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

DuRsT

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Well, looks like I'll be the oddball, as usual.

We currently own both the JK and JL, and they are about as different from one another you can possibly get. My JK is a 2015 Sport with a six speed manual, roll up windows, cloth interior, and no bluetooth. It does fortunately have A/C and a decent soft top that is easy to take down and put back up. My wife has a 2021 JLUR that's pretty much fully optioned out, heated seats/steering wheel, NAV, 8-speed auto, the whole bit.

I love them both, and for different reasons. My JK is a bit of a throwback to me, and I have a love for its simplicity and lack of options. It's easy to work on, looks great, parts are cheaper, and is really fun to drive. Once the lift gets installed it should be very capable as it sits and I've enjoyed building this one.

Her JLUR is by comparison luxuriously appointed, very comfortable, and much faster even with stock gearing. The painted hardtop is obviously much more of a pain in the ass to remove, the steering is much less desirable than my JK, and I don't like the fear of all of the electronics potentially shitting the bed on me at some point. All of that being said it is an incredibly capable machine off road, it is literally like hitting the easy button with the lockers/swaybar/auto.

I disagree with the thought that driving a JK is a poor representation of a Jeep. It is possibly a poor representation of YOUR Jeep, but it is and will continue to be a great platform for on and off road, it simply depends on what you're looking for. They all have their problems and JL shouldn't start pointing it's finger at anyone.
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The Last Cowboy

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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.
NEED and JEEP don't work well together. WANT is the key word. If you want one, get yourself a 2 door or a Gladiator. She can drive the family Station Wrangler.
 

Strommen95

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OP, understand most of these comments about the JK are from people who never owned one. The JK and JL are super similar. A JL is an updated JK more than it is a brand new Wrangler model. Test drive a 2007 JK, the first year of JKs and a 2021 JL. Obviously the JL will be more modern and refined, there's no denying that, but the difference between the two is small considering one was released in 2006 and the other 2018. Ride quality is roughly the same, the interior is still loud, rain still pours in from the top when you open a door and gas mileage is relatively poor. The biggest difference is new/updated engines and the 8 speed tranny.

If I were you I would rent or buy a JK. Why? Because if you like the JK, you'll 100% love a JL. Spending time with a used JK will get you to appreciate the JL when the time comes and with the way Wranglers retain value you won't lose any money anyways. While JLs retain value incredibly aswell, brand new always takes the biggest hit if you learn a Wrangler isn't for you. For as many people as there is that love Wranglers, there's more that hate them.
 

blnewt

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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.
2drs accelerate pretty well IMO, and for a live axle w/ all the current steering updates and caster @6 degrees I think they handle very well too (for a high riding box). Now braking, well I agree 100% there, as do I w/ a place in your soul :)
 

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Arterius2

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OP, understand most of these comments about the JK are from people who never owned one. The JK and JL are super similar. A JL is an updated JK more than it is a brand new Wrangler model. Test drive a 2007 JK, the first year of JKs and a 2021 JL. Obviously the JL will be more modern and refined, there's no denying that, but the difference between the two is small considering one was released in 2006 and the other 2018. Ride quality is roughly the same, the interior is still loud, rain still pours in from the top when you open a door and gas mileage is relatively poor. The biggest difference is new/updated engines and the 8 speed tranny.

If I were you I would rent or buy a JK. Why? Because if you like the JK, you'll 100% love a JL. Spending time with a used JK will get you to appreciate the JL when the time comes and with the way Wranglers retain value you won't lose any money anyways. While JLs retain value incredibly aswell, brand new always takes the biggest hit if you learn a Wrangler isn't for you. For as many people as there is that love Wranglers, there's more that hate them.
I'll have to disagree here.
While I've never owned a JK, I've rode and driven in one. They are not super similar. I was not pleased by their ride quality (JK), not to mention the steering is even more vague and death wobble even more probable.

The price of a used 2018 JK and JL is very similar, probably in the difference of few thousands $, I would not recommend buying a JK now. And even less recommending buying a JK "just to get a feel for it", then selling it, then finally buying another JL. That is a lot of wasted money for a "test drive."

Rent sure, buy, no.

And then there is the issue of modifying a JK, you would have to do a lot more third party modifications to install larger tires and reinforcing the tailgate etc. While the JL can handle 33-35" tires in stock form. Just unnecessary headaches.

Not to mention JKs look completely outdated next to a JL. Interior and exterior wise.

