Sponsored

My One Year Review (5 paragraphs)

liquids

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Threads
24
Messages
410
Reaction score
349
Location
Detroit
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU Sport S, 1968 CJ5
I got my orange, 3.6 manual Sport S Unlimited on May 16th last year. I switched out of an '08 JKU X that I bought new. It's still practically bone stock [edit: with about 9500 miles on it]. I figure it's time for a full review.

Overall: 9/10

Exterior:
- The only thing I don't like looking at is the pinch seam. Everything else is great. I'll eventually get Rubi rails. Was considering Rock Hard rails, but I don't like the extra step-out width that adds, plus in snowy winters they collect slush that'll get on the back of your pant leg.
- The color is great. I've only seen a handful of other orange JLs in the Detroit area. I like its rarity.
- The proportions of the 4dr are better than the 2dr, imo.
- The bottom-mount rear wiper is an improvement, as are the mechanical check straps on the doors and tailgate.
- Hard/Soft tops: I got both. The hard top is a little lighter, so I could remove it myself last summer; just walked it off the back. I built a new cart to store it, too. The soft top is better in every way than the previous one: front latches, fold-up geometry, time to raise/lower it, spring assist, no zippers (though I had no problem with them before), even staying folded up when off the vehicle.
- Headlights (maybe doesn't deserve a mention, but the old ones bothered me ...) no longer have such a big difference in elevation angle between hi- and low-beams. They work like they're supposed to. The old ones were a pain; set the low-beams right and the hi-beams would light up someone up in a tree blind.

Interior:
- One thing I don't like is the slightly narrower driver's seat width. Otherwise, the seats are comfortable and everything is in easy reach.
- Love the two-level console with cord openings, the coin tray under the hand brake, the lit cupholders, the extendable visors with mirrors, the usb plugs, and the fold-down rear headrests. I haven't yet used the AC power outlet, but I like knowing it's there.
- The other thing I don't like is all the buzzes and rattles that are showing up in recent months. New ones, among many, are a creak in the visor mount when it's extended and an almost constant buzz from the tailgate area. This is added to (again, among many) woofer mount and dash rattles that my dealer did a crappy job of finding and quieting.

Sound/electronics:
- Love the upgraded Alpine sound, though at some point I might switch out the speakers for something higher-end. All of my digital music library is saved with lossless compression and the stereo does a good job of reproducing it.
- 7" Uconnect 4.0 works great for me. I have it set with speed-sensitive volume (set at 3) and this works well, unlike those reporting problems with the 8.4" version.
- CarPlay works well, but every once in a while it stops recognizing my phone for a while, and then the problem just magically goes away.
- All the possible displays on the dash have their usefulness, but I'd like an option to have nothing between the round gauges. Right now I go with "No Stored Messages".
- Love the backup camera.

Performance:
- The 3.6 has less than adequate torque under 1500 rpms, passable torque from 1500-2000, then it really kicks in at 2000. I do like having that known quantity in reserve when I need to pass.
- However, the limited low end torque combines with my least favorite characteristic of all -- the very limited range of clutch pedal travel between not engaged and fully engaged -- to make starting up more of an issue than it should be. I always have to pay attention to my left foot travel when starting out. If they allowed another 1/4" of travel (like the old one) it would be mindless, as it should be.
- Gas mileage is great for a Jeep. I'm getting 22 mpg overall, more in summer, less in winter. (The '08 JKU with the minivan 3.8 and a manual gave me 20 mpg overall.) ESS is ok with me.
- Turning radius is even better than the JKU, which was impressive in itself.

Things I'm slightly embarrassed I haven't done with it yet:
Doors off, top off, towed a trailer, ran a two-track, run with the top down in the rain, hit 100 mph (don't comment; I've had this discussion on here before), gotten a bike mount.
Things I have done, though: Yanked a small tree out, yanked another car out, towed a large tree trunk across a park, piled a bunch of high schoolers (none mine) in for a ride, gotten 24 mpg on a full tank, ran out of gas (don't comment; I've had that discussion on here before), and had the only orange vehicle among several hundred cars at my workplace for over a year now.
Sponsored

 
Last edited:

Stormin’ Moorman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Mar 11, 2019
Threads
52
Messages
1,710
Reaction score
6,353
Location
Georgia
Vehicle(s)
19 JLUR, 20 JLUR, 21 JL, 21 GCL, 89 YJ, 04 LJ
Occupation
Forester
Vehicle Showcase
1
Love your review.
 
OP
OP
liquids

liquids

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Threads
24
Messages
410
Reaction score
349
Location
Detroit
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU Sport S, 1968 CJ5

CanAmMick

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mick
Joined
Jun 20, 2018
Threads
22
Messages
402
Reaction score
497
Location
Wyoming
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler Sahara JL, 2017 Honda Pilot Touring
Occupation
USAF Retired Helicopter mechanic
Great review! Wish I could see 20-22 out of mine. I’m happy when it’s 17-18. Would I purchase another one, definitely!
 

Sponsored

JeepU4IA

Well-Known Member
First Name
Rod
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
805
Reaction score
1,169
Location
Los Angeles
Vehicle(s)
2014 Dodge Charger R/T, 2018 Jeep Wrangler JLU
Great review! We're more or less in the same boat. I picked up my Punk'n JLU a year ago yesterday. I think I've seen two Punk"ns other than mine in that time. I'm planning to "go naked" for the first time real soon.

The pinch seam is the easiest issue to resolve. Rubicon rock rails are a dime a dozen in the marketplace and an easy install.

Cheers. :beer: :like:
 

clf1024

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Jun 14, 2018
Threads
24
Messages
92
Reaction score
22
Location
Royal Oak, MI
Vehicle(s)
Jeep Wrangler 2018 JL Sahara
No steering issues?! One of the few lucky ones?!
 
OP
OP
liquids

liquids

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Threads
24
Messages
410
Reaction score
349
Location
Detroit
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU Sport S, 1968 CJ5
No steering issues?! One of the few lucky ones?!
I don't like that it doesn't stay centered with "no hands" as well as the JK, but it really only deviates a tiny bit on mine. Steering wheel turning effort is slightly more than JK, too. They're not enough to make it one of my complaints.
 

Sponsored

Roadglide

Well-Known Member
First Name
Matt
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
133
Reaction score
60
Location
Southwest, FL
Vehicle(s)
2019 Rubicon
Great review EXCEPT... Your dash computer might say you are getting 22 MPG but that is BS.
Check your mileage the old fashioned way. Then get back with us and report the best mileage you ever got was 18 MPG.
 
OP
OP
liquids

liquids

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Threads
24
Messages
410
Reaction score
349
Location
Detroit
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU Sport S, 1968 CJ5
Great review EXCEPT... Your dash computer might say you are getting 22 MPG but that is BS.
Check your mileage the old fashioned way. Then get back with us and report the best mileage you ever got was 18 MPG.
I always compute it the old-fashioned way. I average 22 mpg.
 

ChrispyJL

Well-Known Member
First Name
chris
Joined
May 24, 2018
Threads
13
Messages
569
Reaction score
1,003
Location
Rockaway, NJ
Vehicle(s)
2018 Punk"N JLU Sport s
Occupation
Building Mechanic
Nice Review, Punk'n JLU Sport S here too, I have the rock hard patriot tube sliders and they do collect slush in winter, but I wouldn't trade them for rubi rails, they protect the shit out of the pinch seam, and sides from ass licking car door openers in parking lots...one dumb ass lady opened her door and dented the shit out of her door on my bar...she said ohh sorry, I looked and said all good, you just bashed your door...my jeep is fine.
Sponsored

 
 



Top