Self-Inflicted Damage?

[Mccorm67]

I was recently lamenting my first repair on my 2022 JLU Sahara (new driver in household, new right fender), and I started thinking about the Jeep owners who actually take their Jeeps off road (there have to be some who still do this, right?). I have to assume that this results in some self-inflicted damage, but is that correct? How often do the off-road crowd damage their own rides just having fun?

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[five9dak]

I've bumped into trees (bumper), and drug the belly on rocks in my TJ. Nothing that ever required actual body work. Just some spray paint on the frame/crossmembers to touch up.

The styles of offroading vary region to region and have their own unique challenges and risks.

Jeeps with darker colors will show body length brush scratches more easily.

 

[hoch]

Lots of desert pin striping. Some dents all around, smashed parts underneath. Just figure all of this as part of Jeep ownership.
Best part is, it gives you legit excuse to upgrade. “Sorry honey, I messed up the bumper. New one came with a warn winch.” ?

 

[Bobby Hank]

On my 2013 Rubicon I crushed the original front bumper on a tree, wheels stopped sliding down hill on loose sand in Eglin AFB, led me to getting a steel bumper and a winch to go with it.
Weeks before I traded it in on the '24, I did the same thing to the back original bumper... far less damage and I knew I was trading soon so I left it alone.

Do I want the '24 Rubi X to stay perfect? Yes. Will it? No flippin' way. First time out in Eglin with it I caught the end of a branch and had to order touch up paint for the hard top. In three weeks I am planning to hit four trails... all in Mountains (2 badge trails planned, 404 and Switchback in Stony Lonesome OHV Park) I'll fix what needs fixing, but they are battle scars. Chicks dig scars... with good stories.
At work (High School) I created my own parking space making it impossible for some dork to open a door on her, back into her, or even look at her wrong. Getting dinged in a parking lot is NOT a cool story. Rocks and trees at 20+ degrees off camber and a wheel off the ground? That's good stuff. That's Jeepin'.

 

[Deleted User 38384]

My front diff has some scuffs, and my side vehicle paint is scratched to shit. Maybe not as bad as some, but I'm not afraid of pointy woody bushes or sticks.

I feel most damage to off-road vehicles is just part of the trial of getting from point A to B.

I mean, could I have not gone down that clearly overgrown trail? Sure, but where's the fun in that!?

I mean, it says it right there in the name, SKID plate! ?

 

[jac04]

Here in New England, it is very difficult to go off road without damaging something. With our tight, rocky trails, you are always going to get body scratches, wheel gouges, skid plate scrapes. It's just the way it is. So, all my damage is self-inflicted.

 

[davewald]

2 years, 25,000 miles, Rubicon Trail, Moab, and many more hard trails and only minor scratches to the paint, no dents or breaks. The skid plates, on the other hand, have some gnarly scars. Ditto the wheels. All proof that I use the Jeep for what it was designed for, not just running back and forth to Costco (which I also do).

 

[keeperman13]

As with all things, it depends. Wheel it hard, gonna get some damage. But, stick to forest service roads and the occasional trail, nothing so far.

 

[azjl#3]

It's a machine, made to be used. Everything can be fixed.

 

[GMONEY]

Some rock rash on the wheels and the fenders (have plastic fenders because I knew this would happen.)

I bought a Jeep to do Jeep things so no big deal.

 

[melendez69]

Scuffed up wheels a bit, skids scraped up doing their job, & once slid off a rock kinda hard. Buffed right out.

 

[DonH63]

I bought it to use it. Not pouring that much $$$ into a Jeep without using it like a Jeep. Don't think I've ever owned an off-road vehicle without some damage, from light pinstriping to various scratches and dings. Knock on wood have not had major damage happen on a trail (had a shock bolt break recently but a friend had a spare; I have since built up a supply of the main undercarriage bolts to carry with me). AS everyone else has said, part of the experience.

 

[Ang1Sgt]

Due to my age and some disability, I no longer do any serious damage causing off-roading. Now MANY if not all my past Jeeps had some sort of damage but nothing to the point where I could not get back to the home front. Of course the questioning looks from the wife always made for some discussion.

Some would say, “Why do you have a Jeep then?” Well, it’s because that is what I am comfortable with. It reminds me of my youth in the 70’s when I got my first one. It reminds me of every trip I’ve made with my Kids, and now with my grandkids. I like to select my 4WD shifter when I want too, I want to select each gear and feel it lock in.

Seasonal Use roads are about as far as I get off-road anymore, and yes, I allow my Jeep to get muddy. That gives me the excuse to do a full chassis and body cleaning on my Jeep so it doesn’t LOOK like it’s been off-road. Way too many Jeeps in my area never go off-road and that’s okay too because it’s the owner’s right to do so.

I hope to keep this Jeep a long time. I like it for what it is and what it reminds me of my past Jeeps. It’s high centered, brick like structure with no real power accessories is what I like and what I am used too, and to me, it’s my late life Corvette.

 

[Jtaugner]

Rolled mine at a off-road park. What's the point in getting a Jeep if you're not going to use it for what it's meant for? Plenty of better SUV's for daily driving.

 

[azjl#3]

Own a jeep because few if any other vehicles would handle the weeks and weeks of snow we get. In Az.

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