Wrangler as a daily driver?

[Headbarcode]

That is a sweet looking Car man.

**looks at avatar**

Oh god, what have I done....

Lucky for you, we just had a seat open up...

Welcome to the community, to you both!

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[viper88]

This is the exact question I have been pondering for months.
I drive a 2001 Honda Civic stick shift hooptie. I bought it new just when I went to flight school and have driven it ever since. I paid it off in 2006 and just kept making those $295 payments into a “new car” savings account since then. Honestly my car could go for another 10 years but I’m bored with it but I need a reliable automobile. I test drove some of the “dream cars” I had on my Trapper keeper as a kid like a 911 Turbo and a Land Rover Defender 90 and they are not as fun as you would think. (Don’t meet your hero’s) so then I thought about my first car a 1977 Toyota FJ40 with more rust than car. And I remember just how fun it was. Top down ambulance doors off. It’s not pretentious like the 911 felt, it is just Jimmy Buffett stuck in the tape deck, flip flop, country roads fun. But an old FJ 40 won’t work at a normal daily driver so I am looking at either the 3.6 Pentastar auto or 392 JLUR. As another post mentioned gas is not a major issue as I drive 35 round trip 3 times a week. The 3.6 Pentastar in a 4-door rubicon fit the bill but then Jeep released that darn 392 Hemi monster that feels like the ultimate Jeep, the kinda thing I would have on my trapper keeper. I am fortunate to have saved up the cash to go with either. And gas money is not a concern. So which one would be a better daily driver I’ll keep reading and learning from others.

Used car prices are still high. You will probably be able to sell your one owner Civic for a pretty decent price now. Go see if you can find a Hemi to try first. See how you like it before pulling the trigger. That way you won't have regrets. Good Luck!

 

[EJWF11]

This is the exact question I have been pondering for months.
I drive a 2001 Honda Civic stick shift hooptie. I bought it new just when I went to flight school and have driven it ever since. I paid it off in 2006 and just kept making those $295 payments into a “new car” savings account since then. Honestly my car could go for another 10 years but I’m bored with it but I need a reliable automobile. I test drove some of the “dream cars” I had on my Trapper keeper as a kid like a 911 Turbo and a Land Rover Defender 90 and they are not as fun as you would think. (Don’t meet your hero’s) so then I thought about my first car a 1977 Toyota FJ40 with more rust than car. And I remember just how fun it was. Top down ambulance doors off. It’s not pretentious like the 911 felt, it is just Jimmy Buffett stuck in the tape deck, flip flop, country roads fun. But an old FJ 40 won’t work at a normal daily driver so I am looking at either the 3.6 Pentastar auto or 392 JLUR. As another post mentioned gas is not a major issue as I drive 35 round trip 3 times a week. The 3.6 Pentastar in a 4-door rubicon fit the bill but then Jeep released that darn 392 Hemi monster that feels like the ultimate Jeep, the kinda thing I would have on my trapper keeper. I am fortunate to have saved up the cash to go with either. And gas money is not a concern. So which one would be a better daily driver I’ll keep reading and learning from others.

Keep the honda as the beater…
Use the jeep as the fun car.

i drive a crv now, have a rubicon on order, but im on the fence about chucking the crv for a willys and a beater like yours. Somehow, the mental math isnt working out to jump on the willys plan.

 

[2500 hd]

I daily mine and love it...

 

[Heimkehr]

i drive a crv now, have a rubicon on order, but im on the fence about chucking the crv for a willys and a beater like yours.

Mrs. H has to date owned three CR-Vs. If you decide to sell yours for a low-cost runabout, and presuming Old Dominion gets a decent amount of winter snow, considering waiting until the Cold Times to sell your Honda. They are recurringly good sellers when the mercury drops, and this may affect how much you can get for it in a private sale, or trade.

 

[EJWF11]

Mrs. H has to date owned three CR-Vs. If you decide to sell yours for a low-cost runabout, and presuming Old Dominion gets a decent amount of winter snow, considering waiting until the Cold Times to sell your Honda. They are recurringly good sellers when the mercury drops, and this may affect how much you can get for it in a private sale, or trade.

Its a fantastic beater… i get 28mpg, mostly grocery/gym getter during these covid times. This is why i havent ditched it. Its a boring, very capable/dynamic, economical car.

