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Jk vs JL is it worth an upgrade

mgroeger

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I have a JL on order, but the new Jeep seems to cater to a different customer group. Kind of like the new 911 where you can’t even see the engine. Definitely nicer, but some of the “soul” is missing.
Hmmm... I have to disagree on the soul part. I had a TJ and it had tons of character, the JKs never did it for me... sort of like a limp noodle. The JLs have brought that character back into the fold IMO granted along with some new headaches of which we have had our share.
It def has attracted MANY different types of people. The JL was our first venture into the Jeep arena and that led to a LJ purchase which then led to another JL purchase and we are full on addicted and built... lol.
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Spartan99

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Hmmm... I have to disagree on the soul part. I had a TJ and it had tons of character, the JKs never did it for me... sort of like a limp noodle. The JLs have brought that character back into the fold IMO granted along with some new headaches of which we have had our share.
It def has attracted MANY different types of people. The JL was our first venture into the Jeep arena and that led to a LJ purchase which then led to another JL purchase and we are full on addicted and built... lol.
So you never owned a JK then?
 

mgroeger

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You took the words right out of my mouth. :)
My bad, I forgot you are not allowed to have an opinion on something unless you own it.
 

aeonixx1001

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This is my 7th Jeep. I started back when there were CJ5's and then the CJ7. I even had a CJ5 with a 304 engine. Wow it was quick. But I wouldn't trade my JL for any of them I have the 3.6 (I am not a Diesel fan, No offense) and I love the ride, the ergonomics, The off road capability is astounding. So I guess thats a long way to getting around to saying I love My JL over JK and all the others to date. One thing I absolutely hate is that damn auto start/Start and Tazer fixed that... I live in Phoenix and the air conditioning is fantastic as well, better than any other I have owned...
 

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Spartan99

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My bad, I forgot you are not allowed to have an opinion on something unless you own it.
Nah you’re allowed to have an opinion regardless. I was just wondering what your opinion was based on.
 

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In late 2017 my wife and I purchased a 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK since we both love wranglers and at the time her commute to work was only a 10 mile at most round trip. Fast forward to now and we still love our Jeep but her commute has now gone up to a 50 mile round trip and she is now in the national guard having to make a 200mile round trip one weekend a month. Needless to say the fuel economy on the JK is less then desired and keeping up with highway traffic is a struggle. Her and I recently started looking into the diesel wranglers for there good fuel economy and personally I love Diesel engines but is it worth getting rid of the JK to go to the JL diesel or even a gas JL?
In My Opinion I would say "no" if you want to buy a JL simply for Fuel Economy. Yes the JL does a better job. But: the delta between the two is not big enough to swap vehicles.

If you want a JL for longer rides, I would say it can be justified (notice I put the word "can" in bold text). Having driven both JKs and JLs between NYC and Maryland I can attest that the JL got me there feeling a little more refreshed. You consistently have to keep your pedal on the gas in a JK esp on the NJ Turnpike. Before this Pandemic struck, I was doing that ride quite often but eventually got used to a JK before my local Rental Agency had only JLs. If you are a stickler for comfort then I agree with you on getting a JL. But if you are like me and can compromise with the long ride as it will only happen once a month: I would keep the JK.
 

mgroeger

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Nah you’re allowed to have an opinion regardless. I was just wondering what your opinion was based on.
Driven multiple times and the clincher was driving a '18 JK back to back with '18 JL. There was no comparison at that point.
 

Punjabi New Yorker

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I hate to break it to you, but it's not just gas taxes and fees. That state has gone off the deep end, and is Soviet California now.
We call it Commiefornia. I have relatives who live in Sacramento. Supposedly it costs an arm and a leg to register a vehicle in Commiefornia versus NY. The only thing we have to worry about in NY is an idiot named DeBlasio. Won't be surprised if there is a shrine built for him somewhere in Commiefornia.
 

rickinAZ

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BTW, I sold a perfectly good BMW motorcycle after just a year because it was boringly excellent. Then, I bought a Ducati Monster. Now that vehicle has soul, but it was the inferior to the BMW in most every way. That said, I'm Italian and put a high emphasis on the visceral intangibles. I'm buying a JL simply for the diesel, but I'll miss the rough edges of the JK. I also own a first generation Fatboy, the one that has a engine whose ancestor was used to pump water out of a well - I'll never sell it.
 

