Trying to decide, gladiator back to a wrangler.

[Da Capt]

Hey all, it's been I'm 3 years owning this Gladiator which I absolutely love. My wife has a 2020 Wrangler and I do get jealous when we take that out.
The Gladiator is essentially paid for and I'm looking around at wranglers again. I found a recon in the right color and every option, plus some on it. Now, I'm trying to decide if I want to go back to a wrangler or keep my trouble free gladi.

Over the yearI've e always had a jeep or a truck or both. I don't have The same needs for a truck as I once had. And I have a good 5 by 10 trailer. It's mostly at a convenience that I use the truck bed. Picking up small stuff, I don't tow anything major anymore, at least nothing the Wrangler couldn't handle.


Has anyone on the forum gone from a Wrangler to a Gladiator and back? It's not like I'm a heavy off roader, i do beach fish. I picked up a soft cap for the truck and that is what kinda ot me thinking about going back.

Its mostly for commuting and I just like jeeps.

I feel yr pain. Almost same situation. Had many wranglers went to a Honda Ridgeline lol I know I know. But I miss the Wrangler a lot. I’m Getting another Wrangler. But I can guarantee once u get rid of the truck u will need it, but then u have the trailer so go for it!

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[norville]

Funny you should say that, I had a ridgline and a 2 door jk that I traded in for the gladiator.

 

[aldo98229]

I like Gladiator, but I cannot get rid of my Wrangler for one.

Not exactly apples to apples, but I went from a 2018 JKUR to a 2019 Tacoma TRD Off-Road, back to a Wrangler, this time a 2018 JL Sahara.

Besides the shortcomings of the Tacoma (terrible automatic transmission and seating position), things that I missed about owning a Wrangler:

1. A tighter turning radius. Getting in-and-out of parking stalls is a breeze with the Wrangler; it involved at least a 3-point turn with a much longer midsize pickup. Less common but not less important is turning around on a tight trail
2. I much prefer the ride on the Wrangler. Yes, pickups are more stable at freeway speeds, but the rear also tends to bounce up and down over railroad crossing and other road undulations. I test drove a Gladiator Rubicon awhile back, and it had that same sensation
3. I prefer to convenience and security of an enclosed cargo area. I ran into situations when I went grocery shopping with people in the back seat of my pickup, and had to place my shopping in the open cargo bed. When you consider how much it rains here, this situation loses its fun very quickly. Yes, you can add a conopy, but that sort of defeats the point of having an open bed IMO. Besides, I view owning a Wrangler like owning a short pickup that already comes with a factory canopy with windows and a rear wiper.

 

[Badunit]

If you never use the bed or tow with it then giving up the Gladiator for a Wrangler makes some sense. The extra interior storage space ("lockable" storage if a hard top) would be handy and it is shorter and easier to maneuver. Me, though, I often use the Gladiator bed to get gas for lawnmowers, dirt bikes, and ATVs and to take garbage to the dump as well as picking up lumber, fertilizer, mulch, etc. I would not want that stuff inside of a Wrangler and wouldn't want to drag around a utility trailer all the time. Having outside cargo space with me all the time is highly convenient and I have a roll-up tonneau cover so the bed is weather-tight(ish) storage when I need that.

 

[hoch]

You’ve already got a JL in the garage. Getting another is akin to those cheesy couple’s shirts. Or that family picture with white T’s and jeans.

? Kidding. But also serious.

 

[Da Capt]

Funny you should say that, I had a ridgline and a 2 door jk that I traded in for the gladiator.

Even funnier I was playing with the idea of trading the RL for a gladiator. I wanted a gladiator but with the crazy prices the dealer were asking it wasn’t an option at the time. if I got the same options in a gladiator that I have in my RL it would have been over 60 grand. Fast foward 5 months I’m ordering a 2 door wrangler.
***** Did u regret trading in the RL for the gladiator??

 

[norville]

Hmmm, ride comfort, daily driving, and reliability. Hands down the RL wins. I had a first generation and zero issues. But, it's not a jeep and I'm a jeeper at heart. I've even converted my wife from a sensible honda pilot owner to a JLU. So better yes, more enjoyable, not so much .

 

[Heimkehr]

I often use the Gladiator bed to get gas for lawnmowers, dirt bikes, and ATVs...
I would not want that stuff inside of a Wrangler

It's not so bad. Granted, these are genuine NATO fuel containers, which have nonpareil sealing when compared to, for example, the ChiCom cans sold at Harbor Freight.

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