Pull the trigger on a JL Wrangler or avoid them?

[HushJeep]

You will deeply regret it for the remainder of your life if you don’t pull the trigger. I love my 2 door. Now I can get to the places that I couldn’t in the past.

Your black on grey Jeep with the grey wheels and retro "Willys" decal... looks great! Rugged and unique.

And to the OP, yes, buy one with eyes wide open and enjoy every minute of it!

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[MadChef]

I test drove a $62,000 2019 Sahara a few years ago and I had some trouble keeping it on the road. I told the sales guy who was sitting in the back seat it handled like crap and he replied “I hear that a lot”. How many Jeeps were sold with garbage steering In the first 2 years of production? Crazy it took over 2 years for Jeep to correct the issue. I ended up buying a 4Runner and absolutely love it.

About a year ago I was in the market for another vehicle and found myself on the Jeep lot again. I test drove a 2021 JLUS and a JL 80th anniversary and both handled great. Wish they offered a 2 door Sahara but ended up getting the 2 door 80th which has a similar ride.

The JL is my 3rd Jeep and after a year and 12,000 miles it’s been simply fantastic. Truly a blast to drive and zero issues. My last Jeep was a TJ that started having major issues at 490 miles. Kept it over 10 years and loved it til the end.

For many people Jeep is much more than an interest...it’s a religion.

 

[JLUW75]

Thanks, yeah not enough funds to use it as a back up vehicle so this would be my daily driver.

If this is your daily driver and you are planning on off-roading much, I'd recommend the Sport S with hardtop or a Willys. The soft top is nice but if you plan to use the rear storage area, the flip-up glass is a must. Also, since it snows in St. Louis, having glass windows with a defroster is a must. I had a 2Dr sport with a soft top in Chicago and water and snow would get into every crack or gap and freeze up. It was very annoying in winter but it wasn't my daily and it was always garaged. I only got a soft top since I moved down to Arizona. I would also read up on the rust/corrosion issues they have. There are many products out there for rust proofing but be mentally prepared to have your door hinges and hood paint start to bubble up and be vigilant to clean it and report any paint issues to the dealer. Lastly, get a long-term extended warranty for extra peace of mind!

 

[RagTopDeluxe]

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.

Putting adjustable LCAs on and getting your caster above 6* (mine is at ~7*) will help a lot with the steering (any wandering feel, especially on the freeway).


OP: good advice to rent one, or take it on a longer freeway test drive.

My ‘19 JLR was bought back due to steering issues, and I still got another! I love it.

 

[Pinky Tuscadero]

Easily the best Jeep has ever produced.
Here on this forum we all want "just a little bit more" regardless if we have the $30,000 or $85,000 JL, non-stop upgrading, changing to better or sometimes much worse items
Slapping on huge tires and then complaining about the milage and gearing and 8th gear issues
Installing a stupid tall lift and then complaining of "death wobbles" and lack of a perfect ride
We complain of colors like how much better white is over pink or tan or 50 shades of grey
We mess with pretty much everything and then find ways to blame the Jeep
It's all good though, we know that and we'll argue with each other on the stupidist points as well.
The biggest complaint of all is having to wait about 3 months lately for a perfect ride and Jeep Chats horrible canned responses
Just order it, either end of the spectrum, whatever you can or wish to afford and you'll be happy
Then again if you have a super bad back or weak kidneys, these probably aren't for you, we ride much rougher than your grampas Oldsmobile did, its what we do and we do that very well too.

 

[aldo98229]

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 stop reading Consumer Reports and you will be fine. You will have a blast.

Good luck.

 

[Spearmin]

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.

1. It's still probably the most fun and versatile vehicle you could ever drive without going fast or spending waay more money.
   
   
2. I own 2 JLs and the second was bought/built during the pandemic. The second has had a few small issues but it's under warranty.
   
   
3. They both ride fine even with 35s. I really can't complain at all about the ride quality. Although the ride of the second one with the 35s is very very different from the first one which doesn't have 35s (but that's my fault).
   
   
4. Yes pull the trigger, but get the the extend service warranty up to 120k miles. There is a highly recommended guy that they recommend on here to buy your warranty from (he works at a dealership).
   
