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Buying a used JL today, opinions?

Chance_P

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Don’t get the 1995 CC’s / 2.0 Motorcycle engine or the discontinued diesel or fireball manual transmission and you’ll be fine.
V6 automatic for the win 👍
I love my 2.0. I put 33k miles on my 3.6 and dont regret switching. Just need to make sure the water pump bolts are tight. I was getting 21mpg at 70mph with 3.45s and 38s before my axle swap. The drive ability was better than my rubicon with 4.10 and 37s. Although, i do have a 2.0 etorque. No first hand experience with the diesel so I cant comment on that.

Whats your beef with the 2.0?
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No IFS

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I love my 2.0. I put 33k miles on my 3.6 and dont regret switching. Just need to make sure the water pump bolts are tight. I was getting 21mpg at 70mph with 3.45s and 38s before my axle swap. The drive ability was better than my rubicon with 4.10 and 37s. Although, i do have a 2.0 etorque. No first hand experience with the diesel so I cant comment on that.

Whats your beef with the 2.0?
1995 cc trying to push around a jeep 4x4 is a joke. A Harley Davidson 117. Is 1917 cc. Lol. Everything works great when it’s new. The 2.0 is a compliance French engine which will be a disaster long-term. The only engine allowed in the jeep gladiator with the max tow package is the V6 for a reason.
1995 cc with a turbo trying To push around a jeep 4 x 4 with people and gear and maybe a trailer is not going to last and Jeep knows it.
 
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No IFS

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Toyota tried the four-cylinder turbo in trucks and 4Runner for a year and dropped it. They introduced a V-6 the next year.
 

JSFoster75

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Crud, I'd have sold you mine for $51,900...

Jeep Wrangler JL Buying a used JL today, opinions? IMG_2982 (2).JPG
 

Shibadog

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1995 cc trying to push around a jeep 4x4 is a joke. A Harley Davidson 117. Is 1917 cc. Lol. Everything works great when it’s new. The 2.0 is a compliance French engine which will be a disaster long-term. The only engine allowed in the jeep gladiator with the max tow package is the V6 for a reason.
1995 cc with a turbo trying To push around a jeep 4 x 4 with people and gear and maybe a trailer is not going to last and Jeep knows it.
Sorry to bust your bubble, but anything you’ve bought in the last couple decades is a “compliance engine”. You doubt what I say, take the emissions equipment off and go through a state inspection 😏. Such is the reality of life in this century. As for the engine, Really? You’re comparing an antique design low powered V twin to a modern Turbo 4? 135 hp/liter vs maybe 50hp/liter ( on a GOOD day)? Plus those HD’s are not known as paragons of longevity (without multiple rebuilds). There is a reason Harley’s only compete against other HD’s in the “All Harley Drags”-they’d quickly get smoked by any modern bike with half the displacement (think BMW 1000S or Yamaha R1), not to mention any Seriously powerful machines like a ‘Busa or a Kaw H2. Using the logic you’ve applied here a flat head four must be superior to a modern V8.😳 (simpler design, far less hp per cc). I’ve nothing against Harley’s-actually have fooled with them a lot in decades past, and they have their virtues, but nobody who has ridden motorcycles in the last 50 years has thought HD’s were “fast”.
 

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Chris2183

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there are a lot of people who use the cheapest shit they can find in critical areas (like suspension, tires, etc) so they can spend money elsehwere (fancy rims, lightbars, angry grilles).
This reason alone is why I actively avoid built Jeeps when shopping for one.
 

RubiSc0tt

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This reason alone is why I actively avoid built Jeeps when shopping for one.
Agree, this last time (in 2018) is the first time I felt comfortable enough knowing what I was looking at and how it could go wrong to even consider that strategy.
 
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Buschman

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To answer some of the last posts. The eco diesel was the first JL I drove, absolutely loved it. If it wasn't for all the emissions BS I would have one sitting in my driveway as it would replace my commuter car and be a toy. If I owned one I would never sleep worrying about replacing the entire exhaust or fuel delivery/DEF injection system out of warranty. Everything I have read about the 2.0 makes me think this it is solid so far. In the back of my mind seems like a lot more to go wrong once its old and has a bunch of miles. Never drove one but sounds like they make great power. 3.6 in theory seems like the most reliable. At this point I have drove several and with the eight speed I feel like they make plenty of power even with big tires. Rented one in Moab all day crawling around and used 5 gallons of gas.
 
