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2020 Diesel - too soon to buy?

jeme

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Yea, I am ready to pull the trigger on my 2021 order but cannot decide between the the 4CYL and the Diesel. Ugh. Keep reading problems with both powerplants.
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WXman

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Yea, I am ready to pull the trigger on my 2021 order but cannot decide between the the 4CYL and the Diesel. Ugh. Keep reading problems with both powerplants.
150 lbs/ft difference between those two engines is pretty big.

Then again the cost of the diesel option is pretty big too.
 

Plongson

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Ya know, if you are agonizing over the choice between an oil burner and a gas motor...ya should just go with the gas motor and limit your level of anxiety. In reality, a diesel is an absolutely amazing way to power four wheels and displace heavy loads, but your uncertainty and uneasiness is exactly why diesel vehicles don't sell to the general public (very well) in America.

Nearly all my vehicles in my adult life have been diesel...hell, I flew halfway across the country and took a two week road trip home to buy this Jeep Diesel, and I HAD NEVER TEST DROVE ONE!! It needed the first oil change by the time I got home.

With all that said, this is without doubt the nicest and most exciting 4X4 rig I have ever owned...It puts a smile on my face everytime I crank up that little oil burner...and get nearly 440 lb/ft torque and 30 mpg.

Ya need to worry more about busting a tire on the trail and leaving you stranded that this little diesel crapping out. Your money, your sleepless nights

JMO.
 

runjhike

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The diesel is the powerplant that was made for the Wrangler. I’ve had the 3.6 and 3.8 and the 3.0 is an absolute dream and I have 37s with stock gearing. I’m not paying any attention to the mpg. I couldn’t care less because every time I’m in it i mash the pedal because i love the pull and my daily driver is a Gen 2 Raptor with a tune making 550hp. The Jeep feels just as strong and torque on acceleration. Everyone keeps saying this is a new, unproven Italian motor. That’s not exactly accurate. I think we’re all happy to proclaim that this is a new generation of the eco diesel with mostly new parts but it’s only new because it’s in a Wrangler. They’ve been in the Jeep SUVs and Dodge Rams for some time. I’ve heard of emissions issues with them, but they can’t be rampant or else Jeep wouldn’t have put one in the Wrangler. Forums are a bad place to get data on problems because people express negativity to a much greater degree than positivity and the forums are only a small percentage of owners and I would venture to guess many people only join them to either express dissatisfaction or to find answers to issues while the typical driver just happily drives daily without joining a forum to report on it. If I were to believe the a Raptor forums mine should’ve had the cam phasers replaced 3 times by now. I’m at 100k miles with no issues. I hope that continues to be the case but the forums create an anxiety that every time I start it I’m listening for that tell of a rattle. So, like the gentleman said above, if you’re going to be anxious about it then sit this one out. However, any modern vehicle that is performance oriented is going to have occasional problems. It’s a fact of technology. But no one wants to go back to them absolute unbreakable nature of early diesels with low horsepower because they were absolute slugs to drive.
 

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PillowFightr

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Yeah i couldn't wait anymore and went ahead and ordered a 2021 diesel fully loaded!

It turns out that life is way to short to wait on anything and here i was thinking we would live forever :/ but its not the case! So i said fk it...
 

jeme

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Thanks so much for the feedback. I have had a diesel Mercedes (problems), Diesel Touareg (flawless) and a Diesel BMW X5 (flawless), so I think what is happening is that I am listening too much to these forums and some on the issues rather that the good experiences.
 

SilverSurfer

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The engine range for the JL is not exactly new;

3.6 has been around since 2011 IIRC
2.0 Turbo is from the Alfa Romeo Stelvio/Giulia.
2.2 Diesel is also from the Alfa Romeo stable (Discontinued)
3.0 Diesel is from VM Motori which produces diesel engines for a number of manufacturers.
 

00 Trans Ram

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I have almost 8000 miles on mine. Absolutely love it. Going from a 2017 Camaro 2SS to a Jeep was quite a change. One thing that DIDN'T change is the "get up and go". No, the Jeep diesel isn't as fast. But, it's not NEARLY as slow as you'd think. 450lb/ft of torque helps a lot.

Add to that 25mpg mostly city (around 30 pure highway), ability to tow almost anything you want, and the "secret" upgrades of Dana 44 axles front/rear and the same trans from the 392 Wrangler, and it's a great value.
 
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I have almost 8000 miles on mine. Absolutely love it. Going from a 2017 Camaro 2SS to a Jeep was quite a change. One thing that DIDN'T change is the "get up and go". No, the Jeep diesel isn't as fast. But, it's not NEARLY as slow as you'd think. 450lb/ft of torque helps a lot.