 

[GGolds]

How many of you utilize your wrangler as a daily driver? I travel to several plants monthly throughout the northeast and put roughly 20-25k miles a year on my daily driver. Wondering if my ordered 392 can fit the bill as a daily?

Love driving it as a daily driver. In 1990 I had a medical sales job and drove a basic 4cyl. Wrangler for 63000 miles in one year with no air conditioning and a standard transmission. I was a lot younger then and I would tolerate more. Now My Wrangler has every option and I love it, more then I did my Range Rover, or Corvettes. Just took delivery of my 4xe Rubicon and I'm thrilled.

 

[GGolds]

I had a '19 Mojito JLUR 2.0t that was a DD but I also ran several trails on it throughout Colorado. Traded it in with 28,000 miles for a '21 Hydro Blue 4xe JLUR first week in July and will continue to run it as my DD and go on trails. Always wanted to have a Wrangler and these two I have recently owned have certainly not been a disappointment.

Mine has the black top but otherwise exactly like yours. 4xe Hydro Blue Rubicon.

 

[JB4818]

I would not want to daily drive a 392 Jeep 20-25K miles a year. My wife and I switch between driving the Jeep and the Challenger, which is a 392. The Challenger is comfortable on the highway and gets decent mileage (about 22MPG). However, the maintenance costs on a 392 is also much higher (premium fuel and more frequent and more expensive oil changes). The Jeep moves around a lot and only gets about 17 MPG on the highway. In city driving (my daily commute) the Jeep is way more enjoyable. When I travel for work, I rent a car just to avoid maintenance and unfavorable mileage.

 

[Sanchese]

I have always used my jeeps as a daily driver.
I do not care.
Life is short.
I drive what i enjoy.
To each their own.
This is my view.

 

[PALIDN]

Kinda depends what your daily drive is. I have a 2019 JLU Sport. I purchased it new in June of 2020. It’s the 2.0 turbo and it’s been perfect so far. Only 7,000 miles on the Jeep, I’m retired so not a lot of miles. I do travel to Tulsa from Springfield MO twice a year. The turnpike has a speed limit of 75 and everyone runs 80. My turbo 4 has no problem with 80 MPH. I should add that my JLU Sport has the original OEM highway tires. I have no problem with these tires, my Jeep has never been off road and no trip to the boondocks is planed. My Jeep is my DD and toy and I love it. HWY miles is 25-26 and 21 around town.

 

[Raven99]

I purchased mine to be a DD. Have only been back to commuting to work full time since July 12th, but so far so good. Also, for now I still have the luxury to keep my Wrangler out of the rain and pending snow (winter is coming) because my other daily (an 06 Scion xB) is still humming along.

 

[txj2go]

My 2018 JLU Sport is destined to someday become my daily driver. I kept my other car, which I like driving better, but other than trips in the Jeep I don't drive much. Working from home during Covid a lot of weeks I wouldn't even drive 10 miles so it was hard to justify owning 2 cars. I had to carefully rotate them so one didn't set too long without being driven. My office has opened back up so twice a week I have the 50 mile round trip commute. The commute may go away within the next 12 months so the other car can hang around until then.
But back to the main question, I really like driving the other car and it's like a pavement hero, but the Jeep is the offroad hero and I don't mind it being a DD. It gives up some things on the highway that I accept because of what it does offroad. I'm not a "look at me" kind of person, I can't understand why some people would accept the compromises of the Jeep knowing that they won't take it offroad.

 

[guarnibl]

How many of you utilize your wrangler as a daily driver? I travel to several plants monthly throughout the northeast and put roughly 20-25k miles a year on my daily driver. Wondering if my ordered 392 can fit the bill as a daily?

$8,000 a year in gas sounds expensive to me, but other than that, I'd do it in a heartbeat!

 

[Rumplemenz]

First jeep and DD for 10 months now. Its a more than capable without hesitation DD vehicle for sure. On occasion ill still here the chatter of “ oh wow no way is a wrangler a comfortable DD”... those people are just misinformed or their opinion is based off old model wranglers. Wrangler is comfortable and fun to drive! And its engine is sufficient imo. It gets out of its own way for sure. A 392 even better ik jealous

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