Anyone considering trading their JL for a JT Gladiator?

[GunnersJL]

Yes, Seriously considering, but about 3 years down the road when I retire. Camper weighs about 5700# loaded, and I pull it now with a JGC diesel, which does a stellar job. If I trade my JLUR, it would only be for a diesel to pull the camper. 3.6 Pentastar is very nice, but it can't match the diesel for towing. Torque difference is pretty dramatic.

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[californiajeeping]

Loose steering on the Gladiator mentioned at 2:10

 

[USMCBK1]

I highly doubt it, I will absolutely get raped on a trade in for my JLUR, plus I don't see it being very practical, unless your using it for overlanding..it does look cool, maybe a couple of years from now, but trading it in now and taking a big loss by getting lowballed by a dealership is not worth the stress, plus I would love to have one of their test JT's because those are the ones they pay extra attention to quality control, they test and tweak everything, a basic undriven one off the line is simply a crap shoot,, just like the JL's

 

[Strommen95]

Not at all. It's cool, but not my thing. I like Wranglers a lot more. There's a million reasons why I love Wranglers, but 1 reason is the size and I couldn't say that about a Gladiator.

I prefer my JLU over my JKU, but I must admit I think the JK pick ups look a lot better then the Gladiator. I feel the boxiness of the JK fits more then the TJness of the JL on the Gladiator platform. Maybe it's just me.

 

[wv18jl]

I would if , a two door JT was available.

yup

 

[javelina]

Exactly, 2 doors!

 

[AlrightAlready]

If I had not just welded on permanent mounts for Coilovers on the JLUR, and the Diesel option was available, I would have already ordered a gladiator sport and followed Mel's build from EVO. While the wheelbase length is a pain for most wheeling where I am on the east coast, the ability to take my jeep and my motorcycles with me everywhere when I travel makes it a 100% win. (Would also build a 2 door something again to thrash) All I ever wanted was a 2 door JT, that would be seriously hard to resist. The problem is I would have to get my Gladiator wrapped or painted in Mojito!! When a really wrecked one pops up in need of some serious love and I can get it for a decent price, I will build that out.

 

[subiescott77]

I plan on trading in my 2019 Punk'n JLUR for a Gobe Gladiator.

Nothing new for me though. I tend to go through 1-2 jeeps a year. Last year I did 3 which is a record for me lol.

Surely you're leasing lol. Otherwise you've got to be underwater or have serious cabbage.

 

[ViperJon]

I would think the trade in numbers would be horrific considering the amount of JL's on dealer lots now.

 

[rle737ng]

Not now. But if they build the J6 two door in a few years...

 

[ThirtyOne]

Well this will make some folks shudder but if they lease better than a Wrangler and a Bronco when my lease is up I'll consider one. I prefer a Wrangler but I also prefer saving money.

I just did the build of my current JLU on both a Wrangler and Gladiator. The Gladiator is only $1,500 more. Incentives or residuals could easily make the Gladiator cheaper to lease.

A lot will depend on whether it is fun to drive like a Wrangler. I don't really need a truck bed and I am really concerned about dragging an extra 2.5 feet behind me. But if the numbers work I will look at it.

 

[Carlton]

Surely you're leasing lol. Otherwise you've got to be underwater or have serious cabbage.

The Jk held its value so well due to multiple price increases each year that I didn't lose much. I have a feeling those days are over. We will see.

 

[WXman]

I would consider it but concerned about taking a bath on trade in value. I have a 2018 Sport S with every option except heated seats and KBB value is showing 28K to 30K.

I have a 2018 JLU Sport S that had a sticker of $39,840 when I leased it in April 2018. A couple days ago the dealer offered me about $35,000 for it. You don't take a bath when you trade in a Wrangler. It's one of the only vehicles you can say that about. Gladiator is even better with 80% value retained on short term deals.

Yep, it's the version Jeep should have building for the last 30 years. All the Wrangler features, plus some, and a far more useful cargo box. I'll be in line when the dealer gets one with the Max Towing Group.

And, I did get in line. Put in a special order for a Sport S with Max Towing and some other goodies on Friday.

I had a 2013 F-150 Supercrew 4x4. Used it all the time. Most practical vehicle on the planet. But, it had 130,000 miles on it and the cab was starting to rust out and I was starting to put some money into fixing things under the hood.

So, being a Jeep guy and missing my Wranglers, I leased a JLU. I LOVE it. But...after 13 months with it I've realized so many times how I NEED a truck. You simply cannot do the things with a Wrangler that you can do with a pickup. Hell, by the time I bend fishing poles to squeeze them in the cargo area and up over the second row of seats, load up the tackle boxes and cooler, and squeeze two kids in the back, we're tapped out. And that's just for a one day trip. Doing meaningful landscaping jobs, or taking long camping trips to the woods, or hauling the wife's items to outdoor vendor shows are all a PITA with a Wrangler.

So, I started looking at trucks again. Looked at the Ram Rebel. BEAUTIFUL and very capable truck, but residuals are only 55% at 36 months. Ouch. Looked at Ram Power Wagon. Bad *** truck that's super capable but it only comes with the fuel guzzling 6.4L Hemi, and it weighs 7,200 lbs so it would suck to daily drive. Test drove a Colorado ZR2 Duramax. Typical GM product...terrible interior, terrible seats, anemic power, poor handling, and overpriced.

At the end of the day the Gladiator was the perfect choice. It's still a JEEP...has every single feature the Wrangler has, but it adds a truly useful cargo area. I will finally have space to actually use the vehicle for something other than hauling people. I'll still take the doors and top off. Will still drive it on any trail I want. But it'll also do work, and play.

My dealer sold 11 Gladiators in the first week. All 5 of their allocation sold literally as they unloaded them from the truck, and then they took 6 special orders. My salesman said his phone is blowing up with people wanting one. People were calling him about them while I was sitting there putting in my order. This truck is going to be hotter than any vehicle we've seen in the U.S. in my lifetime....because with the Gladiator you get to "have your cake and eat it too" as the ol' timers say around here.

 

[PadreFreddie]

Even as a Jeep guy, I'm sorry, you can buy a bad ass Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road with all the bells and whistles for way less money than what they're asking for the Rubicon Gladiator which IMO, is nothing but a JLU with an exposed bed and the same ugly Jeep Wrangler 4 door setup, sorry :-(

 

[mwilk012]

Even as a Jeep guy, I'm sorry, you can buy a bad ass Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road with all the bells and whistles for way less money than what they're asking for the Rubicon Gladiator which IMO, is nothing but a JLU with an exposed bed and the same ugly Jeep Wrangler 4 door setup, sorry :-(

Yep, that same “ugly” 4 door body that has propped up the entire Jeep brand on its back for the past 12 years.

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