Set my expectations: Downsides to Jeep ownership

[C.Sco]

Low reliability.

Bad service and support.

Big markup.

Loud on highway.

Have to clean the windshield every 3rd mile in the summer from dead bugs.

#1 and #2 can apply to most vehicles. Sometimes they need little repair, sometimes they need a ton, sometimes your dealer takes good care of you, and sometimes your dealer just sucks ass. That's not really unique to Jeep.

#3 also really applies to other cars, especially right now. Check out your local Kia dealership and you'll see asking prices $6k over sticker. For a freakin' Kia. I actually bought my 2023 Rubicon for $6k under sticker. Granted, it was still a huge pill to swallow ($62k for a jeep wrangler, what?!?) but honestly there aren't really any good deals to be had with any manufacturer right now.

#4 and #5 shouldn't really come as a surprise anyone, it's a Jeep not an Audi.

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[john adams]

#1 and #2 can apply to most vehicles. Sometimes they need little repair, sometimes they need a ton, sometimes your dealer takes good care of you, and sometimes your dealer just sucks ass. That's not really unique to Jeep.

#3 also really applies to other cars, especially right now. Check out your local Kia dealership and you'll see asking prices $6k over sticker. For a freakin' Kia. I actually bought my 2023 Rubicon for $6k under sticker. Granted, it was still a huge pill to swallow ($62k for a jeep wrangler, what?!?) but honestly there aren't really any good deals to be had with any manufacturer right now.

#4 and #5 shouldn't really come as a surprise anyone, it's a Jeep not an Audi.

Jeeps and especially Wranglers are super unreliable with an awful service network to support them. We all know it. And they are one of the most marked up vehicles out there, not just at the moment, as has been documented.

 

[aldo98229]

Low reliability.

Bad service and support.

Big markup.

Loud on highway.

Have to clean the windshield every 3rd mile in the summer from dead bugs.

Still loving mine as long as 1 and 2 don't plunge too far.

My two pesos:

Low reliability. - Jeep reliability can be inconsistent. You can genuinely have a trouble-free ownership experience, but chances are real you can get a lemon.

Bad service and support. - Yes, most Jeep dealers suck! And the number of good dealers out there keeps shrinking. Aftermarket support, on the other hand, is the best in the industry.

Big markup. - Wrangler has been a high-margin vehicle for decades. Whether we pay a markup, though, is up to each person. Dealers wouldn’t be charging markups if buyers weren’t willing to pay them. Personally, I refuse to pay above MSRP; never have. There are dealers out there happy to give you a juicy discount if you are willing to drive and wait. I drove 1,000 miles to get my JL; got if for 22% off MSRP! I’d do it again.

Loud on highway. - We have a lot of control over this. I recently swapped the 35x12.5 General ATXs on my JL with a set of 35x11 Nokian Outpost ATs. My Jeep now cruises quietly. We can make freeway noise much worse by mounting 17x9 wheels that poke out 1+ inches, and mount aggressive MTs on them.

Have to clean the windshield every 3rd mile in the summer from dead bugs. - Yup.

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