Common rust problems on upper rear fenders.

[Service1956]

I am thinking about buying a new 2025 Silverado pickup. So lately "Here in Michigan" I have been looking at what others have, and noticed that quite a few have upper rear fender rust through. The lower parts of the fender ahead and after the wheel look fine with no rust. Looking at the rest of the truck, lower doors, front fenders and lower tailgate show no rust at all. Not good at determining what years these truck are, but they do not seem to be that old. Does anyone have any info as to how old these truck get when you start seeing rust?

[kickass audio]

Mine is only a 2023 but so far only has one very tiny spot of surface rust on the passenger inner fender well. I sprayed cavity wax inside the area between the box and the fender by pulling the oval plastic plugs inside the bed and inserting the spray wand for my 3M cavity wax in there and moving it back and forth to evenly spray the cavity.

 

I also take my truck to rustkote for being sprayed. They spray the underside, bottoms of the doors, inside the rockers, in the bottom of the tailgate. So far there is no sign of surface rust but I also take the fiber wheel well liners out in the spring and thoroughly wash and wax inside the wheel wells then put the wheel well liners back on the truck. I also every 2-3 weeks will wash my rims out with a wheel woolie and the left over spray soap I spray the bottom lip of the bedside fenders and use a small soft bristle brush to clean out the dirt and salt.

 

I'm hoping to make my truck last longer than my old 2014 that started to rot out in the rocker on the passenger side towards the rear door and had rust bubbling on the fenders of the bedside. That truck wasn't owned by me for 3 years since it was a lease before I bought it, my 2023 has been mine since a few months after production since it was a loaner used in the summer from the dealership before I bought it. I hope that because of this and my rigorous maintenance it might last me longer before the wonderful new york state saltbelt kills it.

[3ha26lff]

anything steel will all rust if you don't do preventative maintenance like oil coatings.    if I'm not mistaken the doors hood and tailgate are aluminum so no rust, but bedsides, rockers, cab corners, and front fenders are still steel so you have to spray the inners or watch them rot.  Take a magnet to your truck, if it sticks it will rust.

[15 Z71]

I really do believe the GMC trucks that have the plastic around the fenders is the key to not rusting.  I had a 2015 Sierra for over 9 years no undercoat or oil spay. No rust at all above rear tires above bed. I see 14 and 15 silverados  with rust all over right there.  I just bought a 2024 silverado I guess I'll see in time. And I live where they put salt down all winter on the road.

[newdude]

Common rust problems?  Western NY, I haven't seen any of these 19+up trucks with body rust issues yet.  The frames still do that crap the last two generations did where the wax starts to get blasted off and it starts to rust.  Seen some rough ones too.  

 

Can't say I've seen any with body issues though.  14-19 previous generation?  Big time.