Best Wrangler for Long Road Trips

[Rock Hopper]

They say, there is a lid for every jar and when it comes to Jeeps and specifically Wranglers, there are a lot of lids...
That being said, I went with a MOAB. I believe they offer the best of both worlds (Sahara and Rubicon) and therefore meet a lot of needs. With the comfort of a Sahara, suspension of a Rubicon and many options as standard equipment it has terrific road manners and is extremely capable off road. The MOAB comes standard with LSD, Select Trac, V6 and the 8 speed. It's a great combination.

I believe Jeep under advertised the MOAB and as a result, it is below the radar until you actually drive one. As far as long road trips the interior is tops when it comes to creature comforts. I would say the only possible downside is the stock Mud Terrains are not the best when it comes to noise-however, once changed out to All Terrain tires, it is pretty hard to beat.

The MOAB definitely turns heads and is somewhat of a rarity in the Jeep World. They were only produced in 2018 and 2019 (in the JL platform).

I'm sure if you are patient you can find a nice used one. It's definitely worth checking out.

Best of luck with whatever Jeep you end up with. One thing is for sure, there are a lot of options.

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[aldo98229]

They say, there is a lid for every jar and when it comes to Jeeps and specifically Wranglers, there are a lot of lids...
That being said, I went with a MOAB. I believe they offer the best of both worlds (Sahara and Rubicon) and therefore meet a lot of needs. With the comfort of a Sahara, suspension of a Rubicon and many options as standard equipment it has terrific road manners and is extremely capable off road. The MOAB comes standard with LSD, Select Trac, V6 and the 8 speed. It's a great combination.

I believe Jeep under advertised the MOAB and as a result, it is below the radar until you actually drive one. As far as long road trips the interior is tops when it comes to creature comforts. I would say the only possible downside is the stock Mud Terrains are not the best when it comes to noise-however, once changed out to All Terrain tires, it is pretty hard to beat.

The MOAB definitely turns heads and is somewhat of a rarity in the Jeep World. They were only produced in 2018 and 2019 (in the JL platform).

I'm sure if you are patient you can find a nice used one. It's definitely worth checking out.

Best of luck with whatever Jeep you end up with. One thing is for sure, there are a lot of options.

MOAB would have been perfect for me but I missed that boat. Luckily, I was able to find a Sahara with the V6, Selec-Trac and LSD.

I agree: FCA didn’t market MOAB well. Then again, it didn’t market Selec-Trac, or eTorqe, well, either. They just suck at it.

On the other hand, buyers didn’t expect a Sahara to be priced above Rubicon, either. Jeep had us conditioned to view Rubicon as the most expensive Wrangler and, back then, it was tough to understand why a Sahara cost so much.

Four model years, sixty-four price increases, and two dozen “Special” editions later, I believe Jeep would find it easier to sell MOABs today than in 2018.

 

[blnewt]

I have full Artec skid plates. The lines and wiring are still vulnerable from branches being wedged in there. I and many others have had "Service Shifter" and other 8AT related issues. Yes, the ZF-designed, FCA-built 8AT is a great transmission when it is all working. I still think the chances of an 8AT in the JL leaving you stranded somewhere are much higher than the Mercedes designed 5AT.

I do like the 8AT, but the 5AT is very good and proven also. There is no need for the OP to worry about the 5AT, since she will have a stock Wrangler with stock tires.

That's one of the reasons I made my own oil/trans plate, I wasn't happy with the coverage up in that AT line area.

 

[Trainman]

I'm researching this and seeing that "best" years are said to be 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 - and certain models in each of those years - and these have shown up across several articles. If basically any 4-door Wrangler with a hard top and all terrain tires in those years will do well, then that's what I'll focus on. I really don't think I can afford anything newer than 2018, though I'll keep all options open.

I didn't go back and read all the post as I feel your question can be answered with one simple sentence, get a stock Jeep Wrangler, 2dr or 4dr your choice, and don't get hung-up on addon accessories that will serve no purpose in your travels. Manny on this forum are hung-up on addons and think you can't own a Jeep Wrangler without them, but you can and it will do just find for you. I know from experience.

