Looking for a little insight on going from a "performance car" to a new Wrangler JL

[K9Jeeper]

I mentioned this earlier, but I recently got my JL with no intention of buying one. I often go wheeling in Jeeps but I had always driven sport sedans. In this case, I had gone to the local with the plan to get my wife a GC. I ended up finding one at manheim auction. But before I left, I saw the JL up close for the first time. It had all the modern features I always wanted a JEEP to have, but maintain the iconic look. Safe to say, I was smitten. Made a deal, and after only 7-8 months of a great 328xi with sport package I converted. Its safe to say, I have no regrets and look forward to enjoying the rocky mountains in my new adventure wagon, that is, quite peppy on its own.

Jeep is the way to go when living in Colorado. Loved it there for the 8 years I had lived there

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[warc1]

Great photo!

Thanks. It's from my fall 2017 Colorado tour. More pics here for those interested in just where a Wrangler can take you. The person in the pics is a friend.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0dLb3cCeeEySDVwZWhDaXhQVzA?usp=sharing

 

[TTEChris]

Before I purchased my first Wrangler in 2012, I had a 2005 Viper and a 1999 BMW M3(Daily Driver.) Shortly after purchasing the Wrangler and getting to really enjoy it's capabilities at an offroad park rock crawling, I sold both the other cars and put the money towards paying off my house. Since then I have only had Jeeps and an occasional motorcycle/car in between. I could never use the power of the Viper, or the handling of the M3 on local Houston roads. When I did go to the track my family would have to sit in the paddocks and watch while I get to have fun. Now we all go offroading together and even the kids get to enjoy the experience.
I don't have to worry about my wife driving the Jeep/hitting curbs I don't have to worry about some jealous Ahole keying my car(I think Jeeps are universally loved.)

I do still work on customers sports cars, and occasionally have to drive them home to replicate issues or put miles on them for emissions related fixes. As soon as I get back to the shop the next day I can't wait to get back in to my Jeep.

 

[Arkewn]

I started with a 2002 Subaru WRX that I added rims & rubber, new tuning ECU, improved the breaks & suspension. Not 'performance' but at least to me it's been pretty fun to drive fast and take turns. I bought 2005 LJ in 2007 for a camping/utility vehicle fully expecting to drive around wishing I was back in my WRX unless I was off road. What really happened was I found the Jeep a very enjoyable (but different) type of driving experience. In fact for short trips around town I prefer the Jeep and needless to say off road is really fun. My Jeep biggest driving complaint has been the horrible break fade coming down off the mountains if you don't manage sustained breaking properly. Had them smoking one trip and had to pull off and stop for a while. I look forward to getting a JL with the reviews about improved breaks, highway driving, and handling but that wouldn't have stopped me from getting another Jeep. 15 years after getting the WRX and 10 years of Jeep I still have both vehicles and feel I have the best of both worlds.

 

[macintux]

My Jeep biggest driving complaint has been the horrible break fade coming down off the mountains if you don't manage sustained breaking properly. Had them smoking one trip and had to pull off and stop for a while.

On-road or off?

If you're off-road, you can just throw it in 4 low and crawl down without brakes, at least in a manual, and to some degree in an auto.

On-road in an auto, well, you get what you deserve.

 

[Arkewn]

Paved roads coming back home off the trails. Going 50mph down these colorado canyon roads is not what the factory break system was designed for.

Can't disagree with the auto on the downhill. That's been my only regret of the auto decision over manual. Someone did tell me once that replacing break pads is far cheaper than replacing a transmission (true) but if I had a manual Jeep I'd be downshifting for sure. Off road or in traffic I'll take the auto any day.

 

[jericbarg]

I've always had a performance car, from numerous Corvettes to a Lamborghini even a Demon. Like wise I've always had a JEEP. The Wrangler will give you more smiles to the mile. It will "fit in" anywhere from Rodeo drive to Moab, while they are fun to drive you cannot leave a performance car anywhere these days.
My cars are rarely driven, the Wrangler gets driven everyday.

Cannot go wrong with resale either, I purchased a JL Sahara 3 weeks ago then decided I wanted a Rubicon.
Carmax offered me $400 more for the Sahara than I paid for it.

 

[JLUColorado]

Paved roads coming back home off the trails. Going 50mph down these colorado canyon roads is not what the factory break system was designed for.

Can't disagree with the auto on the downhill. That's been my only regret of the auto decision over manual. Someone did tell me once that replacing break pads is far cheaper than replacing a transmission (true) but if I had a manual Jeep I'd be downshifting for sure. Off road or in traffic I'll take the auto any day.

Absolutely true - Boulder canyon and sugarloaf are tough on the descent, just to name a couple. I70 can be a wallop too with inclement weather.

 

[drogers]

I've never given a Wrangler a second look until I saw my first JL several days ago, and it instantly had me hook, line, and sinker. Added to that is also the fact that we bought a new Grand Cherokee Summit last year that we absolutely LOVE, so I'm really thinking that a Wrangler JL (Sahara) is my next ride. One thing I'm curious about... I currently drive a 2014 Mustang Premium V6 with the performance package, and I've usually made it a point to have more "performance" oriented cars (not crazy or anything... just "peppy"). While I fully realize that the comparison is apples and oranges, are there any current Jeep Wrangler owners out there that made a similar change to what I'm considering doing? Any pros / cons / plusses / minuses you'd care to share? I'd love to hear about your experience with making the big change. Thanks!

