Do I need the beeb to talk me out of a Jeep Wrangler?

Well like so many motorcycles and vehicles in general there are pros and cons. The jeep gives us the ability to experience places that we wouldn't be able to in 99% of any other vehicle.

Side note: I took my wifes G-wagon on some of the popular trails in Sedona over the weekend. I've never had so many people stop and ask "WTF are you thinking?: it's pretty capable offroad and only hit the hitch bracket like twice. (Pic of Schenbly Hill road)

 

Jeeps are just like any other recreational vehicle.

Drive them, enjoy them, beat them up repair and maintain them, repeat process..

 

Clearly, they haven’t seen what that idiot “Whistlin’ Diesel” has done to a G. Just terrible.

 

My friends are picking up their '55 edition' G63 on Friday. 1 of only 55 being brought into the US. Insane what Mercedes has done to the G and what they charge for it.

 

What's the draw to that youtube dude? I watched a pair of videos a few years back of him just running a bulldozer over a Ford pickup for unknown reasons.

 

Isn't it amazing how American made vehicles and RV/Toyboxes can be made so poorly compared to say Japanese vehicles, yet we keep going back, because they hit the niche properly.

 

I think the whole "money pit" reputation is a bit overemphasized and has more to do with the environment they are put in and not the actual build. Our work trucks are only driven on gravel roads and they turn in to rattly pieces of shit by 30k miles. Brand does not make any difference. If a Jeep is just driven on the road the only parts a person needs to replace are the ones to make it more offroad looking and not really the vehicles fault.

 

My 2 cents is that they're popular for a reason, right?

Not everyone likes dual-sport bikes but some people absolutely love them. Same thing.

If it blows your skit up, get one. You won't regret it.

That part is false. A Tacoma will do well off-road but it's just not the same thing when you get into the rocks.

 

the first episode with the dune jump was cool. the mud pit? not so mucho....

i drove a "wolf" (military g) when i was on guard duty. pretty cool vehicle and vastly different from what's sold today. i keep browsing that dutch exporter site for the military ones. really cool stuff.

 

I feel like there’s an attraction from today’s youthful douchebags to the ignorance of that youthful douchebag. “Birds of a feather….”, you know.

I feel the same about those who spin donuts anywhere possible, stunt/destroy really nice bikes, tag random objects, break-into buildings to video destroying them, etc.

 

I'm on my 4th Jeep, a '14 JK Sport 2dr.
If it's not a 2dr, it's not a Jeep...it's a minivan with four wheel drive.

Is it really to have fun or is it just that she thinks it looks like it might be fun to own?

Really gonna have fun? Really?
Then forget higher trim levels. You'll just fuck up the interior when you think you're gonna go have fun, which means you're better off being a hardtop guy with full doors. If you can't live without creature features like a subwoofer taking up your cargo space, big screen center stack so you can selfie yourself, power everything, etc., you're not really buying a Jeep for "Jeep" fun.

Get the least amount of frou-frou shit possible and add your select OEM options, like 3.73 gears with rear Trac-Lok, manual 6spd and, if you can, half doors with a hard top...
- Yes, take the hard top off and you can still mount the "Freedom" panels for a "hard" bikini top.
- Nothing looks stupider than a topless Jeep with full doors.
- The gearing is so you can mount taller tires without taking the guts out of the engine...the standard 3.42 gears are barely good enough for the standard size tires. An automatic makes it worse.
- The soft top is worthless, but may be the only way to get half doors without getting taken to the cleaners.
- Trac-Lok rear and offroad tires are all a Jeep needs to go places you have no business going. If you wanna go deeper than than that, a Rubicon might be what you're looking for. However, a Rubicon also has upgraded interior and a bunch of questionable electronic features. Analog shit won't fail to function without suffering actual physical damage. Electronic shit? It's from FIAT. 'Nuff said.

I ended up buying a hard top separately for my soft top/half door optioned JK after I failed to appreciate the aftermarket's bikini/duster/wraparound offerings. They, and the OEM soft top, are up for sale whenever I decide to ditch them...carpet and rear seat, too. I'm keeping the half door uppers as, lo-n-behold, they tuck right up to the hard top's Freedom panels. (Couldn't order half doors with a hard top).

Do not get a Rubicon if you have any ideas about modifying it to do what they market it to be capable of, without breaking...you'll waste your money. Save that $5K+ of Rubicon money to offset the price of wheels/tires/bumpers/fenders/winch/lift/suspension. Remove the carpet and install BedTred or get the tub Rhino lined. I did the BedTred but will eventually go with a spray-in lining. Expect to put out as much money to fully modify the Jeep as you spent buying a base Sport. This money would include damn near unbreakable axles/axle housings/gears/lockers of your choice but would not include a supercharger...another $6K+.

