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Daily Driver- Wrangler JL 2019-yes or no.

Pappy11

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I had a 2012 JK 2 door and a small gas sipper for my DD...Traded both in on my 2019 JL 4 door which I must say beats the ride of the short wheel base 2 door...so Now my JL is my DD and I have no issues at all....rides very well...
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The Fixer

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As others have said, heck yeah, you can DD a JL! My wife and I both do. My wife got hers in May of '18, and it recently turned 12K miles. Hers is pretty well loaded, it's a JL Unlimited Sport S with the 7" radio, 8-speed auto, upgraded wheels with Goodyear all-terrains, dual-top group, and side steps. My wife's with the V6 and 8-speed is averaging 17-18, and she's got a local commute to work. On highway trips it gets about 25 mpg. It's great on a road trip, nice and comfortable, and there's plenty of room for luggage and whatever else you may need to bring along.

I liked driving hers so much with the top down and doors off that when the lease was up on my '16 Charger R/T I leased a base two-door Sport for myself. Only options on mine are the 2.0T with auto trans, all-terrains, Dana 44 rear with LSD, and tinted windows on the soft top. The two-door is a great commuter, especially with the 2.0. Mine is averaging right around 20-21 mpg, even on winter blend gas and my commute is 10 miles of stop-and-go local traffic with only a few chances to get up over 40 mph. Most of the time I'm stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I also have to park on city streets, and parking my little JL is a breeze; it fits into tight spots really easily. I will say the Unlimited is definitely a better DD if you have to haul stuff around, like people or groceries LOL. My kids have to switch places every morning when we go with the two-door; my son gets out by the high school, then he lets my daughter out of the back. She hops in front and then I drop her off by the middle school. They'll only have to do this dance for a few more months though, and then my son will get his license and he can drive himself and his sister to school.
 

Benny

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Starting 1990 with my 88 YJ I have had 2 door Jeeps as my daily driver. In 95 I traded the YJ for a car because of the ride and noise. Two years later I had to have a Jeep again and traded the car for my 97 TJ sport. I haven't looked back since and it's all Jeep since then.
There is nothing better than a vehicle that does it all; winter snow, trails and summer top down doors off fun.
 

BealzabubbaX

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I decided to write this post for those people that are trying to decide on purchasing a JLU having not owned a Wrangler before. I've had a lot of new vehicles over the years. Not because I'm wealthy, I'm not, but because I'm obsessed with Cars, Trucks, SUV's etc. I traded in a 2012 Min Countryman for a Range Rover Evoque. Traded in the Evoque for a Kia Sorrento SXL-V6. Traded in a 12 Corvette Grand Sport as part of the Range Rover trade. I'm naming those few vehicles so I can give you an idea of how I can compare my 2019 Wrangler JLU to other daily drivers. Consumer Reports states that the Wrangler's wind noise makes it only good for around town jaunts. That is OBSURD. Let me just say, the Wrangler JL does have some extra wind noise due to the flat windshield. However, it is by no means "loud". You hear it, but I have no problem having discussions in my Jeep on the highway in any way. Overall, the Jeep is relatively quiet, it really is, just that windshield noise can be a little annoying but not bad. The ride is a bit stiff over bumpy side roads, but no worse in my opinion then my Mini, or even a Honda CRV. It isn't really that bad. The steering I find quick and pretty accurate, and I can turn it around fairly sharp turns with complete stability and grip. My Sorrento wasn't much better. I can honestly say that I LOVE driving my Jeep. I really love it. I bet excited every time I drive it and often look for reasons to get in and go for even a short ride even when I have no reason to go anywhere. I have owned a new 84 Jeep CJ7- that was rough. I learned to drive in my dad's very old 1944 Willy's. That was VERY rough. My 90, 92, 95, 97 TJ, Wranglers were all loved and at the time I thought they drove pretty well, but I was in my 20's and 30's so I didn't expect much. My 87 Suzuki Samurai- I loved it, but actually got whiplash over the George Washington Bridge in NY over a bad pothole. Im not exaggerating- it was brutal. So, can I recommend the JL as a daily driver?. COMPLETELY. The V6 is strong and the 8spd tranny is near perfect. Mine is a Sahara with everything - literally accept the color matched top. 12K miles and not a single issue, not even a rattle. Not one. For those of you wondering if you can see it as your dally driver, go for it. You will love it. Enjoy, God Bless.

As a non-prior Jeep owner I became interested in the JL after an accidental rental of 2019 Sahara during a work trip. I have been doing my research. Consumer Reports' predicted reliability score for Jeep Wrangler in general is sorry 12 out of 100. Only two vehicles score lower. As a person seriously wanting what the JL's offer it puts me off a little. I am putting any purchase decision off for a year to see where reliability stands after real data (not predictions) on the 2020 models comes in. Thoughts?
 

