Top 10 things Jeep should have done WITHOUT.

[aldo98229]

Part of the reason we have ESS, aluminum doors with dimples, weak track bars and thin windshields that crack is because FCA needs to keep the weight of the vehicle in check. Consumers increasingly demand safety, automatic dual climate control, remote start, proximity locks, comfortable seats, more interior room, a quieter cabin, a good infotainment system, etc., etc., etc. All of which add weight.

For better or worse, FCA decided to make sacrifices in areas that consumers don’t normally look, like the quality of the steering box, the strength of the track bar, the durability of the battery, the quality of the electrical system, etc., so that we get a nice interior, a smooth automatic transmission, a responsive motor; i.e., the things people pay attention to in the test drive in order to decide whether or not to buy a JL.

There’s one added wrinkle, though: for the amount of money FCA charges for these vehicles, and the amount of profit it gets from each one it sells, it could have erred on the side of using some higher quality suspension, steering and electrical components.

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[sourdough]

A lot of good answers. I'll add fake hood vents. C'mon man !

 

[BadWolf]

We could do without being forced to purchase half doors and soft uppers as a net addition to, and not substitution for, the standard vehicle configuration.

I would have ordered half doors and soft uppers if it had been a substitution, but I wasn't paying what they wanted in addition and then I have a full set of full doors I might use during winter storm.

 

[HungryHound]

So has anyone actually tried putting the windshield down on a JL? My CJs are simple but my TJ is a PITA. I'm assuming the JL is worse, but I dont have mine yet.

 

[Joe98]

The speedomoter.

The digital speedomoter is fabulous! I will never revert to an analogue speedomoter.

 

[Whiskeybiskit]

So has anyone actually tried putting the windshield down on a JL? My CJs are simple but my TJ is a PITA. I'm assuming the JL is worse, but I dont have mine yet.

I have. Pretty simple, remove the windshield wipers, 4 torx bolts on the inside and fold down.

 

[HungryHound]

I have. Pretty simple, remove the windshield wipers, 4 torx bolts on the inside and fold down.

Similar to the TJ, but it also involved wrestling the roll bar around the window trim. CJ is 2 clips and down. I'd bet if the JL was easier,more folks would put it down. It's great when you're off-road in the Summer.

 

[DeadHead]

So has anyone actually tried putting the windshield down on a JL? My CJs are simple but my TJ is a PITA. I'm assuming the JL is worse, but I dont have mine yet.

It's not bad. 2 nuts that hold the wipers on and 4 bolts across the top. The tools you need are included in the kit.
I've dropped mine for sand dunes and beach runs all the time.

 

[Wolfy]

@Headbarcode

Especially, considering that the lift that carries their own name is a bit lacking.

I hope not to derail this thread, but I've been looking for a lift (2.5" max). I have seen contradictory information about the quality of some of the lifts. I was thinking either TerraFlex or Mopar and read good things about both. What's your take?

 

[T_square]

That would not matter. The issue I have with ESS is engine wear at start up. A simple trip to the store used to have two start up cycles. Now with ESS, the same trip has 8. It’s not a half assed implementation, it’s a half assed logic to save a couple of drips of fuel. I get that a couple of drips across the National fleet would account for 1000‘s of gallons. But at the cost of engine longevity... no thank you.

I used to hate the ESS, but recently came to enjoy the mpg benefits. As long as the engine is up to temp (which it has to be for the ESS to activate) there shouldn't be *too* much wear on the startup cycle. An engine startup uses the same amount of gas as idling for 7ish seconds, and really helps my MPG stay in the 15s. I've got 34" tires on the 3.45 sport diffs and haven't seen highway type driving in a long while.

Same story with the FAD. I feel like the system is gonna be much more reliable than on the TJ, mainly because its not a vacuum plunger this time. Also the cage for it gives me a nice spot to lift the passenger size of the axle when I'm pulling off that wheel.

My list of grievances is mostly just the pointless folding windshield, lack of options on the base trims, useless defroster, and the rain gutters that pour right into your lap.

 

[T_square]

@Headbarcode
I hope not to derail this thread, but I've been looking for a lift (2.5" max). I have seen contradictory information about the quality of some of the lifts. I was thinking either TerraFlex or Mopar and read good things about both. What's your take?

Seeing as you've got a sport like me, here's what I did:
I bought a set of takeoff Rubicon shocks and springs for $150, and that netted me an even 2" of lift all around. (I should add that I also bought a pair of longer FL control arms to fix the caster angle). You could toss in a tiny .5" leveling kit to make that last bit without throwing yourself out of the range of your existing components.

 

[SpeedKills]

Folding windshield. It whistles at highway speeds and most Jeep owners will never fold it.
Two-stage clutch. It's horrible.
FAD. I'd pay extra for manual hubs even though they'd actually be cheaper to build.

 

[wibornz]

ESS, and any ability to even think about installing embarrassing mistakes like this

this grill should cause your liability insurance to automatically increase because it is obvious that you make poor decisions.

 

[wibornz]

While several of these are designed to help meet EPA mandates and CAFE standards, I still do not like them...

1, FAD. How about locking hubs?
2, ESS.
3, Thin aluminum doors complete with 'dimples' at the hinges.
4, Paper thin windshields that crack if a large bug hits them.
5, 33" tires...Especially on the 392. Really??
6, Thiner fiberglass hardtops than even the JK's...You could put half a dozen cheerleaders on the
fiberglass roof of my first Blazer...Ask me how I know
7, Folding rear seats on the 2-door that do not have a latch to lock them in the folded position.
8, Motorcycle-sized gas tanks, especially on the 2-door.
9, So-called 'subwoofer' in the center of the rear cargo floor on 2-doors with premium audio.
10, I know it's cool, but at least make the folding windshield an option for those who want it and
are willing to pay for it. I would much rather have a windshield I did not have to fix myself to
eliminate wind noise.

Apparently you can still do #6

Note: not my Jeep, not my girls. not my photo. The things you see on Instagram that are "Jeep" related.

 

[am1978]

1. Losing 90% of audio level when the doors are off if you go into reverse too soon after startup without allowing Uconnect to fully initialize—it needs better exception handling.

2. I could also do with the bug that causes you to lose you rear parking guidelines.

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