 

[MaggieGirl]

The 5-speed auto is a Mercedes design that was put in everything up to V12 S-class Mercedes. It is absolutely bullet proof and smooth shifting.

If it were not for fuel economy reasons, there would be no need for the 8,9, 10-speed autos coming to market.

If you look at the exposed transmission cooling lines on the JL 8-speed auto and all the wire bundles going into it (including one that failed on my Jeep - see other thread), and compare that to the simple stout, clean design of the JK 5AT it would be apparent which one you would want to have off-road.

Having said that, the 8AT is obviously a much more advanced transmission with a great gear spread, which is awesome if you are changing tire sizes.

I would not let the 5AT deter you from buying a JK - that transmission is one of the best things in the post 2012 JKs. All other previous Wrangler auto transmissions were pure junk, though.

gato, so it looks like the choices that are best for me are the 5 speed and 8 speed AT, and in JL or JK. That's what seems to be the case here. 2013 and on, it looks like. Correct me if I'm wrong about any of this.

 

[MaggieGirl]

Tomorrow I'm test driving a Pre-Owned 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK Unlimited Sport S SUV. Thoughts? Yays or nays?

 

[rcadden]

Tomorrow I'm test driving a Pre-Owned 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK Unlimited Sport S SUV. Thoughts? Yays or nays?

I'm by no means an expert, but a 2018 JK is the last of the last of that model, and from what I understand, the JL platform is *miles* ahead of the JK on a number of fronts. Given that there are 2018 JLs, you should be able to find a JL in the same approximate price range just as easily.

My advice (and what I would do if I was in your shoes) is to look for a 2018/2019 JL with whatever other features you want. Even if you have to pay ~$1-2K more, the JL platform seems to be that much better, from my research.

 

[1quick1]

After having my JL I would not want to go back to a JK.

Going fro an '80 CJ to a JLU will feel like you went to a Mercedes.

 

[grimmjeeper]

Tomorrow I'm test driving a Pre-Owned 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK Unlimited Sport S SUV. Thoughts? Yays or nays?

Being in the midwest, look for rust. Other standard used car stuff applies. Be thorough as you should with any used vehicle. Look for any evidence of damage, repaired or not. A Carfax report is a good idea but not a guarantee that everything was caught.

The Sport S is a low option model generally so it won't have all of the fancy upgrades. But it's still a good Jeep.

 

[aldo98229]

Tomorrow I'm test driving a Pre-Owned 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK Unlimited Sport S SUV. Thoughts? Yays or nays?

Give it a shot.

Good luck!

 

[DadJokes]

If you’d like a factory side step, a base Sahara. If not and you want it a little more rugged looking and possibly lower price depending on options, perhaps a Willys.

Having kiddos, I have Sahara side steps on my Sahara and Rubicon. They’re plastic, don’t rust, and they go for cheap if you happened to need a new one from some off roading incident. So far no clearance issues for the trails we do. I’m sure it’ll eventually happen.

 

[aldo98229]

If you’d like a factory side step, a base Sahara. If not and you want it a little more rugged looking and possibly lower price depending on options, perhaps a Willys.

Having kiddos, I have Sahara side steps on my Sahara and Rubicon. They’re plastic, don’t rust, and they go for cheap if you happened to need a new one from some off roading incident. So far no clearance issues for the trails we do. I’m sure it’ll eventually happen.

The side steps on my Sahara have taken some hard impacts...by wandering trees and such...

Those things are tough as nails!

 

[DadJokes]

The side steps on my Sahara have taken some hard impacts...by wandering trees and such...

Those things are tough as nails!

I’ve heard of one being broken. It was another Jeep a Youtuber I follow travels with. Cracked open a hole in the side. No other damage. Found a used step and it’s as good as new. Cheap too.

 

[JeezAJeep]

I agree...the 2.0 sounds horrible during the start up, but the power, and gas savings I find is superior to the V6...I gambled on the 1500/dollar savings, and won

 

[Strommen95]

This is a JL forum so it's inherently biased. If you asked a JK forum for opinions the responses would be different. The JL is an updated JK and not a radical departure by any means. You would be very, very happy with a JK coming from a CJ. With that said Wranglers hold their value to a crazy degree and with the price you'd pay for a 2013+ JK, the JL is a better buy.

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