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Help Me Decide

blessidsoul12

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If I had been clueless and bought a new 2017 JK in 2017 I would have been PISSED when I saw my first JL just one year later... or worse if I had bought an '18 JK

Thoughts about JKs:

They were designed and assembled by kindergarteners. They are underpowered. Their stock fenders look like the machine just ran out of plastic and stopped. They wander all over the road. They had a strong CHROME aftermarket following. Their grilles are straight up and down with no contour and are made of super cheap plastic. JK also birthed the Dragon Edition.

Good luck getting that windshield flipped down...
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Rolling Ragu

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I started my shopping in '18 and was clueless. I remember the salesman trying to convince me that the JK was the better buy (at nearly the same price). I'm really glad I'm a researcher. I took two years of education before I pulled the trigger.
 

jakebrake

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Kindly throw me in the new category. If for no other reason, warranty. The other reason, is with buying a used vehicle, you never really know how the other person maintained it. Every car on a used car lot was owned by a little old lady who only used it to drive to church once a week.
 

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Biohazard

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I’ve experience in both.

The Jk rubicon is a more capable stock vehicle, but only if you’re interested in big time trails. It also has a lot of aftermarket support, the JL is pretty close.

The JK is held together with paper clips, and ride and interior noise is a lot worse. The JL rides like a dream in comparison.

I also vote JL, especially if you are actually going to do what you said—light trails, daily driving.
 

rallydefault

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That's a tough one. 10k is 10k. That's a lot of money you could spend on other stuff. Yea, the JK is used, but other things to consider: JK has nearly limitless mods available, including awesome stuff like core doors that aren't yet available on JL and likely won't be for at least another year.

The used thing is always tricky, though. I had good luck with used cars as a teenager, but you're always rolling the dice.

Unless you're always doing hundred-mile roadtrips, I don't think the "upgrade" between JK and JL is as intense as people make it out to be. JK definitely rides rougher out of the box, for sure, but we all know how modifiable these things are.
 

sf5211

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I started my shopping in '18 and was clueless. I remember the salesman trying to convince me that the JK was the better buy (at nearly the same price). I'm really glad I'm a researcher. I took two years of education before I pulled the trigger.
Hi Tony, i feel compelled to reply to your post because of one word you wrote. "researcher". I can so relate. My wife laughs at how much time i spend on the computer when i'm buying a vehicle or even if its already ordered. I even download the owners manual and read it cover to cover before getting the vehicle. When I bought my first Jeep i watched every You Tube video on switching the tops that they have. I was an expert without ever even touching one.
 

Rufus

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I don't have JK experience to compare the JL against but I do love my JL, and have had none of the steering issues or other common major complaints that I've read about here (only a couple of minor ones like not being able to top up the fuel tank fully). I have a Sport and what I would say is that the Willys package seems like a great deal. The value of the wheels, tires, suspension, and brakes over the stock Sport/Sport S is great compared to buying a Sport and doing those things yourself (as I have basically done)...plus it's all brand new stuff, not takeoffs. And you get some extra cosmetic bits if that's important to you.
 

ChrispyJL

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WIlly's hands down.
M220 rear with LSD, big brakes, will do moderate/easy trails with ease.
the 8 speed auto is a huge improvement, I have auto 3.6 and it is a rocket compared to the JK
I never owned a JK, but I have rented a few, I prefer my JL any day
 

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scgmc

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I started my shopping in '18 and was clueless. I remember the salesman trying to convince me that the JK was the better buy (at nearly the same price). I'm really glad I'm a researcher. I took two years of education before I pulled the trigger.
Hi Tony, i feel compelled to reply to your post because of one word you wrote. "researcher". I can so relate. My wife laughs at how much time i spend on the computer when i'm buying a vehicle or even if its already ordered. I even download the owners manual and read it cover to cover before getting the vehicle. When I bought my first Jeep i watched every You Tube video on switching the tops that they have. I was an expert without ever even touching one.
Throw me in the same boat as the two of you. I will research a subject to death before buying- especially a new vehicle purchase. Impulse buyer I'm not.
I've special ordered three new 4x4 trucks since 1990 (a '90 Ford, '98 Dodge, and a '08 GMC) and each time I knew more about the product than the salesman did at the time of purchase.

To the OP, my vote is to buy NEW. It's not even close with the choices you presented.
For the warranty, first hand knowledge of care and maintenance, and the JL improvements, buying the Willys makes sense.
To eliminate buyer's remorse, I recommend you order it if you don't find EXACTLY what you want on the lot.
If you hold on to a vehicle for any length of time, you will not regret the decision. Depreciation means nothing after 10 years. Even less after 20 years.
 
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Will_Jeep

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I went from JK/JKU which were my weekend vehicles, to my JLU, which is now my daily driver, and my MBZ sits at home most of the week.
I use mine as a DD, and the difference is night and day between the two, coming from the JKU to the JLU was, for me, like stepping into an SUV. I felt that the ride was so superior in the JLU once I had driven one, my JKU was gone.
Just my $0.02
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