Set my expectations: Downsides to Jeep ownership

[drpericak]

Diesel in NY is well over $5/gallon

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[jdavis106]

You got to remember though, the Wrangler EcoDiesel has a 18.3 gallon fuel tank. The 3.6L has a 21.5 gallon fuel tank.

Here where I'm at in North Texas, diesel fuel is running around $3.45, regular gas fuel is running about $2.89.

18.3*3.45=63.135
21.5*2.89=62.135

Now obviously that's different depending where you live.

You do some more math, you get 384.3 miles on a tank of diesel, and 365.5 mi on a tank of gasoline. Which actually is pretty dang comparable, considering I'm only spending $1 more for diesel fuel to get an extra 18 mi out of a tank. The biggest difference though is that if I just slow it down to 65 mph, I can pull in 24 mpg easy. I also idle a lot more than I really should. The few times I've stopped idling and driven 65 on a tank, I've averaged 26 mpg (475.8 miles per tank).

Good luck beating that number!!!

How many times are you going to have to get an extra 18 miles for $1 to pay for the extra $6000 the diesel costs over a V6 with a manual? The diesel Wrangler is cool because it's torquey as hell but buying one for the gas mileage does not make much sense considering the additional upfront and maintenance costs.

 

[Heimkehr]

Low tech is one of the major reasons I purchased my Wrangler. You show me another 2019+ model year vehicle where I can get manual windows, manual locks, and a 5" non-navigational touch screen.

For curiosity's sake, I researched that very subject when I was deciding which trim I wanted for my JLU. These are the MY2019/20 vehicles that meet your stated requirements:

Ford F150 (XL trim)
RAM regular cab 1500 Tradesman
Nissan Frontier (S package)
Chevy Spark (LS trim)
Nissan Versa S

 

[roaniecowpony]

I love my Jeep. It gives and gives. It provides me with endless repair and modification tasks... which I need to keep me from having to do my wife's list of tasks.

 

[Tredsdert]

How many times are you going to have to get an extra 18 miles for $1 to pay for the extra $6000 the diesel costs over a V6 with a manual? The diesel Wrangler is cool because it's torquey as hell but buying one for the gas mileage does not make much sense considering the additional upfront and maintenance costs.

Don't forget about the $40 OEM fuel filter, and the $80 OEM oil filter. Actually the maintenance costs are not as bad as people first thought them to be. Without getting into too much detail, I just purchased a fuel filter on Amazon for $18. I bought a second gen EcoDiesel oil filter cover for $22, and a second gen oil filter for $6. The second gen and third gen oil filters are backwards and forwards compatible. All future oil filters will cost me $6 at this point. I can get 10 quarts of full synthetic oil (only need 9qts) for $60. If you're ballsy enough to do an EGR and DEF delete, not only will your oil be cleaner, you'll never have to worry about the cost of DEF fluid ever again. You can also turn your DEF tank into a spare fuel tank. Carry an extra 5 gallons!

I do agree with you to a certain extent. Sure the EcoDiesel was a $6,000 added cost when I bought my Wrangler. But my Willys Sport EcoDiesel still came in at $43,000. By your comparison, a $47,000 base model Rubicon with manual transmission is a terrible purchase.

Wranglers aren't cheap, but at the fuel pump (at least in Texas) EcoDiesels are winning!

 

[Tredsdert]

For curiosity's sake, I researched that very subject when I was deciding which trim I wanted for my JLU. These are the MY2019/20 vehicles that meet your stated requirements:

Ford F150 (XL trim)
RAM regular cab 1500 Tradesman
Nissan Frontier (S package)
Chevy Spark (LS trim)
Nissan Versa S

How many of those are designed from the factory to go off-road?
Jeep Wrangler (All trims)
Ford F150 (XL trim)
RAM regular cab 1500 Tradesman
Nissan Frontier (S package)

Who has a large active off-road community comparable to the Wrangler?
Jeep Wrangler (All trims)
Ford F150 (XL trim)
RAM regular cab 1500 Tradesman

Who has an insane amount of aftermarket parts available?
Jeep Wrangler (All trims)

Nothing in the modern era of vehicles compares to the Wrangler. Ford is trying with the Bronco, but they're aftermarket community still isn't as large. I can't think of too many other vehicles where a company can make all their money off of designing parts for a single model.

