First 24 Hours In a Wrangler

[Formattc]

I just spent my first day in my new Rubicon and I am in love! The ride is smoother than I expected out of an off road suspension, and the 3.6 V6 is peppier than I expected, and she's just gorgeous, can't stop looking at her.
This is my first Jeep, though, after being a GM man all of my life, so I have a few questions.

First, is the eight speed automatic known for slightly sloppy shift? There's almost what feels like a bit of slip between first and second, and second and third. There's plenty of power although I'm taking it easy during break-in, but the shift just seems a bit slushy. This is, however, my first transmission with more than four gears.

Second, is the 3.6 known for being a bit loud? When I'm up close it almost sounds like a diesel. I'm guessing this is normal. This is also the smallest engine I've ever had.

Third but not least, the Jeep had seven miles on it when it came off of the truck. The dealer kept it overnight to do a couple of things to it for me and when I picked it up it had a total of sixteen miles, nine more than the day before. Would this concern you? Nine miles isn't much, obviously, but I'm really concerned with the break-in period and breaking it in right.

I'm sorry if these seem like dumb questions but I'm as new as a Jeep newb can be.

Thanks!

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[Kidder212]

Give it some time to learn you driving style. Mine took about 1000 miles.

 

[sourdough]

I ordered my JLR and gave explicit instructions to contact me when the truck arrived. They called and said it arrived late the day before and when I got to it, as I remember it had approx 16 miles and popcorn kernels down between the drive seat and console. Yeah, It pissed me off too. I feel you bro.
8 Spd on mine is excellent. I did the muffler delete and love it.

 

[Notorious]

Your Jeep looks phenomenal! Glad you’re enjoying it. If there aren’t any cosmetic damages and it handles like it should, I wouldn’t even sweat the 9 miles.

Whoever said let the transmission learn how you drive during the first 1,000 miles is spot on!

Congrats and welcome to your new addiction!!

 

[agarber5687]

I just spent my first day in my new Rubicon and I am in love! The ride is smoother than I expected out of an off road suspension, and the 3.6 V6 is peppier than I expected, and she's just gorgeous, can't stop looking at her.
This is my first Jeep, though, after being a GM man all of my life, so I have a few questions.

First, is the eight speed automatic known for slightly sloppy shift? There's almost what feels like a bit of slip between first and second, and second and third. There's plenty of power although I'm taking it easy during break-in, but the shift just seems a bit slushy. This is, however, my first transmission with more than four gears.

Second, is the 3.6 known for being a bit loud? When I'm up close it almost sounds like a diesel. I'm guessing this is normal. This is also the smallest engine I've ever had.

Third but not least, the Jeep had seven miles on it when it came off of the truck. The dealer kept it overnight to do a couple of things to it for me and when I picked it up it had a total of sixteen miles, nine more than the day before. Would this concern you? Nine miles isn't much, obviously, but I'm really concerned with the break-in period and breaking it in right.

I'm sorry if these seem like dumb questions but I'm as new as a Jeep newb can be.

Thanks!

I also thought the shifting was a bit off at first but either it learned my acceleration style or I got use to it because at 4,000 miles I am not noticing it now.

I also had right around 16 miles at pick up. I know they do a vehicle check when they arrive and my salesman mentioned that he topped off the gas tank for me. Those miles add up quick. I didn’t love seeing it already over 10 at pick up but not a huge deal and to be expected I guess.

 

[Formattc]

Your Jeep looks phenomenal! Glad you’re enjoying it. If there aren’t any cosmetic damages and it handles like it should, I wouldn’t even sweat the 9 miles.

Whoever said let the transmission learn how you drive during the first 1,000 miles is spot on!

Congrats and welcome to your new addiction!!

Thanks! I'm not going to lie, I got lots of compliments at work today. I couldn't stop looking out the window at it and I made sure to park where I could see it.

Oh, and yeah, it doesn't even have a 100 miles on it yet.

 

[Notorious]

...it had... popcorn kernels down between the drive seat and console...

I’m sorry bud, I can only imagine how furious you must’ve been upon initial delivery. But now, in hindsight, I hope you see the humor as that is some funny shit!

What’s not funny is many years ago when I took my TJ Wrangler into the Frank Parra dealership and this 400 pound man put plastic over the seat and then sat in it. I literally heard an awful SNAP and watched as one side of the Jeep sat lower.