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Buschman

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I'm looking for a daily that I can offroad. If I wanted just an offroad toy I would rather save a bunch of money and go buy a TJ or SAS Toyota. I have a car trailer and Duramax for long trips to the Rubicon or Moab. Honestly, I'm more interested in the overland type of exploring and getting to scenic places than hardcore crawling. That being said I would love to also be able to run the Rubicon trail, I'm fine with taking all the bypasses, I don't ever have to put on a show or win the bigger pee pee contest. Just enjoy getting out there and seeing awesome places. I'm jealous of all the pics in the offroad/trips section of the forum. I was thinking a Rubicon JL on 37s was a rig capable of doing all those things and not having trailer all over. I might be asking too much. IDK
 

Ang1Sgt

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I hear ya on some of the Diesel Issues. I had a VW Golf TDI that I just LOVED. I was driving a lot for work and I was getting 45-50 MPG out of that beast. But I had to sell that and my JK for family reasons in 2015. Of course this was before Dieselgate, so I really wish I had waited. People made out like bandits on that buy back.

This all comes down to your wants a desires. A Jeep is the vehicle YOU make for YOU! One of the many reasons to this day I can overlook some things that people do not like about a particular Jeep.
Was so funny, I had to take the Subi out this morning and I damn near put my left foot through the floorboard trying to find the clutch!
 

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Heimkehr

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I had a VW Golf TDI that I just LOVED. I was driving a lot for work and I was getting 45-50 MPG out of that beast. But I had to sell that and my JK for family reasons in 2015. Of course this was before Dieselgate, so I really wish I had waited. People made out like bandits on that buy back.
A family member is the original owner of a cheater 2012 Jetta TDI for which he refused the buyback offers.

The vehicle remains unmolested, meaning no reflash and it'll never see the inside of a VW Service Dept., either. The vehicle doesn't suffer from the markedly reduced fuel mileage or performance that other owners have experienced when the ECUs on their TDIs were adjusted for compliance.

When I asked him to give me first right of refusal if or when he sells the Jetta, he replied that there was at least one person ahead of me in line, lol.

We say Dieselquiddick, btw; the -gate suffix having long since exceeded its sell-by date. ;)
 

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I'm looking for a daily that I can offroad. If I wanted just an offroad toy I would rather save a bunch of money and go buy a TJ or SAS Toyota. I have a car trailer and Duramax for long trips to the Rubicon or Moab. Honestly, I'm more interested in the overland type of exploring and getting to scenic places than hardcore crawling. That being said I would love to also be able to run the Rubicon trail, I'm fine with taking all the bypasses, I don't ever have to put on a show or win the bigger pee pee contest. Just enjoy getting out there and seeing awesome places. I'm jealous of all the pics in the offroad/trips section of the forum. I was thinking a Rubicon JL on 37s was a rig capable of doing all those things and not having trailer all over. I might be asking too much. IDK
Just know that a box stock Jeep will do anything you’re talking about-you don’t need monster tires and a lift, esp for one you’re gonna drive on the street. My JL with limited slip and sock size Rubicon KO2’s has carried me a LOT of places (NOT slick rock-not much of that in this neck of the woods), down fire trails, two tracks, etc. with no issues. FWIW I’ve pulled a few “more capable” (lifts/tires) rigs that have got stuck where my little JL didn’t😏
 

Murphydog

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I'm looking for a daily that I can offroad. If I wanted just an offroad toy I would rather save a bunch of money and go buy a TJ or SAS Toyota. I have a car trailer and Duramax for long trips to the Rubicon or Moab. Honestly, I'm more interested in the overland type of exploring and getting to scenic places than hardcore crawling. That being said I would love to also be able to run the Rubicon trail, I'm fine with taking all the bypasses, I don't ever have to put on a show or win the bigger pee pee contest. Just enjoy getting out there and seeing awesome places. I'm jealous of all the pics in the offroad/trips section of the forum. I was thinking a Rubicon JL on 37s was a rig capable of doing all those things and not having trailer all over. I might be asking too much. IDK
FWIW - we just took our stock JLUR on 33 inch tires to Moab and had a lot of fun. I was please with the Jeep on the open high way and we were able to run some of the tougher trails (Elephant Hill for example). We didn't try Top of the World, I think a small lift and 35s (Toying with the idea of upgrading to an XR) would have done the trick. My Jeep is also my daily driver, so I don't want to go to far on lifts, tires and what not
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