Buying used JL - Need your help

[Xspurt]

Well does Jeep have lifetime or any kind of extended corrosion warranty? Many manufacturers do these days but I'm sure it's a minefield of fine print. One of the biggest gotchas might be that it has to rust all the way through which is unlikely.

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[TroyMclure]

Nah this is what the hinges have been doing on loads of aluminum body panels. Steel fasteners, aluminum panel, improper surface preparation. Add an electrolytic solution and you get galvanic corrosion.

The galvanic corrosion makes sense at the hinges, where you have steel hinges against aluminum body panels. But in the OP's 2nd picture, the bubbling is well past the hinge. Maybe the galvanic corrosion spreads past the immediate area of the 2 dis-similar metals?

Also, in other threads, people have posted pictures of the bubbling at the bottom of the doors. I don't think glavanic corrosion would explain that.

 

[Fatboy97]

Hi all,

I was hoping my first post would be a photo of me with a 2018 JL Sahara I went to buy today. Unfortunately, I left the dealer and I'm now here asking you all for advice. I apologize in advance for this post likely being in the wrong spot...if necessary direct me to where I should put it.

I had never seen the Sahara but pictures looked great and it checked every box for what I wanted in a jeep at this time. Went and drove it and fell in love. However, I did walk it in great detail and found some (what I consider decent size) paint bubbling at the 7/8 door hinges. The only reason I looked at the hinges is because I know they are a place rust can easily happen on the Wrangler. The sales manager said they can contact Chrysler to see if it would be considered warranty issue. He kinda brushed it off as a "wrangler" thing...I'm not so sold that this is normal. I said I'm not buying till I hear back. Should I stick with this vehicle or walk away and find one that doesn't have this issue. I saw a paint bubbling thread but it was 129 pages and didn't have time to check it out yet. Is this a 2018 issue? A normal wrangler issue? How long till this turns into rust? I am surprised a vehicle that is only a 2018 could already be getting ready to rust.

Pictures are posted below.:

If you are looking used at 2018 and 2019 make sure they have the new steel steering box. I would not buy a jl without this being done.

 

[Tdub0527]

So I checked out another Sahara today. A 2019 with great options and 40ish miles. Here is the link: https:
https://www.walsertoyota.com/invent...ited-sahara-4wd-convertible-1c4hjxen6kw520068

I walked the whole car and every hinge thoroughly and walked super excited till I got to the last hinges on the tailgate.

There was some corrosion but it was substantially less than the one I almost bought yesterday.

This is the 4th jeep I’ve seen with this issue that I would’ve bought if it didn’t have it. Not sure if I should abandon ship on getting a Jeep or just bite the bullet and accept this is going to happen.

Here are the photos:

 

[mwilk012]

So I checked out another Sahara today. A 2019 with great options and 40ish miles. Here is the link: https:
https://www.walsertoyota.com/invent...ited-sahara-4wd-convertible-1c4hjxen6kw520068

I walked the whole car and every hinge thoroughly and walked super excited till I got to the last hinges on the tailgate.

There was some corrosion but it was substantially less than the one I almost bought yesterday.

This is the 4th jeep I’ve seen with this issue that I would’ve bought if it didn’t have it. Not sure if I should abandon ship on getting a Jeep or just bite the bullet and accept this is going to happen.

Here are the photos:

I’d buy that one without any hesitation at all.

 

[Tdub0527]

You should visit Minnesota, it’s beautiful!

I have lived in Minnesota my entire life and fortunately have never had a vehicle that has gotten rusty. I’ve also never owned one past 160k miles and most have been unloaded by 120k.

I have certainly never seen an issue like this in cars this new.

 

[BRuby]

This is the 4th jeep I’ve seen with this issue that I would’ve bought if it didn’t have it. Not sure if I should abandon ship on getting a Jeep or just bite the bullet and accept this is going to happen.

Here are the photos:

Choose wisely. Ours started just like what you are seeing.

After 2 separate claims. After 3 months. After $15000 paid to 2 different body shops. It was corrected. Hopefully for a long time with an epoxy coating under and around. Apparently with “a lifetime warranty” by each body shop.

