Paint degradation
- Thread starter Fishtaco
- Start date
I still can't wrap my mind around the rust underneath. To this day I read stories on three year old jeeps rusting out underneath. You would think that they would do something about brake systems, universals, and axels with surface rust later turning to bottom of the ocean rust like an old anchor. I can't imagine spending fifty five grand or more, and seeing rust three years later......Sorry Jeep lovers.
I thought they might have used a different paint on the later models, but maybe your right the surviving older ones were just taken care of a bit better and always garaged.
I will say that of all the factory paint jobs I've seen, TJs have some of the shittiest factory paint. That being said, given how old they are now I'm not surprised it hasn't held up. The amount of orange peel is nuts, but also the fact that some body panels seem to have more clear coat than others.
They dont rust in West Australia unless they are used to regularly launch small boats or spend a lot of time at the beach, it must be what's on your roads.
4x4ing has become more extreme and popular over the years and I am sure they dont all get washed properly underneath, I doubt most would have put a fairly new and expensive jeep through mud and water crossings like they do now.
They dont rust in West Australia unless they are used to regularly launch small boats or spend a lot of time at the beach, it must be what's on your roads.
4x4ing has become more extreme and popular over the years and I am sure they dont all get washed properly underneath, I doubt most would have put a fairly new and expensive jeep through mud and water crossings like they do now.
@Fishtaco, This bla....um...white 1997 Sahara is for sale for $4000. Paint doesn't look like it held up well. 
Some people just don't have a clue.
Some people just don't have a clue.
IOwnCalculus
TJ Enthusiast
My '02 has been parked outside in the Arizona sun for pretty much its whole life as far as I can tell. The paint is amazingly still sticking to the Jeep, but it looks absolutely awful on the hood, grille, and cowl. Easily the worst paint I've ever seen that isn't just flaking off in sheets (and sometimes that looks better!)
When I purchased my '01 two years ago the cowl clear coat was flaking off and the paint had worn thru to the primer.
I removed the cowl and dropped it off with a friend who works at a hi end auto body shop.
The part was squeezed into the schedule; five days later and the cowl was gorgeous....
I ask my friend about getting the Jeep painted and he said.... "You don't want to know what we would charge...."
I removed the cowl and dropped it off with a friend who works at a hi end auto body shop.
The part was squeezed into the schedule; five days later and the cowl was gorgeous....
I ask my friend about getting the Jeep painted and he said.... "You don't want to know what we would charge...."
That is the laziest paint job I've ever seen. Didn't even bother to take the soft top off first...@Fishtaco, This bla....um...white 1997 Sahara is for sale for $4000. Paint doesn't look like it held up well.
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I agree with a caveat. 1997-2004 better than 2005-2006. I don’t know what happened, but I’ve had issues with 2 2005’s and none with 2003-2004, and those earlier I’ve seen look good
My '04 was Beryl Green and slept in our driveway, rain or shine. After a year or so I noticed little circles in the paint that would not wash out. I took it to a friend who owns an auto paint shop and he explained that it was caused by acid rain that sits on the paint long enough to slightly etch the surface. It would not rub out.
Flash forward about 10 years and I got an '06 in Flame Red. No marks. It sleeps under the carport and the paint still looks like new. My friend told me to keep it waxed with good wax to avoid future issues with acid rain, and to keep it out of the rain if possible.
Flash forward about 10 years and I got an '06 in Flame Red. No marks. It sleeps under the carport and the paint still looks like new. My friend told me to keep it waxed with good wax to avoid future issues with acid rain, and to keep it out of the rain if possible.
South Florida sun on my 2005. I'll have it repainted one day, for now I comfort myself by calling it a patina
Slap some color matched 3M vinyl on that hood. I put some on my old Hyundai. It cost $35 and has lasted 3 years so far.
Vtx531
TJ Addict
I'd take care of it sooner rather than later. At least spray something over it. Mine was like that and within a year or two the paint cracked down all the way to the primer. Now to respray I have to strip it entirely. If you sand and spray now you will save yourself a massive headache down the road no matter what you put on there.
I've thought about it, or doing a wrap like Boogie suggested. Sand and some sort of 2k clear in a can? I guess that would be better than nothing
My forest green pearl 99 Sahara was in great shape. My flame red 06 has crows feet all over the hood. I don't know enough about that situation to know whether I'd have to strip it all the way or whether sand and clear would do it. What I do know is I have the knowhow to do it but I'm about a year away from having the location.