DanW
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Warning: Long Read. Only attempt if really bored.
I ordered my JLUR just after they opened up, right around October 31/Nov 1 2017. Nearly 2 1/2 months later it showed up, about the time that the JL started to appear at dealerships. Mine was probably the 2nd or 3rd received by my local dealership. Most others had not seen one yet. It came in just before they closed, so I got to check it out before it was prepped. I pulled my JK next to it to compare. The JK has a 2" lift and 33's, so it was nice to see the JLUR was slightly tallker, bone stock. I really seriously considered not lifting it, and I probably would not have done it if my wife didn't press for it. That JK did Moab and while it rubbed the skid plates a bit, it did very well. Anyway, I and my kids were like a kid on Christmas Eve. I had to work the next day, so we didn't get it until the next evening. I've owned many new vehicles, but this is the first I ever ordered from the factory. The sticker had my name on it, which was pretty cool.
So it wound up with a Mopar lift and 35's by 700 miles. The stock 33" KO2's were recycled to the JK to replace its KM2s, so it all worked out.
Fast forward to 3 years, 42,000 miles, and many adventures later, and I can report that this Jeep has been a winner. It'd better be, because I forked over a bunch of money for a lifetime bumper to bumper warranty before they did away with those. So I'm in this thing for the long haul!
So here is the rundown. Overall, it has been an outstanding vehicle. The fit/finish from the factory was nearly perfect, with only one adhesive drip from installation of one rear quarter window on the hard top. There was not one single flaw anywhere else, and I went over it with a fine tooth comb. That makes it #1 in fit/finish of all the new cars I've ever owned, or my parents or in-laws, for that matter. Those include Mercedes, Honda, BMW, Toyota, GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Anyone want to guess which vehicle out of the 25 or so Involved was #2? My 93 Jeep YJ. So the Fiat came with the best fit/finish. What a nice surprise it was!
So the basic build was done pretty quickly. I also very early on installed my winch. I had purchased it on Black Friday 2017, so I had it before the Jeep. So below I will list the good, the bad, and I'm not really sure there's any ugly.
Problem areas:
If I don't count the lift, since it was an add-on, the only mechanical issue I've had was the infamous failed steering dampener. It failed at about 16k miles or so and was replaced 2 more times. The next 2 were bad right out of the box. I spent $140 bucks on a Fox 2.0 and that solved the issue, which was an occasional shimmy when hitting just the right bump while accelerating. It did feel like death wobble 1 time, so I also had the drag link replaced under warranty as a cautionary move and then I put a new Rancho adjustable front track bar on it. Then I aligned the front end, in my garage. Easy.
The Mopar lift had the excessive bow on the driver's side front spring. The dealership replaced the pad under warranty and that helped. The bow increased as the pad crushed, so I put Rock Krawler correction pads on it, which solved the issue. Before the RK pads, it never rubbed the bump stop and performed beautifully off road, even with the constant maxing out on a trip to Moab in 2018. But it was close to rubbing, so I felt it needed to be corrected.
The 8.4 Uconnect worked well, but early JL Rubis didn't get the off-road pages. So I fought through the bureaucracy and discovered that mine would not update over the air. So with the help of @JeepCares, it went in for a manual update which worked. BUT all of a sudden the Uconnect developed issues that required a reboot about once a week. What a pain. But I have a Tazer JL that made this much easier and liveable. Fast forward to six or 8 months ago and I had another update. The Uconnect since then has been working as it should and I really have no complaints now.
The 8.4 screen has started to delaminate. I took it in at about 39k miles and the dealership is advocating for it to be under the bumper to bumper warranty. However, if it is not, I have the lifetime warranty with a $200 deductible, so it won't be terrible. That beats $1k plus for it without the warranty. We'll see what happens. The delamination is unnoticeable to anyone but me, but that's because I am a picky SOB and go over this Jeep with a fine tooth comb.
I have the drippy rear window squirter on the hard top. I have the fix for it but have been too lazy to install it. It is just a little plastic valve that inserts into the hose. No biggie. The hard top is off much of the year, anyway, and I rarely notice it.
