Seemingly Obsessed with Wranglers - But Have Never Owned One... Help!!

[FrostySerb]

Wranglers are awesome ... my wife and I love them.
One recommendation I have is however much you would budget to buy a jeep ... start budgeting an extra $250 a month for jeep parts now and see if it’s sustainable lol

I know don’t too many folks who are able to buy a wrangler and do nothing too it

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[blnewt]

I’m on my 3rd Wrangler. All different generations. This gen is the most live able one yet. Until recently I was using it for a 27 mile one way commute and found it quite enjoyable, even with a 2 door. I have another position now only 12 miles from home.

The seat is very comfortable. Visibility is great. Ride, handling and noise are going to be your big differences. Not to mention the practicality and invisibility of an Accord. You may have a hard time adjusting to actually being noticed. Your sensibility may have a hard time justifying driving a 4 wheel drive box as a primary vehicle.

A used JK will only give you a rough idea of how it is to live with a Jeep as a JL is significantly different in many ways.

Rent one from an actual agency for a week and drive it as often as you can, that will give you a better idea.

Good reply,
We have a 09 Infinity G37 and the Jeep is much more comfortable on long drives. My wife & I tend to stop quite often on long drives just to stretch and stay comfortable, the Jeep lets us drive as long as we have gas without needing to stop and limber-up

I installed some DIY foam headliners (about 3x as thick as the ones sold) and have found that really quiets the noise overhead so it's a more civilized ride.

And FWIW, if you're going w/ the Automatic transmission, the current 8AT is much better than the 5AT in the JK. In fact it's one of the HUGE standouts w/ the JL IMO, a perfect match to the V6 or the Turbo.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

Agreed, the 8 speed auto is light years ahead of the JKs 5 speed which was/is a good unit. The current 8 speed is the best light duty auto transmission I have driven.

 

[Slumpbuster]

New or used, make it a JL. So many improvements for the JL's, not worth buying a JK in my opinion.

 

[desmo2]

I had your same Jeep lust back in '96 when the new TJ was announced. I special ordered my '97, and it took 6 months to come in. But, dang, I loved my Jeep.
<--- That little guy over there.
After 14 years, I traded it for a Tacoma in '11...
...and missed it ever since. Don't get me wrong, I also loved my Tacoma. But, that Jeep lust just would not go away.
So, here I am, headed to the dealership tomorrow to place an order for a '21 Rubicon 2door.

And I am just as excited about it as I was in '96.

 

[multicam]

For the love of God, don’t get a JK. Worst jeep of them all (IN MY OPINION of course- before the JK guys get their panties all in a wad). And of course by “jeep” I mean real jeep (CJ or Wrangler). I’d rather have a JK any day over the jeep-branded SUVs like the liberty, compass, cherokee, etc.

I agree with everyone who says to rent one, that’s a great idea. Oh and don’t listen to anyone who tells you that you HAVE to budget money for mods, and that you’ll be broke immediately upon buying it, etc etc. Screw that, SJFL (stock jeeps for lyffffe!)!!! Seriously though they’re extremely capable in stock form and mods are absolutely not necessary.

 

[Oncorhynchus]

Definitely an outdoors person. Pre-kids, used to spend all free time hiking, camping, mountain biking, skiing/snowboarding, etc. Now that kids are getting older (7 & 10) and can keep up with some of those activities, I hope to spend more time with them again.

If you have all wheel drive on the Odyssey it can be a great hike/bike/camp/ski vehicle. My JLU would feel cramped with the camp or ski stuff my family (wife + two teenagers) hauls around. Roof cargo box would be necessary. The Jeep was plenty spacious for a weeklong trip into Yosemite, staying in a motel and hauling around day hike stuff, fishing gear plus minimal camp kitchen for cooking meals at day use areas.

Was the Accord purchased new? Would you consider selling it? Accord is probably the best driving vehicle among the mid-market family sedans but a used Nissan Leaf or Civic would be an economical and reliable commuter. Use some of the money from the sale of the Accord towards a newer or new Jeep.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

This is a Jeep site, so stop all of the practicality talk. It has no place here!

