Looking at a Jeep Wrangler. Are they dependable? 4 cylinder vs. 6 cylinder? Will be doing mostly in town driving. SE or X? X would be as high up the line as I would want to go. I am a bare bones type when it comes to cars. Just want good, solid transportation. Nothing really fancy. Thanks for your input.
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Jeep Wranglers
- Thread starter wrenrutt
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 18, 1999
- Messages
- 742
i've wanted one for years. imagine summers w/ the top/doors off and 4 point seatbelts, not to mentions big sheepskin seatcovers and the obligatory fire extinguisher.
but then i look at the mileage and cargo room and just can't justify it.
checked out the Forester, liked it a lot, just too low for me.
went w/ the Suzuki Grand Vitara. we're on our second one now.
but then i look at the mileage and cargo room and just can't justify it.
checked out the Forester, liked it a lot, just too low for me.
went w/ the Suzuki Grand Vitara. we're on our second one now.
If you really want a Jeep Wrangler, go for it - there's nothing else like it on the market. But be aware that Jeep is the lowest ranked domestic-brand vehicle for both long-term dependability and initial quality.
I've driven a lot of Jeep Cherokees for work - deep loose sand, slippery mountain paths, rocks and logs, and snow and ice. I definitely prefer the 4.0 straight-six engine, especially if you plan on doing any backcountry driving or live at high elevation. Does the 4-cyl get better mileage? And I really prefer the five speed manual transmission, but if buying for city driving, I'd strongly consider the automatic.
Best Wishes,
-Bob
I've driven a lot of Jeep Cherokees for work - deep loose sand, slippery mountain paths, rocks and logs, and snow and ice. I definitely prefer the 4.0 straight-six engine, especially if you plan on doing any backcountry driving or live at high elevation. Does the 4-cyl get better mileage? And I really prefer the five speed manual transmission, but if buying for city driving, I'd strongly consider the automatic.
Best Wishes,
-Bob
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2001
- Messages
- 2,600
Jeeps are truly unique vehicles, like the El Camino, you either love them or you hate them. That said, My younger brother had one, and the're noisy, handle like crap, have no storage, poor a/c and heat, and get broken into often. They are unreliable and way overpriced. They are probably the worst vehicle possible for freeway driving. YMMV.
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
- Messages
- 1,909
jeep wrangler = blah. If you want something interesting go buy a land rover defender or a toyota fj40. If you do buy a wrangler, buy the bare bones 4x4, don't go for the rubicon you could make most of the upgrades a lot cheaper at a local 4x4 or mechanic shop. Oh, if you do take it offroading make sure it either comes with, or you buy lockers for it! My friend had a wrangler 4x4 without lockers on it and I had to keep pulling him out with my rocky. I thought it would have made a great jeep commercial.
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2005
- Messages
- 119
Mine was made in Canada. :barf:wrenrutt said:
Any given thing you want to work on requires a complete metric wrench set AND a complete English set. Half the bolts on the bell housing are regular, half are metric. Starter bolts are metric. The armor plate is held on by English bolts, the trasfter case is held to the armor plate by metric.
If you aren't a serious offroader don't waste your time with the 6 cylinder. Check out the difference in mileage--it adds up in a hurry.
Really short wheelbase + light back end = dangerously squirrely on ice or at high speeds on questionable surfaces.
And if you do your own work you will curse the s.o.b.s that "improved" the vehicle since the CJ.
Good luck.
jw
- Joined
- Nov 24, 1999
- Messages
- 4,981
From what I've seen the soft tops are noisy and eventually wear out and get torn up. The new hardtops are a lot better, but not something you can take off and put back on easily.
The straight 6 motor, is supposed to be pretty long running, but I've heard that maintenance can be expensive, and I don't think it gets that great of mileage for its size/power.
From the times I've ridden in them, I would say that a wrangler is a fun beater if you want to tear around in the mud or snow, or drive with the top off in nice weather. I wouldn't want one as a daily driver.
And it will get broken into a lot. A buddy of mine had to resort to bolting a small safe into the back of his because he had stuff stolen so often.
The straight 6 motor, is supposed to be pretty long running, but I've heard that maintenance can be expensive, and I don't think it gets that great of mileage for its size/power.
From the times I've ridden in them, I would say that a wrangler is a fun beater if you want to tear around in the mud or snow, or drive with the top off in nice weather. I wouldn't want one as a daily driver.
And it will get broken into a lot. A buddy of mine had to resort to bolting a small safe into the back of his because he had stuff stolen so often.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2001
- Messages
- 2,600
As much as I love the Old FJs, I need a vehicle that can drive 20 miles to work @70mph+ reliably. If I had space for an Extra car, I'd pick one up in a heartbeat. Oh, yeah, the extra dough, too.pcnorton said:Too bad they mushed the station wagon size Fj and the jeep sized fj to split the difference with this abomination.
Big difference.
Paul
- Joined
- Apr 3, 1999
- Messages
- 2,052
On the Car Talk radio show they used to call the Wrangler "The Official Car of the NBA," because they bounce all over the road. They had nothing good to say about them, for whatever that's worth to you.
If you ever plan on carrying more than two people, look for something else. The back "seat" on the Wrangler is miserable, and probably endorsed by chiropractors everywhere.
If you ever plan on carrying more than two people, look for something else. The back "seat" on the Wrangler is miserable, and probably endorsed by chiropractors everywhere.
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
- Messages
- 1,909
The mileage difference between the old straight 6 and the 4 cylinder isn't really all that much 1 or 2mpg. It's really depressing. On an interesting note they are putting the CRD in the wrangler but for export only. If you like open air driving off-road though there probably isn't a much better option. If you're going to do serious highway driving I might suggest buying a decent road car and getting a suzuki samurai or an older beat up wrangler, say like an 88 or 89 and making it a project for off-road excursions. I'd recommend a rocky like I had, but it was too hard to find parts for it, they all had to come from australia and england.
Dijos said:
And that is why I love the CJ!
Honestly I don't really like the new wranglers, they seem too 'soft.' A good old CJ is the way to go. Low gas mileage and low comfort. Now that sounds like good driving to me!
But heck if you are going to buy a car for everyday city driving get a saturn or something. Wranglers are more for fun than driving to the office.
pcnorton said:Too bad they mushed the station wagon size Fj and the jeep sized fj to split the difference with this abomination.
Big difference.
Paul
They look too "Hummer-ish", on the ghey side even. I can see soccer moms and people who don't know sh*t about automobiles driving them around, and mutilated the thing with 22" rims
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- Dec 2, 2005
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What???? The FJ40 is a classic. If you know anything about offroad vehicles it was one of the toughest no frills 4x4 ever made.
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2005
- Messages
- 7,809
Oh God, I just took the plunge today.
95', 4cyl., 5speed, soft top 125,000 miles.
The roof leaks, the doors squeek, you feel every bump in the road and it grinds gears going into 3rd and 4th gear...........in other words, I love it!
The dealer wanted $5000.00 but my wonderful wife haggled them down to $3800.00, gotta love her.
Its in really good condition overall, clean, dent free, nice paint, no body rust, all original, even if I just keep it for the summer I should be able to sell it off for a little profit.
95', 4cyl., 5speed, soft top 125,000 miles.
The roof leaks, the doors squeek, you feel every bump in the road and it grinds gears going into 3rd and 4th gear...........in other words, I love it!
The dealer wanted $5000.00 but my wonderful wife haggled them down to $3800.00, gotta love her.
Its in really good condition overall, clean, dent free, nice paint, no body rust, all original, even if I just keep it for the summer I should be able to sell it off for a little profit.