I’ve owned several sports cars (still miss my s2000), and can honestly say that my JK put a smile on my face every danged day. I miss the heck out of it (except the crappy 3.8 my mechanic told me was in the process of dying - he encouraged me to dump the jeep before anything drastic happened). Driving a jeep is very different, but it’ll make you smile.

My advice - take it off-road, push yourself and the jeep, then take off the doors and roof and leave them off until the rain forces you to do otherwise.

 

[macintux]

leave them off until the rain forces you to do otherwise

Or do what I do: take out the carpets and then wait until the cold weather forces you to do otherwise. Rain is temporary.

 

[on--belay]

With all the positive replies, I'll play devil's advocate. I struggle with the JK at times. In the summer I have a 17 ZL1 and a 17 911 C4S, plus 2 Ducatis. I don't think I could have a Wrangler as my only vehicle. Right now my wife yells at me because we get in her Cayenne after I drive the Jeep home, and she tells me to take it easy on her car. I guess being back in something that can handle and accelerate just triggers something. We bought the Wrangler instead of something like a Maverick 4 seater Turbo R to be able to go up to Silver Lake sand dunes where my wife's parents take their motorhome. Come summer I expect I'll enjoy the Wrangler more when I can take the other cars if I want. I'll be honest, if you are wired as a sports car guy, and you drive that way, you know, off ramps, drive no where for fun choosing the roads with the most curves, least populated straights, etc., the Wrangler is a major adjustment, more so if you go back and forth. You have to adopt a completely different driving style, and I'm not saying that is a bad thing, I'm just saying I don't know that I personally could assume that as my sole driving style.

 

[warc1]

If you're off-road, you can just throw it in 4 low and crawl down without brakes, at least in a manual, and to some degree in an auto.

Why is an auto any less capable than a manual in engine braking? Seven years ago, I came down from Pikes Peak in my Rubi and was forced into a brake check station about a third of the way down. It was run by the Parks service with a ranger checking every single vehicle's brake temps with a gun as a safety measure. The ranger took multiple readings of my brakes with his gun and thought it was malfunctioning because all it was reading was the ambient air temp. I had come down that mountain without once touching my brakes, just shifting to regulate speed.

When crawling in 4 low, I'm seldom on the brakes. The 4 speed auto in my 2010 JK is a bit limiting in the sense that I could really use a 1 1/2 gear between 1st and 2nd to totally avoid the brakes. However, the JL 8 speed should provide exactly that.

 

[macintux]

Why is an auto any less capable than a manual in engine braking? Seven years ago, I came down from Pikes Peak in my Rubi and was forced into a brake check station about a third of the way down. It was run by the Parks service with a ranger checking every single vehicle's brake temps with a gun as a safety measure. The ranger took multiple readings of my brakes with his gun and thought it was malfunctioning because all it was reading was the ambient air temp. I had come down that mountain without once touching my brakes, just shifting to regulate speed.

When crawling in 4 low, I'm seldom on the brakes. The 4 speed auto in my 2010 JK is a bit limiting in the sense that I could really use a 1 1/2 gear between 1st and 2nd to totally avoid the brakes. However, the JL 8 speed should provide exactly that.

I’ve never used auto off-road, but when I have spoken with fellow jeepers who do they seem to indicate that the low gears are not quite sufficient. It may very well be user error, I don’t know.

 

[RussJeep1]

I've never given a Wrangler a second look until I saw my first JL several days ago, and it instantly had me hook, line, and sinker. Added to that is also the fact that we bought a new Grand Cherokee Summit last year that we absolutely LOVE, so I'm really thinking that a Wrangler JL (Sahara) is my next ride. One thing I'm curious about... I currently drive a 2014 Mustang Premium V6 with the performance package, and I've usually made it a point to have more "performance" oriented cars (not crazy or anything... just "peppy"). While I fully realize that the comparison is apples and oranges, are there any current Jeep Wrangler owners out there that made a similar change to what I'm considering doing? Any pros / cons / plusses / minuses you'd care to share? I'd love to hear about your experience with making the big change. Thanks!

I think this might be a healthy perspective to take.

Going from the Mustang to the Wrangler involves little compromise in "performance," just an adjusted mindset on how "performance"--or should I say capability is measured..

One will prove a winner in a track race. The other the winner in an off road race.

You get the idea.

 

[TTEChris]

I think this might be a healthy perspective to take.

Going from the Mustang to the Wrangler involves little compromise in "performance," just an adjusted mindset on how "performance"--or should I say capability is measured..

One will prove a winner in a track race. The other the winner in an off road race.

You get the idea.

While I agree with you for the most part, the wrangler is the most capable mass produced vehicle for it's intended purpose(Rock Crawling, Offroad, Getting completely naked .) The V6 mustang while an amazing vehicle is toppled by much more track worthy cars. While most of those cars cost a good amount more than the Mustang, there isn't really a mass produced vehicle that is as capable as the Wrangler offroad.
Now take capability out of it, and you do sacrifice some of the fun a sports car provides on road(If you have the roads to be able to use it.) I like that I can see above most vehicles, hop a curb if needed, or when it floods I can make my way out of my neighborhood(Houston has been hit my some heavy flooding the last few years, and at times I was one of the few that could actually make it out.) If like me, once you take your Jeep to a good offroad park you will never look back...

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