Purchase process has started...I have questions. w/ Updates

[aldo98229]

BTW does this mean if i DID NOT get the safety group but DO have the LEDs, I can flash on the blind spot?!

I don’t know. Does your Jeep have the BSM markers in the side mirrors? If they do, you should be able to see a little triangle on the upper outer corner of the mirror.

If not, I doubt the tail light housings have the sensors inside.

This is a bad photo, but you can see the BSM marker on the upper left of the mirror

Sponsored

 

[Gee-pah]

Well I decided to start the process in purchasing a new JL. The family and I went in for some test driving this past Saturday. My main goal was to make the decision between 2 door and 4 door and look at the options in person. We test drove two Willys Unlimited and one 2 door Willys. I was able to try both the 2.0 and 3.6 engine options in the unlimited.

We've decided on the Unlimited over the 2 door for sure. I also wanted to go with the 3.6 as I just wasnt sure about the E-Torque system. After reading about that last night and learning more about it, I'm a little less concerned about it, but would still prefer it in the 3.6. If I dont end up finding the spec I want in a 2020, we can just order the 2021 and the Etorque 3.6 will be fine. I was thinking about it later and I remember the first thing I had to do in the 3.6 was look for the ESS off button when I came to a stop and noticed the ESS kick in. I never noticed it or looked for a switch when I drove the two prior jeeps that both had the E-torque.

Also, I know from reading on here, its not uncommon to have a little play in the steering. The first one I drove was pretty loose, but the other two both handled really well. I does make me a little concerned that I would order one or they'd find one somewhere else that I couldn't test drive first.

I didn't talk numbers Saturday, as they didn't have exactly the model with the trim options I wanted. I talked to a salesman after and told him I'd email him a list of what I was after and I'll keep to my word and give them the first chance to find a jeep and try to make a deal. Unfortunately for them, I have this forum and know what a good deal is on the price



Anyways...I have some questions as I begin the search and purchase process:

Should I consider an extended warranty?
If yes, does it have to be purchased now or can it be added later?
If yes, do I have to buy an extended warranty through mopar or are there third party offerings? Recommendations?

The JLU Willys has LED headlamps and foglamps. Can the LED taillights and fender markers be added later at a resonable price, or is it better to just by the safety package for $995 that includes them?

I dont think I want to worry about the Alpine system as its not super common to see in the Willys trim on the lots. I'm assuming I could upgrade the speakers about as easy as any other car, right?

Will E-Torque be more of a problem when the jeep isnt a daily driver? I worry about what I'm reading about battery failure. This will not be mine or my wifes primary driver, so it very well could sit for a few days to even a few weeks depending on the time of year.



Thanks for all who take the time to answer my questions. I appreciate the input from those of you with more experience than I with Jeep Wranglers. Once I start ironing out details with the dealership, I may ask for an extended test drive on a wrangler. It sure is hard to make a decision with only a little bit of time in one and I suffer from over-analysis paralysis.

Thoughts:

• "My family and I," usually makes the 4 door a better purchase. Smart move. Of course it depends upon the use for the vehicle, but as a potential daily driver, 4 doors for a family is the sensible choice.
• From your OP you do not appear to be a time sensitive buyer. In other words, this Wrangler isn't replacing a required vehicle on its last legs. Accordingly, I can't suggest strongly enough that you not only do a factory order, so you don't have to possibly do without features on some dealer's inventory that you want, but pay for features you don't want.
  
  On the "Order, Pricing, Production and Tracking" section of this website I suspect that you're bound to find dealers who will offer you a percentage off of invoice for placing a factory order with them. I did mine in 2018 with Koons in Vienna, VA for 5% off invoice. I know they're not close to you but they've sold and transported (or had customers fly in to drive home) rigs where the discount was so steep it was worth it.
  
  Dealers get incentive pricing for moving lots of inventory that deep discounting like this causes in lots of sales. They split some of the discount with the customer in these programs. Everyone wins.
  
• You sound like you're not an ESS fine. There are numerous techniques for preventing it from engaging, some less expensive but resulting in dashboard idiot lights being displayed, some seamless but starting above $100 (e.g. Smartstopstart.com, Tazer JL from Zauotomotive.com). The latter is more expensive but offers more features.
• Extended warranties are "financially" not worth it. Let me clarify that. Warranties are (suppose to be) profit making products. Accordingly, actuaries figure out the likelihood of covered things failing, and what it would cost the insurer to repair, and charge you more.
  
  Nevertheless peace of mind is hard to calculate and varies among owners. Those with little $ cushion may want the warranty. The savvy investor though knows that you self insure everything but catastrophic events and things mandated by law because its cheaper--but you have to have the $ cushion to handle repairs if "poop happens."

 

[Mikeyut3]

I don’t know. Does your Jeep have the BSM markers in the side mirrors? If they do, you should be able to see a little triangle on the upper outer corner of the mirror.

If not, I doubt the tail light housings have the sensors inside.

This is a bad photo, but you can see the BSM marker on the upper left of the mirror

yep that was my view. I just thought that you knew of something i didnt and that perhaps hidden inside my LED housing was the device...I got excited for a sec!

 

[JeePM]

Purchase Update 1:

Day one was a bust. Local dealer located a Jeep with specs I wanted, which I'm pretty sure I know where it is, becuase I've already searched myself, but they wanted to be sly and crop off the VIN info from the bottom of the window sticker when they sent it to me. Anyway.... The best they could do was right around 6% off of MSRP. I can order one with the dual top group which this one didnt have, and still come in under what they offered this one for.

I guess (even though frustrated) lucky for me, I'm not in a hurry and I dont need one. I wont overpay by thousands just to have one. I honestly dont know how the dealership model of yesteryear is still surviving.

 

[Notorious]

I honestly dont know how the dealership model of yesteryear is still surviving.

The service dept is sweet buttery money for the dealership.

 

[JeePM]

The service dept is sweet buttery money for the dealership.

Oh I know.

They tried to tell me the dealers offering 12% off are playing games and those deals seem fishy.

 

[gsmith1247]

On the extended warranty....get it yourself online after you get home. I bought a 2020 Rubicon and got sold a $3,200 extended warranty (7 years or 70,000 miles with a $200 deductible.) Got home and surfed around chyrserwarantydirect.com and got a Mopar maximum care, 7 years or 75,000 miles, with only $100 deductible for $1,100. I promptly cancelled the warranty from the dealer and bough the online Mopar. Don't be a victim.

 

[JeePM]

On the extended warranty....get it yourself online after you get home. I bought a 2020 Rubicon and got sold a $3,200 extended warranty (7 years or 70,000 miles with a $200 deductible.) Got home and surfed around chyrserwarantydirect.com and got a Mopar maximum care, 7 years or 75,000 miles, with only $100 deductible for $1,100. I promptly cancelled the warranty from the dealer and bough the online Mopar. Don't be a victim.

good to know. Thank you

Sponsored