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Spartan99

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We call it Commiefornia. I have relatives who live in Sacramento. Supposedly it costs an arm and a leg to register a vehicle in Commiefornia versus NY. The only thing we have to worry about in NY is an idiot named DeBlasio. Won't be surprised if there is a shrine built for him somewhere in Commiefornia.
Amazing how quickly a conversation about Jeeps can devolve into politics. No other forum I belong to is this way. Been this way for decades.
 

aeonixx1001

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This is my 7th Jeep. I started back when there were CJ5's and then the CJ7. I even had a CJ5 with a 304 engine. Wow it was quick. But I wouldn't trade my JL for any of them I have the 3.6 (I am not a Diesel fan, No offense) and I love the ride, the ergonomics, The off road capability is astounding. So I guess thats a long way to getting around to saying I love My JL over JK and all the others to date. One thing I absolutely hate is that damn auto start/Start and Tazer fixed that... I live in Phoenix and the air conditioning is fantastic as well, better than any other I have owned...
And Yes I did own a JK in the mix and to be honest I was glad to see it going down the road under someone else's name. It was a soft top and when going down the freeway it would flap the windows so hard that it literally made my ears hurt. Stereo Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha, sure at stop signs. It was loud, I didn't like the way it handled, oh I have a list.....But I would still take a JK over a Ford anyday... The new Bronco really isn't that cool. I like it but not like a Rubicon, and I cant wait for the 392 Yahoo.......
 

rickinAZ

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Amazing how quickly a conversation about Jeeps can devolve into politics. No other forum I belong to is this way. Been this way for decades.
Boy are you right there. No matter who wins the election, let's hope that we can put an end to most of this divisiveness. I'm sick of the drama. [please note that this comment is meant to be nonpartisan]

Okay...let's get back to dissing the JK. :)
 

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Boy are you right there. No matter who wins the election, let's hope that we can put an end to most of this divisiveness. I'm sick of the drama. [please note that this comment is meant to be nonpartisan]

Okay...let's get back to dissing the JK. :)
Ok. I will stop with the politics and the idiot mayor of NYC.

Now, I think given the OP's use case, it makes sense for him to keep the JK rather than add cost to get a JL. Anybody disagree?
 

DrJoeSchmoe

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I have a JL on order, but the new Jeep seems to cater to a different customer group. Kind of like the new 911 where you can’t even see the engine. Definitely nicer, but some of the “soul” is missing.
The JL has officially crossed the line into a new realm of technology and comfort features that will begin the vicious cycle of obsolescence. The JL is better in almost every way when compared to the JK (from a numbers perspective). It's lighter, faster, more comfortable, etc. etc.

BUT, all of that tech and comfort comes at a price both literally and figuratively. When I get in my JK after not driving it for a while, I'm reminded of the charm that initially made me love Jeeps. It's simple, basic, and quite honestly drives like SH** when compared to other modern vehicles. But that's what I love about it - Its "character". It's something I can see keeping forever. My JL is excellent, but I'm already thinking of the next one. This is the cycle the car manufacturers want us to be in. It's everything they strive for. How quickly can they get people to trade in their cars and buy new ones? It's nothing new, but it's the beginning of the end for Jeep IMO. I bet we see IFS soon, and FCA will sell many more units as a result of it.

It's the same as the new 911 in that regard. They're faster (way faster), they handle better, and the infotainments system is actually quite nice these days. It's this kind of thing that makes us OK with not being able to access your engine; something that manufacturers wouldn't even consider doing just a short while ago.

It's time to make way for the new era of Jeep owners. My guess is they'll continue to cater to the enthusiast, but in the meantime, I'll be getting an LJ for my next Jeep project :).
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