Are california jeeps rust free?

[jzak]

Hey guys!

Seems like its common knowelege that california vehicles have less rust. If they do have rust, its just on the surface, and not turning your CJ into Swiss cheese.

Is this true, and if so, Why?

If its just an issue of lack of rain, then you would think Nevada would be the best place to buy a car. Maybe its no salt on the roads, but then you still have the sea salt, if your living on the california coast.

Thanks for the feedback.

Josh

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Depends on where it 'lived'.
My '85 is rust free 100%. Then again, I live in the Mojave and the Jeep is garaged.
LG

 

[Torxhead]

I really don't have any rust issues either in So. Cal, the CJ is garaged also. Normally the precipitation is normally pretty light, but this year it was a lot heavier. There was a pretty long dry spell recently, where water rationing was used. The desert provides most of the Jeep trips I take.

 

[Belizean]

Almost zero humidity, little rain, garage kept and no river crossings and zero salt are all keys to no rust and long lifetimes for jeeps

 

[jzak]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! Probably tempurature also plays a role too. In california, you're not cold cranking at sub-zero, with oil like molasses.

 

[RiverandSand]

We do have salt in SoCal, if you live within one mile of the beaches you can get beach effect salt mist. When I lived in San Diego copper radiators would one last a only few years before the fins would start flaking off, cars close to the beach would start to rust. Jeeps as other older cars had issues with rust in the 70s and 80s due to poor or no rust proofing.

 

[squishware]

I think AZ is the gold standard for rust free classic vehicles.

 

[Belizean]

I still say if you get one that has done a lot of river crossing you will get rust in certain places. Then it will depend on how dry the climate is. Dry places the rust will be a lot slower. Damp humid places it would speed up the rust process

 

[jafo]

Hey guys!

Seems like its common knowelege that california vehicles have less rust. If they do have rust, its just on the surface, and not turning your CJ into Swiss cheese.

Is this true, and if so, Why?

If its just an issue of lack of rain, then you would think Nevada would be the best place to buy a car. Maybe its no salt on the roads, but then you still have the sea salt, if your living on the california coast.

Thanks for the feedback.

Josh

My Jeep spent considerable time in California, may have even been bought there. I'm still flushing sandy dirt out of the frame. Frame is in good shape though. Body was 95 % rust free. The only bad spots were front floor pans and they only had a couple small areas rusted through and were pitted out on one side pretty bad. Mostly due to the original carpet still being in the jeep. I also don't know how long it spent time back here in the midwest. So that may have contributed to the floor pans condition. I was told carpet is your worst enemy when it comes to floorpans in cj's, so that came out asap. If you get under the jeep, everywhere else is in really good shape floorwise. Not even much surface rust. Tub sides are rust free. I don't remember exactly where in California it was. I got a reciept from Napa from the previous owner but don't recall the location. Just remembered it was California. Don't know if it was bought there or not. But in the midwest, most cj's that age are rusted out pretty well.