What's the consensus on Jeep Wranglers?

I have a 98 box Cherokee w/89k that I have had for 10 years. Most of the negatives have already been discussed here but
I would like to mention that for a vehicle this size the brakes absolutely SUCK. I have never owned a domestic car with
brakes this bad and have tried a couple of brands of pads with varying results--all unacceptable. A major flaw for sure.
 
Midget said:
i'm looking into getting a small truck or SUV, primarily to help me deal w/ poor weather and have some storage capacity (i currently drive a sports car).

due to parking, maneuverability, and size constraints of the city, i'm leaning away from a truck.

how is the reputations of Jeep, particularly the Wrangler? High maintenance or low? Would anyone with experience say that the vehicle is affordable in terms of total cost of ownership (insurance, fuel economy, tires, maintenance)?
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We've owned a Jeep Cherokee Sport and the Jeep Liberty which we still have. The Cherokee was traded off years ago but the Liberty is my wife's. Its an 02 and one of the pre-lowered models. I ordered it with everything! Limited, leather, sun roof, cd and multi disc exchanger, limited slip the works man! It actually does pretty good on trails. We've had a lot of fun in it when we used in Arkansas on some that were ones I'd traveled in my Pinzgauer and my LandCruiser FJ40 and quite honestly for certain aspects of trail going I actually found the Liberty preferred for all around versatility and comfort. Not that I get to use it much. April hasn't used it much as even though its an 02 model it has 28,000 and some miles on it so its got to be one of the better condition garage kept first year models out there I'd think. She wouldn't part with it. There is a guy here wanting it all the time but he even offered her a ridiculous, obscene offer and she laughed so for what it is worth we like ours and we've had good luck with the Jeep line. I prefer the older Daimler models over any we've tested or owned tho. They seem better built. Our 02 even though older is much nicer feeling and looking all around than my neighbors much newer Liberty which by comparison feels cheap! Also, although I have not said anything to her I think hers is lots more wind noise going down the highway also.
 
CARRERA50 said:
I have a 98 box Cherokee w/89k that I have had for 10 years. Most of the negatives have already been discussed here but
I would like to mention that for a vehicle this size the brakes absolutely SUCK. I have never owned a domestic car with
brakes this bad and have tried a couple of brands of pads with varying results--all unacceptable. A major flaw for sure.
Click to expand...

Check your rear brakes. I just rebuilt mine & found two seized pistons - one in each wheel cylinder. Now I have good brakes! Don't skimp on front pads either. Black Magic or EBC Yellow stuff are top recommends from what I hear. I tried to go cheap and got Performance Friction Carbon Metallic, they work OK but make the Heep feel like I don't have a power booster :(
 
JPD1998 said:
I've got a 2010 Wrangler, it's my second Wrangler. I owned a 2004 before this one and had to sell it because my wife was using it to shuttle kids around and it just wasn't working out.
I always promised myself that I'd get another one and so I did. There's just something fun about driving in a corn field to get to your favorite hunting spot or being the only vehicle out during a snow storm.

I'm very happy with it. But as a few have mentioned it's not a good primary vehicle unless your trips are short. But driving it around town is actually fun especially in the summer with the top folded back or completely off.

Mine has 25K miles on it and has only been back once for warranty work ( the paint on the door hinges started to bubble up). No mechanical issues.

The one thing I don't think was mentioned is the resale value is quite high on these, so if it doesn't work out , you can sell it pretty quickly without too much loss.

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Nice JK! Rescue Green has always been my favorite color.
 
BDT-E I'm not trying to start an argument. I assumed that the OP was looking at newer ones, and since Jeeps in general fall under two groups the 4L and the 3.6L I figured it was worth clarifying. I assumed again, that you were referring to 4L jeeps. So if I've made an ass of myself, so be it. I'm just trying to add context from what I know, from what others have said, and trying to add clarity.
 
You guys have been a huge help.

Everything has been taken into consideration and I'd not have made an intelligible decision without your input.

For the short term I'm going to hold out and try to survive the winter. I bought a full set of snow tire/wheels yesterday. $1,400 ouch.

