Should I build a Wrangler or hold out for the right used JL? Should I even BUY a Wrangler?

[Blue Ridge]

Haha, pretty sure I'll be ordering a Jeep JL, Kluk. At the moment just on the fence about a Gladiator or get an open trailer and pull it with a Wrangler for hunting and moving dirt and such. I plan on going to a dealership this weekend and seeing some in person and maybe test driving. I just feel like a jerk asking someone to test drive their vehicles knowing there's little chance they'll match Travis' pricing (5% off plus %1 for FCA plus 1% if finance through them).
Seeing them in person would go a long was seeing as the same colors look different in photos and even Jeep's website. Perhaps I'm picky from years of being a house painter but these don't even look like the same color to me.

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[Oldbear]

Get a hard copy of your best deal, drive theirs. If you like it tell’em youll buy IF they can price match. Don’t be afraid to walk if they say no. My son saved 7.5k over what his local dealer would do on the exact same vehicle (color, options, etc). He had to drive 250 miles to get it, but for those $$ it was well worth it.

 

[wibornz]

I’d buy new. Wranglers hold their value to the point that makes little sense to buy used.

Also, the engine, transmission and 4WD system on these Jeeps are solid. What are so-so are the electricals/electronics. It’s hard to tell how the electronics age on a used vehicle. For that reason alone, I would want to have a full warranty on it.

Your challenge is going to be finding a JL for $36,000...new or used.

I agree with this, I was going to buy used, but the difference when I was shopping between a five year old JK Rubicon Unlimited with 60,000 miles and no warranty vs a brand new custom ordered JL Rubicon Unlimited was abut 5 to 6 grand when buying at 6% under Invoice. It was a no brainer to order a new one,

 

[wibornz]

OP I read your initial post but didn’t read all the replies. You want “reliable” dont get a JL. Most have been far from reliable. Second sounds like you are frugal and wise with your money, if you are going to buy a JL then get one used. Let some other guy take the quick drive off the lot depreciation.

This is simply not true. On any forum, you will have a 1000 complaints because people like to bitch and complain. The others millions that never have a problem are not on the forum as they have no reason to be.

Two types of people here, Jeep enthusiasts and ones that like to bitch. Jeeps all along have been very reliable. You can go out wheeling and see Jeeps with 200,000+ miles on them still wheeling that are 20+ years old. All the time..........

I have wheeled the piss out of my JL with very little problems. Are there some know issues. Yes, does every JL have the know issues, No. Has FCA and Jeep tied to address the know issues, yes, something they are better at it than others.

 

[wibornz]

When buying a Jeep, I was going to order the manual transmission. After driving one, it was a hard no for me. The manual gear ratios are pretty close and with in ten miles, I had shifted it about fifty times. It felt like all I was doing was shifting that dam thing. It went from fun to being a chore very quickly.

I have owned many manual vehicle over my life.

I would suggest that if you plan to keep the Jeep for a long time like you did your truck, buy the extra options that make ownership better. Things like a proximity keyless entry, they are low cost and over the life of the vehicle, it cost pennies to add.

The 8 speed auto is one of the best Transmission I have had in a vehicle. Drive one. If you like to manually shift, you can do that also. Plus with the auto, you can get the auto start, along with the heated seats and heated steering wheel.

As far as paying cash. I bought my autos primarily with cash over the years. Yet with financing so low these days it makes no sense anymore. With zero percent or under three percent financing, why would you not finance it. It is like free money. I would not pull money out of my investments that have earned as high as 34% in a year, or on the low years earned 7%. It is like throwing 4 to 30% of your money away. If you have the cash, let it continue to earn the additional percentage points, and send in the payment. If you get worried about it, you can always pull the cash and pay it off.

This is my thread about my JLUR that I wheel all over the country and my experience with it.
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...-trail-damage-and-general-observations.61015/

 

[HeavyUser]

This is simply not true. On any forum, you will have a 1000 complaints because people like to bitch and complain. The others millions that never have a problem are not on the forum as they have no reason to be.

So the 115 pages of issues on this forum are people bitching and complaining, interesting view point you have. Have you thought about the other "millions" that do have problems but don't sign up on a forum like you or me?

You've had very little issues with your JL and that is great but there are many people who do not share the same experience as you.

Before I bought my JLR I signed up to this forum. The Issues section scared the piss out of me as I have never been apart of a car forum that had such a large amount of issues in such a short time period. People like you brushed it off as if it was nothing. Lo and behold I have had my engine apart multiple times, transmission dropped twice, leaking oil issues and about a half dozen other gremlins all under 10thousand miles on a customer ordered 45thousand dollar vehicle. Never again will I buy a new Jeep, I will always buy used and build it up myself.

Oh and I find your comment about FCA addressing known issues hilarious. They are now detuning engines paired with manual transmissions as a fix for over heating pressure plates!

 

[Quasimodo]

I currently live in the Fort Bragg area, which is considerably warmer than Asheville, and I would say that the Cold Weather Package has been amazing day-in/day-out. I use the heated seats/steering wheel and remote start most cold mornings.

