3 years and 103,000 miles later..

I purchased my JL in March of 2022 at the height of the used car market craze. I traded in a 2016 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk(which introduced me to some light off roading) and wanted to do more. I ended up getting way more for my Renegade than anticipated, which let me get into a Wrangler.

I bought it March 5, 2022 and by the tied week in April, I was in Windrock off roading it.

Since its purchase, it’s been back to Tennesee 4 times, been to the Outer Banks more times than I can count. It’s my daily driver to and from work (35 miles each way.

I have went from the stock wheels/tires to some 31s on JK wheels, to 33s on some aftermarket wheels, to my current setup of 35s. I have done various lifts from spacers on stock suspension, to Rubicon take off suspension, to its current state which is Rusty’s Off Road 2.5” lift with Bilstein shocks. This Wrangler with the 2.0T is the best automotive purchase I have made to date!

Now the controversial topics:

I have run nothing but 93 octane since new. I have used amsoil 5w30 and recently switched to 5w40 Euro spec, oil has always been charged at the 50% mark on the oil life indicator, and spark plugs changed every 30k. I do the rear diff fluid every other oil change, and it’s time to do the trans fluid/pan again.

The bronze wheels look great on the blue!

Thank you!

Awesome!

Fantastic write-up and wow on the mileage!! The bronze wheels look so good with HydroBlue!

ChrisG757 said:

I purchased my JL in March of 2022 at the height of the used car market craze. I traded in a 2016 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk(which introduced me to some light off roading) and wanted to do more. I ended up getting way more for my Renegade than anticipated, which let me get into a Wrangler.

I bought it March 5, 2022 and by the tied week in April, I was in Windrock off roading it.

Since its purchase, it’s been back to Tennesee 4 times, been to the Outer Banks more times than I can count. It’s my daily driver to and from work (35 miles each way.

I have went from the stock wheels/tires to some 31s on JK wheels, to 33s on some aftermarket wheels, to my current setup of 35s. I have done various lifts from spacers on stock suspension, to Rubicon take off suspension, to its current state which is Rusty’s Off Road 2.5” lift with Bilstein shocks. This Wrangler with the 2.0T is the best automotive purchase I have made to date!

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Looks great-and especially enjoy the before and after pictures. It's fun to watch the transformation.

jbcrane said:

Looks great-and especially enjoy the before and after pictures. It's fun to watch the transformation.

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I wanted to do more of an OEM+ Type build with the Wrangler and just expand on its capabilities. It definitely caught me off guard and I definitely under estimated the abilities of a stock Wrangler the first time I went to Windrock Off road Park.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I agree that routine maintenance is key to most all vehicles longevity.

ChrisG757 said:

I purchased my JL in March of 2022...and by the tied third week in April, I was in Windrock off roading it.

Now the controversial topics:

I have run nothing but 93 octane since new. I have used amsoil 5w30 and recently switched to 5w40 Euro spec, oil has always been charged at the 50% mark on the oil life indicator, and spark plugs changed every 30k. I do the rear diff fluid every other oil change, and it’s time to do the trans fluid/pan again.

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Your Jeep is obviously well-cared for, and you're enjoying the ownership experience. Where's the controversy?

Heimkehr said:

Your Jeep is obviously well-cared for, and you're enjoying the ownership experience. Where's the controversy?

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I figured the Amsoil/Premium gas would cause a little stink. But yeah ownership has been great. If they ever decide to end 2door production, I’ll definitely special order one.

ChrisG757 said:

I figured the Amsoil/Premium gas would cause a little stink.

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Amsoil, maybe, but Premium fuel is explicitly name-checked in the Owner's Manual as recommended for certain use cases. The cheap bastards thrifty fellows who claim 87 is acceptable are as free to do so as we are to use a higher octane.

Heimkehr said:

Amsoil, maybe, but Premium fuel is explicitly name-checked in the Owner's Manual as recommended for certain use cases. The cheap bastards thrifty fellows who claim 87 is acceptable are as free to do so as we are to use a higher octane.

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I’m apparently an FCA/Stellantis glutton for punishment. I have owned a Renegade(which was supposedly junk) and went 80k with no issues. I also owned a Fiat 500 Abarth, that I beat within an inch of its life every time I drove it. I owned that for 10 years and 120k.

ChrisG757 said:

I’m apparently an FCA/Stellantis glutton for punishment. I have owned a Renegade(which was supposedly junk) and went 80k with no issues.

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A school friend with whom I remain in contact bought a new 2019 Renegade with all of the trimmings. He's driven the daylights out of that thing, and it's been as reliable as an anvil. I joke with him about owning that Italian toaster, but he's proven any number of online review articles about that vehicle dead wrong.

Great post and pics. Great jeep. I have a '22 2 door JL and also going for an OEM+ type build, but not nearly as far along in my process as you. Hearing your experience and seeing the jeep was cool. Thank for sharing.

Oclements79 said:

Great post and pics. Great jeep. I have a '22 2 door JL and also going for an OEM+ type build, but not nearly as far along in my process as you. Hearing your experience and seeing the jeep was cool. Thank for sharing.

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Thank you! If ya want a full list of what I done I don’t mind sharing. Most of the OEM stuff I ordered from a local dealer or Rockauto. The steering stabilizer I went with the AEV/Bilstein piece. Found a set of high line fenders on marketplace and had them paint matched. The fender extensions I got from a local dealer. The lift is part Rusty’s Off Road/part OEM+. I used Rusty’s springs, Bilstein 5100s, and Mopar Performance upper control arms, and Dobinson extended sway bar links.

I went with the MBRP catback, and it has ASFIR skids from front to back to protect everything!