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Joined: Nov 2004
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After many years of 4x4 pickups I'm kicking around a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - late model or new. Having 4 doors is a must and I am leaning heavily toward an automatic. Usage will be primarily highway and rough 4wd roads through BLM and national forests - not hill climbing, rock crawling and that stuff.

Jeeps are everywhere around here and the resale prices reflect that popularity. Looking at reliability rankings doesn't reflect well on the brand but it sure hasn't hurt sales.

For those of you that own or have recently owned a Jeep Wrangler or Unlimited what has your ownership experience been?
Also anything to watch out for on used and any options / features that are must haves?

Thanks.


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I've owned an 89, 94, 99, and currently a 2010, all 2 doors. They have never been a daily driver nor 1st line vehicle for me, just a toy. I take the doors and top off for 4-5 months a year and use it like a 4 wheeled motorcycle in decent weather. It is a 3rd vehicle the rest of the year and not bad in snow during the winter. It gives us 2 4X4 vehicles in the driveway in addition to the Honda. If I did intend to use as a DD I would go with the 4 door.

I've had no bad experiences with any of them. Sold the 89, and 99 to partially finance a new truck when I needed one, sold the 94 to pay for a new roof. When I got to the point where I felt I could afford another we bought the 2010 used about a year ago.

I love the vehicles, but wouldn't get rid of a truck and go Wrangler only. As said earlier, they all have been expendable when money was needed worse for other stuff. The good news is that they hold value very well. I've bought all used, driven them a few years and got most of my money back.

All of them suck at towing even light loads. Around 2000 lbs is about it although they do offer a max tow package on some with a 4000 lb limit. Those are pretty rare and the odds of finding a used one are slim, and I still wouldn't tow over 2000 with one.

If set up right they are more capable of hard core off roading than a truck, but like you most don't do that. I just view a 4X4 truck as more versatile. Fuel mileage is about the same too BTW. In fact on older versions, 2006 and older, they get much worse fuel mileage than a 1/2 ton truck with a V-8.


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I believe the Unlimited models were only available from 02-06. they are the long bed looking wranglers and they only came in 2 door.

If you want a Jeep, I would only buy a pre 06 or 07 with the straight 6. the 3.7 v6 is a really bad engine. The power curve is all wrong for a jeep. The engine makes it power high in the RPM band, not the low down torque you want in a jeep. It was such a great engine Chrysler switched to a better 3.6 v6 a couple years later and I think they just changed again this year. Maybe this year was an engine overhaul.

The 4.0L I6 is bulletproof, parts are everywhere. They are very reliable. I would do a manual but I prefer them in trucks, even though my tundra doesn't have one.


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Have owned many jeeps over the years, bought my first jeep in 1951,flat head four cyl. last one 1993 sold with 300,00 miles bought a 2005 about 3 months ago wrangler unlimited six, couldn't live with out a jeep, all ranch driving no hi way use,4.0 is the way to go, manual tran. works for me. rio7

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I owned an '09 two door Wrangler Rubicon (the only real 4WD currently made by my definition). Kept it until 2012. Never was a DD. Had three recalls on it, when I sold it, there were 5,000 mi on it. Paid $33,000 got $18,000 for it (took 4 months to sell it). Guess it depends on where you live as to resale. Just my experience. Jeeps have always been overrated, overpriced, money pits, occasional use vehicles that are sometimes a necessary evil.

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I'm on my 3rd Jeep Wrangler.
If you need a daily driver and the extra room, then go with the 4dr. Wrangler.
As to their reliability, Jeeps are driven in ways and places where cars, most trucks and SUV's are not. For instance, I also own a 4WD 06 Dodge w/ diesel engine. I've got more miles on my old 2000 Wrangler then I do on the pickup and far more miles off road than the pickup. Yet I've had to have the front end of the pickup realigned twice as much.
They are made for off road use first and highway/around town use second unlike most of their competition.
Frankly, the old straight 6 was a good engine but when used off road much they tended to break axles, etc. The new Wranglers are much tougher built for the current V-6's.
Actually, when it comes to off road use, the 4 cly models work better as their torgue ranges are lower and spread out more. On the highway, they are a much different story.
My latest is a '14' with the Willis Wheeler Package. Couldn't be happier. Can easily handle trails that my stock 2000 model would make me pause. E

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Really been enjoying mine! It's an automatic and I ordered it with the lower gears.

