Freeper Husbands!
I am Thinking of Buying a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara. I like the vehicle, it is big for me, I am moving from my Golf Diesel. Although I have had Xterras and Mazda MPV (Before they ruined its design) previously.
I looked at many new cars and SUV crosses and they all are poorly designed, have lousy visibility and have metal that is so thin it needs to be serviced every few months. I also discovered I need a more butch looking vehicle. All the Suv crossovers look like they were made for Oprah. Teardrop shapes and curves.
I liked the used Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara. It looks durable, I have found a couple of them. Seems as though I am having a difficult time getting the price down below 30K
I cannot quite figure out the Jeep Wrangler choices. Is there a Jeep Wrangler as high and tall as the unlimited but only with 2 doors? All the Wranglers I see with 2 doors are short and look like they belong in a suburb.
Any advice from Freeper Jeep owners appreciated.
Am I making another dumb move here?
Okay, I am a guy who just retired. I have owned a lot of different vehicles. Porsche, Audi, Camero, Cutlass, Fiat, Toyota, Aerostar Van, Pickups, GMC Jimmy Envoy, Cadillac, Tahoe, and Xterra to name a few.
I now live in the Phoenix valley where many people are Wrangler nuts.
Jeep has a classic tough 4 wheel drive vehicle — The Wrangler.
There is the Wrangler in various models. Sport at the bottom, Rubicon at the top. There are also various appearance packages, one of which is the Sahara. All Wranglers are two door and small back end and wheel base.
There is also the Wrangler Unlimited in various models. Sport at the bottom, Rubicon at the top. There are also various appearance packages, one of which is the Sahara. All Wrangler Unlimiteds are four door with the longer wheelbase.
All 2016-7 Wranglers and Wrangler Unlimiteds are 6 cylinder. A better engine than the prior engines before 2010. All Wranglers come base with rag tops which are insecure, hard to deal with and glorious for the outdoors.
The hard tops can be substituted or purchased as an option which are a bitch to store and a bitch to mount (two strong men and a donkey). They can also be had on a new vehicle instead of the rag top.
Jeeps leak oil or have bad seal or gasket problems. Some people say hardly ever, some people say weekly. If it is tough to be in the dealer for repairs, this might not be your vehicle.
If you want to Rock Crawl up mountain or canyon roads or drive though a low-water crossing with 8” of water over it for around 30k, this IS your vehicle. It is also good in deep snow but so is a lot of other things. You want to run gravel back roads twice every week a used Toyota CJ or a truck might be better.
If you drive the interstate a lot or like a quiet ride this is not the vehicle for you.
I like the interstates but I like the back roads and a rigid frame vehicle. I cross medians and drive over curbs. I drive up fire roads and across fields. I bought a two wheel drive Xterra which they no longer make. Got the cheap model and put Killer tires on it — 10 ply Alpine Mountain rated KO2s.
It goes through snow like 4 wheel drive and still rides on the interstate at 80mph. It does not go through soft sand washes and certain things that are 4 wheel drive mandatory but I do climb up mountains on fire roads.
You need to explain what you want this vehicle to do.
Go through a blizzard?
Rock Climb?
Tow?
Rescue
Be a Ice breaker with guys?
Highway driver?
As the only vehicle?
These are special purpose vehicles that are like no other. I had guys that worked for me that would not own anything else in Arizona. I had others that keep one as a weekend toy and drive a nice small truck other days. These are not trucks, SUVs, travel vehicles, vehicles with locked trunks — these are for crossing terrible terrain like no other vehicle.
I’m huge jeep wrangler fan, I’ve owned my 2000 model for 16 years.
Very hard vehicle to recommend to others as they are love hate. A lot of people want them end up hating them because there is no luxury with them, but that’s the reason I love mine. love the road noise, leaving the top off in a light rain.
I only do lite trail rides, never had major issue with the jeep other then bending sway bars / suspension hitting a stump, Also electrical with heat/air/blinker etc, but I chalk that up to me leaving the top off for 6 months out of the year and a lot of rain gets in it.
