The Ridgeline has "exposed metal that will rust out when it gets wet"(?)
Just like EVERY other vehicle ever made... except the Wrangler, apparently.
29th Mar 2023, 12:37
I've owned multiple "real trucks" and Wranglers/CJs in my lifetime. I switch out of cars regularly (get bored with them easily). I always keep up with maintenance schedules. No, I am NOT hard on my vehicles. I never buy new, and always from a reputable dealer I know personally.
My 07 Ridgeline never gave me a single day of mechanical trouble around the farm, but did have body rust around the front of the hood and the bottom of the passenger door. Radio reception was trash, but I replaced with a CarPlay radio anyway so I didn't really care.
My Wrangler has been through 2 transmissions, 4 clutches, a head gasket, and 4 sets of rotors. I still love this stupid thing though (summer topless cruising around town and down by the river - I have the tow-truck on speed dial). My 81 Grand Wagoneer was a rust bucket, but never failed me mechanically. Rear window motor stopped working early in my ownership. Never bothered to fix it.
My Toyota FJ had to be trashed because the frame completely rotted through at the rear spring mounts. Mechanically it was excellent. Nothing. Ever. Broke. 6-speed manual was bombproof.
My Ford 150 needed a new (to me) engine because the 5.4 crapped itself at 120k. It destroyed its transmission at 175k. We had an old 77 F150 that I wish we'd never gotten rid of. 8MPG, but it did everything we asked of it.
My 91 Dodge Ram 1500 went through 2 transmissions before I got rid of it. Beautiful to look at. Freaking useless on the farm... couldn't trust the transmission for pulling anything heavier than a garden tractor. Motor was great (360V8).
My Suburban blew a transmission (163k miles) and 5.3 lifter rod failure (180k miles) thanks to the stupid AFM. My current Tahoe is showing signs of tranny issues. Both were/are rust buckets. Lots of niggling little stupid fixes like cheap interior door handles that peel chrome and slide your fingers open, or the stupid cracking dashes, or the 3rd row seats that randomly decide they don't want to unlatch for removal. And don't get me started on the Oil Pressure Sending Units or multiple fuel filters I've been through.
The only truck that never gave me a lick of trouble mechanically nor rust wise was my old 91 Chevy Stepside that I bought new off the lot (it had 21 miles on it). Was totalled in a freak ice accident at 118k miles. Manual windows and door locks, bench seat. Only modern conveniences it had were the upgraded radio, cruise control, and air conditioning. That was it.
Also owned a Geo Tracker (bite sized fun), Range Rover (mechanically perfect but AC went out, $6k to fix) and a Ford Explorer (tranny issues again). I think the only 4x4 makers I haven't owned are Nissan.
30th Mar 2023, 14:43
Very true. I have never seen Wranglers rusting, especially from underneath. Less capable & lower clearance off-roaders need to be cautious.
20th Oct 2018, 05:24
Gotta be careful off roading these trucks. Something like a Wrangler can handle driving through puddles and shallow streams, but this Honda has exposed metal that will rust out when it gets wet. Most old trucks I see have some rust on them, so the rust in itself isn’t necessarily a big deal.