My advice for you would be to get what you want from the dealer. If that means, the cold weather package and steel bumpers, then get them. It takes much more effort to get them after the fact. In my experience, life tends to get in the way and thus mods get pushed down the road.

I don't like the looks of a non-heavily modified Gladiator, but to each their own. I will still wave at you if you get one. The JL won't steer you wrong, and neither will a Tacoma. Best of luck on your purchase!

 

[Blue Ridge]

The Willys Sport Gladiator is about as high up in trim level as I could go and keep it around 40K. And there are few options available at time of purchase. But upgrading to a Willys with some creature comforts pushes it close to 50K, and still has plastic bumpers which annoys me on a vehicle that expensive.
Travis has a 4 door '18 Sport with just under 35,000 miles that's priced right, and I could afford to put steel bumpers and wheels on (I can link if allowed). Though I'm guessing the warranty is about up and it does have the open clutch recall.

 

[wibornz]

So the 115 pages of issues on this forum are people bitching and complaining, interesting view point you have. Have you thought about the other "millions" that do have problems but don't sign up on a forum like you or me?

You've had very little issues with your JL and that is great but there are many people who do not share the same experience as you.

Before I bought my JLR I signed up to this forum. The Issues section scared the piss out of me as I have never been apart of a car forum that had such a large amount of issues in such a short time period. People like you brushed it off as if it was nothing. Lo and behold I have had my engine apart multiple times, transmission dropped twice, leaking oil issues and about a half dozen other gremlins all under 10thousand miles on a customer ordered 45thousand dollar vehicle. Never again will I buy a new Jeep, I will always buy used and build it up myself.

Oh and I find your comment about FCA addressing known issues hilarious. They are now detuning engines paired with manual transmissions as a fix for over heating pressure plates!

You can go to any forum for any vehicle and find horror stories. If you believed everything you read on the net, you would never leave your house let alone drive a car across the country. For every Jeep that has a problem, there are thousand that are not having problems. This forum just makes you more aware of problem. Like the sensor going wrong in the Rubicon Dana 44 rear end. It happens a lot. Has Jeep fixed the root of the problem, fuck no they have not. If you buy a Rubicon, you have to know that Jeep may put two, three, or four axles under you Jeep. Yet there are many Jeeps that never experienced the problem. These thing happen. That still does not meany that there are not millions of wranglers running around that never have a problem. The forums just highlight to problems. That still does not mean every Jeep will have those problems. It does help you be an informed buyer though so you know what the potential problems are.

Mind you I do not think Jeep/FCA is great company. They are like the others, it is a business and everything is down with the thought of keeping cost down. In general, I would say fuck 90% of the manufactures in general. Yet, if you want a vehicle that you can drive across the country and wheel some of the most difficult trails, well welcome to Jeep, You can own a Jeep and be pissed off or do as I say, "Its the cost of wheeling" and move on and address the weakness of your Jeep as they pop up. Because I know they are never going to build a 98 to 2002 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) again.

At the end of the day we are not different in our view, other than I have a different attitude when dealing with it.

 

[gschones]

I jest bought my 4th new wrangler. I have had 2 JKU's and 2 JLU's. I was always the guy who bought used until my 2012 Jku. I learned that the resale is so good on them that a 1 year old used jeep was not much less than a new one. I never order because I tend to get a better deal negotiation with one at the dealer. The new 80th anniversary I bought stickered for 48000. I got them to 43500. I paid 34000 (after negotiations) for my 2018 jlu and got 30000 on a trade in. All said and done my new 80th anniversary jlu was 14000.00 financed for 3 years. I have bought a little nicer JLU / JKU every time I have traded. every time i traded. I love to haggle and can usually save 5000.00.

 

[Goin2drt]

This is simply not true. On any forum, you will have a 1000 complaints because people like to bitch and complain. The others millions that never have a problem are not on the forum as they have no reason to be.

Two types of people here, Jeep enthusiasts and ones that like to bitch. Jeeps all along have been very reliable. You can go out wheeling and see Jeeps with 200,000+ miles on them still wheeling that are 20+ years old. All the time..........

I have wheeled the piss out of my JL with very little problems. Are there some know issues. Yes, does every JL have the know issues, No. Has FCA and Jeep tied to address the know issues, yes, something they are better at it than others.

Certainly entitled to your opinion but so am I and to say what I said as "not true", well that is just rude and arrogant and wrong, plenty of issues to justify my opinion. Glad you have had a great experience. Oh and your comment about FCA handling these issues is just not true. Lawsuits after arbitration after lawsuits for only the steering issue (I am sure there are other major issues) and not addressing it for several years IS NOT "addressing" the issue. Sure plenty of new cars have issues and have forums where mostly complaints happen, nothing compared to the issues with the JL's and the severity of it. Sure Jeeps have been on the road for 200K, so have Toyotas, what is your point? Bottom line the JL has had a ton of problems and not just little and easy to fix issues. We can also get started on the dealer network and the horror stories of dealer service departments that have been WORTHLESS to many.