   
5. Yeah pull the trigger.
   
   
6. Rent one for a weekend first (this is almost a must).

 

[AG’s ‘ 21 Jeep Wrangler]

I bought a 2021 Sport S and previously had a 2013 base model. Really like my new one. The only issue I had was the loose steering until I lowered the tire pressure to 32 pounds.
Understand that this is a different vehicle. It's not going to drive like a standard vehicle, but it's not kidney killer either. I'm older than you and enjoy it every time I drive it.

 

[Mikeoso]

Thanks, yeah not enough funds to use it as a back up vehicle so this would be my daily driver.

I have driven jeeps since the '60s, and usually had a Ram pu as well. The current Wrangler, a 2019 Sport, is my daily, and has had zero issues. By far the best ever both in features and quality. As long as you dont expect it to ride like a sedan, you'll be ok.

People come here with issues, but compare them to the number of Wranglers on thd road, and it's no biggy. If you keep it stock and dont drive like you stole it, you'll be fine.

 

[Axelbndr]

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.

2dr wranglers no longer available in Europe, maybe last chance..?
I got 10 years on you and just ordered a JL 2dr, 6mt. Was planning on traveling in retirement but that’s shot to shit.. High mountain fishing & camping sound even better.. just can’t say that to the wife?

 

[LCW]

I bought a JLUR 2 weeks ago and only regret is not doing it sooner!!!

 

[Nomod]

I'm almost four years into my '18 JLU Sport S, which I use as my daily driver. I've owned a number of four-wheel drive trucks/SUVs since I bought a new Toyota Land Cruiser back in "73. The Wrangler JLU is by far the most comfortable riding of them all. Mine has no suspension or tire mods. It cruises easily at 80 on the interstate and I've averaged 22.4 MPG overall. I've experienced no issues. However, being 77 years old my off-roading days are pretty much in the past so my Wrangler is used more like your average car and that may speak somewhat to the lack of issues. If you like the look, the ability to drive in different conditions, a vehicle that can withstand the abuse of driving on crappy road surfaces, and being able to have a convertible when you please, get one.

 

[XyloSesame]

late to the party.

50yo first time Jeep owner, I took delivery of a Sport S in late October after much deliberation. I've never owned a true 4wd vehicle and most of my previous vehicles have been subcompact or hybrids. So far (and unfortunately) I haven't found time to take the Jeep off road, however I have been some distance on highways and can say there is no issue with handling or comfort. I just returned from an ~800 mile all highway work trip and it was smooth sailing keeping over 80mph the entire time. Fuel economy is .... different .... from my other vehicles, but I knew that would be the case going in to this.

 

[deserteagle56]

Just stop reading Consumer Reports and you will be fine. You will have a blast.

Good luck.

1. Yes pull the trigger, but get the the extend service warranty up to 120k miles.

Not just Consumer Reports. It's the reports on this and other forums that scare me.

Watched the latest video on Matt's Off-Road Recovery YouTube Channel yesterday. He had to retrieve a beautiful new Rubicon out of an awful hole in Sand Hollow State Park. Owner tells Matt "It just shut itself down and refuses to start".

So I'm sticking with my manual everything, minimal electronics TJ for right now. Area where I live I'm regularly 100 miles from pavement, much less the nearest town. Dependability is paramount. A lot of good an extended warranty does me when I have to figure out how to get my brand new Jeep out of the back country.

 

[Dgr401]

We have had our 2 door 2020 JL Sport S for a little over a year and a half with just over 20k on it, no issues to date. It is our only vehicle and we love it. It rides fine for us and handles well, a little rough on the edges in high winds. Slow down a bit and it is ok. We are both quite a bit older than the average member here and have found this forum to be rich in information, good and bad. This will probably be our last vehicle but would not hesitate to get another Wrangler if we had to. We do our off-roading on the beaches fishing and occasional trails for photography. It is a great time. To give you an idea of our age, our first 4wd was a brand new 1970 Toyota FJ40 Landcruiser. That was barbaric in comparison to today’s Wrangler (although if I could afford one I wouldn’t mind having one ?).

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