I'm a new buyer. Am I on the right track?

[Jeepney18]

What is it about the Jeep that appeals to you, having had a history of very practical rigs?

I've never had a car this big and I feel too old get get a sporty type of vehicle. I don't drive as fast as I used to and I'd rather run over thing these days.

Do you have the latest pricing? Here it is on the forum. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/latest-2018-jeep-wrangler-jl-order-guide-august-2018/

I've seen this, thanks for the info.

Are you willing to do without some of the new features and buy a JK?

I've test driven both and like how smooth the JL is compared to the JK.

When contacting dealers tell them you can get 5% off invoice if you travel, and ask them if they're willing to match that. Dealers who move product get FCA incentives that still make the 5% off Invoice deal worth it to them. Why waste time asking them for their starting bid?

I stopped getting replies when I asked for 5% below invoice but still trying.

What are the must haves in a Jeep? This is just so personal. I mean with kids (I don't know their ages) power windows with locks would be important as a start I think, (as I think you do too as stated) but I simply don't know enough about you to proceed

They're in their teens.

And what's your time frame...can you wait for the power top?

I'm in no rush. I can wait for the power top.

"I am sure we can work something out in terms of price.
Honestly, the best price comes when you are here. They will pretty much do anything to get a deal done when you are here in person."

I never met my salesman until the day I signed the paperwork and took possession. Conversely I showed up at my local dealer who would only sell me at invoice.

Good to know.

Good luck.​

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Thanks!

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[Jeepney18]

OP: a couple of additional thoughts. I completely agree with @StuntmanMike that if you see yourself towing things with the need for 7 pin hookups (e.g. trailers with their own brakes) unless you are very handy, patient, and truly are scraping for funds, that you pay for FCA to provide this: even if the package comes with things you could take or leave.

Also like @StuntmanMike I can't see myself using it, so I did my own 4 pin install (people who haul trailers with brake/courtesy/turn lights, not electric brakes.) This is much easier, and installing a rear hitch: I've never seen an easier install than on a Wrangler. There are videos on YouTube of the 7 pin wire install. Snaking wires from the engine compartment, through the rig and hiding them, and then out the rear is non trivial. Even the dealers don't like this time sink of a job and charge a lot for it.

I hope my explanations don't insult that you know, but I'd like to do a quick Wrangler top 101 with you.

The Wrangler is sold with a basic soft top. Anything you get above that, be it a hard top , a Dual Top (which comes with the premium soft top (itself in 2 colors), not the basic) or even the yet to be released power top has, if you will, an FCA subsidized price in consideration of the fact that you are essentially giving back to FCA your basic soft top, for them to outfit on someone else's new rig, in turn saving them costs passed back to you in part.

The hard top Freedom panels are easily but manually removed with the rig parked. The back portion of the hard top requires two people unless you have considerable height, strength and skill/coordination, or the gear to do it. You can remove anywhere from 0 - 2 of the Freedom panels at any time.

If you don't have garage space, Dual top probably isn't for you.

The soft tops are easily but manually opened to 2 different positions (the first known as the Sunrider position) with the rig parked, the more open of which requires removal of the 3 back soft windows, which isn't hard but has a learning curve and takes a few minutes to properly reattach (easily than the JK's zippers.) Detaching the soft top is easier than the hard top, but it too is cumbersome. Again, YouTube is a gold mind for more 411 on this stuff. You can just remove the soft windows if you want (Safari look.)

Buy the power top when it becomes available and it slides open or closed with the push of a button: even when the rig is moving at less than light speed. But changing tops will pretty much require a dealer visit and money. Its an all hands on deck alignment thing I hear.

Dealers throwing in stuff as negotiating tools: It's a technique to often obfuscate the price you pay from the cost they incur to provide it. If you don't know their cost they negotiate from a position of strength: which spells a lessor deal for you.

Thanks for the info regarding the difference of the tops. We do have garage space so we're good there.

 

[BillG]

I was in your place six months ago. 5% below could be found at far off dealers, but the locals all gave me answers similar to you. I went into one dealer and explained just that, and asked for 3% below to save me travel time and expense. They agreed. Two weeks later, a local dealer started advertising 5% below, and giving a travel voucher to lure in out of state purchases. I went back to the dealership where my order was, and told them I was thinking of canceling and showed them the information from the 5% dealer...who was actually closer to my home....and they matched.
It’s all a game, but 5% is an extremely attainable number. I’ve seen lower, but that was the average I was seeing on here when I ordered, so I was happy. Been driving it about three months without regrets or issues.

 

[RussJeep1]

@Jeepney18 : this was an abundant oversight on my part and I apologize. Those dealers that will do 5% off Invoice limit you (at least from what I've seen) to factory orders only.

The plus sides: the discount, and getting your rig exactly how you want it (packages that include things you don't want notwithstanding). You don't miss out on packages you wanted, nor have to pay for packages you don't want when taking a rig off the lot.

The downside, it takes at least a few weeks, sometimes longer for FCA to build your rig. I've read above that you are not a "need it now buyer." This time is a product sometimes of things requested, (like for a while there was a soft top backlog I understand) and factors that us owners don't get to know about, and don't understand: sometimes FCA themselves at a loss to explain.

 

[Jeepney18]

If I’m not mistaken, you get that anyway with a new Jeep through the Jeep wave program.

Anyone know if the Jeep can be serviced at any Jeep dealership, or does it have to be at the dealership where the vehicle was purchased?

 

[Carolina88]

Anyone know if the Jeep can be serviced at any Jeep dealership, or does it have to be at the dealership where the vehicle was purchased?

You can get your Jeep serviced at any Jeep dealership service department. But I have a follow-up question to this...

(For anyone to answer, especially those who traveled somewhere to buy their Jeeps...)

If you buy at a non-local dealership but then get service from a local dealership, will getting warranty items taken care of be tougher than if it were at the dealership you purchased from? For example, let's say I buy my Jeep four hours away and then in the first month I'm hearing some odd noise that would warrant taking it in for a check. Obviously, if the dealership I bought from was nearby I'd take it there. But it's not, so will my nearby dealer address whatever the issue is just as easily (and free)?

 

[BillG]

You can get your Jeep serviced at any Jeep dealership service department. But I have a follow-up question to this...

(For anyone to answer, especially those who traveled somewhere to buy their Jeeps...)

If you buy at a non-local dealership but then get service from a local dealership, will getting warranty items taken care of be tougher than if it were at the dealership you purchased from? For example, let's say I buy my Jeep four hours away and then in the first month I'm hearing some odd noise that would warrant taking it in for a check. Obviously, if the dealership I bought from was nearby I'd take it there. But it's not, so will my nearby dealer address whatever the issue is just as easily (and free)?

It doesn’t make any difference. Today’s society is mobile. People constantly move for jobs and stuff, so often even if you bought from a local dealer, it isn’t local by the time the warranty is up.
Some dealers sell or give away a “private “ extended warranty... it can make a difference on that, but with the mfg warranty any Jeep dealer covers it

 

[AK0311]

Personally, I have found late December to be the time to buy a new car if you just want one on the lot. I bought my truck the week between Christmas and New Years and got it at 25% off the MSRP on the sticker (was $47000, paid $35500). My wifes SUV we bought mid-December and got 8.5% off hers (was $37500, paid $32000). As I will be ordering a Wrangler JL, I don't expect any discount, but they may surprise me.

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