This Comes As No Surprise

[CT_LFC]

I wonder how much price increase has to do with the Union settlement on wages and benefits?

direct labor is a manufacturer’s second biggest expense behind direct material, so there is definitely an impact.

If you were paying for quality labor you could at least try to rationalize it, but when it’s crap it hurts you both financially and in quality.

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[CT_LFC]

Someone mentioned the Land Cruiser. Seen a couple around and they look really cool, but they START at $56K. Ridiculous.

 

[Tokenwasp]

ZERO reason for the 392 to be as expensive as it is. Your could buy a Wrangler, and a Charger with the 392 engine for the same prices as a Wrangler 392 - makes no sense.

Biggest problem with the Wrangler is that they don't offer enough variety in engines, colors, interior options.

Engines: Still stuck on the Pentastar as the workhorse of the line, taking away the diesel, V8 with extremely high price. Solution: Offer the 6.2 or 5.7 liter Hemi as an option at a decent price.

Colors: Stop doing so many mid-year changes; bring back popular colors (why is there no yellow in the current lineup?), and don't have options where the color can't be put on a hardtop.

Options: Stop wasting time pushing packages like the High Tide and allow more interior customization. Why force anyone who wants a Rubicon to have red trim and that UGLY red dash?

Bottom line, they need to listen to customers, and they haven't been.

 

[BXFXJeep]

Anyone seriously think the gas guzzling niche Wrangler should be in the top 20 best selling vehicles, even outselling cars like a cheap economical Civic?

Seem when money is a little tight people come back to their senses.

 

[Stuckinthesand]

OK...

So Jeep sales are down, Mustang sales are up.

How about some figures on Bronco sales, since that would be relevant?

Bronco sales are down more. This is from July so a little lagging but not much.

https://www.autoblog.com/article/2023-auto-sales-and-2024-preview-ford-bronco-vs-jeep-wrangler/

 

[gato]

Call me crazy but this does make me wonder...if maybe next year or the year after will be a great year for Jeep enthusiasts.

Jeep seems to be suffering horribly right now and the high prices combined with some of the constant issues make it not unreasonable but really impossible for some to get a Wrangler now a days.

Seems like Jeep will be forced to make some adjustments that might benefit the consumer, whether it's making more packages standard, keeping price increases at a minimum, or offering better paint options or packages again.

That only works if we (the consumers force them into it). Sadly, Jeep can count on many of the people here are at large buying anything, regardless of value or quality, if they simply put out a new color or sticker like "Beach" on the hood.

I'm part of a Jeep club. I know how to install lift kits on Wranglers. All my tools and spares are for Jeeps. I wheel with other Jeeps. So I'm what you called a "captive customer". It's like women trapped in abusive relationships - takes a lot of effort to break free. So there is a non-zero chance that we just keep buying Jeeps no matter what.

That is what they count on.

 

[vtx531]

I think they ran out of people who are willing to pay $4500 extra for an automatic transmission or $1200 for a tow hitch

 

[Mocopo]

Seem when money is a little tight people come back to their senses.

I think this is most accurate. Especially when we just saw the article recently floating around that shows the majority of JL owners are older, and upper middle class. They are buying 3rd vehicles as toys. Now is not the time to buy a toy.

Also, , I think we're seeing more comfortable vehicles on the market now, like the new LC, 4runner, Ranger Raptor, ZR2, etc. I think people want to be able to "off-road" while not giving up any on-road manners or comforts. I also think the COVID boom of outdoor enthusiasm is finally dying down as well. Plus Stellantis running the company worse than a bunch of 3 year-olds. A bunch of things all added together to make a Wrangler less appealing.

 

[aldo98229]

I think Jeep and the Wrangler deserve all the market punishment they get. They simply took us (the customers) all for granted. They stopped innovating and simply jacked up prices, while customer service became abysmal - I have corrosion on my hood and no dealer wants to do anything about, after Jeep Cares sent me around to 3 different ones to waste my time

The Bronco is available with 37s and a Dana 50 rear axle from the factory. The Bronco let's you spec 35s and front/rear lockers on any model. Toyota/Lexus have launched not one, not two, not three, but FOUR brand new body on frame with SRA SUVs in the past year - Sequoya, GX550, Land Cruiser, 4Runner.

I want to get a new Wrangler in 2025 or 2026 the latest. But unless it comes with 37s and Dana50s, I don't see any benefit vs my 2021 JLUR. And unless I can order it with a simple, modern gasoline engine 2.0T or 3.0T, I'm not interested. The craziness of always disappearing powertrain options and the massive push of 4Xe (that is all that is available on dealers without a special order in my and 13 other states) it infuriating.

I hope it get's bad enough that Jeep realizes they need to give us more features and a better price to earn our business.

Sadly, I don't see the current management having any clue how to fix things. Executives show no ability for honest self-reflection.

All they plan to do is keep introducing more on-road "Jeeps" to try to grow volume, and that is that.

 

[Willys41]

I saw for the first time in a long time a TV advertisement for Jeep Wrangler with a gas engine.
For the past 2 or 3 years all you would see advertisements for the 4XE.
Maybe they finely figured out that not all of use want a 4XE.

 

[JINO]

I have the ecodiesel. Will probably be my last jeep.

I think for my next vehicle, I'm going to find an old carcass of a jeep (xj) and just mod that, and drive a decent daily with a V8 (if they'll even make those anymore).

 

[wrang_stang]

Its because the vast majority of people buying Wranglers are buying them for the same reasons that most people buy Mustangs.

Can confirm the overlap is very large.

 

[west tex]

Bronco sales are down more. This is from July so a little lagging but not much.

https://www.autoblog.com/article/2023-auto-sales-and-2024-preview-ford-bronco-vs-jeep-wrangler/

Thanks for posting that. More of an apples - apples comparison which the original article whiffed badly.

 

[Willys41]

I think that the down turn on car sales is mostly the economy that we are in right now.
I was at my boat in Discovery Bay on labor day and was shock to see NO buddy around.
Not even boats on the water. Usually there are boat coming and going. The restraint is packed with boater. Theirs fast boats, ski boats and yachts. Put nothing was happening.
I have had a boat at the marina sense 1987 and have never seen it like this on any holiday.

 

[Ratbert]

Someone mentioned the Land Cruiser. Seen a couple around and they look really cool, but they START at $56K. Ridiculous.

That's significantly down from what previous model years were starting at. The LC200 GX started at $76k while the LC300 GR-S started at $146k.

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