Jeep Wrangler 392 engine failure after 25 miles - Update 01/15/22

[guarnibl]

What you are referring to is "Diminished Value" and it is real. And the engine swap will be documented in the maintenance history. When I comes to trading or selling outright any blemish will be an aspect of concern. Ask any pro buyer at auctions. There is a price on flags.

My buddy that buys cars for a Mercedes dealer said it just depends on what type of vehicle you're buying and that you'd buy the vehicle without an engine replacement first with the same miles unless it was very high mileage. So there you go. Does seem to matter.

The question is -- does it actually matter on a Wrangler 392? Maybe/Probably. How much? Who knows. Only auction pricing would actually determine that. I'm not sure given supply/demand it would be material at this point.

I understand the general "fear" of buying something that's had it's heart ripped out and replaced though. But again, a long extended warranty should hopefully squash some of that and help with the value situation. But I think people are also generally distrusting of FCA for good reason.

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[OllieChristopher]

If it takes 28 days or longer, it'll be blamed on covid. Covid makes all laws irrelevant.

Covid will not effect the lemon law.

 

[Av8Chuck]

My buddy that buys cars for a Mercedes dealer said it just depends on what type of vehicle you're buying and that you'd buy the vehicle without an engine replacement first with the same miles unless it was very high mileage. So there you go. Does seem to matter.

The question is -- does it actually matter on a Wrangler 392? Maybe/Probably. How much? Who knows. Only auction pricing would actually determine that. I'm not sure given supply/demand it would be material at this point.

I understand the general "fear" of buying something that's had it's heart ripped out and replaced though. But again, a long extended warranty should hopefully squash some of that and help with the value situation. But I think people are also generally distrusting of FCA for good reason.

It's hard to know anything at the moment, the market is nuts. I had a Ford F150 that I traded in for $8k more than the residual. I have a Transit 250 that I paid $38K and have been offered $49K. As I mentioned in my earlier post Porsche had to replace the engine in my wifes diesel Cayenne and now the dealer that did the work will give us more than $50K on trade. Its nuts I tell you...

Seriously, the dealer will get brownie points with the manufacturer, get paid handsomely for the engine swap, you'll go to the head of the line as a prefered customer (our engine swap was the most expensive warranty work our dealer has done) I'm sure yours will be up there at your dealer as well. Oddly, everyone walks away from this experience much better than they went into it. Jeep can't afford the negative publicity on their flagship product so they want to fix it quickly and discreetly, so let them, they'll treat you well.

 

[Hogdreamer]

The engine in my wife's 2019 Jeep Cherokee had to be replaced with about 20,000 miles on the odometer. It ran perfectly fine but the check engine light illuminated. I checked the code myself with my code reader and it said 'cylinder number 6 misfire'. I cleared the code and it ran great all weekend while I put about 200 miles on it with no issues. The engine light came back on Monday for my wife and I took it in to the dealer.

After a few days they said the misfire was caused by a bad head gasket so they were going to replace that and see if it took care of the problem. It didn't and looking further they stated that the cylinder head was leaking coolant into the engine so they would replace it. Probably figured the coolant leak may have caused other damage to the engine that wouldn't show up right away.

I had a loaner vehicle the entire time and the engine swap was done professionally by the dealership and it runs exceptionally well. I already had a free unlimited mile and unlimited year powertrain warranty offered by that dealership so I'm not concerned about future issues with the swap.

BUT my wife's Jeep had substantially more miles than your 392. Many years ago I had my 1992 Dodge Dakota in for door molding coming loose with 1,500 miles on that vehicle. The technician pushed so hard putting the replacement molding on that both doors were dented. They told me 'no problem', they would fix it with body filler (bondo) and paint it so it looked new. Ah, no, I told them. I'm not getting doors with body filler on a new vehicle as I expected the bondo to crack over time. I WANT A NEW TRUCK! I told them.

The dealership general manager said 'no way' but I sent a letter to the owner and he agreed that a new vehicle would make me a satisfied customer. He was right and I got a new truck in about 2 months. The sad thing was the dealership owner died about a year later as I fully expected to be a customer for life. That's how pleased I was with the dealership taking very good care of me.

Best of luck in you case. Personally I wouldn't hesitate to accept a new engine as my experience with this has been good. Unless you feel there may be other problems with your new 392, I don't you'd ever notice the engine isn't the one that came from the factory.

 

[Heimkehr]

It's hard to know anything at the moment, the market is nuts. I had a Ford F150 that I traded in for $8k more than the residual. I have a Transit 250 that I paid $38K and have been offered $49K. As I mentioned in my earlier post Porsche had to replace the engine in my wifes diesel Cayenne and now the dealer that did the work will give us more than $50K on trade. Its nuts I tell you...

