Some interesting news from the local Jeep dealer

[Rubi SoHo]

The CJDR dealer here where I live just opened a standalone Jeep lot with showroom etc about 2 miles up the road from their prior location. CDR are staying down at the old facility, jeep has a new “hipster” showroom with re-claimed barnwood, exposed brick, etched glass with off-roading scenes, and piles of gravel to park rigs on (a-la Land Rover). It’s a nice looking showroom. It’s also conspicuously close to the Ford dealer that’s been getting some Broncos, they have two for demo, and usually 2-3 on the lot awaiting pickup; while the jeep lot across the street usually has at least one JL rubicon for sale and 10-15 gladiator rubicon and Mojave trucks at all times.

I’ll bet they’re getting plenty of frustrated bronco-curious customers walking across to look at the jeeps.

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[Mikecoffman911]

Jeep is HUGELY profitable, second only to Porsche I'd bet. I mean good for them both though right... I just bought a $81K Wrangler... that stings a bit but what a great little truck/suv.

Ditto the $81k, but love it. Got exactly what I wanted and I am not disappointed in the least. I stayed away from the jeeps until now simply due to the fact that we have dirt bikes and RZRs for the desert and saw no reason for it. Now we are getting a little long of tooth and the comforts the Jeep offers are fantastic. I do get the comments from the rock crawlers that my XR is a “mall crawler”, but that is from people who know absolutely nothing about me. Water off a ducks butt. We look forward to cruising the desert, Moab and every other trail we can find and want to do - just with a little more comfort than the KTM or Polaris.

 

[Hpc3]

Ditto the $81k, but love it. Got exactly what I wanted and I am not disappointed in the least. I stayed away from the jeeps until now simply due to the fact that we have dirt bikes and RZRs for the desert and saw no reason for it. Now we are getting a little long of tooth and the comforts the Jeep offers are fantastic. I do get the comments from the rock crawlers that my XR is a “mall crawler”, but that is from people who know absolutely nothing about me. Water off a ducks butt. We look forward to cruising the desert, Moab and every other trail we can find and want to do - just with a little more comfort than the KTM or Polaris.

I have a 2dr JK Backcountry/Sahara as well and love the jeeps for what they are. The 392 though is a total surprise for me on how polished it is. It's almost a Trailhawk in driver feel when you have the loud button off and drive like an adult lol.

 

[aldo98229]

Stellanis needs to re-certify or sell new dealer franchises for the Jeep-only approach to work. Last thing you want to have in your network is some 50+ yr old family franchise that grew up selling cars based on bad loans/leases and milking customers at every turn. Maybe they should all sell direct and lease showrooms to local business owners.

They need to do more than re-certify dealers; they need to find and sign up completely new dealers with a proven track record for superior customer service. This is how Lexus did it 35 years ago.

Honda, by contrast, gave Acura franchises to existing Honda dealers. Fast forward 40 years, the Acura dealer experience is still mediocre.

But the entire process of awarding dealer franchises is rigged to the core. This is why although it would be more difficult, it would go a longer way to FIX the experience with existing CDJR dealers.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

In my part of the country, Lexus dealers are almost always part of network of luxury dealers that already existed prior to that brand entering the market.

 

[Hpc3]

They need to do more than re-certify dealers; they need to find and sign up completely new dealers with a proven track record for superior customer service. This is how Lexus did it 35 years ago.

Honda, by contrast, gave Acura franchises to existing Honda dealers. Fast forward 40 years, the Acura dealer experience is still mediocre.

But the entire process of awarding dealer franchises is rigged to the core. This is why although it would be more difficult, it would go a longer way to FIX the experience with existing CDJR dealers.

110% in agrement.

 

[Glovetown]

The prices on Wranglers just keeps increasing for essentially the same vehicle year after year. The ‘22 Sahara Altitude we have on order is about $11k more than our ‘16 Unlimited Backcountry was (which is essentially the Sahara Altitude).

In fact, the ‘16 has a couple more options that our ‘22 doesn’t have: steel bumper group & locking differentials with 3.73 gears. The ‘22 has the LED lighting group.
So $2k/year price increases for a less-optioned model. Even adjusted for inflation the ‘22 is $6k more than the ‘16 with less options.

Back in 2010 , my factory order sport s
2 door Was 22k out the door with dual tops.
My 21 came in at 55k lol. This is the only ride I’ve never lost money on.
100k for a vehicle is around the corner for sure.

 

[Heimkehr]

If the preliminary specs for the 2024 EV challenger are at all accurate, it will make the hellcats seem slow. The idea that dodge can’t survive without the hemi is laughable. 900hp, instant torque from a dig, 0-60 ~2seconds, and a 500 mile range?