We love our Rubicon because it is a beast in snow and a beast in extreme conditions. But this paint bubbling corrosion BS was a 100% PITA. Dealer brushing you off is a clown. But can happen often. “Jeep thing”. Is right about that. Those that do not have this - better keep on praying they do not.

 

[XJfanatic]

That last one is less than my tailgate has. Though I haven’t seen any spreading on it over the past year. FWIW part of it is the crappy job on the paint around the hinges. Can’t really see it on my JL but on the granite JT it shows. Granted the one that looks painted well has the issue the one with obvious poor spray has none. I will probably make an appointment this summer to see if I can get mine fixed. If not oh well I will just keep adding the woodland pin stripes.

If you look at the hinge top you can see “missing” paint. Don’t mind the towel fuzz. I promise those aren’t scratches.

 

[DaltonGang]

Interesting.. has anything ever been ID'd as a good preventative or it's just roll the dice.

Buy one with the least corrosion as possible. The best fix is to sand all corrosion, with the hinges off, then repaint the underside of the hinges, and add epoxy to the door panel, under the hinge, carefully.

 

[sailscall]

For $41k for a 2019 you are probably better off ordering new from one of the dealers who give 6-7% below invoice. You’ll get a brand new Jeep with a full warranty, exactly what you want, a lower interest rate, and a great ride home. Don’t settle for an overpriced used rig.

 

[Tdub0527]

So my saga continues…

I went to another dealership with a used 2018 Sahara. Told them I am trying to find a jeep without corrosion on the hinges. The salesman said, you’re gonna love this jeep because we just got this one back from the shop fixing that exact issue. I walked the car and found bubbling on the rear hinges. He didn’t have an answer for why that didn’t get fixed.

I went to another dealership and looked at five they had sitting on the lot, all JLs from various years. All five had corrosion occurring on them at various spots, including two with the hood bubbling on the lip a bit.

I’m at the point I think I need to make a decision to be ok with this issue and just accept corrosion is and will continue to happen or walk away from the jeep brand. 10/10 cars I’ve looked at have the issue.

I could buy new but there are very limited options on any lot around here and everyone is charging MSRP. Then I’d also likely still have the issue.

Feeling super bummed….

 

[Packnbeer]

I still wouldn't call the bubbles 'normal'. It can happen to some but I have had several jeeps and have never had that issue. I would not buy one with paint bubbling because it will eventually get worse. The bubbling means the paint has detached from the surface. One bump and that paint will break and flake off.

 

[AlgUSF]

Haven’t spent much time in Minnesota except for the airport. But I have been to Wisconsin a few times and it seems like any vehicle driven in the winter is all corroded. Could this be regional as well? Road spray coming up and hitting the hinges? Also, get prices from Carmax, vroom, carvana and the like before trading in. I got a much better price from Carmax than the GMC dealership I bought mine from.

My family is originally from Michigan and my father calls it "Michigan Cancer". You get a little spot on a fender and suddenly the whole vehicle is rusted out. In Michigan, over half the vehicles I see are rusted out.

 

[BXFXJeep]

Is this problem occurring in all years of the JL? Is it kinda luck of the draw and some have the issue and some don’t?

I am going to look at a 2019 Sahara tomorrow but would love to know if this is something I should expect to happen eventually or if this is a production issue with the JL. Note: I have plans to read all 129 pages of that other thread tonight. And I greatly appreciate any and all insight you guys have! Been a lurker here for a while and can’t wait to be part of the jeep family.

Alternatively, if you want to buy pre-owned, and there is paint issues, beat them down a few grand, and get a kick ass custom paint job.

 

[Tdub0527]

After taking the weekend to read the 129 pages of the bubbling paint thread, seeing multiple other threads discussing the same problem, and finding it on every used jeep I would be interested in buying....I think have decided to pass up buying a jeep, at least for now. I just can't in good conscious pay that kind of money with a known problem that could end up costing me even more in the long run.

I'll rent a few on Turo this summer for extended periods of time and see if the thrill of driving one can overcome the headache of owning one.

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