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Thinkin’ ‘bout a Renegade

Sgt Beavis

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CALM DOWN! I’m just lookin’ for a grocery getter.

Well a grocery getter that I’ll be modding for a little fun here and there...

So my wife and I went down to one vehicle (the monsterized Rubicon) and after a month of that we can’t make it work. So my wife convinced me we should buy a grocery getter. I can’t just get honda civic. I’ve gotta have a wee bit o fun with it. So I was lookin’ around and discovered you can get a 2” lift on a Renegade for a fairly reasonable price. At that point you can put up to 30” tires on it.

So my thinkin’ is to put a Teraflex 2” lift on it with 30“ MTs. I may do a few other things here or there. Maybe put a roof rack that can hold our RTT. Then we could park the Renegade at a campsite and go wheelin in the Rubicon. I’ve also read that the newer 1.3l turbo is better and more powerful than the tigershark 4 banger it replaced in the Trailhawk.

What do y’all think? Obviously this won’t be a serious off roader. My biggest concern is that wonderful italian reliability. If I don’t go with a Renegade, I think I’d probably buy a Kia Souless. Another factor I‘m thinking about here is that Trailhawk Renegades can have as much as $5K off sticker.
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jludave

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Thinking about one for my daughter, and she's still got 4 years before she can get her learner's permit. :)
 

mnjeeper

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Screw that. Get a hellcat minivan!
 

iamstillvince

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honestly really liked my renegade but the 9sp auto is worst transmission i have ever had
i still miss it at times, i don't really have anywhere around me to go off road so it did me fine but i always wanted a wrangler.

20210131_165223-COLLAGE.jpg
 
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Sgt Beavis

Sgt Beavis

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honestly really liked my renegade but the 9sp auto is worst transmission i have ever had
i still miss it at times, i don't really have anywhere around me to go off road so it did me fine but i always wanted a wrangler.

Jeep Wrangler JL Thinkin’ ‘bout a Renegade 20210131_165223-COLLAGE

What year was your Renegade? I heard about earlier years having tranny issues but I hadn’t heard of anything with 2020 or later.
 

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iamstillvince

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2016 Trailhawk, i put a 100,000km on before i traded. i was on a lot of forums when i had it and i don't know if it really improved on 9spd. software got better but never fixed it. slow shifts, would bang really hard if you slowed up around 30 and then gave gas again, would gear down enough on slight incline so would be underpowered etc.
maybe the 20,21 got better. or maybe even work's better with that 1.3. mine had the 2.4
That being said, i loved a lot about it also.
 

Jeep4Win

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I’m not a huge Ford fan but my wife got an Edge two years ago and it’s pretty sweet. We test drove many Jeep brand stuff and the only one I personally liked was the Cherokee Trailhawk. She likes Ford and won but it’s a straight daily driver and grocery getter.

B10D659F-7087-4070-97CE-186C6C47BAE9.jpeg
 
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Some Random Guy

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I think I’ve seen one out here at Walker Valley. Granted, he drove it like he had 3 more in his garage. Kind of the rental attitude of it can go anywhere if you just don’t care.
Maybe a used taTa? I had a new one behind me in an ad hoc group 2 weeks ago and it did fine. I’ve just heard they’re hard to find new right now. Having a pickup with a short box might get annoying at times too outside the trail.
 

Goin2drt

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You will love it. A guy in our Jeep club has one as his DD and then has a JL as well. He does more trail driving with his Renegade and likes it a lot. He goes out with the group and with his lift and bigger tires does all the stuff we do in the JLs no problem. That said we do pretty moderate stuff.
 

Windshieldfarmer

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If you’re just looking for a grocery getter the Chevy Bolt EV could be a good choice...lots of range, deep discounts(29,000 after discounts), 259 mile range, cheap to drive, and peppy. I don’t think the Renegade is much of an off road worthy vehicle...it’s an econobox....just not nearly as efficient as a Bolt. Just an idea.... Charging is not an issue unless you’re using it for long distance travel.

I drive a Tesla model 3 for my daily driver...that thing is faster than a Camaro SS, roomy like an Accord, and cheaper to drive than a Prius. Most of our distance travel involves going to the mountains...so we drive the Rubicon.
 

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AMC_CJ

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you can cut the pedals off a moped, but it doesn't make it a motorcycle...
 
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Sgt Beavis

Sgt Beavis

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If you’re just looking for a grocery getter the Chevy Bolt EV could be a good choice...lots of range, deep discounts(29,000 after discounts), 259 mile range, cheap to drive, and peppy. I don’t think the Renegade is much of an off road worthy vehicle...it’s an econobox....just not nearly as efficient as a Bolt. Just an idea.... Charging is not an issue unless you’re using it for long distance travel.

I drive a Tesla model 3 for my daily driver...that thing is faster than a Camaro SS, roomy like an Accord, and cheaper to drive than a Prius. Most of our distance travel involves going to the mountains...so we drive the Rubicon.
The Renegade is actually quite competent. I’ve seen several on the trails. I was amazed at the three Trailhawks that went up Illinois Gulch with me. Keep in mind that trail was VERY muddy that day and they still did it like it was nothing.

On the EVs. Just not feelin’ the Bolt. I think I’d get tired of that quick. the Model 3 is kick ass but pricey at this point. I’d probably get a Ford Mach E at that point. Those still get the $7500 federal tax credit and Colorado throws another $2500 on top of that. That would let me grab one in the lower $30K range.
 

Volstock

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Loved mine. I had the 1.4T with the 6 speed manual. Great for a daily driver for over 3 years. Used it for long road trips too, Nashville to New Orleans the day we picked it up. Then Nashville to Minnesota the following year. Traded it in on the Wrangler a couple months ago.
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MikeinDelaware

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I had one before my JL. no complaints with it, no issues with it. i had a 2016 dawn of justice edition, granite silver with the removable tops. i added a pedal commander and it was lots of fun, i just always wanted a wrangler, so after like 2 years with the renegade, i traded it in.....
 
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Sgt Beavis

Sgt Beavis

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I test drove a new one today. My first surprise was how well the architected the interior to feel much larger than it is. That windshield makes it seem gargantuan. Of course the back seats have barely any leg room. However it’s more than enough for my 9yo son.

Biggest complaints
1. Drivers legroom is too limited by the dead pedal. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I wish it didn’t have one. I would be able to stretch out my left leg more. Otherwise the seats are comfy.
2. It seems the only way to get the LED lights, on the Trailhawk, is with the luxury package which also adds leather. I really don’t want leather.
3. The Trailhawk also has all the nanny driver aids as standard equipment. Lane departure, blindside warning, etc., etc. I don’t mind the blindside warning but the other things kinda annoy me and they add to the costs.

So I’m thinkin’ it over. I may just go get a 2019 or 2020 but with current discounts a new Renegade is really only a 2-3grand more than many of the two year old used ones.
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