Fortunately all that was broken was the side plastic on the seat and the dealership replaced it but man, it wasn’t funny then but it is hilarious now!!

 

[BlueCJ7]

Congrats on your new Wrangler! I wouldn’t sweat the miles. I’ve seen new Subarus on the lot with 100-200 miles on them. When I brought this to the manager’s attention and my desire to buy one with single digit miles he acted like it was an odd request. Luckily I found one though.

 

[debandi]

You are gonna love it! Congratulations.

 

[laroo]

The best part is that feeling doesn't go away for a long time, if ever. You'll continue to look at it and smile every time you see it. New Jeeps are not like normal new cars that lose their luster after a little while.

 

[ads75]

I wouldn't worry about having 16 miles. As someone else said, the dealer probably put gas in it and did a preliminary drive just to make sure everything was ok. Maybe they drove it somewhere for an initial detail/wash. And I doubt a dealer would use it for test drives since the dealers seem to have so many on the lots now.

If that extra nine miles makes a difference in the Jeep breaking outside of warranty, I would be impressed with FCAs ability to engineer the Jeep to that exact point of failure.

 

[Formattc]

I gotta say, I'm really impressed with the ride quality. I mean, it's not luxury car smooth but if I'd wanted that I'd have bought an Escalade. The vehicle the Rubicon is essentially replacing is a ZR2 Blazer that I bought new with five miles on it. That thing has been bone-jarring from day one, and it has independent front suspension.

 

[sf5211]

Mine is a manual transmission so I can’t answer there. Like others have said, they’ll take it for fuel or detailing. My JL came in last summer while I was on vacation. I had these visions of people test driving it and kids jumping in and out with their feet on my leather seats. I called the dealer from Bermuda about my concerns. They said “no test drives on orders”. When I got back I was happy to see they still had the plastic on the steering wheel which tells me they weren’t lying. I got the idea of taking a picture of the mileage from another forum member as you’ll never see that number again with your current vehicle.

 

[Equitasforall]

Third but not least, the Jeep had seven miles on it when it came off of the truck. The dealer kept it overnight to do a couple of things to it for me and when I picked it up it had a total of sixteen miles, nine more than the day before. Would this concern you? Nine miles isn't much, obviously, but I'm really concerned with the break-in period and breaking it in right.

I wouldn’t be concerned about the miles under those circumstances.

Not like I was concerned when I saw the tech at the Pontiac dealership do a burnout in the parking lot in my ‘05 GTO that I had dropped off for a State Inspection (I don’t mean chirped the tired because he was unfamiliar with the clutch... more like he just won the Daytona 500.)

Or like when I dropped off my ‘10 Shelby GT500 Convertible for a stereo issue under warranty and came back to find it a half tank lower on fuel and with 57 more miles on it (“we had to road test it to see if we could replicate the problem!”)

Both issues resolved to satisfaction with dealership management and the corporate offices BTW.

In your case though, the 9 extra miles will be child’s play after the hundreds of frivolous (probably not the right word, but...) miles you’ll put on it finding any excuse possible to drive it whenever you can!

Happy Jeeping!

 

[sf5211]

I wouldn’t be concerned about the miles under those circumstances.

Not like I was concerned when I saw the tech at the Pontiac dealership do a burnout in the parking lot in my ‘05 GTO that I had dropped off for a State Inspection (I don’t mean chirped the tired because he was unfamiliar with the clutch... more like he just won the Daytona 500.)

Or like when I dropped off my ‘10 Shelby GT500 Convertible for a stereo issue under warranty and came back to find it a half tank lower on fuel and with 57 more miles on it (“we had to road test it to see if we could replicate the problem!”)

Both issues resolved to satisfaction with dealership management and the corporate offices BTW.

In your case though, the 9 extra miles will be child’s play after the hundreds of frivolous (probably not the right word, but...) miles you’ll put on it finding any excuse possible to drive it whenever you can!

Happy Jeeping!

Wow Jeff good stories, I maybe would have been a little lenient on the stereo dude. Possibly hitting a couple of bumps could replicate the stereo problem. (Although some idiot probably went on a lunch run or joy ride with your car).
The burnout? I would of went ballistic!
I drove my 1st car (a used Z-28) hard because I was young and stupid. After having to do a new clutch within a couple of months I never drove my cars hard again.
If I caught the tech burning out they’d probably have to call the cops. I’d be flipping tables in that place.

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