Also realistically speaking there is no off-roading community comparable to the Wranglers community at least in the United States. I can literally go anywhere in the USA and find a Jeep group, comprised of off-roaders with Wranglers. I'd say Toyotas are close second, but even then, Wranglers are everywhere. In fact I find the more rural you go the more Wranglers you find in people's driveways.

 

[Heimkehr]

@Tredsdert
I don't know who you're debating, Greg, but it isn't me. I simply provided, in isolation, a short list of those vehicles that still offer manual window and door lock controls. I do agree that the Wrangler community is singular and unique, but that's an entry for a separate ledger.

Here's a Coors Light, on me.

 

[Tredsdert]

@Tredsdert
I don't know who you're debating, Greg, but it isn't me. I simply provided, in isolation, a short list of those vehicles that still offer manual window and door lock controls. I do agree that the Wrangler community is singular and unique, but that's an entry for a separate ledger.

Here's a Coors Light, on me.

I wasn't actually debating anyone in that comment, I was just trying to get across the point that Wranglers are special.

Cheers to you my friend!
More of a Yuengling man myself, but I'll never turn down a free beer!

 

[jdavis106]

Don't forget about the $40 OEM fuel filter, and the $80 OEM oil filter. Actually the maintenance costs are not as bad as people first thought them to be. Without getting into too much detail, I just purchased a fuel filter on Amazon for $18. I bought a second gen EcoDiesel oil filter cover for $16, and a second gen oil filter for $6. The second gen and third gen oil filters are backwards and forwards compatible. All future oil filters will cost me $6 at this point. I can get 10 quarts of full synthetic oil (only need 9qts) for $60. If you're ballsy enough to do an EGR and DEF delete, not only will your oil be cleaner, you'll never have to worry about the cost of DEF fluid ever again. You can also turn your DEF tank into a spare fuel tank. Carry an extra 5 gallons!

I do agree with you to a certain extent. Sure the EcoDiesel was a $6,000 added cost when I bought my Wrangler. But my Willys Sport EcoDiesel still came in at $43,000. By your comparison, a $47,000 base model Rubicon with manual transmission is a terrible purchase.

Wranglers aren't cheap, but at the fuel pump (at least in Texas) EcoDiesels are winning!

Are they though? Even if you ignore maintenance it's going to take a million miles before the EcoDiesel breaks even.

Why would you compare the price of a Willys Sport EcoDiesel to a base model Rubicon? A base model Willys Sport is a direct comparison and would have come in at $37,000.

 

[Tredsdert]

Why would you compare the price of a Willys Sport EcoDiesel to a base model Rubicon? A base model Willys Sport is a direct comparison and would have come in at $37,000.

A base model Willys Sport doesn't get 26 mpg. If you want 26 MPG out of a Wrangler JLU, you should buy an EcoDiesel. The maintenance cost of an EcoDiesel Wrangler isn't proportionately higher than a 3.6L. If spending $6,000 more for an EcoDiesel engine isn't worth it to get an extra 110 mi out of each tank of fuel, then buying a $47,000 Wrangler Rubicon to get 110 less miles out of each tank should be significantly worse than the $6,000 you would spend on the EcoDiesel engine.

It's pretty simple. So roughly every three fill-ups on a Wrangler EcoDiesel, a gas-powered Wrangler will fill-up four times.

 

[Tredsdert]

@jdavis106
Here's another one for you...

Over the life of an engine, let's say 300,000 mi. for mathematical reasons.

A 3.6L Wrangler engine will fill-up around 820 times.
A 3.0 EcoDiesel will fill-up around 630 times.

820-630=190 extra fuel fill-ups a 3.6L Wrangler will do over an EcoDiesel.

We already figure we are about a dollar off for each fill up. At $62 per fill-up in North Texas, a 3.6L Wrangler will spend around $11,780 more than an EcoDiesel to get to the same 300,000 miles.

If you factor in that extra dollar per tank we pay on each of the first 630 fill-ups, a 3.6L Wrangler still will pay $11,150 more. I think that more than covers the initial $6,000 cost of the EcoDiesel.

 

[Tredsdert]

Diesel in NY is well over $5/gallon

 

[Tredsdert]

(Per AAA website)

Closest listed metroplex to where I live...

 

[m.cami]

This post really took a turn. I love the internet.

 

[Tredsdert]

I love my Jeep. It gives and gives. It provides me with endless repair and modification tasks... which I need to keep me from having to do my wife's list of tasks.

You and me both brother, you and me both!

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