And another one

[aldo98229]

At least Jeep doesn’t cave in and pander to these buyers. Look at what has happened to so many once rugged vehicles. The Land Rover Defender is the latest example. Rugged styling, but built on a Jaguar car/crossover platform. Even Jeep’s own Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are shells of what the once were. There’s a whole list we could make. Point is that many people want a rugged look, but not all that comes with it. Let’s just hope that the Wrangler never gets more “luxury” options than it already has and that it doesn’t get turned into something that looks kinda like a real Jeep, but no longer is.

Never say never, though.

Precisely, look what Daimler did to Grand Cherokee, Liberty; what Fiat did with Renegade...

When JL was being developed, Marchionne was pressuring his engineers to make Wrangler go IFS, adopt full aluminum body, and whole bunch of other nonsense. It wasn’t until Auburn Hills showed Marchionne consumer research reporting that existing owners would leave in droves if JL went IFS, that he finally relented.

PS - he tried to pull the same on Dodge Challenger: he wanted Challenger to be replaced by a lighter, smaller, more “European” ‘Cuda to compete head on against Camaro and the new Mustang. What a big blunder that’d have been!

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[Exact Center]

I don’t see it as a waste, the price of Wranglers has skyrocketed in recent years. Good, low mileage used options are the best option for young people. There’s no better high school car.

There is a good choice for HS driver for some. last summer I need a car I could flat tow 4 down behind RV, choices were limited, even then 80000 mile Jeeps were $30K plus. My son found a Chevy Spark new tax license everything out the door $13440.00 36 mo bumper to bumper and 5 yr drive train. It was a fun car, but my name came up on the Bronco build so I did not need the Spark with 1100 miles I sold it to Carvana for $16400.00 . And used the Bronco as a dingy behind RV, and then with 7000 miles, I sold the Bronco to the Ford dealer I bought from for $5000 more than I paid him. And now I have a $92K JLUR 392 XR that I paid $4500 over the list for. I have had 3 2021 cars and it was kind of fun with the Spark being a perfect grandkid car for a stick driver. Spark got 37 mpg 87 octanes the 392 gets 12 mph 91 octanes. The 392 is more fun, just in case you were wondering.

 

[acomputernerd]

I bought my JLU without a test drive actually ordered my 21 Snazzberry and took possession 5 weeks later and never once test drove a Jeep. No regrets, I've wanted one since I was about 5 or 6 (yeah, I had a 54-55 year wait for my dream Jeep) but then I didn't go from a Range Rover to a Jeep, I went from a Camry to my Jeep! People have to realize that it doesn't drive like a luxury vehicle. I tell people that if I wanted a nice riding vehicle I would've bought a Lexus

I did exactly the same thing, I have never been in a Jeep until my order came in. Bought the snazzberry colour sight unseen and no regrets what so ever. I only bought it so I could use it as a toad behind the RV. At 3k miles I did a Jeep adventure academy on a whim and was hooked. Now I tow it every weekend I have a chance to take it off pavement. I only bought a Rubicon because of its resale value and now it will never be sold. The squirrely steering though is totally unexpected coming from a ford PHEV.

 

[Shibadog]

I did exactly the same thing, I have never been in a Jeep until my order came in. Bought the snazzberry colour sight unseen and no regrets what so ever. I only bought it so I could use it as a toad behind the RV. At 3k miles I did a Jeep adventure academy on a whim and was hooked. Now I tow it every weekend I have a chance to take it off pavement. I only bought a Rubicon because of its resale value and now it will never be sold. The squirrely steering though is totally unexpected coming from a ford PHEV.

As others have noted a steering stabilizer will help. A Jeep will never drive like a typical car, but they’re a lot of fun. Not for everyone, but for us addicts there’s nothing else?

 

[entropy]

How true. A woman where I work bought a brand new JLUSS last year and within 3 months had it lifted 4", 37s, winch and bumpers, and a high lift jack on the front. Sold it a few months later because of the way it drove and poor gas mileage. I can guarantee it never saw mud let alone a dirt road. What a waste.

Yeah. And these are the same people btchin about jeeps being money pits. It doesnt feel like a money pit when you juice your jeep and mods.

Lots of members here put 10,20k+ on their jeeps. And you see them traveling around the country hitting roads and enjoying that Jeep life. Building memories and having fun. Doesnt look like a money pit to me.

 

[Badfish]

Happens every single day... that is where a good lot of vehicles that have less than 10K miles come from in used inventory. Along with early exit leases because it ended up not being what they expected.

Shoooot...doesn't every major town have that used wrangler only dealer with every jeep on the lot tricked out with mods?!

lol, there's even a truck only dealer in my town and most of the trucks are lifted with wheels/rims.

 

[aldo98229]

Tommy off-roading in the Land Rover Defender.

‘nuff said

 

[acomputernerd]

As others have noted a steering stabilizer will help. A Jeep will never drive like a typical car, but they’re a lot of fun. Not for everyone, but for us addicts there’s nothing else?

I am happy with the upgraded fox steering stabilizer, it tightened the steering but its still squirrelly. I also disagree on buying things based on appearance. With the exception of that fox stabilizer that I have. If anything the boxy look is quite dated and the electric window controls just suck. I do love that its convertible in many formats and the memories earned with it are well worth every bit of the inconvenience. The first scratch was excruciatingly painful.