It a one of a kind ride, great for city and country roads, no so fun on highway or long trips.
Buy a 4Runner.
Yes, I’m a jeep fan, as having driven the MB & M151 in the Army. But those are the only two I’d ever want to own.
We’ve had about 10 4WD’s. One of the best is our 2011 Ford F150. This Ford is an excellent off road vehicle. Great ground clearance, hauls our camper with zero effort, pulls good, great gas mileage, & reasonably comfortable. While hauling a camper and pulling a pontoon in Canada last summer, we quickly past a truck going up a steep grade with power to spare.
I’d take it over a jeep simply because with a pickup you can do so much more besides 4 wheeling.
The Wrangler is the 2-door model; Wrangler Unlimited is the 4-dr. Jeeps start with the Sport model which is the “entry-level”. It has 17 inch wheels and black fender flairs. The Sahara is a trim package which offers power windows, door locks, air conditioning, body matched fender flairs, fog lamps, and 18-inch wheels. The Rubicon has a more aggressive tire/wheel combination and is a “tougher” looking vehicle. There is also the 75th Anniversary addition and a couple of other trim levels that escape me.
All jeeps have the 6-cyl engine now. The 4 cyl is no longer available. Soft-top is standard, hard top (on the 4-dr) is a $995 option. Auto trans adds about $1400 to the price and if you look at the Sport, just know that air is a $395 option.
Just drove a 2017 today, it was reasonably quiet and it rode well. We had an old CJ-5 when we first got married this on was much better overall. Thinking about buying one as a toad, but the thing is pretty pricey when you add all the goodies. Expect to pay between 30 and 40K for a tricked out Sahara.
good luck on your decision. Just consider it an expensive toy
Jeep has the worst consumer rating for a reason: They have quality problems.
We moved away from Chrysler products. I bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee two years ago. Ditched it this past May. It was terrible and dangerous. Bought a BMW X3. Couldn’t be happier.
BTW, the Jeep Wrangler two door is the basic original Jeep. The Unlimited is the four door abomination.
Lots of capable 4/AWD vehicles out there that also provide some comfort and even gas mileage.
Just my aging bones 2 cents worth.
Wait for the new Ford Bronco.
Perhaps you are too picky to own such a vehicle
The only real difference in Jeeps is that there is a 2 door and the 4 door. The four-door is referred to as the unlimited. Then you get into various different models. The only one that really counts is the Rubicon it has the 410 gear ratios and Lockers in an automatic sway bar disconnect. So if you’re ever going to go off-roading I suggest getting a Rubicon it’s well worth the extra money.
Uh, what?
I've owned crossover SUVs for the past 5 years or so. never had to have the metal "serviced."
What makes you think the Jeep has thicker metal? Are you talking about the body or the frame?
Jeep? = junk. Don’t
Beware, it is not your father’s Wrangler. Reliability is questionable and the trails around here eat them for lunch.
Jeeps, love or hate relationship. I’ve owned
6 different ones through the years, and not a
one has ever left me stranded. They’RE noisy,
rough riding, poor handling on the highway,
somewhat tame on city streets, and hands down
number one off-road.
My current TJ has a winch, (has winched out
lots of FJ’s, Blazers, Pickups), a 3” lift,
4:11 gears and lockers front and rear.
If you’ve never owned one, a basic off road course is
probably a good idea.
Abrupt evasive maneuvers are probably the number one
thing to be avoided.
Jeeps hold their value
well as long as they are
maintained.
Parts are expensive, up
there with Harley and Corvette at times, but a
ton of after market stuff
is available to dress them
up for personalization.
JEEP=Just Empty Every Pocket
Chicken,
I bought an ‘05 TJ off the lot new
To work the border here in San Diego.
Added a lift kit ,bumpers and Skid plates.
This straight six engine and manuel gear box has worked Awsomely.
Handles like a sports car on pavement mountain roads and off road is a Blast !
The modifications were done by
Off Road Warehouse and MY JEEP has been
Absolutely Trouble Free.
Choose Awsomely!