Aside from sound, it will do everything better than any factory hemi ever could.

That last bit could stoke an interesting conversation, or even a market research project. At what point in time, or some other metric(s), will the sheer performance of e-muscle cars compel the traditional buyer to disregard engine/exhaust sound as a material part of his decision process?

Perhaps the new traditional buyer, so to speak, won't be distracted by such concerns. As his predecessors attrit out, he'll concurrently come of age in a time when the battery technology, etc. compels ICEs to disengage from yet another market segment.

Given how many comments on here say they "need" bloated $$$ options on their Jeep, no one should be surprised Jeep's entering Defender territory price wise. The market is clearly there for Jeep to keep raising prices.

The overuse of the word "need" in that context concerns me, also. It's too easy to envision Stellantis exploiting the expectations of just one segment of a larger Wrangler buying market, and giving that vehicle pretensions beyond its historic mission brief. There are hints of that now, when it's possible to break the $80K barrier with a Wrangler order that doesn't have the V8.

That's exactly what happened with the Corvette. It's easy to forget that it was for many years a working man's sports car, one that was much more attainable for a young man than it is today, or has been for some while.

The Wrangler has been a cash cow for decades in spite or even because of its relative simplicity. We've already thrown a bone to the "Need" community with leather-lined cupholders and heated door handles. That's quite enough.

These new guys building all EV aren't going to have any of the old baggage dragging down the legacy car companies, like employee pensions, keeping people interested in old technology gas engines, failing dealerships, etc...

...the new guys like Arrival are starting with a clean slate and legacy companies with all their baggage may have a hard time competing with that.

Maybe, or maybe not. The legacy companies have the advantage of institutional experience, infrastructure, consumer goodwill and perhaps most importantly, capital. Size having disadvantages as well as advantages, however, the big guys don't have the degree of agility that the new upstarts presumably have. That's what the latter will have to leverage to the extent possible, if they want to become and remain a going concern. I do wish them luck.

 

[four low]

Want V8 sound on an EV ? Easy, computer simulated, meshed with vehicle speed. From Warp Drive to Lawn Mower, there will be a sound for everyone

 

[Heimkehr]

Want V8 sound on an EV ? Easy, computer simulated, meshed with vehicle speed. From Warp Drive to Lawn Mower, there will be a sound for everyone

Yep. This accessory, for example, has been around for years now.

 

[Mikecoffman911]

I have a 2dr JK Backcountry/Sahara as well and love the jeeps for what they are. The 392 though is a total surprise for me on how polished it is. It's almost a Trailhawk in driver feel when you have the loud button off and drive like an adult lol.

BTW, mine is not a V8. V8's in So. Cal are over $100K. Smallest markup I have seen over sticker is $15K.

 

[five9dak]

I worked at a Jeep only store in the early 00s. Didn't think it was that uncommon. Our local Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler dealership might as well be Jeep only based on their inventory and Jeep sales volume.

 

[wandrur]

My local did this a few years ago. Same dealer and property but distinct Jeep building, service, showroom, etc.

 

[John VonJeep]

Saw my first Grand Wagoneer on the road yesterday. It’s not very distinctive in person, and looks under-tired. I was actually really disappointed. Can’t imagine paying $110k for that.

 

[Uncommon Sense]

They will have to compete with Lincoln, Cadillac and Lexus with the full size Wagoneer models. I can tell you right now, having a Navigator in the garage, that current CDJRF dealers can in no way compete with the sales and service you get a a luxury brand dealer. Spend $80-110,000 or more and buyers in that category are buying the treatment they get and the care their vehicles get at those dealers.

I don’t care much, but my wife saw a Grand Wagoneer commercial the other day and said “those look tough, how much are they”. I told here they cost at least as much as her Navigator and go well over $100k. I asked her if she would buy it at the dealer where I bought my Jeep for that price and she said “No way”. CDJRF dealers around here are probably not as nice as many used dealers, especially the big chains, and are among the worst and worn out looking new car dealers out there. To me that means low overhead. To others it just repels them before they park to look around.

This. I have a 392 on order. Currently driving a Grand Cherokee High Altitude. When I bought the JGC, I was cross shopping X5s, Rover, etc. While I love my Grand Cherokee, the dealer experience has been a huge downgrade that is unacceptable for higher end buyers they are hoping to attract.

My wife drives a Lexus IS. She gets loaners without asking. The dealer experience is just next level. She loves it. Me on the other hand, best I can do is get some clapped out 10 year old Liberty from Hertz if dealer needs to keep car for a few days.

Jeep can stand on it's own and the dealer experience does nothing for the brand. Jeep is probably trying to position itself as an alternative to Land Rover. It has the brand equity and products are close if they can just get the dealer experience to match.

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