• I found a handwritten note on the windscreen of a now-sold car, offering to buy it if I was interested in selling it (at the time, I wasn't.) It was a well-maintained little runabout...nothing special, but I guess the heart wants what the heart wants.
• Not long after he brought it home, my neighbor was approached by a fellow who wanted to buy my neighbor's well-outfitted crew cab F150. My neighbor declined the sale and asked why this guy was interested. His reply was that new or even late model clean Fords that matched or were similar to my neighbor's F150 were functionally unobtainium. This was true, my neighbor told me; he searched high and low for his Ford. Another buyer was just minutes behind him, he learned, ready to pay cash.
• Carvana recently offered me $5K more than I paid for my JLU, a one-option Sport. NFW do I want to sell what has been a perfect vehicle for me. Besides, my name is on the window sticker.

We are indeed a bit inverted these days.

 

[MerlinsGarage]

The question was asked, possibly rhetorical, if the 392's future value will change due to a "storied" past issue.
I do believe these Jeeps are of particular historical interest. Whether that transmogrifies to Barrett Jackson stardom............well, there's a chance. . Assuming this is the case a clean record is very important.....................IMHO.

 

[OllieChristopher]

I already had a free unlimited mile and unlimited year powertrain warranty offered by that dealership so I'm not concerned about future issues with the swap.

What warranty is that? I have never in my life heard of one of those for a new vehicle.

 

[OllieChristopher]

Whether that transmogrifies to Barrett Jackson stardom............well, there's a chance. .

It is a crap shoot and big gamble. Case in point: BSA 441 Victor. 30 years ago if someone gave you one of those it was a bad deal. It was the very worst motorcycle manufactured. Unreliable and ill handling piece of junk.

If you have a basket case or wadded up 441 today, you hit the lottery. They are getting big money at the auctions for running specimens.

 

[MerlinsGarage]

It is a crap shoot and big gamble. Case in point: BSA 441 Victor. 30 years ago if someone gave you one of those it was a bad deal. It was the very worst motorcycle manufactured. Unreliable and ill handling piece of junk.

If you have a basket case or wadded up 441 today, you hit the lottery. They are getting big money at the auctions for running specimens.

100% sir. But unlike some garage-queen collector car speculators ours will be driven and enjoyed. This thing is just too much friggin' fun to leave for the next guy. 2 months - 4k miles.

 

[DanW]

What warranty is that? I have never in my life heard of one of those for a new vehicle.

Probably a dealer/aftermarket warranty. I've not experienced one, but have heard horror stories. But who knows, there might be some good ones out there.

 

[DanW]

My buddy that buys cars for a Mercedes dealer said it just depends on what type of vehicle you're buying and that you'd buy the vehicle without an engine replacement first with the same miles unless it was very high mileage. So there you go. Does seem to matter.

The question is -- does it actually matter on a Wrangler 392? Maybe/Probably. How much? Who knows. Only auction pricing would actually determine that. I'm not sure given supply/demand it would be material at this point.

I understand the general "fear" of buying something that's had it's heart ripped out and replaced though. But again, a long extended warranty should hopefully squash some of that and help with the value situation. But I think people are also generally distrusting of FCA for good reason.

Opinions clearly vary. My future son-in-law is a purchaser for a dealer and he said it won't make any difference at all in resale in this case.

 

[guarnibl]

Opinions clearly vary. My future son-in-law is a purchaser for a dealer and he said it won't make any difference at all in resale in this case.

Yep. Entirely agree!

I think I agree with the statement that if all things held equal, you'd buy the one without replacement first. But that might not necessarily impact the actual auction value.

 

[Hogdreamer]

What warranty is that? I have never in my life heard of one of those for a new vehicle.

It is a warranty offered by the dealership to promote purchasing a vehicle from them. In this instance, you have to go with their financing for at least six months. Just refinanced last week for a better rate with my credit union.
I purchased my Liberty used with an unlimited powertrain warranty 8 years ago. Cost nothing for me and saved me a few thousand in repair bills.

 

[Heimkehr]

It is a crap shoot and big gamble. Case in point: BSA 441 Victor. 30 years ago if someone gave you one of those it was a bad deal. It was the very worst motorcycle manufactured. Unreliable and ill handling piece of junk.

If you have a basket case or wadded up 441 today, you hit the lottery. They are getting big money at the auctions for running specimens.

I called it years ago, when the availability of parts cars, never in short supply, began to vanish. The sellers were reinventing them as "restoration candidates", no matter how far gone they were. Prices predictably ballooned.

As rebranding efforts go, that was probably the clumsiest effort I've ever witnessed. Sure, there's an idiot buyer for every piece of crap, but young guys who want to make an honest go of it with their own projects are getting priced out of the market with unfortunate frequency.

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