Rudolph Hart

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As a non-prior Jeep owner I became interested in the JL after an accidental rental of 2019 Sahara during a work trip. I have been doing my research. Consumer Reports' predicted reliability score for Jeep Wrangler in general is sorry 12 out of 100. Only two vehicles score lower. As a person seriously wanting what the JL's offer it puts me off a little. I am putting any purchase decision off for a year to see where reliability stands after real data (not predictions) on the 2020 models comes in. Thoughts?
Get a Toyota
 

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ODDs

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I don't understand Consumer's Reports rating system. I get 4.5 when I average 5+5+5+5+5+5+5+5+4+4+5+5+4+2+5+5+2. They get 1. I'm not saying that Wranglers are as reliable Toyotas, but I wouldn't say they are as bad as a 1 out 5 either.

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BealzabubbaX

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I don't understand Consumer's Reports rating system. I get 4.5 when I average 5+5+5+5+5+5+5+5+4+4+5+5+4+2+5+5+2. They get 1. I'm not saying that Wranglers are as reliable Toyotas, but I wouldn't say they are as bad as a 1 out 5 either.

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Ergo my wait and see attitude. CR predictions for the next year are based on past performance over multiple years. It will be interesting to see how things pan out at the end of 2020 going into 2021. If total reliability was the only metric that n vehicle buying decisions then we would all be driving Toyota. You can take the doors off of a 4-Runner...the problems getting them back on.
 

Jennalee

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As a non-prior Jeep owner I became interested in the JL after an accidental rental of 2019 Sahara during a work trip. I have been doing my research. Consumer Reports' predicted reliability score for Jeep Wrangler in general is sorry 12 out of 100. Only two vehicles score lower. As a person seriously wanting what the JL's offer it puts me off a little. I am putting any purchase decision off for a year to see where reliability stands after real data (not predictions) on the 2020 models comes in. Thoughts?
My 2020 JL Willys was built on October 25 and Iā€™ve already had more problems with it than it seems all of my other cars put together. Iā€™ve had many cars but my last three were a Toyota Tacoma, a Prius and a Lexus. But they are minor things such as the heater and electrical issues that I am willing to put up with to own a Wrangler.

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BealzabubbaX

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My 2020 JL Willys was built on October 25 and Iā€™ve already had more problems with it than it seems all of my other cars put together. Iā€™ve had many cars but my last three were a Toyota Tacoma, a Prius and a Lexus. But they are minor things such as the heater and electrical issues that I am willing to put up with to own a Wrangler.

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A disinterested friend of mine added that as long as its under warranty, so what? He has a point.
 
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GGolds

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As a non-prior Jeep owner I became interested in the JL after an accidental rental of 2019 Sahara during a work trip. I have been doing my research. Consumer Reports' predicted reliability score for Jeep Wrangler in general is sorry 12 out of 100. Only two vehicles score lower. As a person seriously wanting what the JL's offer it puts me off a little. I am putting any purchase decision off for a year to see where reliability stands after real data (not predictions) on the 2020 models comes in. Thoughts?
I've received Consumer Reports since I was 16. Now 55. You have to learn how to read reliability ratings almost like you are an actuary. If you really read the bubble charts closely, as in the back of the April Auto Issue of 2019, you will see that for 2018 the Wrangler JL scores about as reliable as any Honda or Toyota. Their predicted rating is much harder to understand and is very inaccurate. If you examine the last 2 years of the bubble charts on the reliability ratings of any given Honda, Mazda, Or Toyota, you will see almost identical ratings for the last 3 years, but the CR predictions are skewed very differently, clearly not very accurate. I've had 8 Jeeps, many Honda's, Toyota's, Kia's, Mazda's, Subaru's, Ford's, Chevy's, Land Rovers, you name it. The only vehicles I've consistently owned that are inherently trouble prone as a brand is Land Rover. They are always problematic. Period. My Jeeps, always reliable, even with CR constant berating of the brand. So, your 12/100 score is far from reality if you really examine the data, and ask around. My JL with 13k miles doesn't even have a single rattle, is very well engineered, and a blast to drive. I wouldn't think twice.
 

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BealzabubbaX

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Thanks. The anecdotal evidence is reassuring. I do not find statements like "13k miles" without problems helpful. That is like saying my kid made it to 3 years old without problems. What happens by the 100k mark is more telling. There are clearly many positive experiences and a certain tolerance for some deficiencies in the Jeep world, and for some good reasons it seems. The Wranger goes where others can't. Ill definitely be keeping my eyes on the data AND the stories of folks like yourself on the forum. But let's be honest, the little kid in me will probably win the fight and the grownup will just foot the bills!
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GGolds