Add to that 25mpg mostly city (around 30 pure highway), ability to tow almost anything you want, and the "secret" upgrades of Dana 44 axles front/rear and the same trans from the 392 Wrangler, and it's a great value.
The thing about the diesel is that under 40mph it feels fast, and that's where most of my driving is. The low-speed forward thrust is as effortless as any vehicle I have owned - especially for a 5,200lb vehicle. A throttle enhancer only adds to the experience.
 

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rickinAZ

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Thanks so much for the feedback. I have had a diesel Mercedes (problems), Diesel Touareg (flawless) and a Diesel BMW X5 (flawless), so I think what is happening is that I am listening too much to these forums and some on the issues rather that the good experiences.
You could give some people a machine that you put a quarter in, and a $100 bill comes out, and they'd find a problem with it. You won't be disappointed.
 

Wrangler man

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I have almost 8000 miles on mine. Absolutely love it. Going from a 2017 Camaro 2SS to a Jeep was quite a change. One thing that DIDN'T change is the "get up and go". No, the Jeep diesel isn't as fast. But, it's not NEARLY as slow as you'd think. 450lb/ft of torque helps a lot.

Add to that 25mpg mostly city (around 30 pure highway), ability to tow almost anything you want, and the "secret" upgrades of Dana 44 axles front/rear and the same trans from the 392 Wrangler, and it's a great value.
Very well put thank you so much! I see numerous comments stating $4,000 for a diesel upgrade isn't worth it. Most critics are quick to leave out the 44's and trans upgrade. Without a doubt if the trans was an optional item for your gasser Rubicon it would be a very popular one and easily sold for $1500. And another $1000 for the Dana 44s (373) on your sport. Then the additional $1,500 to throw in a diesel, one heck of a value..... without a doubt the BEST $4000 upgrade for my sport Altitude. The Altitude also comes with limited slip rear end standard. With the numerous hiccups with the oem Rubicon electric lockers I look forward to the future (air lockers) upgrade.
 

VABarn

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I have almost 8000 miles on mine. Absolutely love it. Going from a 2017 Camaro 2SS to a Jeep was quite a change. One thing that DIDN'T change is the "get up and go". No, the Jeep diesel isn't as fast. But, it's not NEARLY as slow as you'd think. 450lb/ft of torque helps a lot.

Add to that 25mpg mostly city (around 30 pure highway), ability to tow almost anything you want, and the "secret" upgrades of Dana 44 axles front/rear and the same trans from the 392 Wrangler, and it's a great value.
This is freaky similar to my situation. I came from a 2016 Camaro 2SS convertible to the diesel wrangler. I have ~8800 miles. The only thing that I miss from my old Camaro is the HUD. In the ~3.5 years of owning it, I looked at my actual speedometer <10 times. The HUD was just amazingly useful!.
 

00 Trans Ram

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This is freaky similar to my situation. I came from a 2016 Camaro 2SS convertible to the diesel wrangler. I have ~8800 miles. The only thing that I miss from my old Camaro is the HUD. In the ~3.5 years of owning it, I looked at my actual speedometer <10 times. The HUD was just amazingly useful!.
SAME! I actually reconfigured my HUD to show speed/RPMs, then my dash to display radio info, and my radio had Waze and other phone mirroring info.

In the Jeep, I often do the same, and just use the analog speedo along with the small digital readout on Waze. But it's not the same.
 

zouch

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i test drove the EcoDiesel, and had to have one.
configured what i wanted, shopped it around, and received my ordered vehicle in under a month.

put a bunch of stuff into it and under it (because, J**p?) and was pretty happy with how it was coming along until the Fuel Pump let go and destroyed the entire Fuel System at just over 4K miles. am now waiting on stupid parts (lift pump, fuel lines), with no ETA from J**p as to when they'll even be able to tell me when they'll be available.

after-the-fact research shows that the Bosh CP4 fuel pump used in these has been used in a number of other vehicles for years already, and may have problems due to the poor lubricity of the ULSD fuel in the USA. AAMOF, it would appear that there are multiple Class Action Suits and other issues pending against Mfrs who used this pump in vehicles for the US market.
this isn't my first diesel, and i'm familiar and comfortable with being careful about what fuel i feed one, but seriously doubt i should have been able to kill it in 4000 miles even if i was trying.

yeah, i'm pissed right now, because i loved driving it, and was looking forward to really using it for what it's for (like i did with previous J**ps).
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