Finally, I had the clutch recall. Mine never had an issue. It has felt and performed wonderfully since day 1. Despite media and other criticism, I actually love this clutch and have not had any difficulty with launches, off-road or on. Its light pedal effort is a real blessing off-road, too. It passed the recall wear test and got the precautionary slave cylinder bleed and the new protective bits/pieces and I was back on the road. The dealer gave me a Gladiator Mojave to drive while they did it. It was awesome, but that's a whole other story.
If there were any other issues, I can't remember them.
The Good:
Just about everything has been good or great. But there are a few things that stand out, listed below:
-The Pentastar. It has been flawless. It seemed to take 20k to fully break in because it kept feeling stronger and stronger and to rev more freely. I cannot keep my foot out of it. With the Magnaflow axle back exhaust, it makes sweet music, and it is an absolute hoot to drive with the six speed. It has taken a flogging and just runs beautifully whether crawling or on the pipe headed to redline. It just feels and sounds great. It is well matched to the transmission, even with it's less than ideal top gear ratios. More on that in a minute. It gets punished when driven, but pampered with maintenance. I think this engine gets a gold medal.
-The transmission has been great. It is smooth, the clutch is light and feels great to me, and 1st through 5th gears are just fine. It works well overall with the 4.10 final drive and 35's, too. The only downsides are the ratios for 6th and reverse. More on that coming. Overall, I would order the 6 speed in a nanosecond if doing it all again. Oh yeah, the shifter is very smooth. No notchyness and you could set a wine glass on it while cruising. The JK's shifter and feel is like a dump truck compared to this and shakes like a chihuahua in a snow storm. It is butter compared to the JL. The shift throws are shorter, too, and I feel are just right.
-The ride is superior to my JKUR. It was slightly better stock, and even better with the lift and 35's. The 35's have a C load rating and that makes a huge difference. The Fox shocks are outstanding, on and off road.
-The interior. Even though I'm 6'5 and the seat is low and far back as it can go, I am perfectly comfortable, even on the LONG journey to Moab and other wonderful places. Long highway trips are a breeze and I love the Alpine sound system. I just can't decide if I want to hear the sound system or the engine with the Magnafow exhaust. It's a real tussle. The back seat is definitely more comfortable on the long haul for the kids, too. Better seat, seat angle, and a little more leg room. They love the vents on the back of the console, too. And I love the dash layout, especially with the red panels. I'd love them even more if the red matched the exterior red paint, but it is fine the way it is.
-Climate control is fine. Not great. I hate the auto setting. But the heat is HOT and the air is COLD. The heated seats can cook, and the heated wheel is gravy.
-Off road it is just a beast. So much so that it doesn't really struggle even with all-terrains. It is superior to the JK even when it had mud tires. It turns tighter, rides better, and just feels better. And the old JK is a mountain goat, so its no slouch. The JL is just better. Each area is just barely better, but they add up and on the whole, it is clearly superior.
-LED lighting is outstanding. Yes, the headlights can freeze over. But I've got LP6's for that rare occasion.
-Aux switches are one of the smartest features ever put on a Jeep, period. I can't say enough about this feature.
-The premium soft top is a work of art. So easy. As quiet as the hard top. No zippers. Nice fabric. No leaks, whatsoever. If I'd known it would be this good, I would not have spent the money for dual tops. I still run the hard top in the winter, and it is fine, but the execution of this soft top design is second to none. No rattles with it, either.
-Aluminum doors are a blessing. They are much lighter and easier to remove/reinstall than the heavier JK doors.
Mods:
Mopar lift
Rock Krawler spring correction pads, front
Fox 2.0 steering stabilizer
Rancho adjustable front track bar
Rough Country adjustable rear track bar (Not really needed. Just wanted a couple millimeters of centering of the axle, plus more strength).
JCR winch plate (will be replaced. I think it might be weak, but it has held up so far to some big pulls. I just don't have confidence in it.)
Smittybilt XRC9500. It is light weight and it has been outstanding. Lots of pulling other Jeeps out or up hills. No problem.
Tuffy console security valut. Great.
Tuffy tailgate storage cabinet/table. Great for security, but it does intrude a bit on cargo space. You can fit a carbine in it, too, if you want to.
Bearcat CB, which works great. Just could be a little louder.
Cooltech CB antenna kit. Excellent.