 

[sf5211]

I bought my first Jeep at 52 years old. It’s so much fun I wish I’d bought one decades ago. There is one negative I have to mention. Don’t think your fuel costs are gonna be anywhere near that Honda you’re driving.

 

[Warped]

I need help. Over the last ~ 2 years+, I've spent so much time on this forum and looking at Wranglers online, I'm beginning realize that there might be something wrong with me. Particularly since I don't own one and have never owned one.

About 2 years ago, I was looking to replace our 11 year old Acura with a new vehicle. At the time, the JLU/JLUR was in my top 3, but I had just started a new job with a long-ish commute (~ 29 miles each way) and settled in on a Honda Accord 2.0 Touring. It's been a great, problem-free commuter car but I remain obsessed with reading this forum and looking at buying wranglers online.

I've even toyed with the idea of testing the jeep waters sort to speak by purchasing a used JK, as a third vehicle to see how a jeep would fit our family before pulling the trigger on a new JL (which I think I'd be ultimately happier with).

Perhaps I just like torturing myself by continuing to look without doing anything more. Anyone else spend a bunch of time looking before ever buying a wrangler?

In 1985, I almost bought a brand new CJ7. Been kicking myself for not getting it ever since. I off-roaded several Nissan trucks after. I had wanted a Wrangler and looked at the JK forum for years, but my wife at the time disapproved and I wasn't sure about liking it for my long commutes, so I bought other vehicles. Having a 53 mile, one way commute I have to agree that my Accord Touring was the best commuter car. I bought it back when they came with a V6, before they switched to the new style with only a 2.0 T motor. When my wife passed away last year, it was hard to drive her Mustang GT as it just felt like hers. So I traded it in on the Wrangler and kept my truck. I split the commuting miles between the Jeep and the F-150 that had replaced the Accord.

 

[blnewt]

@chris87114
This will seal the deal I think~
Hey kids, lets get in the Accord and go on a trip.
Hey kids, get in the Jeep and go on an adventure!

At that age your kids will love that Jeep even more than you will

 

[DaltonGang]

Funny you should mention that, I have reserved a 2017 Rubicon through Turo for a weekend trip to the mountains starting this Thursday. Unfortunately, the weather is predicted to be stormy on Thursday with severe weather possible, including large hail so I'm wondering if I should cancel that rental. It will be my first time using Turo and I really don't want to deal with hail damage on someone else's car.

If you are contemplating buying a New Wrangler, dont rent a 2017 JK. The 2018+ JL Wranglers are night and day different. Rent a JL.

 

[daveprice7]

Life's short. If it won't bankrupt you, go for it! You're on the forums, I'm sure you've seen the response to road ragers: "I'd be pissed off too if had to drive a Honda/Toyota/Subaru, etc". It's true - everything is better in a Jeep.

I've always wanted one, since before I was able to drive, 3+ decades ago. But for some reason I never ended up with one until about a year ago. Now I'm just kicking myself... Honestly though, I probably could have got a sweet deal on a CJ7 back in the early 90s, and odds are I'd still have it. I still lust after those old CJs.

Edit: Oh, and a bone stock JL sport soft top with road tires, I was getting 25-29mpg... So if you don't mod it out, and maybe have another set of wheels for off-road trips, you can be pretty good for commuting... I'll bet that gets a little better with e-torque, which mine doesn't have.

After adding a winch, bumper, 1.75" lift and mud tires, I'm holding steady at 21mpg.

 

[CMF150]

I bought my wife a Sahara Unlimited this past fall, it is our first Jeep and I'm highly envious that she gets to drive it everyday. I'm currently devising ways to convince the wife that we NEED another one.

 

[Cleoncini]

There is always something about Wranglers. Had an 07JKUS, I loved it when I got it, built it up and enjoyed... however, that thing was a piece. I sold it for an SRT GC and swore I would never have a Wrangler again. Fast forward a few vehicles and I just kept staring at the JL and how good it looked. Took it for a test drive, and realized they fixed everything I hated about my JK. The Wrangler always has this inexplicable appeal. In no way do they accelerate well, brake well, or even handle well, but damnit do they have a place in my soul.

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