Jeep Wrangler JL Seemingly Obsessed with Wranglers - But Have Never Owned One... Help!! F2FA8915-0F1A-4AD2-8C84-ACEBDBD913D3
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jespey

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Took the grandsons, ages 11 and 7, for a ride in our 2 dr. JL with the top down. They absolutely loved every minute of it. I showed them a dad driving his family in a JLU with the top down and doors off , and they thought that was the coolest thing they’d ever seen. Your kids should love the JL.
 

Strommen95

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I'll have to disagree here.
While I've never owned a JK, I've rode and driven in one. They are not super similar. I was not pleased by their ride quality (JK), not to mention the steering is even more vague and death wobble even more probable.
Exactly. You never owned one. No offense but you're giving opinions as facts when you took a test drive or drove your friends Jeep.

There's not a single JK owner around who owns a JL that thinks the JK had vague or looser steering. Death wobble is no different and has to do with poorly installed modifications above anything. The ride quality is literally the same. Drive a JK Sport with the same tires as a JL Sport, drive a Sahara with the same tires, drive a Rubicon with the same tires, they'll ride the same. Obviously the JL will be a bit spunkier and refined but in terms of taking turns or corners, braking, riding over bumps or potholes it's the exact same handling. The frames are almost identical too.

Obviously this is opinion and I can't tell you your opinion is wrong. What I can say with confidence is if Jeep updated the JK with the 8 speed(which, they couldn't due to room hence the JL having a smaller interior despite being a larger vehicle), added the 2.0, added the 8 inch UConnect and changed some control knobs in the interior 99% of people wouldn't notice a difference between the JL and JK. The JL is literally an updated JK. TJ to JK was dramatic change, this was not.

There's about a million cheaper 2012-2015s out there with low mileages that would make for a great toy and he wouldn't lose money. The JL is gonna be here available brand new for at least 6 more years. In my opinion, it's better to jump in feet first, not head first for expensive purchases. While the JK needs a little more work for bigger tires, you're neglecting to mention the JL after 3 years has been prone to many more issues than the JK aswell.
 
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jessedacri

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Not sure if this is an unpopular opinion or not, but I don't think a used JK is going to necessarily convince the family that a Jeep is a good idea or be indicative of what you'll experience with a JL - it's comparatively pretty rough around the edges, doesn't ride as well unless the owner has a bunch of money into the right suspension setup, and the interior is, well, junk. Not to mention the super dated drivetrain if you're going with an automatic, the new 8 speed box with the 3.6 almost feels like a sporty twin clutch transmission with how fast it reacts. The JL is a totally different vehicle and is honestly the best Wrangler jumping off point if you're coming from a regular car or a luxury brand. From a comfort standpoint especially, but also from an "is this thing actually worth the money in 2021" standpoint for a daily driver.

I've ridden in many (on and off trail) and can respect the hell out of a properly set up JK, but I never liked them inside or out enough to own one. 2018 rolled around and the JL changed that and I'll never be without a Wrangler. Just my two cents. If you're looking to build a rock crawler and trail machine, sure, but if the word "family" comes up at all I would go straight to JL.

I don't hold the "buy a crappier thing to make sure you like it" opinion though, different strokes for different folks. I'm of the opinion that you like something, test and buy the thing you like the first time around, not a worse version of it and wish all that effort and money you went through just went towards the nice thing in the first place.
 

CT_LFC

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I'll start by offering my condolences for getting the Accord. I say condolences because they're as fun as a funeral and suggest you keep smelling salts in the cup holder so you can stay awake during the commute.

I think renting a Jeep before buying one to make sure it is what you want is a good idea, but if you want to get a JL then rent a JL and if you want to get a JK then rent the JK. This way you can get a true feeling of what it is you're going to be spending tens of thousands on. However......

Just GET ONE. You will never regret it as they are incredibly fun.

"Hey dad, remember that Accord you had when i was a kid? that was so much fun"....said no grown son/daughter ever
 

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Spank

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There's about a million cheaper 2012-2015s out there with low mileages that would make for a great toy and he wouldn't lose money. The JL is gonna be here available brand new for at least 6 more years. In my opinion, it's better to jump in feet first, not head first for expensive purchases. While the JK needs a little more work for bigger tires, you're neglecting to mention the JL after 3 years has been prone to many more issues than the JK aswell.
I have a love-hate relationship with the JK. I loved wheeling them and they took me to some amazing and beautiful places, but I had to fight with quality control issues more often than not. I owned 3 JKs and all of them had major problems well before 10,000 miles.

