I don’t live by the ocean, and that may be the difference but I respectfully disagree, the open cart design on the Spirit 2 and Genesis 2 is far superior to the cabinet style spirit and genesis models. The closed cabinet models retain moisture and rot from the inside out. I’ve seen hundreds of examples of that. I have a Spirit 2 on my deck and it doesn’t have a spec of rust after 5 years of year-round exposure to the elements. The series 2’s also have Webers ten year ‘lid to wheels’ warranty that covers every single part of the grill, including maintenance items - grates, flavorizer bars, electronics, etc. This 10 warranty was only offered on the Series 2’s.
I agree with
@Jason Godard. Certainly the open cart design is less prone to rust than are the cabinet base models. However, I am reluctant to jump on the, "they don't make them like they used to" bandwagon quite yet with the series II lines.
Newer doesn't always mean better but it doesn't always mean worse either.
I recently acquired a Genesis II E-325,² that I believe is from 2019 production. It stood on the deck of a neighboring beach house near ours for 2+years, 35 yards or so from Cape May County NJ's back bay, a truly harsh salt air environment. It was there for 2-3 years and I found no rust on it when I took ownership (trash picked it from the curb), cleaned it up and replaced the missing drip pan tray and hood hinge pins.
I've owned several Webers prior to that over the years. I also own a circa 2002 or so Broilmaster P3. I don't even know what Broilmaster's warranty is but the components are cast aluminum and 304 stainless but for the internals. Although, starting price points for comparative Broilmaster grills are significantly higher than Weber grills. I would say a different target market/demographic too.
Yes the closed cabinet models were very prone to rust. However, I did notice on this newer Genesis II that the interior shelves have a small gap of approximately 3/8" where the shelves meet the vertical support panels. Yes it saves a fraction on material costs, but it also is a design improvement that promotes drainage of water and improves air flow in that cabinet interior. Will this change alone eliminate cabinet rusting issues? Likely not entirely but it is a definite improvement and could add years to the life of the grill. I'll snap a picture later.
As far as "cheapening" the quality of the firebox...yeah...that's fairytale speculation based on random anecdotal evidence at best. But how many posts here ask about or speak to warped fireboxes on newer generation Webers? I submit very, very few, if any.
Of course a mid-90s Genesis or earlier that has either been well cared for or carefully restored will stand the test of time...the II series Genesis and Spirit lines haven't been afforded the luxury of time to prove their potential longevity.