 

[Smitty1]

So, the woman (mid 40’s, RN) who lives down the road traded her Range Rover on a new JLU with a dealer installed lift and very aggressive 35’s a couple weeks ago. She bought it OFF the floor, without even driving it?. Anyway I’m out at the mailbox and she’s driving by and stops to talk. She says “ I know you’ve had Jeeps for a long time, do you like the way they drive?”. I say “ Yeah, I’ve driven them for years. I like them a lot because of their go anywhere ability and how easy they are to drive”. She then chimes up with “ I love the way they look, but mine drives awful, it’s noisy inside, its hard to hold in the lane, and is just a lot of work to drive”. I explained that Jeeps are different, that they’re not for everybody. I let her take the JL down the road for a drive and she came back and says “yours is so much quieter than mine, and doesn’t wander all over the road, how come”? We then had the discussion about aggressive tires and road noise and different heights of center of gravity. Long story short, this lady bought it because it looks good, with no idea of how it would drive, I really think she’d have been happy with a stock JLU Sahara, as it is, I suspect she’ll be trading vehicles and her “new“ Jeep will wind up on a used lot before long. I just can’t understand why anyone would buy a new vehicle, esp one very different from anything they’ve ever owned, without at least Driving it first. Makes no sense to me..

I have never driven a Jeep, but I just ordered a Sahara Unlimited. I currently drive a truck, close enough. FYI, they didn’t have one on the lot, to drive! I am aware that they are a little more rugged, than my truck, but not like a lifted, large tire one.

 

[Abramovich]

A few years ago, my bride told me she wanted a 2-door Wrangler. What I knew of Wranglers were based on the 70s and 80s, the CJs and early Wranglers.

So I told her she would not like how they drive. That they are built for off road and drive like it.

Then I was on a business trip and my boss had her new JLU. I told her my wife wanted one. She took me for a drive, and I was surprised how nice it was and how nice it drove. I came home from my trip and told my wife to forget everything I said, she will love a new Wrangler.

Then we rented a JLU for a long weekend trip to the Grand Canyon. She loved the additional room of the 4-door, but ultimately still wanted the 2-door because they're "cute". So 18 months ago we ordered her 2021 JL Sport S in Chief Blue. She LOVES it. And while I was researching it to order, I decided my next vehicle would be a Wrangler as well. On March 11 I ordered my 2022 Wrangler Willys XR in Gobi.

Hers will never see a dirt road, mine will definately!

 

[Heimkehr]

I don’t get the hate in this thread. Is Jeep only meant for people who are going to take it off roading. You can only lift if you take it off roading.
it’s their money, they can do whatever they want. Who are we to decide who should or shouldn’t get a Jeep.

There's no "hate" here. Perhaps we might give the unthinking overuse of this word a holiday?

This is a discussion forum. Constructive analysis of consumer choices ≠ animosity.

----------------

Every new vehicle purchase sends a pricing signal to the manufacturer. Glommed together, these signals form trends, in terms of what consumers want, and how much they're willing to pay for it.

The same data is easily observed by dealers. It's not by accident, for example, that my CDJR dealer configures their lot inventory almost exclusively with well-equipped (and therefore comparatively expensive) Wranglers. I knew going in that I'd have to special order my JLU due to my unwillingness to pay for power gloveboxes and leather-lined ashtrays.

Anyway, these signals/trends are used to calculate the lowest high price, so to speak, that the brands can populate on the Monroneys. The practical effect of the RN's choice to not perform due diligence before purchasing a vehicle out of her wheelhouse was to send another data point to Toledo that yet another person in the Wrangler community is darn willing to spend significant sums of money on a non-boutique vehicle. This affects any one of us that might like to see something other than $65K Rubicons and $85K 392s on the lot.

 

[IdahoJOAT]

We've always heard that after a year you'll know whether you're a Jeep person or not.

For us? We knew when we went top down in our second Scout that this life was for us. 2 Scouts, 3 Jeeps later... yup. We're Jeepers.

 

[Shooting Star]

2021 was a weird period for buying new vehicles as many dealerships didn't have models to test drive because every vehicle that arrived was sold rather quickly. It's true many buyers try the modded jeeps on after purchasing and come to understand that just because something looks cool doesn't mean it's for you. When people ask me how I like my Wrangler I give them the both sides because a lot of people do want "trucks" that drive like cars. If that's what you're after you'll more than likely always be dissappointed. I say live and let live because experience is the best teacher.

PS. if I didn't know any better I'd get that modding your jeep isn't a good idea from reading most of the comments.

 

[aldo98229]

My first Jeep ever was a 1995 Grand Cherokee Laredo, with the 4.0L in-line six and Selec-Trac. That’s when I fell in love with Jeeps: I love how they drive and ride; on and off road.

Ironically, 25 years later my JL is set up very much the same way: QuadraCoil suspension, solid axles front and rear, 6 cylinders and Selec-Trac. Wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

[firedude]

Everyone who drives my lifted jeeps (women included) wants one just like it. Good tires and a quality lift, adjusted properly, makes all the difference. That takes the price up and scares people off. They go cheap instead and are disappointed. Often chasing problems and throwing money at it. They end up spending more money than the quality stuff would of cost To start with.

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