Pull the trigger on a JL Wrangler or avoid them?

[Vinman]

Anybody who says the JL’s ride rough has never, ever drove or ridden in any previous generation Wrangler. Period.

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[Charmagne]

I love my 2 door JL and it's my daily driver. Not one issue in the 9 months I've had it. It is IMO the most comfortable vehicle I've had - all my others were low slung sports cars and sitting more upright definitely has it's pros. And I can step down instead of hauling my a** up from eight inches off the ground. Don't expect it to drive like a car or an SUV - lots of people don't like how they drive on the freeway. I really don't know what they are talking about - how can you not love something that puts a smile on your face every time you get in it. . Buy it and enjoy!

 

[IrrationalCPA]

I will be honest, kinda miss my JK. Only have had my JL for 1500 miles so cannot comment on reliability. The JL transmission is amazing same w the handling, rarely get the shimmy going over rough road, but the JK felt like more of a Jeep.

 

[ekometti]

Keep in mind that [like most things online] people who are 100% happy with their purchase don't really have much reason to come onto a forum like this to get help - they don't need it.

So take the perceived volume of posts with a grain of salt.

That being said, as long as you're good with the ride quality, I think you're good. In 2022, most new vehicles that are produced today have somewhat leveled out in terms of mechanical quality.

I.e. if you keep up with the maintenance, don't ignore warning lights and odd sounds, and generally just take good care of your vehicle, almost anything on the road these days should last 200K+ miles without any major issues.

I came from an '07 GMC Sierra. My '21 JLU Sahara rides about the same as that truck did. My wife has a '21 Lexus RX70 - the Jeep rides noticeably more rough than the Lexus.

Also, keep in mind that (IMO) there are very few cases where someone has a bone-stock JL that starts with the death wobble, or having other major issues.

The vast majority of people on this forum aren't driving bone-stock rigs. They're adding lift kits, bigger tires, and doing other modifications that absolutely impact the ride.

Hate to say the RX70 doesn’t exist, sorry.

 

[KingZo88]

Just got my ‘20 JL 2door rubicon about 3 weeks ago. This is my first jeep. I soent weeks reading through forums before i decided to just get it and if I didnt like it, I would just trade it in. No issues so far other than the loose steering which I had scheduled for the steering box to be replaced with the steel ones this weekend. Hopefully it will be way better. Other than that, I love it. But then again, its only been less than a month.

 

[USMCJL]

Anybody who says the JL’s ride rough has never, ever drove or ridden in any previous generation Wrangler. Period.

Exactly. Night and day between my’06 TJ 4.0 and my 21 JL 2.0 Willys, both2dr.

 

[MTKMAN]

I have owned a CJ5, CJ7, a TJ, 3 JKs, and a 4 door JL, you will not be disappointed with the ride. I've owned 3 Range Rovers and still find myself longing for the top-back thrill of a wrangler.

 

[californiajeeping]

Hello, I been debating on a purchasing a JL 2 door Wrangler Sport. I love how they look and like many, always wanted to own one. I get on these forums and read all the issues people have after not even 6 months of owning them and horror stories about how they ride on the highway. I'm 52 years old and my mom owned a 1988 Wrangler back in the early 90s and loved it. Is it like other vehicles and just luck of the draw for quality issues or is it really that bad on trips to the dealer for service? Also on the ride, I thought the JL was fine on the highway then see people talking about service bulletins and ripping the way their JL drives over 45mph. What's your experience and opinion on this? I'm at a loss on if I should pull the trigger and just get one or will I regret it and have issue after issue. Thanks.

Just be prepared for terrible dealership experiences.

 

[sentience]

I’d suggest going to a dealership, CarMax or similar and going for a test drive. If possible, swap cars with a friends for a few days. Jeeps are relatively expensive, but so are most similar vehicles in this market. They also drive different. I’d also suggest trying out some similar vehicles, like a Toyota 4Runner or a Land Rover Defender, to give yourself a frame of reference and some options. (Or even Ford Bronco, if you’re the super patient type)

As long as it is affordable to your situation, meets your needs, and drives in a manner acceptable to you, you should consider it.

Definitely avoid getting pressured into buying. There’s no such thing as a one day special. And yes, to echo the others - Jeep’s got a pretty terrible dealership network. I bought mine out of state, and get it serviced by a trusted dealership twenty miles away from my nearest. Good cars, bad service departments.

 

[entropy]

Buy it. Dealership/service department is worst than going to the doctor.

 

[AlanD]

I see Hertz selling a bunch of them. Maybe rent one for a few days to get a feel for one. I have a 2018 Sport S Lifted with 35's love it. My daughter bought a 2018 Sport S that was a buy back. For pulling/wandering. It had all the service bulletins applied for steering stabilizer, cast iron steering box etc. It drives like a dream for almost 3 months now. She realizing that it will be very hard to sell she bought it as a keeper... If you are used to trucks probably like the Wrangler.

 

[missionale]

welcome to the forum - and of course you should buy one -

 

[JeepFiend]

Totally avoid them!!!!...at least until after mine is delivered, then it's totally up to you.

 

[DogsRule]

Everything I've read here suggests you get a Renegade.

 

[milesjj_20]

Do it! You will love it! I am not even a car enthusiast and I debated buying a Jeep because like you, I read too many problems with it. It's now my daily driver...

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