One Jeep for the Long Term – Seasoned Advice Needed

[Dwightrerskine]

Hi all. Not a noob to these forums but am close – hours, not days – to making my first and perhaps only Wrangler purchase. (I know, I know. That last statement is a huge assumption!)

Quick background: I’ve driven tons of JLU and JLURs in the last 3 years on test drives and long-term rentals. I almost bought one 2 years ago until my wife convinced me to get another Audi instead. So I’m not going into this completely blind.

I need some advice from this forum’s members who have been around the block a few times. I’m ready to drop my ’19 Audi S5 for either a 392 XR or a loaded Rubicon XR. Its been on my family’s radar for several years to buy a Jeep and we are now in a position where the switch makes sense. We see this purchase as my near-term daily driver for a few years that transforms into a long-term project vehicle that the whole family will enjoy building out and driving.

What’s it going to be used for?

• Daily Driver - for the next 2 – 3 years only and I only drive about 7k miles per year
• Mall Crawler - the curbs and potholes at my Publix are vicious!
• Driveway Queen - because I have no shame
• Rock Crawler - but only a little
• Overlanding - hopefully a decent amount

An important factor in how this is likely to be used: As much as I can say we want to be overlanding / crawling once a month, its probably going to be more like four or five times a year at most. The desire to build out an overland / crawler Jeep are more about spending time with the kids, teaching them how to build stuff and to help them understand vehicles better. The actual trips are icing on the cake.

So what’s my issue with deciding?
I love everything about the 392: fast, big, loud, less ubiquitous than a normal Rubicon. However, I’m worried the vehicle’s negatives will be a huge pain in the ass over the long-term: fuel consumption, extra weight, loud exhaust that never shuts up, etcetera; especially as it relates to doing a (mostly) overland build.

The flip side is the Rubicon, which everyone knows and mostly loves. It’s just not a 392!

Price is mostly irrelevant. What I don’t want to do is buy a 392 because its cool and then sell it / start over in 2 – 3 years’ time.

What say you? Again, remind you that I’m looking for something we can live with for a long time. If enough 392 owners / testers can tell me that my concerns are overblown, then great! I’m on the fence for what I believe are valid concerns though.

TLDR: Near term money isn’t an issue, but long-term reliability and drivability are. Can’t decide between the 392 XR and a loaded Rubicon XR. I want something that my family can live with for the long term – perhaps 10+ years.

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[LooselyHeldPlans]

I’ve never wished my 3.6 ESS had more power. In fact, I’d give up 50hp for 5-10 mpg any day of the week. I do wish it was 1-2” taller.

So, my vote is the RXR. For what you’ll be doing, I bet yours is too.

I know you’re coming from a fast car, but if you’re like me, the JL makes you want to drive slower, not faster. I feel like the 392 is putting lipstick on a pig.

Can you test drive?

 

[Joe98]

What’s it going to be used for?
Daily Driver - for the next 2 – 3 years only and I only drive about 7k miles per year
Mall Crawler - the curbs and potholes at my Publix are vicious!
Driveway Queen - because I have no shame

Get a Sahara

What’s it going to be used for?
Rock Crawler - but only a little
Overlanding - hopefully a decent amount

Get a Sport S or a Willys
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Sahara drives best on road. Together with it's creature comforts
The Sport S / Willys is better off road than a Sahara

I use my Sport S for Overlanding, rock crawling and mall crawling.

My Jeep is stock standard. Lifts and big tyres are not needed!

 

[Dwightrerskine]

I’ve never wished my 3.6 ESS had more power. In fact, I’d give up 50hp for 5-10 mpg any day of the week. I do with it was 1-2” taller.

So, my vote is the RXR. For what you’ll be doing, I bet yours is too.

Can you test drive?

Thank you for the feedback!

No one local has a 392 on the lot unfortunately. I'm not worried that I'll like the 392 with a test drive though.

 

[Zombienation]

If you daily an S5 dropping to the v6 is going to be painful, get the 392 or rubicon 4xe

 

[Dwightrerskine]

If you daily an S5 dropping to the v6 is going to be painful, get the 392 or rubicon 4xe

I am a little worried I’ll have some mental adjustments to make if I don’t have the 392 power.

 

[Dwightrerskine]

Get a Sahara



Get a Sport S or a Willys
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Sahara drives best on road. Together with it's creature comforts
The Sport S / Willys is better off road than a Sahara

I use my Sport S for Overlanding, rock crawling and mall crawling.

My Jeep is stock standard. Lifts and big tyres are not needed!