My point to the OP is sure seems like he is frugal and money isn't just growing on a tree so with that background, avoid a JL.

So the 115 pages of issues on this forum are people bitching and complaining, interesting view point you have. Have you thought about the other "millions" that do have problems but don't sign up on a forum like you or me?

You've had very little issues with your JL and that is great but there are many people who do not share the same experience as you.

Before I bought my JLR I signed up to this forum. The Issues section scared the piss out of me as I have never been apart of a car forum that had such a large amount of issues in such a short time period. People like you brushed it off as if it was nothing. Lo and behold I have had my engine apart multiple times, transmission dropped twice, leaking oil issues and about a half dozen other gremlins all under 10thousand miles on a customer ordered 45thousand dollar vehicle. Never again will I buy a new Jeep, I will always buy used and build it up myself.

Oh and I find your comment about FCA addressing known issues hilarious. They are now detuning engines paired with manual transmissions as a fix for over heating pressure plates!

Exactly

 

[GRXKen]

My credit is good but I plan to pay cash in full.

Don't do it. Finance it at 0% for 36 months and leave the money in the bank for a rainy day. Drive it for 3 years on their money

 

[GRXKen]

1st time Wrangler owner here. We bought a Sarge Green Sport S on 7/3/2020. Within a week the check engine light came on and we were in and out of service for 4 months. Finally they tracked it to a bad valve and seat, was loosing compression but the VVT made up for the power loss. We went on trips and off roading like that.

It was an impulse purchase, I had been looking for used Wranglers for a couple years and it was always the same story. A good condition 100,000 vehicle is 12-15K. Ours was nicely optioned with cold weather group, LEDs and premium sound, hard top. We bought another set of wheels to boot and added into the financing. I bought a soft top separately through the parts department.

Well the Wrangler was out of commision long enough where I filed for lemon law and after going through the options one by one they did a full buy back wheels and all.

I still have the Jeep, checks on the way and ten I turn it in. So I just went to the dealer 2/13 and now have a Sarge Green Rubicon ordered that is loaded, steel bumpers, full time 4WD, 8.4" screen, trailer tow, cold weather group, LEDs, off road camera etc... FCA took care of us and this one cost about what the first one did.

Wish me luck!

Point is if you want all the cool new features you have to take a chance, there may be some bumps in the road but you get over them

 

[wibornz]

Certainly entitled to your opinion but so am I and to say what I said as "not true", well that is just rude and arrogant and wrong, plenty of issues to justify my opinion. Glad you have had a great experience. Oh and your comment about FCA handling these issues is just not true. Lawsuits after arbitration after lawsuits for only the steering issue (I am sure there are other major issues) and not addressing it for several years IS NOT "addressing" the issue. Sure plenty of new cars have issues and have forums where mostly complaints happen, nothing compared to the issues with the JL's and the severity of it. Sure Jeeps have been on the road for 200K, so have Toyotas, what is your point? Bottom line the JL has had a ton of problems and not just little and easy to fix issues. We can also get started on the dealer network and the horror stories of dealer service departments that have been WORTHLESS to many.

My point to the OP is sure seems like he is frugal and money isn't just growing on a tree so with that background, avoid a JL.

Exactly

The problem with your statement is it is just not true. You write like it is an absolute. Where as it is not hard to find people with JLs that have not had any problems. When I say it is not true, that is because specifically, mine has been reliable. I am not the only one. You write in half truths. That is your fault not mine. It make zero difference if you agree with me or not. The fact that you claim JLs are not reliable and make zero distinctions between ones that have been very reliable and ones that have problems are your issues. Your claim is a blanket claim and at the end of the day, your hurt feelings don not make what you wrote true. I am not being rude or arrogant. Sorry you can't take any criticism.

Lawsuits, are any manufacturers not being sued? Are there any manufactures that are not having problems or recalls? For every Toyota you see on the trail, there are hundreds or maybe even thousands of Jeeps on the trail with 200,000+ miles. Are Toyotas good vehicles, yes duh. Yet they are far and few between actually out on the trail. Sure when I did the Rubicon trail, I saw a hand full of Toyotas, and a ton of Jeeps. When in Moab, I saw some Toyotas, and a couple Nissans, and a ton of Jeeps. By and large, you just don't see the same amount of Toyota on the trail. Maybe your observations are differ from mine, maybe they don't. They are just my observation. I am sure others have different observations and that is okay. I will not get all butt hurt over it.

Your statements about dealership, and service department is not brand specific like you represent it. But then, I guess half truths stated as truths are okay with you.

Knowing that this is the internet, and arguing over the internet is just stupid, so this is the last time that I will address this issue with you. I can agree to not agree with you and hopefully you can find it within yourself to agree to not agree with me. Then the whole world can be okay again with one less argument on the internet.

 

[HeavyUser]

Don't do it. Finance it at 0% for 36 months and leave the money in the bank for a rainy day. Drive it for 3 years on their money

And that people .... is how you manage money properly

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