RANT - Over Jeep, their Dealers and FIAT

[rodend]

actually, out of curiosity, what parts?

PCM board, then a sensor....but they are finding that wiring harnesses weren't all connected completely.. which was causing intermittent error (errored in the morning when it was cold, more or less went away in the afternoon when it was warm)....

Electrical/wiring issues worry me, because you're never sure if they are really fixed..

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[YippieKiYayMrFalcon]

The CarFax didn't show recurring dealer visits?

OK, now you made me dig it out...

It's funny, it was initially delivered to the dealer that I had it towed to today on 4/24/18 from FCA. Then was sold to Newnan, where the original owner bought it. I assume it was just a transfer so she could buy it there instead of traveling. A month later at 945 miles, the ECM or PCM or both were reprogrammed (maybe a red flag?). 7K, tire rotation and sound system checked. 7,500 miles, speaker replaced. I am going to assume radio cutting in and out issues here. I've experienced a little of this, but not nearly as bad as other Jeeps, maybe once a week. Nothing I originally didn't chalk up to Sirius signal cutting in and out until i read all of the radio issues here on the forum.

The only other thing was a broken window replaced at 8k. I did see that and assumed something random happened. Thieves usually take the easy way and cut the soft top, or just open it. It does say door glass, but maybe it's wrong and means windshield?

The rest is just the intake when she traded it in, and pre sale inspections before selling to me.

 

[YippieKiYayMrFalcon]

I've been working with Scott. So far, so good. I live up in Alpharetta though, so it's a haul for me to go down there.. However, they had what I was looking for at the time.... I was planning to wait for a 2021....

Planning on contacting Ray...hoping he can do something

He's the skinny guy that always has an LSU hat on I think. Dude loves to talk. Doesn't really give any answers though.

 

[aro]

This is what scares me about stories like this. (Not really in the sense that it keeps me awake at night, I know that statistically they are extremely rare)

Wrangler is by far my favorite vehicle. I love them, it's my daily and I don't want anything else. I'm afraid that in a situation like this one I would get so pissed off with FCA that I would buy a 4Runner and not look back. I don't want a 4Runner. I like them, a lot, but I don't want one. I wouldn't want to give up my JLU because of FCA, but it would be possible.

I think @aldo98229 did that, got a Tacoma out of frustration with FCA. I got a Tacoma too after my JK, out of some mild frustration with it. Aldo came back eventually and so did I, but you never know with FCA. I'll just relax and keep my fingers crossed that my baby will stay healthy.

 

[YippieKiYayMrFalcon]

This is what scares me about stories like this. (Not really in the sense that it keeps me awake at night, I know that statistically they are extremely rare)

Wrangler is by far my favorite vehicle. I love them, it's my daily and I don't want anything else. I'm afraid that in a situation like this one I would get so pissed off with FCA that I would buy a 4Runner and not look back. I don't want a 4Runner. I like them, a lot, but I don't want one. I wouldn't want to give up my JLU because of FCA, but it would be possible.

I think @aldo98229 did that, got a Tacoma out of frustration with FCA. I got a Tacoma too after my JK, out of some mild frustration with it. Aldo came back eventually and so did I, but you never know with FCA. I'll just relax and keep my fingers crossed that my baby will stay healthy.

I’m trying to convince my girlfriend to get a 4 runner so I can just not have the yota temptation and keep my problematic Jeep habit too.

 

[aro]

I’m trying to convince my girlfriend to get a 4 runner so I can just not have the yota temptation and keep my problematic Jeep habit too.

Every time my wife and I drive by a Jeep dealer, I tell her "look, your Jeep is waiting for you". Of course, what I mean is that I would like another Jeep, 2 door this time. Or maybe a Gladiator... LOL

Maybe I should tell her "your 4Runner is waiting for you"...