Midland MXT275 GMRS and Midland antenna with Rugged Radios mount by the A-pillar. Great.
Magnaflow exhaust. One of my favorite mods. Not only looks and sounds great, but it shockingly takes one helluva beating! The tips are dented all over from impacts off-road, but the inside is still perfectly round and smooth. It makes music with the Pentastar and manual transmission!
Baja Designs LP-6 lights. All I can say is WOW! Expensive? Yes. But you get what you pay for with these. Low beam/high beam/backlight are all great. Buy once, cry once, then smile from there on out. They are rebuildable, too, so no worries if you break one. And they stand behind their stuff.
Bestop Sunrider for Hard Top. Outstanding. I run it all winter with the hard top and on big trips when I need the added security of the hard top in the cargo area. It does occasionally creak, requiring adjustment of the bolts, but no biggie. It is a great compliment to the hard top. In fact, when off-roading, i prefer it to the soft top, by far.
Warn tube doors. The are nice. And they lock. Why is that important? Because it makes sure that kids in the back can't accidentally open the doors while the vehicle is moving. I had quality issues on the first set of these but Northridge helped and Warn sent another set. They are good to go. I threw TJ mirrors on them and they work fine. I think YJ mirrors would work better, or maybe even JK.
Tazer JL. Essential, even if for only stopping that silly ass ESS. Adjusting the TPMS and correcting the speedo are the other two main benefits. Others are gravey.
Finally, Snomaster 35 quart fridge. I could never go back to a cooler after living with this thing. It is like having your kitchen in the back of the Jeep. No ice, no melt water, no mess. It can even keep ice cream sandwiches frozen hard on a 95 degree day.
So overall, I give this Jeep 2 thumbs up. It has been reliable, durable, and just flat out fun. It has carried us from Moab to Michigan to KY, TN, NC, VA, and other places to hit the trails. It is as fun on a sunny day on The Tail of the Dragon as it is on Hell's Revenge or WIndrock. It has made for great social distancing and created wonderful memories for my kids, as all my Jeeps have done.
I'm looking forward to many more years and miles with this thing. I hope everyone else has as good or better experience with theirs.
I'll post up some more pics from over the 3 years soon.
I ordered my JLUR just after they opened up, right around October 31/Nov 1 2017. Nearly 2 1/2 months later it showed up, about the time that the JL started to appear at dealerships. Mine was probably the 2nd or 3rd received by my local dealership. Most others had not seen one yet. It came in just before they closed, so I got to check it out before it was prepped. I pulled my JK next to it to compare. The JK has a 2" lift and 33's, so it was nice to see the JLUR was slightly tallker, bone stock. I really seriously considered not lifting it, and I probably would not have done it if my wife didn't press for it. That JK did Moab and while it rubbed the skid plates a bit, it did very well. Anyway, I and my kids were like a kid on Christmas Eve. I had to work the next day, so we didn't get it until the next evening. I've owned many new vehicles, but this is the first I ever ordered from the factory. The sticker had my name on it, which was pretty cool.
So it wound up with a Mopar lift and 35's by 700 miles. The stock 33" KO2's were recycled to the JK to replace its KM2s, so it all worked out.
Fast forward to 3 years, 42,000 miles, and many adventures later, and I can report that this Jeep has been a winner. It'd better be, because I forked over a bunch of money for a lifetime bumper to bumper warranty before they did away with those. So I'm in this thing for the long haul!
So here is the rundown. Overall, it has been an outstanding vehicle. The fit/finish from the factory was nearly perfect, with only one adhesive drip from installation of one rear quarter window on the hard top. There was not one single flaw anywhere else, and I went over it with a fine tooth comb. That makes it #1 in fit/finish of all the new cars I've ever owned, or my parents or in-laws, for that matter. Those include Mercedes, Honda, BMW, Toyota, GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Anyone want to guess which vehicle out of the 25 or so Involved was #2? My 93 Jeep YJ. So the Fiat came with the best fit/finish. What a nice surprise it was!
So the basic build was done pretty quickly. I also very early on installed my winch. I had purchased it on Black Friday 2017, so I had it before the Jeep. So below I will list the good, the bad, and I'm not really sure there's any ugly.