[Linked Image]

Thought I'd add that it IS NOT a daily driver but wouldn't hesitate if forced into the situation.

[Linked Image]

I didn't like the 4door Jeeps when they 1st came out but then they kinda grew on me. Now I doubt I'd ever want a 2door.


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Love mine. No troubles to speak of other than a leaky hard top that can be fixed. I believe they already changed the design or beefed up the gaskets.............

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i HAVE A 2010 WRANGLER, been Great so far have 65000 mile on it, had to replace the brakes and tires is all! and mine is a 4 door unlimited.good in th snow, not bad off road, have never towed with it, gets 19mpg highway.


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I have a 05 Unlimited Rubicon and I love it. If you really think they are over rated you need to come and go for a ride. Now if you are just talking about the JK's I will go for that. All Jeeps are not equal




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Originally Posted by slammer
Having 4 doors is a must


Wow, fellas, do we need lessons in reading comprehension? LOL


Originally Posted by ingwe
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I recently traded a 2010 unlimited rubicon. It was my daily driver for over 4 years and 65,000 miles

Other than being slow (last model year before the new engine) and loud on the highway (aren't jeeps supposed to be loud?) it was a good vehicle. My mileage was awful. It I didn't care

If I had to slum one again as a daily driver I would. I'd stick with auto trans and hard top. Maybe I am just too busy but I found myself not even putting the soft top on one summer and this most recent summer I put it on but never lowered it

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I would point out that the older V-6 engine wasn't noted for good fuel mileage. The latest one is. Heck, it's EPA rating is 1 mpg better than the rating for my 2000 Wrangler's 4 cly. engine, even at twice the horsepower.
The other thing is that the standard axle ratio for the Warngler's is a 3.23. The 3.73 ratio is optional. But on the Rubicon models it's been only availiable in 4.10 until this year. You can get a Rubicon with a 3.73 now. Odviously the higher ratios will impact highway mileage. E

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Purchased my 2dr Sahara Sep 2013 and have just over 6k miles on it now. Everything on it works as designed, the engine and automatic tranny get me everywhere I want to go with pep! My only complaint is the overall gas mileage ... it was advertised 16 city/21 hwy and no matter how I drive it I get 16 combined. That's acceptable to me with all the other advantages offered.

Mine was sticker priced $33K when I bought it. Dealer sold it for $28K. The Unlimited Sahara (4dr) was $3K more.

You have three body styles to choose from: 1 - Sport is the basic package; 2 - Sahara has everything in the Sport, plus all the comfort and convenience features; 3 - Rubicon is the heavy duty trail climber package.


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That 4.0L 6 cylinder isn't bulletproof in my book. After buying our '03 Rubicon new, and doing oil changes every 2-3,000 miles, it pitched a rod thru the side of the block at 115,000 miles. Besides, they are so underpowered that it's maddening.


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Originally Posted by desertoakie
That 4.0L 6 cylinder isn't bulletproof in my book. After buying our '03 Rubicon new, and doing oil changes every 2-3,000 miles, it pitched a rod thru the side of the block at 115,000 miles. Besides, they are so underpowered that it's maddening.

They used to be, but about 2000 something changed and every once in a while one pukes, usually a rod problem.

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I've got a 2014 2dr. Wrangler w/ the Willys wheeler Package. That means it has 3.73 gears. It was ordered w/ the auto trans as well.
I've run it up from where I live at 1900 ft. to anywhere between 6500 and 8500 ft. along with some low range off roading. Overall mileage has run between the high 17's to the high 18's by the time I refill the gas tank where I live. E

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I've got a 2013 Wrangler 2 door hardtop with 3.73's and auto tranny. It's been my daily driver since purchased new about 18 months ago. It's been trouble free and I've really enjoyed it. I've left it pretty much stock except for a small lift and a pair of Detroit trutracs.

If something happened to it I would buy another.

[Linked Image]



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We have an '08 JKRU and I love it. It is a daily driver, and is the family wagon. We drove it round trip from CDA to So Cal to visit our son and it was comfortable. We get about 16mpg though. The one thing I love about it is the wife drives it out of the driveway with easily 2' of snow without freaking out. The Rubicon has 4:1 low, 4:10 locking diffs.

I have a 4runner as well, it's older but I like the JKRU better.

Last edited by BigNate; 10/05/14.

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