What were they thinking?

[blnewt]

You guys are either in denial or your watches need winding...

Seriously, how are you removing yours? It's only a quick pry of that plastic cover, unscrewing that one fastener, and popping the light off the mounts. Three minutes if you have the tools ready, not in denial, I've done it several times.

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[aldo98229]

Was the tiny Jeep toolkit the only set of tools you’ve ever owned or something? I’ve changed my tail lights out 4 times, it never took more than a few minutes. Front turns are the same way.

Firstly, there’s no need to be insulting.

Secondly, you first need to remove that plastic cap on the inside trim panel; then you have to unwind those long ass screws for what seems like forever.

Granted, it isn’t 30 minutes, but it isn’t 60 seconds either. It is more like 10 minutes.

Either way, if you ever replaced a tail light on an older Wrangler, these seem unnecessarily over-engineered.

 

[mwilk012]

Firstly, there’s no need to be insulting.

Secondly, you first need to remove that plastic cap on the inside trim panel; then you have to unwind those long ass screws for what seems like forever.

Granted, it isn’t 30 minutes, but it isn’t 60 seconds either. It is more like 10 minutes.

Either way, if you ever replaced a tail light on an older Wrangler, these seem unnecessarily over-engineered.

I have replaced tail lights on nearly every passenger vehicle that was built in the past 20 years. The JL’s are incredibly simple.

 

[aldo98229]

I have replaced tail lights on nearly every passenger vehicle that was built in the past 20 years. The JL’s are incredibly simple.

Great. You get a star.

 

[Neanderthalman]

White interior on the hard top. ugh.

Tan seats and tan soft top aren't (or weren't) colour matched. Not even close. Newer tans (saddle?) might be better.

Carpets in the cargo area - should just be all rubber and plastic.

Should have had a drain plug and ventilation for the cargo bin - traps moisture.

Easier connectors for door wires. Maybe even something like a magsafe connector.

Make the door connector removable without removing the trim pieces. Like plugging into a wall receptacle.

Door catches. At least we can push the stupid thing in and forget about it.

Steel hinges on aluminum doors. Thanks for the galvanic corrosion.

Auto-Up windows. Come on guys.

Configurable temperature for the heated seat/wheel on start, or at least an "always" option.

Remote start with doors removed. I need to clear morning dew sometimes in late summer. Same reason for the "always" option for the heated seat - dry the seat before I put my ass in it.

Auto start passenger heated seat too.

Enable lockers in 4hi.

Longer strap on the gas cap. Way too short. Give me a hook inside the fuel door too.

Bolt storage in the cargo area for soft top hardware and wiper hardware. They have holes for the windshield bolts but you can't remove those without also removing the wipers and hardware.

Use just one torx size for all of the bolts. Why T-45 and T-50

 

[SirMagnus89]

My pet peeves about my JLURD.
1. To use the mist single wiper function, we have to push up on the right hand stalk. Every other vehicle is push down for mist.
2. The soft top with the windows out looks horrible. I know it’s sturdy, but without the rear corners it looks like a porch awning.
That’s it. I think the engineers nailed everything else on the JL.

Those corners on the old Jeeps would always blow out and flop around in the wind. The Safari top on these is amazing!

 

[MauiSteve]

I don't think it is possible for a vehicle manufacturer to please everyone. That being said, the JL is generally an excellent example of a vehicle morphing with the times, staying relevant while cleverly retaining plenty of what made them popular to begin with.
Harley Davidson makes a much simpler family of vehicles and has not been able to stay as relevant.
We love our JLR and find it to be well executed with few glaring defects. Modernity has a price but it also gives great reward.

 

[Tank the Jeep]

Those corners on the old Jeeps would always blow out and flop around in the wind. The Safari top on these is amazing!

Yeah I remember the corner blowing around on my old TJU / LJ. I loved cruising with the windows out. The JLURD just looks goofy with a (visually) unsupported top.

 

[Heimkehr]

...that is assuming the owner even has gutters, which as you probably know, soft tops don't.

So then there's racks that attach through the hard top. Again, soft top owners are stuck,...

But with all the talk of the 4xe being the go to vehicle of off road adventures, where precise torque can be applied, and then not making the rig capable of holding a decent rack (e.g. Gobi/LOD) is sort of, IMHO, counterproductive...

Rain gutters are evident above the front and rear doors on my soft top JLU. They've nothing to do with rack installation, but they are there.

Exoskeleton cargo racks, like the Gobi brand that you namecheck, are available for soft top owners. At least one of them is designed to fold in a manner sufficient to allow the top to be lowered, too.

 

[Dan M.]

I had read something about this but wasn't sure if having it connected voided our warranty somehow.

What I meant though is for the ability to do this from the factory. If it's ok to switch off after each start up, why not just allow a permanent ESS off setting? There will be no difference in fuel usage/savings at the end of a trip for me since I press that stupid button every time I start my Jeep.