Last year, after my JK, I was weighing Tacoma vs 4R. On a whim, I went with Tacoma. Expensive whim... After one year, I realized that Tacoma wasn't for me, for several reasons. If I had gone with the 4R from the beginning, I'm 100% sure I would have kept it and I wouldn't have bought my Jeep.

In a convoluted way, I'm happy I made the mistake of choosing the Tacoma, since it eventually led me back to Jeep.

 

[YippieKiYayMrFalcon]

Every time my wife and I drive by a Jeep dealer, I tell her "look, your Jeep is waiting for you". Of course, what I mean is that I would like another Jeep, 2 door this time. Or maybe a Gladiator... LOL

Maybe I should tell her "your 4Runner is waiting for you"...

Last year, after my JK, I was weighing Tacoma vs 4R. On a whim, I went with Tacoma. Expensive whim... After one year, I realized that Tacoma wasn't for me, for several reasons. If I had gone with the 4R from the beginning, I'm 100% sure I would have kept it and I wouldn't have bought my Jeep.

In a convoluted way, I'm happy I made the mistake of choosing the Tacoma, since it eventually led me back to Jeep.

lol well I was pushing for her to get a 2 door so I could move to a gladiator, but over the last 7 weeks, she has strongly argued against us both having Jeep vehicles thanks to my current situation. I can’t blame her.

 

[aro]

lol well I was pushing for her to get a 2 door so I could move to a gladiator, but over the last 7 weeks, she has strongly argued against us both having Jeep vehicles thanks to my current situation. I can’t blame her.

You can still have 2 Jeeps. Look at the bright side, the odds of both breaking down at the same time are minimal. /s

 

[Fsttanks]

It was the customer care team that I spoke with after messaging Jeep Cares here on the forum. Every time I called in, the automated messages said Fiat, so I’m not sure what the difference is.

also, it unfortunately looks like used vehicles, even those still covered under factory warranty, are not covered by lemon laws here in GA.

Sadly now you know why it was on the used car lot. The first owner most likely had issues with it and got out of it ASAP.

 

[GearWhore]

Your story sounds so familiar to some of the frustrations I faced with my 2018 WK2. Tried most of the dealers in Salt Lake and Utah valleys. Thought I finally found a good one but when my wife got home from the 30k included oil chang the Jeep left a pool of used oil on the floor. Tech had left a total mess of the engine bay. Months waiting for replacement Uconnect unit at several dealers...

Though the best was getting a call from a collections agency because Ken Garff West Valley repeatedly lost my financing paperwork and wasn't able to tell me who my lender was - for months!

 

[Fsttanks]

OK, now you made me dig it out...

It's funny, it was initially delivered to the dealer that I had it towed to today on 4/24/18 from FCA. Then was sold to Newnan, where the original owner bought it. I assume it was just a transfer so she could buy it there instead of traveling. A month later at 945 miles, the ECM or PCM or both were reprogrammed (maybe a red flag?). 7K, tire rotation and sound system checked. 7,500 miles, speaker replaced. I am going to assume radio cutting in and out issues here. I've experienced a little of this, but not nearly as bad as other Jeeps, maybe once a week. Nothing I originally didn't chalk up to Sirius signal cutting in and out until i read all of the radio issues here on the forum.

The only other thing was a broken window replaced at 8k. I did see that and assumed something random happened. Thieves usually take the easy way and cut the soft top, or just open it. It does say door glass, but maybe it's wrong and means windshield?

The rest is just the intake when she traded it in, and pre sale inspections before selling to me.

Not everything is reported to car fax. I take those reports with “a grain of salt”.

Oh and don’t forget to slam the dealerships on the CS questionnaire you will be receiving. It is the best way to ensure they feel your pain.

 

[LooselyHeldPlans]

Over the next 2 weeks, I received no to very little updates about any progress or what was being done. I had a case with @JeepCares opened from day 1. I honestly don't know what their purpose is. They can't seem to make dealers do anything. Maybe they can expedite parts, but that's it.