The Pentastar had a shaky launch in the Wrangler with the infamous head issue and later had problems with bad oil pressure sensors that require the intake manifold to be removed just to replace. Even after supposedly resolving the casting problems, these were still issues well into the 2014 model year. That being said, I wouldn't even consider a JK older than that.

I agree, though, that the JL steering isn't significantly improved over the JK, but handling sure is. However, that isn't really a consideration if you're looking for a Wrangler to toy around with and learn both 4x4s and wheeling. If on-road performance is more important than off-road, the JL is the more ideal vehicle. If hitting the trails is more your focus, a newer JK will do just fine.
 
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chris87114

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My advice? Don't wait, live the moment, time is money. If it's something you think you will do, do it now while you can. One day sooner is one day longer you get to enjoy it, that's priceless.
I tend to over think things and be too practical at times
 

Arterius2

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I tend to over think things and be too practical at times
Well, here is one for practicality:

Every time you make a bad choice.. every time you had to change your mind, and replace it with something else, you are burning time and money.

I bought a 2.0 JLUS purely because it's practical. I had plans to build it up just enough so I can still daily it, and be able to go anywhere I wanted to go, and not deal with a billion restriction people with bad choices had to face.

"Oh honey, it's snowing I guess we have to stay home today..
"Oh honey, there is a rough section on our trip, guess we have to book somewhere else"
"Oh honey, the rental company is out of 4x4s, guess we have to cancel our plans." blah blah blah.


And it will be the only vehicle I will ever need. I know people who make bad choices and had to buy or switch to several vehicles just to fill their niche.

When you have to sell a car, you are losing money, when you buy a car, you are losing money, this isn't practical.

A lot of friends often ask me if they can hitch a ride in my Jeep because they couldn't get to the places they wanted to go, I always tell them, 'well I guess you bought the wrong car then.' If the tool you bought couldn't do the job you needed them to do.
 
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chris87114

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I'll start by offering my condolences for getting the Accord. I say condolences because they're as fun as a funeral and suggest you keep smelling salts in the cup holder so you can stay awake during the commute.

I think renting a Jeep before buying one to make sure it is what you want is a good idea, but if you want to get a JL then rent a JL and if you want to get a JK then rent the JK. This way you can get a true feeling of what it is you're going to be spending tens of thousands on. However......

Just GET ONE. You will never regret it as they are incredibly fun.

"Hey dad, remember that Accord you had when i was a kid? that was so much fun"....said no grown son/daughter ever
Many points there... first, the accord is a pretty decent car, at least with the 2.0T and adaptive suspension on the touring model. It handles well, get decent mileage if I'm gentle on the throttle and the latest gen is a nice car inside. With that said, your points about the kids remembering (or not - as the case will be) is VERY true. The kids know I want a jeep and remark when we see a wrangler or gladiator.

I've considered JKs because 2015-2017s can be found for mid to upper $20K range which is fairly affordable compared to used JLs where I'd have to add $5k-10K. We try to pay off our cars as soon as possible so an extra $5k-10K of cash is fairly significant.

I rented a JK before a JL because to my wife, the JKs and JLs look fairly similar and she was originally suggesting that I look at JKs because of the price difference. Without understanding the improvements on the JL, they are hard to tell that the JL may be substantially better. I'd like to also rent a JL so that we can compare them and understand (I suspect) that the JL is a much better vehicle to live with unless we add a JK as a 3rd vehicle toy. Not sure I want so much money tied up in depreciating vehicles to buy a JL as a 3rd vehicle, especially because if I buy new, I'm very tempted to get exactly what I want by ordering and the price on that will be ~ $50K+ MSRP.
 
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chris87114

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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.
Our Odyssey is FWD. Toyota Sienna has an AWD option, but I don't believe there's ever been an AWD Odyssey. We only have two kids but have enjoyed the space for us, them, and our dog. Had a Subaru Outback before kids and even then I had a roof top cargo box when we were camping and taking trips. I think a wrangler would be more like that again space wise. It worked ok pre-kids, not so sure now.

Accord was purchased new in 2019. We've typically bought new and held onto cars for 6-11 years each so thinking about changing vehicles now is not usual. Both our vehicles are paid for. Not sure what I'd do with our current vehicles. Both are practical and nice tools for specific purposes, but neither is AWD (something that I miss - even if only for snow conditions in the mountains) and neither is particularly fun or memorable.
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