Parking your Jeep outside

[Rebel.Matt]

Hi all,

I am being to cautious with my Jeep?

I would like to hear some of your thoughts and ideas on parking your precious Jeep outside. I've had a garage for about 7 years now and have always parked my Jeeps inside. Living in Colorado, the hail and intense sun can really do a number on your panels and fiberglass top. That being said, I use my Jeep as a real expedition vehicle, it's not a mall crawler, and I'm not afraid to hit the trails at Moab or the San Juans. That being said, I paid almost $60k for this thing, and when it's home, I take extra care of it as I want it to last me 15 years. I have a new camper on the top and it won't fit in my garage when it's attached. I can take it on and off, but it can be a hassle.

Am I being too cautious? Am I making it up that my jeep will fall apart in a year if I park it outside?

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[Stuntman Mike]

If you want to keep it only for 15 years, that should be ok.

 

[GWolgamott]

I keep it outside all the time last couple winters. North West Michigan not as bad Colorado, but the road salt is worse on it then just parking it outside in winter. I've a few chips in paint but that is from rocks etc... haven't had it bubble on me yet anywhere.

 

[PuddleJumper]

Hi all,

I am being to cautious with my Jeep?

I would like to hear some of your thoughts and ideas on parking your precious Jeep outside. I've had a garage for about 7 years now and have always parked my Jeeps inside. Living in Colorado, the hail and intense sun can really do a number on your panels and fiberglass top. That being said, I use my Jeep as a real expedition vehicle, it's not a mall crawler, and I'm not afraid to hit the trails at Moab or the San Juans. That being said, I paid almost $60k for this thing, and when it's home, I take extra care of it as I want it to last me 15 years. I have a new camper on the top and it won't fit in my garage when it's attached. I can take it on and off, but it can be a hassle.

Am I being too cautious? Am I making it up that my jeep will fall apart in a year if I park it outside?

can u air down to fit in the garage? I keep mine in the garage. i won't say leaving it outside is gonna immediately destroy, but it has been shown sheltering any vehicle from the elements when possible does leaps on prolonging its service life. saves the paint, plastics, fabrics for a fair bit longer than usual. tbh tho if you leave it outside you just gotta up your maintenance game. keep it clean, waxed and hydrophobic. a lot of nice products on the market today that will do so much more than keep the shine. UV blocking, anti static, anti swirl, you get the idea. I like turtle wax products especially their graphene infused wax. like if you treat your fenders regularly you will get so much more out of em before you get they grey fade out. also don't let salt or mud sit on anything too long. i always take the time to stop at a self service wash and take 30 min to spray off everything after a trail. put the nose to the frame hole and let her eat till the water runs clear and everything. its the little things.

 

[bucolic]

Get a cover for it and just cover it.

I cover the camper every fall for the winter, and it is amazing how little weathering is on it after six years—decals all like new, etc.

With a car cover, you have a non-issue. Just buy a good one and don't cheap out. This brand looks good. USA Made and a 4-year warranty.

https://www.covercraft.com/us/en/

 

[Throwback]

Jeeps look better when you leave them outside. I've got a neighbor with an old Wrangler: dents, dings, faded everything. The only paint on it that sort of looks like the original color is where there were once stickers, which have long since peeled off. It's about the coolest vehicle in the neighborhood. I want to know where it's been, what it's seen. An old Kia in that condition would just look ghetto. But a banged up Jeep looks perfect.

 

[HooliganActual]

Jeeps look better when you leave them outside. I've got a neighbor with an old Wrangler: dents, dings, faded everything. The only paint on it that sort of looks like the original color is where there were once stickers, which have long since peeled off. It's about the coolest vehicle in the neighborhood. I want to know where it's been, what it's seen. An old Kia in that condition would just look ghetto. But a banged up Jeep looks perfect.

Beauty marks just add character.

When we bought our 2020 JTR and got it home, my wife noticed a small chip in the paint on the hood and said "We should take this back and have them fix it."

My response? "Oh honey, we are going to do so much worse to it"

 

[PuddleJumper]

Beauty marks just ad character.

