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Ode to the 3.0D: Test drove one and....

2nd 392

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What made you go the 392 route ahead of the diesel? Just out of curiosity...

Yeah, I see a few diesels in a 100-mile radius from me. I need a few specific options in my Jeep for my driving habits/preferences and most of the dealer lot Jeeps don't have them unfortunately.
Depends on your wants— I wanted an off road, fun car, convertible, grand kids- grocery-dog hauler, and muscle car. Could only afford one vehicle. Perfect jack of all trades, best at none but good at all .
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derpderp01

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Jeep Wrangler 2021 Sales figures:
392's made in 2021: 7,315
Wranglers made in 2021: 204,609
Conclusion: For the year 2021, the 392 only equated to 3.57% of all Wrangler production.

iSeeCars current figures for Used Jeep Wranglers, model years 2021-2023:
Used 392's for sale: 141
Used Wranglers for sale (all models/trims): 515
Conclusion: This shows that the 392 JL equates to a whopping 27% of all used Wranglers. That's a pretty significant turnover rate. Especially for a trim option that makes up such a tiny percentage of the total sales figures.
The percentage of used 392's is in part due to speculators trying to exit the market.
 

rickinAZ

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The Ecodiesel's problem is/was lack of test-drives. Just like the OP, one drive and you'll likely be sold. Otherwise your opinion is shaped by the forum detractors who have neither owned or driven one. I dare say that some of the nay-sayers have never even laid eyes on one.
 
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MidwestJeeper

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Depends on your wants— I wanted an off road, fun car, convertible, grand kids- grocery-dog hauler, and muscle car. Could only afford one vehicle. Perfect jack of all trades, best at none but good at all .
The 392 definitely fits your purpose. Another masterpiece by Jeep, that's for sure.
 
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MidwestJeeper

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The Ecodiesel's problem is/was lack of test-drives. Just like the OP, one drive and you'll likely be sold. Otherwise your opinion is shaped by the forum detractors who have neither owned or driven one. I dare say that some of the nay-sayers have never even laid eyes on one.
I'm guessing the lack of test drives and the general opinion around diesel maintenance, DEF, etc. contributes to the countertalk against the diesel.
The big sticker upcharge (at least to a guy like me) is a bummer right up front too.

Otherwise, I just felt the diesel Jeep was so well-planted and balanced probably due to the powertrain mass increase up front compared to the gas engines.

The 442 lb-ft doesn't care about the extra mass and it barely worked to produce humongous torque at 1300-1500 rpm. I don't think the turbos were actuated up until 2000 if my memory is right from the test drive.

To be a better informed on this comparative post, I test drove a used 392 XR at the dealership couple of hours ago. 22 mile round-trip, fun was had with the V8 muscle merging onto the highway and passing cars.
A great Jeep trim, no doubt and no wonder it has a big following here and outside the forum.

Now that I've driven/test-driven every engine + trans option the Jeep has to offer, my $0.02 will still go to the diesel.

To keep the post in good hearted nature - all trims are awesome, as long as its a Jeep;):like:
 
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MidwestJeeper

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You can always make the jump to the dark side and order a Diesel Gladiator for now, but better hurry before they pull the plug on that as well. I will never sell mine and there will never be another.
I wish, but if I ever went the truck route i'd go RAM 1500.
The JTD is probably even more purpose built for those who need it with the higher towing capacity, range, bed that can hold a payload etc.

Enjoy man!
 

JLUR Farout

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This 3.0L is no 6.7L Cummins and it has to work harder than a 2.0L TDI sedan and hopefully more reliable than my 6.4L Powerchoke. Having owned 3.6L and 2.0L Wranglers, 4.0 L XJ, 3.2L Trailhawk, and 2.4L new 6spd manual Compass I have sampled many FCA engines. I only have 1,225 miles here in the drivethru but I can say this 3.0L moves this JLU with more spunk then a 3.6L and dare I say much less blender noise than a 2.0L. One thing I do miss is rowing my own gears.
 
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MidwestJeeper

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This 3.0L is no 6.7L Cummins and it has to work harder than a 2.0L TDI sedan and hopefully more reliable than my 6.4L Powerchoke. Having owned 3.6L and 2.0L Wranglers, 4.0 L XJ, 3.2L Trailhawk, and 2.4L new 6spd manual Compass I have sampled many FCA engines. I only have 1,225 miles here in the drivethru but I can say this 3.0L moves this JLU with more spunk then a 3.6L and dare I say much less blender noise than a 2.0L. One thing I do miss is rowing my own gears.
The 6.7 is a beast, I've driven one too.

