Update: 2018-2019 JL Wrangler Timeline Schedule (2DR JL & 2.0L Delay, Powertop & Diesel Dates, Etc)

[digitalbliss]

What does your inner lawyer think about catching any bugs or dangerous defects before they hit the public?

From a legal perspective this makes a lot of sense, Insurance will cover anything that happens on the lot, so passing that on to dealers doesn’t matter.

It'll give them time to sell all those 2018 JKs as well

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[The Great Grape Ape]

It'll give them time to sell all those 2018 JKs as well

Yeah, but the inevitable slow roll-out would’ve accomplished that too while giving enthusiasts early access. There would still likely mainly/only be JKs on the lot for the first few months because all JL orders will and would’ve been spoken for. So not sure if 3 months of inventory control would matter as much as ensuring the initial JLs aren’t seen as notoriously buggy or dangerous, both of which would hurt the Wrangler name far more than 3 months of slow overlap sales might.

Either recalling a missed major bug, or dealing with lawsuits and that impact is far more of a concern than slow moving sales, and exponentially more costly. Negativeseven from early reports of bugs like that would also cripple marketing efforts, especially any Super Bowl efforts around that timeframe.

The ‘old’ JK Wranglers will sell, even if it takes a few weeks more than usual, and a discount or two, but thats a given and more of an issue for dealers themselves ordering a ton, thereby missing their regional demand, it’s less of an issue to FCA itself.

 

[siggy]

My inner lawyer can’t imagine the purpose of the yard hold. So much potential liability. Pass the risk to the dealer ASAP!

Then summon your inner accountant. They want to move the outgoing JK, and it’ll be much tougher to do so if the new JL is next to it.

 

[JaybearWL]

What does your inner lawyer think about catching any bugs or dangerous defects before they hit the public?

From a legal perspective this makes a lot of sense, Insurance will cover anything that happens on the lot, so passing that on to dealers doesn’t matter.

My inner lawyer thinks that having a bunch of cars sitting in the lot for 90 days won't help with catching bugs or dangerous defects, and that the best time to catch those bugs and defects is during engineering and testing, but before mass-producing them and holding them on the lot.

A company the size of FCA may just self-insure, and if they do insure something like this, holding lots of inventory on site would ratchet up the insurance rate.

Not here to fight about it. The only reason it makes sense to me to hold them on the lot is so that you have a larger quantity to make available on release date. Seems like a marketing and customer relations thing. Just makes my risk-averse barrister innards churn.

 

[The Great Grape Ape]

Then summon your inner accountant. They want to move the outgoing JK, and it’ll be much tougher to do so if the new JL is next to it.

Summon YOUR inner accountant, and figure out what the minor depreciation is versus legal costs as well as damage to the brand of launching a vehicle than earns notoriety the way early Cherokees did with the 9spd, which still tarnishes the transmission and model to this day.

 

[The Great Grape Ape]

My inner lawyer thinks that having a bunch of cars sitting in the lot for 90 days won't help with catching bugs or dangerous defects, and that the best time to catch those bugs and defects is during engineering and testing, but before mass-producing them and holding them on the lot.

Step one is engineering and mule testing, but those are NON production-line vehicles, and almost hand made with way more attention than future JLs, so they are far less representative than when the actual production line is running. So step two is Quality control of what will now be the ongoing production of what will be sold for years/millions of vehicles.

A company the size of FCA may just self-insure, and if they do insure something like this, holding lots of inventory on site would ratchet up the insurance rate.

Rathceted rates for that period mean little it’s around a million bucks at best for that 30/60/90 growing held inventory period, however the cost of recalls, lawsuits, and the damage to the brand, especially launch marketing would be sinificantly more than that.

To me the cost of holding your own inventory to ensure a High Quality launch of your much anticipated & most iconic Halo vehicle in your entire company is comoletely worth it. Because the first few months of the JL are going to set the tone for ~10yrs of sales/production and also impact the view if the rest of the brand. A bad launch is hard to overcome, and would kill a lesser vehicle, but will still do major harm to something like a Wrangler and Jeep overall.

 

[Cov]

That power soft top better come out sooner than later

 

[wired]

That power soft top better come out sooner than later

According to the timeline we have now, that will be mid-May 2018. That is sooner than some laters I guess

 

[DanW]

According to the timeline we have now, that will be mid-May 2018. That is sooner than some laters I guess

I'm going ahead and ordering mine with the dual top option, but if they reveal the automatic soft top at the LA Auto Show, and it looks like something I want, I'll amend the order. I think I'll be happy with the dual tops, though.

 

[ThirtyOne]

I have kind of given up on the power soft top. It is either an elaborate hoax or (more likely) will come at a premium I am not willing to pay.

The only consolation for me is my last jeep was a YJ. The top had so many snaps and zippers getting the top down reminded me of my awkward attempts to undress my first girlfriend. The JL has to be better than that.

 

[DanW]

I have kind of given up on the power soft top. It is either an elaborate hoax or (more likely) will come at a premium I am not willing to pay.

The only consolation for me is my last jeep was a YJ. The top had so many snaps and zippers getting the top down reminded me of my awkward attempts to undress my first girlfriend. The JL has to be better than that.

Lol! I had a YJ, too. My first girlfriend wouldn't even let me try, though, so I can't compare it. Yeah, I think the premium they'll want for that auto top will be ridiculous. I'm trying to keep cost out of this thing where I can, but dual tops have worked well on my JK. Then again, I may wait to see if there is a premium soft top. If it is well insulated, then I may just go that route. I'm dying to get more details and photos. They are coming steadily, but I need to know certain things before I order, which I plan to do the day it opens up on the dealer computers.

 

[digitalbliss]

I have kind of given up on the power soft top. It is either an elaborate hoax or (more likely) will come at a premium I am not willing to pay.

The only consolation for me is my last jeep was a YJ. The top had so many snaps and zippers getting the top down reminded me of my awkward attempts to undress my first girlfriend. The JL has to be better than that.

I have no idea of the price, but there is clearly a power soft top. The newly leaked manuals have an area that talks about the switch location and how to operate it. This includes mentioning an anti jam function along with a minimum operating temperature and maximum speed at which you can open/close it.

 

[Cov]

I have no idea of the price, but there is clearly a power soft top. The newly leaked manuals have an area that talks about the switch location and how to operate it. This includes mentioning an anti jam function along with a minimum operating temperature and maximum speed at which you can open/close it.

That's for the power sliding hardtop. No soft top in the world can open up to 60mph without becoming a parachute

 

[digitalbliss]

That's for the power sliding hardtop. No soft top in the world can open up to 60mph without becoming a parachute

Sure, we shall see.

 

[Cov]

Sure, we shall see.

What do you mean sure? It says right in the manual power SLIDING top

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