New Jeep or keep searching for a decent used one?

[sidpost]

I am looking for an Overlander, not a Rock or Mall Crawler!

This has me thinking the Willys with the LSD Dana 44 is a better place to start than a Rubicon with full lockers. I assume the Willys front is a D30 and can be fitted with an aftermarket LSD. I will see limited mud, some snow, a bit of ice occasionally, and a lot of sandy washes. I am not a National Park camper and avoid touristy places like they are a plague-infested island in the Pacific a thousand miles away from any other island or port.

My ~3 months of shopping for a gently USED or a well-modded Overlander targeted Jeep have been a series of comedies and outright wasted trips. This has me thinking of new but, ~$60K for 2024 JLU Willys is a bit hard to swallow, especially with some added mods for Overlanding! Used $35K JLU Willys/Rubicon options tend to have 65K or more miles and are 4~6 years old with $42K getting me into a 2~3 year old option with ~20K miles. And why are 90% of them Black? ?

Will I be better served 'hoping' the frothy market churn for overpriced Jeeps will calm down next year? I tend to think the current market is really pushing me towards a 4x4 pickup but, I tend to think the Jeep is a better option assuming costs come down a bit. I need to have something no later than August of next year but, really want something for early Spring.

TIA,
Sid from East Texas

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[siggy]

MSRP on a 4 door Willys is $46k. How are you getting $60k? Plus many dealers offer 6% or so under invoice.

 

[sidpost]

MSRP on a 4 door Willys is $46k. How are you getting $60k? Plus many dealers offer 6% or so under invoice.

Options like the 35" tires (XR package?) on the factory website which ran it up to the high $50K range with mandatory 'adds' for a V-6 4-door model.

Any dealer recommendations in East or Central Texas that offer less than 'sticker' and no disguised 'market adjustments' masquerading as $2K doc and prep fees?

The dealers around here have not been good to me with their pricing. $3K for a ceramic coating as a dealer add to a Jeep? I didn't wait for the underbody coating (not skid plates but some magic unicorn fluid to stop rust) discussion.

More for the Nitrogen fill in the tires? I kid you not! They said it was for a lifetime of Nitrogen fills on my Jeep. ? How much was that mandatory addition again?

 

[GMONEY]

Options like the 35" tires (XR package?) on the factory website which ran it up to the high $50K range with mandatory 'adds' for a V-6 4-door model.

Any dealer recommendations in East or Central Texas that offer less than 'sticker' and no disguised 'market adjustments' masquerading as $2K doc and prep fees?

The dealers around here have not been good to me with their pricing. $3K for a ceramic coating as a dealer add to a Jeep? I didn't wait for the underbody coating (not skid plates but some magic unicorn fluid to stop rust) discussion.

More for the Nitrogen fill in the tires? I kid you not! They said it was for a lifetime of Nitrogen fills on my Jeep. ? How much was that mandatory addition again?

Find @Ratbert Profile.and use the link in his signature to find the best pricing. You can get 6+% off invoice but you might have to go get it vice being in your backyard.

Also it gives you the ability to custom order.

Do you want the XR package with 35s or do you want an aftermarket lift and your choice of tire wheels?

 

[azjl#3]

owning these for 3 decades now, I have always had better luck buying new.

Carfax for sure, then vin search on one of those vin search sites as well as thats where a hidden issue can be located (theft, total, etc) that carfax may not have

 

[Maxpwns]

My sport and gladiator I bought new as it was cheaper. I recently bought a 23 used JLUR XR with 8k miles for 50k OTD with most options. It was actually cheaper than doing new.

 

[RAD1]

I would buy new - Willys comes with 33" BFG KO2's and 4.10 rear so XR is not worth $5K IMHO. Go with manual trans V6 and save another $4500. Under $50K for the Willys I have on order through one of the dealers on Ratberts sheet.

 

[Jeep Wick]

I am looking for an Overlander, not a Rock or Mall Crawler!

This has me thinking the Willys with the LSD Dana 44 is a better place to start than a Rubicon with full lockers. I assume the Willys front is a D30 and can be fitted with an aftermarket LSD. I will see limited mud, some snow, a bit of ice occasionally, and a lot of sandy washes. I am not a National Park camper and avoid touristy places like they are a plague-infested island in the Pacific a thousand miles away from any other island or port.

My ~3 months of shopping for a gently USED or a well-modded Overlander targeted Jeep have been a series of comedies and outright wasted trips. This has me thinking of new but, ~$60K for 2024 JLU Willys is a bit hard to swallow, especially with some added mods for Overlanding! Used $35K JLU Willys/Rubicon options tend to have 65K or more miles and are 4~6 years old with $42K getting me into a 2~3 year old option with ~20K miles. And why are 90% of them Black? ?

Will I be better served 'hoping' the frothy market churn for overpriced Jeeps will calm down next year? I tend to think the current market is really pushing me towards a 4x4 pickup but, I tend to think the Jeep is a better option assuming costs come down a bit. I need to have something no later than August of next year but, really want something for early Spring.

TIA,
Sid from East Texas

You're not wrong, I saw a local overland-style JLUR for sale, over 100k miles and they still want $40k? You should check autotrader, there is probably a good deal on a new one just sitting on the lot, dealers are becoming more motivated to sell. You might have to travel, but you'll save thousands if you're flexible.

 

[ghost.garrity]

Gladiators are going for under 40k OTD in Texas, I think with the cargo space a Gladiator Willys is a great overland vehicle.

 

[Warped]

Sid, if you don't go with the LC, you should seriously consider a 2023 Rubicon or Mojave Gladiator soon. If you can deal without the latest and greatest, the best deals right now are on the 2023 leftovers. Most are selling off of lots for $10-20K off of MSRP. Look at the Grand Cherokee Trail Hawk. It, too is being heavily discounted. Factory offering 10-15% off of sticker and dealers are adding their own discounts on top of that. The money saved gives you more for setting it up for "overlanding".

 

[The Last Cowboy]

Gladiator is the best buy in a Wrangler based vehicle right now.

Nyle Maxwell in Austin on Ranch Road 620 treated is well and made the transaction super easy.

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