Coming from a 5.7 and 3.6 Grand Cherokee and an interim 2.4L Cherokee which was the worst engine by far.

Wish the 2.0T didn't have the blender noise though. A little unfitting for a vehicle like the Jeep.
 

Dane_Nelson

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Picked up my High Altitude 3.0 Ecodiesel a little over a year ago and couldn't be happier with it in general. Nabbed a set of Gladitor wheels of preference with 35s to get rid of the 20" wheels it came with and installed 392 Rubicon XR suspension & sliders recently. Averages ~21mpg currently. [26mpg on highway 70mph]
Next up will be putting in the 392 steering wheel w/ paddle shifters when they get delivered thanks to this forum and finding that option!
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UrbanCowboyAZ

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10.) Most of these Youtube influenza err.. INFLUENCERS, are more shill than thrill. Take their anecdotes with a grain of salt.
I have a diesel, a manual 4.0 TJ, and a TRX, and my family has had many other Jeeps over the years for reference.

My dad and I went to Idaho to pick up his 392 and road trip back to AZ. And I can confirm that that vehicle put a smile on our faces and made us giggle like little girls for our entire 2,000 mile, week long trip. It’s fun and ridiculous in a way that no other Jeep and not even the TRX can manage to be. It’s by far the most fun stock Jeep I’ve ever been in. It’s a riot and while those YouTubers often have ulterior agendas, this forum is filled with people talking about how much fun the 392 is. It’s pretty objectively the best and most fun motor ever put in a wrangler.

With that said, I think the diesel is probably the 2nd best motor ever put in a wrangler and it’s best for my use case. For instance, some friends and I were off-roading in the San Juan’s and we were decently loaded. My brother’s Power Wagon used 3/4 of his 33gal tank between gas stations and I had used less than 1/4 tank. And I love the way the diesel drives around town with the torque and diesel clatter. The 24mpgs I’m getting on heavy 35’s is pretty nice too compared to the 12 in my TRX and 15 my dad gets in his 392.

TLDR; The diesel is a really great motor. The 392 is a different level of fun and the YouTubers aren’t lying when they say they can’t stop grinning while driving it. Its insane in the best way possible. Doesn’t mean it’s the best for each use case, but it is pretty objectively the best overall.
 

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I wonder if coming out in the Covid crazy hurt the sales also.
 

driventoadventure

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...An engineering feat and customer preference sadly made history by rules and regulations.
It was more ruined by general (not just Stellantis) incompetence (things like the fuel pump issues) and apathy than rules and regulations.

Most people who bought a diesel got extreme sticker shock from things like maintenance cost, and increased fuel cost etc. Pair that with support (both mechanical and technical) that can be described as lackluster at best - and throw in a dash of market erosion from the Tool-Time-Tim-Taylors out there who saw the 392 and went "I like horsepower" (in a Frito Pandejo from idiocracy voice) and you have a perfect storm that is going to make it a bad market choice for Stellantis. The only "rules and regulations" impact is that the electrification of automobiles is gaining enough momentum that they are better focusing their engineering on the PHEV or full EV variants than what is very realistically a dieing breed of Diesel ownership in the US. I will say that EV will be the next best thing to Diesel for this platform due to its abundant torque, but it's still a long time before charging and storage infrastructure is ready to support an off-road EV.

(e) My statement above isn't an insult to 392 owners, but let's face it - there is a god majority of them who only like it for the state reason...
 

ECP

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Its my first diesel. I love mine. I do worry what its going to be like after 100k miles. and I think those stories of diesels going over 1M miles is pre-def.

I think I'd buy another. I like the 392, but can't afford the gas (especially with how my right foot would react). I'm sure its a blast.
 

driventoadventure

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TLDR; The diesel is a really great motor. The 392 is a different level of fun and the YouTubers aren’t lying when they say they can’t stop grinning while driving it. Its insane in the best way possible. Doesn’t mean it’s the best for each use case, but it is pretty objectively the best overall.
This is a great example of why the 392 eroded the Diesel into nonexistence. The 392 an incredibly fun engine. It's there for people (and this is not an offense) who want something that is an IV drip of dopamine directly injected into the brain. The Diesel is the classical music of the group, the 392 is the heavy metal - it just clicks so much better for so many more people that the Diesel just was going to be completely drowned out by it.
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