@JeepCares either can't expedite parts or showed no interest in stepping in and helping when my dealership can't get me a new steering box for ATLEAST 3.25 months after they confirmed I needed one.

From my research, I can't blame the dealership. They can/will only do what the parts availability and financial incentives allow them to do. Apparently Jeep Corp is doesn't really give them the financial incentive to provide decent service.

My 5th jeep and I paid more for this one then all the others combined. Most likely will be my last as well.

 

[LooselyHeldPlans]

He's the skinny guy that always has an LSU hat on I think. Dude loves to talk. Doesn't really give any answers though.

Geaux Tigers

 

[aldo98229]

Every time my wife and I drive by a Jeep dealer, I tell her "look, your Jeep is waiting for you". Of course, what I mean is that I would like another Jeep, 2 door this time. Or maybe a Gladiator... LOL

Maybe I should tell her "your 4Runner is waiting for you"...

Last year, after my JK, I was weighing Tacoma vs 4R. On a whim, I went with Tacoma. Expensive whim... After one year, I realized that Tacoma wasn't for me, for several reasons. If I had gone with the 4R from the beginning, I'm 100% sure I would have kept it and I wouldn't have bought my Jeep.

In a convoluted way, I'm happy I made the mistake of choosing the Tacoma, since it eventually led me back to Jeep.

Sounds a bit like my experience.

After the only Jeep dealer we have in town really pissed me off with the warranty on my 2018 JKUR Recon, I drove across the street and dumped that m*therf*cker on the Toyota dealership for a brand-new 2019 Tacoma TRD Off-Road.

The Tacoma felt well built, was fairly capable off-road and rode nice on road. But the automatic transmission on that thing was terrible. Particularly driving on the 2-lane roads we have around here: when you need to pass, you need the transmission to downshift now, not later and certainly not tomorrow.

I sold that Tacoma after 6 months and got a JL. At least the Toyota dealership experience was a lot more competent and professional than Jeep‘s.

I refused to set foot at my local Jeep dealer while shopping for a JL. I flew 1,000 miles to Utah to pick up my new Jeep and drove it home.

My local Jeep dealer is still on probation as far as I’m concerned.

 

[Oncorhynchus]

COVID pushed my dealer out of business. So I can’t go there for service anyway. And they were 40 miles away so unlikely that I would have even if they were still in business.

As a very happy owner of a Toyota Highlander (competent, reliable, sufficiently powered, high quality interior) I was certain I was going to buy a 4Runner TRD in either Off Road or Pro trim after being stopped at a big washout along a dirt road that I had traversed for years in 2 WD pickup and AWD vehicles.

Went for a few test drives and found the 4Runner feels like a lumbering giant in terms of handling even though it is not a really big car like a full sized pickup truck or Suburban/Tahoe class vehicle. Felt like a hippo wearing high heels whereas at least a Suburban feels like an elephant wearing tennis shoes.

So I looked at some used FJ Cruisers but the selection was limited and their prices were unjustifiably high.

Decided to test drive some Jeeps and found I was smiling as I was driving. There is something very toy-like about the Wrangler. It feels like a leisure craft. Like owning a boat or a motorcycle. Not something you have to have but something you find yourself really wanting to have. It completely surprised me.

Eventually found a good deal on a Sahara that was priced about $10k less than comparably equipped 4Runner and yet still included in that price was about $8k in aftermarket parts already in place from the dealer. Would I have considered buying aftermarket parts for the Toyota? Probably not. I found no joy in the 4Runner and therefore would not have considered dropping additional coin to spruce it up. Yes the 4Runner absolutely has better reliability and safety than the Wrangler but I already own a Highlander that provides that already.

If our family could only have one vehicle then I’d choose the Highlander. But for a second vehicle that also is my daily driver and my outdoor adventure vehicle, I find the Wrangler is head and shoulders above the 4Runner.

Your mileage may vary and I might eventually find the cost/time of upkeep to be too much, but for now it’s been a lot of fun being a Wrangler owner.

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