OK, here goes again, as best I can remember. I don't know when CS changed the Amerique design, but I bought mine new in Aug 2013. I haven't seen anything like the corrosive effects you describe on the stainless interior, and the exterior looks brand new (it lives in an unheated garage). Just for comparison, I cover the smoker floor, the heat shield, and the drip pan with HD foil before every cook, and after every cook I wipe down the entire interior with a damp rag as CS recommends, just to remove excess grease. I also clean the cooking grids every time, just my obsession about anything that directly touches food. I don't know what grade SS CS uses but I'm surprised that you've got so much corrosion. If it were me, I guess I'd call CS and ask for their thoughts. Sorry this isn't as helpful as you might have wanted.