When we bought our 2020 JTR and got it hone, my wife noticed a small chip in the paint on the hood and said "We should take this back and have them fix it."

My response? "Oh honey, we are going to do so much worse to it"

my type of guy. did the same thing myself

 

[fireproof69]

I don’t have access to my garage to even have an option.
When the kids were in their teens I converted half of the garage into a media room. I split it side to side right behind end of overhead door rails.
Now they are long since moved out with kids of their own… and both sides of that wall are full of clutter! ???

one day… I will build a workshop out back for all my woodworking stuff, knock down that wall and we can park both our vehicles inside! She has a ‘21 Grand Cherokee

 

[Idlethunder]

Mine has been outside since February 22 and a little fender fade is the only thing I've noticed. 95% of the time there is a layer of red dirt and mud from our road that covers the sides but it cleans up great. My only complaint about leaving it outside is that during the summer I can't leave the top off at night. That has more to do with keeping critters out of it than anything else.

 

[nas4a]

Mine has been outside since Feb. 2022. Still looks great. Maybe a little greying/fading of the unpainted part of the fender flairs, but it doesn't bother me. My BAK Revolver is a little faded, and has some sap spots on it, but that too isn't really a big deal. Paint and top look good. I go top-off almost all summer with tube doors, but I have a RainGear cover that I use. The hard top sits behind my shed and seems to survive the season just fine.

I'm curious what kind of "critters" some of you guys get in your rigs from leaving them outdoors with the top off. I drive mine pretty regularly - I can't imagine actually having something decide my truck is a nice home.

 

[AustinLonghorn]

I'm curious what kind of "critters" some of you guys get in your rigs from leaving them outdoors with the top off. I drive mine pretty regularly - I can't imagine actually having something decide my truck is a nice home.

I had rats decide to live in the WJ a few years back, on top of the exhaust manifold / heat shield. Saw another WJ at the scrap yard with "evidence" in the same location, too.

Also found acorns behind the driver's side headlight / airbox assembly, probably squirrels.

Thankfully no damage other than some insulation chewed out of the heat shield.

 

[Rebel.Matt]

All good advice! I do park my Jeep outside usually during the summer when I have my RTT on. If I know I'm going out multiple weekends I'll leave it adventure ready and leave it outside. During the winter, tent comes off and the jeep goes in the garage. My wife and I are planning on moving within the next year or so, And I've already made it a requirement that we have a 2 car garage with minimum 8 foot doors. She can have the interior wants, I just want to fit my jeep in the garage when it's fully loaded!

 

[Jefe1018]

My only concern with parking outside, get a faraday box for your keys.

Also, invest in a good wax job three times a year and the clear coat should last longer than the norm.

Happy Jeeping!

 

[Zachanadandy]

can u air down to fit in the garage? I keep mine in the garage. i won't say leaving it outside is gonna immediately destroy, but it has been shown sheltering any vehicle from the elements when possible does leaps on prolonging its service life. saves the paint, plastics, fabrics for a fair bit longer than usual. tbh tho if you leave it outside you just gotta up your maintenance game. keep it clean, waxed and hydrophobic. a lot of nice products on the market today that will do so much more than keep the shine. UV blocking, anti static, anti swirl, you get the idea. I like turtle wax products especially their graphene infused wax. like if you treat your fenders regularly you will get so much more out of em before you get they grey fade out. also don't let salt or mud sit on anything too long. i always take the time to stop at a self service wash and take 30 min to spray off everything after a trail. put the nose to the frame hole and let her eat till the water runs clear and everything. its the little things.

I agree with keeping the vehicle in doors protecting paint/plastics/etc but none if those effect service life as I see it, especially in a Jeep that gets wheeled. Mechanically there's no difference. Sure tires could take longer to dry rot, but mine are worn out from use long before seeing the slightest signs of sun damage. The paint has pinstripes from brush and branches far worse than sun damage from 15 years outside could ever do. For the op, hail damage is a real concern but otherwise there's little real risk to parking outside. Every vehicle I've ever owned was parked outside. Even in 2012 my 77 wagoneer and 89 xj had no visible paint fading. Dents and scrapes from rocks or trees is another story.

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