Have fun. Don't worry about the first dent/scrape...it won't be the last. Just make sure you equip it to survive the beer holding moments and to get itself unstuck.

Too much? Just get a Rubicon and call it a day. It's still the same money after they throw all the high-end features at it, which you can't delete to get just the Rubicon capability.

 

Oh, I didn't realize you could read more into the first post than was written. My bad. See, I specifically stated what he planned to do with it. I guess I should have just ASSumed everything in the world under the sun that every internet genius knows better.
And as someone local to Moab and sees it all the time, your assertion isn't correct.

 

I have a 14 JKU, bought new brought home threw it up on jack stands and went to work. Nothing crazy just 3.5 lift, good adjustable shocks, control arms, ball joints, standard size bolts (just google anti- death wobble bolt kit) swapped both front n rear axle assemblies as I had a used set built for me and waiting, drive shafts, flip drag link, steering stabilizer, bedlined the floor, rock rails and sliders (frame mounted), programmer ( now I just flash the ecu), drop In KN filter, seat covers, etc Later added ram assist, just 35’s on it and would never go bigger. It has about 80k (25 of which have been past 1.5 years) and goes off-road A LOT.
Was great until about 70k then Chrysler started showing it’s Chrysler. At typical 3.6l issues, leaking oil cooler, cracked thermostat housing, rad leak from separation (of course thermostat housing cracked 5k miles later and no it didn’t over heat and I didn’t even undo that clamp or bleed it from there), stock head unit took a dump from the common fm chip (I have a very good sound system in it but always wanted stock head unit to not draw attention. If you even see, find my subs and get them out even in 1/2 piece you’ve earned it).
It’s been maintained I’d assume better than 95% of the ones out there. Most say it’s a waste of money but helps me sleep. I.e change oil at 250 miles, about 700, then 2500 then whenever the meter got to 50% (only thing Chrysler does right is now they determine oil life, the mileage thing had it’s time but should never be used these days, wife’s Audi uses mileage still. Scam), trans filter at 10k then about every 15 for fluid swap and changed it at 55 or so again, transfer cases same time. Im not getting rid of it anytime soon as it still rides and handles better than a new stock Jeep, I still use it a fair amount as a Jeep should be, and the people I bring in it always enjoy it. Friends love to borrow it because hey, you get Jeep fun but then once over it give it back. Im Ok with that, just get fluid temps up before ya beat the shit out of it. Get good tires, don’t cheap out. I used to swap between AT and MT’s but Nitto Ridge Grapplers I put on about 15k ago work awesome all around and they are quiet on the highway.
Just make sure you really want a Jeep as lots of drawback like it’s a Chrysler, noisy as hell, not much power, horrible gas mileage, it’s a Chrysler. I’d not put miles on it last while but cannot get a new truck anytime soon so waiting on 23’s to get a few VIN’s under their belt before I place my order.

 

Yes and do not buy a Rubicon. Mines a sport that I put a zero mile Rubicon x-case in. And sticks up to you but the auto in mine is great off-road if you get a tuner with a rock / crawl mode that will increase idle slightly and lengthens give or take 25% throttle to about 50% of its throw. That makes life so much easier on big rocks.
Oh and I also have the truck front caliper / rotor swap and master cyl. First 3 years I just put stop tech rotors and hawk pads. Running Stoptech now as well.

 

Sell Tacoma, get Gladiator (see @DucatiBomber 's post - it's a great midsize truck), done deal.

Gladiator rides and drives much better than the Wrangler because of its longer wheelbase, and it'll handle forest and logging roads with comical ease.

 

Then you will keep adding shit. Mines in the rain right now with doors off but I have one of those covers that’s easy to put on and was hailing so kind of a good idea. I built a set of carbon (tube doors) that are great for when kids are in there. No I won’t build any for anyone for under $2500 friend price. They came out great and it’s one thing people always ask but they were a pain and I used way too good of material on them.

 

I get decent mileage with the manual. Most important thing for mileage is to keep the oversized tires inflated a little more than what the weight of the Jeep calls for.

Just recently got a big brake kit, front and rear. With big tires/heavy wheels, it needs big brakes.

Also with the manual and big tires, 315-70x17, I can idle over anything that's an obstacle without stalling or having to feed throttle. That might be asking a bit much from a stock automatic. Easily climbs a 100% grade of forest loam without thinkin'.

My hardtop stayed on all year this year...garage was full. Otherwise, I got a nice pulley kit with Harken pulleys, ~$120-$140. Hoist the top all the way to the rafters. Don't waste money on Chinese pulley kits.

 

I think that was 4 or 5 companies ago depending on how u look at it

They sell EVs now for maximum levels of virtue signaling

 

I had a dream that if you buy that Jeep, your house will be hit by a comet.
Take that for what it's worth.

 

See, now I was just thinking this earlier today. Hmm, might have to take a look at it