Problem areas:
If I don't count the lift, since it was an add-on, the only mechanical issue I've had was the infamous failed steering dampener. It failed at about 16k miles or so and was replaced 2 more times. The next 2 were bad right out of the box. I spent $140 bucks on a Fox 2.0 and that solved the issue, which was an occasional shimmy when hitting just the right bump while accelerating. It did feel like death wobble 1 time, so I also had the drag link replaced under warranty as a cautionary move and then I put a new Rancho adjustable front track bar on it. Then I aligned the front end, in my garage. Easy.
The Mopar lift had the excessive bow on the driver's side front spring. The dealership replaced the pad under warranty and that helped. The bow increased as the pad crushed, so I put Rock Krawler correction pads on it, which solved the issue. Before the RK pads, it never rubbed the bump stop and performed beautifully off road, even with the constant maxing out on a trip to Moab in 2018. But it was close to rubbing, so I felt it needed to be corrected.
The 8.4 Uconnect worked well, but early JL Rubis didn't get the off-road pages. So I fought through the bureaucracy and discovered that mine would not update over the air. So with the help of @JeepCares, it went in for a manual update which worked. BUT all of a sudden the Uconnect developed issues that required a reboot about once a week. What a pain. But I have a Tazer JL that made this much easier and liveable. Fast forward to six or 8 months ago and I had another update. The Uconnect since then has been working as it should and I really have no complaints now.
The 8.4 screen has started to delaminate. I took it in at about 39k miles and the dealership is advocating for it to be under the bumper to bumper warranty. However, if it is not, I have the lifetime warranty with a $200 deductible, so it won't be terrible. That beats $1k plus for it without the warranty. We'll see what happens. The delamination is unnoticeable to anyone but me, but that's because I am a picky SOB and go over this Jeep with a fine tooth comb.
I have the drippy rear window squirter on the hard top. I have the fix for it but have been too lazy to install it. It is just a little plastic valve that inserts into the hose. No biggie. The hard top is off much of the year, anyway, and I rarely notice it.
Finally, I had the clutch recall. Mine never had an issue. It has felt and performed wonderfully since day 1. Despite media and other criticism, I actually love this clutch and have not had any difficulty with launches, off-road or on. Its light pedal effort is a real blessing off-road, too. It passed the recall wear test and got the precautionary slave cylinder bleed and the new protective bits/pieces and I was back on the road. The dealer gave me a Gladiator Mojave to drive while they did it. It was awesome, but that's a whole other story.
If there were any other issues, I can't remember them.
The Good:
Just about everything has been good or great. But there are a few things that stand out, listed below:
-The Pentastar. It has been flawless. It seemed to take 20k to fully break in because it kept feeling stronger and stronger and to rev more freely. I cannot keep my foot out of it. With the Magnaflow axle back exhaust, it makes sweet music, and it is an absolute hoot to drive with the six speed. It has taken a flogging and just runs beautifully whether crawling or on the pipe headed to redline. It just feels and sounds great. It is well matched to the transmission, even with it's less than ideal top gear ratios. More on that in a minute. It gets punished when driven, but pampered with maintenance. I think this engine gets a gold medal.
-The transmission has been great. It is smooth, the clutch is light and feels great to me, and 1st through 5th gears are just fine. It works well overall with the 4.10 final drive and 35's, too. The only downsides are the ratios for 6th and reverse. More on that coming. Overall, I would order the 6 speed in a nanosecond if doing it all again. Oh yeah, the shifter is very smooth. No notchyness and you could set a wine glass on it while cruising. The JK's shifter and feel is like a dump truck compared to this and shakes like a chihuahua in a snow storm. It is butter compared to the JL. The shift throws are shorter, too, and I feel are just right.
-The ride is superior to my JKUR. It was slightly better stock, and even better with the lift and 35's. The 35's have a C load rating and that makes a huge difference. The Fox shocks are outstanding, on and off road.
-The interior. Even though I'm 6'5 and the seat is low and far back as it can go, I am perfectly comfortable, even on the LONG journey to Moab and other wonderful places. Long highway trips are a breeze and I love the Alpine sound system. I just can't decide if I want to hear the sound system or the engine with the Magnafow exhaust. It's a real tussle. The back seat is definitely more comfortable on the long haul for the kids, too. Better seat, seat angle, and a little more leg room. They love the vents on the back of the console, too. And I love the dash layout, especially with the red panels. I'd love them even more if the red matched the exterior red paint, but it is fine the way it is.