I believe the Gov't doesn't count any fuel savings for ESS in their ratings (and therefore overall fuel economy standards that every manufacturer has to meet) unless the ESS defaults to on when you start the vehicle. I'm just happy there is a easy to find button that shuts it off. Some vehicles don't even have that.

 

[Heimkehr]

...the ESS defaults to on when you start the vehicle. I'm just happy there is a easy to find button that shuts it off. Some vehicles don't even have that.

I remember being surprised by the ESS function during a test drive of a 6 speed JLU. In my defense, my new Wrangler is the first vehicle I've ever owned with that particular encumbrance. Its presence, and operation, didn't yet automatically come to mind when I was test driving new Jeeps.

At the first stoplight on the test drive, the engine stopped. This surprised and annoyed me; I was first in line at the light and I didn't want the salesman (sitting in the pax seat) to think I bodged a gear change....because I didn't.

Not knowing what happened, I might have used an adult word when mentioning that the engine stopped. The salesman immediately twigged what had occurred, and said that the engine would restart when I lifted my foot off of the brake pedal. Which it did.

As I pulled away from the light, smoothly (ahem), I asked if the engine shutoff feature could be turned off. The salesman pointed to the relevant button, which I pressed without delay.

After taking delivery of my new, also-with-ESS JLU, the ESS disable harness was one of the first accessories that I purchased.

 

[Gurk]

I thought the same thing. For overlanders it really screws up carrying anything on the roof as I doubt a gutter mounted rack could support a tent, awning and all the other things that are nice to have. Of course, where are you going to find a charging station in the middle of the Mojave desert.

This is why the whole 4xe premise is iffy to me.
The 4xe is for the New Urban Jeep Buyer, not for Jeepers or Off Roaders.

 

[JimmyR75]

Yeah I understand.

I mean I've been debating going with the rubicon diesel but got so turned off with the interior options that I'm now leaning towards the 4xe. First it was because you get all black with blue accents, then the $7500 credit, then the HOV sticker, etc. But if the rubicon diesel had all black with white then I'd go that route. I know I can go with the tan seats to get the black and white dash, and then go like katzkin black seats but then that's just another $1500 or so for that look.

I test drove a diesel and loved the sound of the engine and how it made me feel driving it. I remember I had some car enthusiast friends who would only drive manual because of how it made them feel "one with the road" and I never understood that, until I drove a diesel and I could understand where they were coming from. But the color combinations on the diesel always made me know deep down I wouldn't enjoy it as much so that's how I'm leaning towards 4xe. Superficial concern but dropping $60k on something you have to be fully committed to it.

You can get the different OEM dash kits aftermarket as well, may be an option for you vs. changing power train choice.

https://www.allmoparparts.com/part-ymm/2018-jeep-wrangler-jl-trim-kit.html

 

[Zandcwhite]

This is why the whole 4xe premise is iffy to me.
The 4xe is for the New Urban Jeep Buyer, not for Jeepers or Off Roaders.

Spoken like someone who's never experienced the instant torque of an electric motor. It's better off idle than any other jeep, including the diesel. I think we are on jeep number 12 in the last 22 years. Having driven everything from an old wagoneer to xj's, zj's, wj's, tj's, jk's and our JLUR through the Rubicon trail, I'd hardly say I'm a new jeeper. The wife daily drives her jl on 37's about 16 miles each way to work. Had the 4xe been out when we bought it, she would literally be down to using a few gallons of fuel a week. Out on the trails there would be an extra ~175 ftlbs of torque available through the rpm range. It doesn't need to be plugged in in order to work. Factor in the extra 2-5 mpg over our current 2.0t and I see nothing but win here both on and off road. The added weight is about the only drawback I see, but is easily overcome by the huge increase in low rpm torque.

 

[Mcwilldo]

This is why the whole 4xe premise is iffy to me.
The 4xe is for the New Urban Jeep Buyer, not for Jeepers or Off Roaders.

I see these kind of posts quite a bit. Is there a “right” reason for owning a Jeep? I am hopefully about to take delivery of my 4th Wrangler, a 4xe Sahara. I have gone from a 2 door CJ I beat the heck out of, to a sport JKU that was ok fun but basic and switched to a JKUR that I did lots of mods to and it rode on the roads like...you know.

Now I am in my “golden years”. I wanted the best ride and most “luxuries” I could get. I like convertibles, so I got a soft top. I have 4 miles of mud roads to pavement (ok, sometimes it is dirt). And our county plows them last, hence opting for the LSD.

Now, name another vehicle that is as capable as the Jeep on my roads, is a convertible, and has some luxury feel to it, that I can make a 20 mile round trip to town without using a drop of gas.

I think I am just a different type of Jeeper. not an urban Jeeper, not an off road Jeeper. Not a poser. Just someone who loves Jeep’s and purchased it because it was the right fit for me.