GGolds

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I've had enough Jeeps to say, they are very reliable if taken care of. I lease for 3 years, always trade them in at 2 years. Usually between 35-50K miles. Trade values are very high with the Wranglers so I never lose money. The Wranglers have close to the highest if not the highest resale value of just about anything on the road. Not sure why, just has always been that way. Even more so now. If you want to avoid resale issues don't spend $47,000 on a Kia Sorento SXL-V6 and expect to get out of the lease early. If they still made the Toyota Land Cruiser you could actually make money on those when they were used no matter how long you owned it. Just avoid any Land Rover, any year, any model. Horrible reliability. Period. I never thought I would have ever bought a Wrangler again, then came the new JL and It was love at first sight, again. I made sure I got the Sahara, ordered mine. Got every available option accept the body color top, top headliner, and I chose the 6cyl. My thinking was that the new 4turbo is a NEW Alpha engine and very complicated. So to avoid any possible unknown reliability issues I avoided the new 4. Spent Christmas in Queens and the drive to NY from CT was comfortable and not overly noisy even over the bridge. Moderate windshield noise, but no problem listening to my very chatty wife talking about her friends who are all getting pregnant and having babies and how their lives are all sexless, stressful, and miserable. IE, like I said, stay away from Land Rovers AND getting your wife pregnant. LOL. God Bless.
 

BealzabubbaX

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I've had enough Jeeps to say, they are very reliable if taken care of. I lease for 3 years, always trade them in at 2 years. Usually between 35-50K miles. Trade values are very high with the Wranglers so I never lose money. The Wranglers have close to the highest if not the highest resale value of just about anything on the road. Not sure why, just has always been that way. Even more so now. If you want to avoid resale issues don't spend $47,000 on a Kia Sorento SXL-V6 and expect to get out of the lease early. If they still made the Toyota Land Cruiser you could actually make money on those when they were used no matter how long you owned it. Just avoid any Land Rover, any year, any model. Horrible reliability. Period. I never thought I would have ever bought a Wrangler again, then came the new JL and It was love at first sight, again. I made sure I got the Sahara, ordered mine. Got every available option accept the body color top, top headliner, and I chose the 6cyl. My thinking was that the new 4turbo is a NEW Alpha engine and very complicated. So to avoid any possible unknown reliability issues I avoided the new 4. Spent Christmas in Queens and the drive to NY from CT was comfortable and not overly noisy even over the bridge. Moderate windshield noise, but no problem listening to my very chatty wife talking about her friends who are all getting pregnant and having babies and how their lives are all sexless, stressful, and miserable. IE, like I said, stay away from Land Rovers AND getting your wife pregnant. LOL. God Bless.
LOL, thanks for the feedback. When wife gets chatty... Drive faster!
 

Grooster

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My 2019 JLU Sahara replaced my previous DD - a GMC Sierra Crew Cab Z71. Hands down, the JLU has been perfect. Gas mileage is averaging 23 mpg vs 15 mpg with the GMC. This is my 4th Jeep and the best yet.

My first was a ā€˜76 Cherokee that was one tough ride (200K) 10 mpg, too. Next was a 2000 Grand Cherokee Laredo 4.0. Sold it with 245K miles. Both vehicles were DD and dependable. Bought the wife a new ā€˜16 Cherokee Latitude and she loves it. Itā€™s her DD, too. Iā€™m lucky to have a great dealer, too. No hassles and excellent service.

My Sahara has the cold weather package and the towing package which added the limited slip axle and improved all terrain Bridgestone tires. The 2.0 liter turbo with eTorque is a hoot to drive AND go wheeling with. All Jeep. Looking forward to adding 275/70/18 BFG K02ā€™s once the shine of the Bridgestones wears out. 12,000 miles since delivery in April - Good times!

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viper88

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Iā€™ve had mine for a little over a week now. I have a rubicon and a sky one touch. Itā€™s amazingly quiet considering. Even at highway speeds itā€™s barely louder than my old volvo I traded in. Power is good.

my one gripe daily driving is... the steering. Maybe I didnā€™t notice it at first or maybe it loosened up. But the center dead spot is massive. Where millimeters if adjustment were required at highway speed to keep it between the lines in my volvo this one requires inches.

The only reason I care about the steering is the fantastic infotainment and Nav system. Unfortunately if I take my eyes of the road for a second I can wander out of my lane so I really canā€™t look at it. Itā€™s a bear to keep in the lane.
Congrats on your new Rubicon! Your Volvo and Rubicon will never feel the same steering wise. 2 totally different steering systems designed for 2 totally different purposes. This is by design. The Volvo has quick ratio rack-in-pinion whereas your Rubicon has a steering box which is much slower. This is by design so the steering wheel does not rip away from your hands over rough terrain and rocks. You will also notice your Rubicon having a really tight turning radius. It will take you a week or so to get used to it.

Check your tire pressure. Wranglers are usually delivered with 40+psi from the factory for shipping. Dealers are supposed to check tire pressures but many do not. Try 35-36psi. That usually makes a significant improvement with steering feel on the highway. Enjoy!
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