This is probably the type of advice I need, but I don’t do well with practical vehicle choices. . I’m definitely the guy who always checks all the option boxes.

 

[AZJeepGuy]

I would put less emphasis on "doing it over" if you don't buy the right one. Your Audi is awesome but you're having to do it over. :P
Get the one that turns you on the most or is just the best fit overall.

 

[MSparks909]

I’m keeping my 392XR for a LONG time, like 10-15+ years unless Jeep keeps it around for a while. But this is likely the last time we’ll ever have a factory V8 Wrangler. I’m getting atrocious mileage, averaging around 11.5 and that’s with me not driving it like a 392. Gotta pay to play! You can turn the exhaust on quiet mode but I’ve only done that with passengers in the Jeep when we’re having a conversation or highway drives longer than ~20 minutes.

Reliability might edge toward the 3.6, fuel economy definitely will. The Hemi’s have a propensity to develop lifter tick 60-100,000 miles down the road. Religious oil changes every 5K and minimal idle time will help prevent that. When mine eventually start ticking I’m planning on a cam swap, new Hellcat lifters and a tune.

My 392XR makes an excellent daily driver aside from the fuel economy. Fast, fun and exciting. Rides great as well, much smoother than previous JLs I’ve test driven. I’m never wishing it had “more” power. To me that’s worth it and why I didn’t opt for the V6. Fuel costs are what they are

 

[Dwightrerskine]

I would put less emphasis on "doing it over" if you don't buy the right one. Your Audi is awesome but you're having to do it over. :P
Get the one that turns you on the most or is just the best fit overall.

Good point about the Audi.

The near term answer is the 392. I’m just not sure that’s too much of an emotional choice. Is it the smart choice too?

i will also admit I’m analyzing this decision to death.

 

[Dwightrerskine]

…
Reliability might edge toward the 3.6, fuel economy definitely will. The Hemi’s have a propensity to develop lifter tick 60-100,000 miles down the road.
…

Items like this are my hesitation. That’s the type of annoyance I don’t know if I’m prepared to deal with. But that’s also likely a problem I won’t face until 7+ years.

Everything else you said is music to my ears.

 

[MSparks909]

Items like this are my hesitation. That’s the type of annoyance I don’t know if I’m prepared to deal with. But that’s also likely a problem I won’t face until 7+ years.

Everything else you said is music to my ears.

Not all Hemi’s suffer from lifter tick but if you neglect oil changes or do a lot of idling (IE cop car) you’ll have lifter issues. The lifters will stick and eat into the camshaft over time. Don’t mean to scare you away from this engine as I think the small chance of this happening is well worth the extra benefits of the Hemi. It’s an absolute hoot to drive. I’ve driven re-geared JLs on both 35s and 37s and there’s no comparison. *If* this happens to me I’ll pay a Hemi performance shop to swap the cam/lifters and carry on for another ~100K miles

 

[WreckEm711]

Depends on what you’re going to spend most of your time on recreationally, but it seems like your heart is really leaning towards a 392 lol.

if by “overlanding” you mean car camping off road on some trails, range isn’t likely to be an issue, get whatever you want.

If you’re talking actual overlanding where you will be off grid for days at a time far from a gas station, get whichever gives you the most range on a tank, otherwise get ready to load up with jerry cans lol

 

[Dwightrerskine]

Not all Hemi’s suffer from lifter tick but if you neglect oil changes or do a lot of idling (IE cop car) you’ll have lifter issues. The lifters will stick and eat into the camshaft over time. Don’t mean to scare you away from this engine as I think the small chance of this happening is well worth the extra benefits of the Hemi. car) you’ll have lifter issues. The lifters will stick and eat into the camshaft over time. Don’t mean to scare you away from this engine as I think the small chance of this happening is well worth the extra benefits of the Hemi.

Thanks for taking some time to come back to this.

Anything else concern you about the 392 model (besides the usual quality control issues that seem to pop up)?

 

[Dwightrerskine]

Depends on what you’re going to spend most of your time on recreationally, but it seems like your heart is really leaning towards a 392 lol.

if by “overlanding” you mean car camping off road on some trails, range isn’t likely to be an issue, get whatever you want.

If you’re talking actual overlanding where you will be off grid for days at a time far from a gas station, get whichever gives you the most range on a tank, otherwise get ready to load up with jerry cans lol

Definitely leaning towards the 392.

I’ve got some soul searching to do regarding the overlanding topic. I want the flexibility for both scenarios but in the near-term it’s likely to be most like your first example.

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