-Climate control is fine. Not great. I hate the auto setting. But the heat is HOT and the air is COLD. The heated seats can cook, and the heated wheel is gravy.
-Off road it is just a beast. So much so that it doesn't really struggle even with all-terrains. It is superior to the JK even when it had mud tires. It turns tighter, rides better, and just feels better. And the old JK is a mountain goat, so its no slouch. The JL is just better. Each area is just barely better, but they add up and on the whole, it is clearly superior.
-LED lighting is outstanding. Yes, the headlights can freeze over. But I've got LP6's for that rare occasion.
-Aux switches are one of the smartest features ever put on a Jeep, period. I can't say enough about this feature.
-The premium soft top is a work of art. So easy. As quiet as the hard top. No zippers. Nice fabric. No leaks, whatsoever. If I'd known it would be this good, I would not have spent the money for dual tops. I still run the hard top in the winter, and it is fine, but the execution of this soft top design is second to none. No rattles with it, either.
-Aluminum doors are a blessing. They are much lighter and easier to remove/reinstall than the heavier JK doors.
Mods:
Mopar lift
Rock Krawler spring correction pads, front
Fox 2.0 steering stabilizer
Rancho adjustable front track bar
Rough Country adjustable rear track bar (Not really needed. Just wanted a couple millimeters of centering of the axle, plus more strength).
JCR winch plate (will be replaced. I think it might be weak, but it has held up so far to some big pulls. I just don't have confidence in it.)
Smittybilt XRC9500. It is light weight and it has been outstanding. Lots of pulling other Jeeps out or up hills. No problem.
Tuffy console security valut. Great.
Tuffy tailgate storage cabinet/table. Great for security, but it does intrude a bit on cargo space. You can fit a carbine in it, too, if you want to.
Bearcat CB, which works great. Just could be a little louder.
Cooltech CB antenna kit. Excellent.
Midland MXT275 GMRS and Midland antenna with Rugged Radios mount by the A-pillar. Great.
Magnaflow exhaust. One of my favorite mods. Not only looks and sounds great, but it shockingly takes one helluva beating! The tips are dented all over from impacts off-road, but the inside is still perfectly round and smooth. It makes music with the Pentastar and manual transmission!
Baja Designs LP-6 lights. All I can say is WOW! Expensive? Yes. But you get what you pay for with these. Low beam/high beam/backlight are all great. Buy once, cry once, then smile from there on out. They are rebuildable, too, so no worries if you break one. And they stand behind their stuff.
Bestop Sunrider for Hard Top. Outstanding. I run it all winter with the hard top and on big trips when I need the added security of the hard top in the cargo area. It does occasionally creak, requiring adjustment of the bolts, but no biggie. It is a great compliment to the hard top. In fact, when off-roading, i prefer it to the soft top, by far.
Warn tube doors. The are nice. And they lock. Why is that important? Because it makes sure that kids in the back can't accidentally open the doors while the vehicle is moving. I had quality issues on the first set of these but Northridge helped and Warn sent another set. They are good to go. I threw TJ mirrors on them and they work fine. I think YJ mirrors would work better, or maybe even JK.
Tazer JL. Essential, even if for only stopping that silly ass ESS. Adjusting the TPMS and correcting the speedo are the other two main benefits. Others are gravey.
Finally, Snomaster 35 quart fridge. I could never go back to a cooler after living with this thing. It is like having your kitchen in the back of the Jeep. No ice, no melt water, no mess. It can even keep ice cream sandwiches frozen hard on a 95 degree day.
So overall, I give this Jeep 2 thumbs up. It has been reliable, durable, and just flat out fun. It has carried us from Moab to Michigan to KY, TN, NC, VA, and other places to hit the trails. It is as fun on a sunny day on The Tail of the Dragon as it is on Hell's Revenge or WIndrock. It has made for great social distancing and created wonderful memories for my kids, as all my Jeeps have done.
I'm looking forward to many more years and miles with this thing. I hope everyone else has as good or better experience with theirs.
I'll post up some more pics from over the 3 years soon.
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