But I'll have a. Lot to think about in my next car purchase. I'd prefer to sit back and make a good decision instead of feeling rushed or pressured.



Thanks!
 
Honestly, if you're never going to drive off road, or on fire roads, power line trails, etc. - you don't need a Jeep.

I do like mine because I can tow small trailers with it, or load it to the gills with tools etc. and I use mine like a small truck. which is really what it is.

If you are a city dweller and just need more space and better snowy road capability than the Honda S2000 you're currently driving (I don't know what you drive, but you did say sports car) probably more practical for you would be something like a Subaru Forester or Legacy wagon (or WRX for more fun?) Higher dollar but more pleasant to be in would be a BMW or Audi AWD wagon. Unfortunately BMW does not see fit to offer the good drivetrain choices in the 3 series wagon. I'd love to have a 335i or 335d xdrive wagon but they don't make them :(
 
I missed the part about the city. Being a New Yorker and living in the city. A VW GTI with a separate set of rims with snow tires would do you great. SUV's aren't better than AWD or snow tires on a regular car IMHO.
 
CARRERA50 said:
I have a 98 box Cherokee w/89k that I have had for 10 years. Most of the negatives have already been discussed here but
I would like to mention that for a vehicle this size the brakes absolutely SUCK. I have never owned a domestic car with
brakes this bad and have tried a couple of brands of pads with varying results--all unacceptable. A major flaw for sure.
Click to expand...


My 98 Cherokee burnt up on the side of the road about twenty miles from home. :mad:
 
Midget said:
You guys have been a huge help.

Everything has been taken into consideration and I'd not have made an intelligible decision without your input.

For the short term I'm going to hold out and try to survive the winter. I bought a full set of snow tire/wheels yesterday. $1,400 ouch.

But I'll have a. Lot to think about in my next car purchase. I'd prefer to sit back and make a good decision instead of feeling rushed or pressured.



Thanks!
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That is always a wise choice!;)
Another thought of a vehicle that is very nice. One of my friends drives one. The Honda Ridgeline. It is a little truckish but a little SUVish also.
It has a lot of really interesting features too.
 
There are plenty of crossovers to choose from- usually around town, AWD in anything is all you need.

I owned a 2004 Wrangler for about a year and loved it- tradeded it only to get a P'up to pull the boat we bought.

I intend to move to Manila, Philippines(just outside of actually) in the coming years and I am looking to pick up another Wrangler there. Lot's of traffic, small rough roads, narrow roads/alleyways, little parking and plenty of in traffic scrapes. Add the wet climate for much of the year and warm temps- the Wrangler will suit me just fine. Fastest I have ever been able to drive there was 60MPH! Get outside the city and being able to take a sandy shoulder can get you down the road instead of sitting behind two collided Jeepneys.

Here in Virginia, I drive a Trailblazer & in the worst of our snow in Winter, I just use AWD, rarely use 4X4 even off road. They can be had cheap and serve well for hauling junk- I even pull a 12' landscaping trailer with mine. Add Tahoe Z71 springs in rear and it will haul up to 600lbs in cargo area with no squatting or roll in corners.

Bill
 
For a second "practical" car, a Subaru Forrester is hard to beat but, a 4-runner or Xterra style SUV would be a great choice as well.
 
I have a 2013 Subaru Forester. I love it. I get about 14km to the litre. It's great on long highway drives and decent around town. I've used it on mountain trails, swampy areas near the river and just recently on icy roads. It did everything I asked of it.
 
A few years ago, I was looking to upgrade to some kind of SUV for my daily driver. Previously I had been in a Nissan Versa (don't ask!), and we needed to go bigger for the growing family. I was looking hard at the Rubicon Unlimited, as I've owned Jeeps in the past, and was feeling a bit nostalgic. But when I compared it "side-to-side" with a new 4runner, it really suffered in just about every area. Offroading, it would be superior I suppose. But the 4runner can hold its own. And it's made by Toyota, not Chrysler. The Limited model has the Torsen center diff, so we're talking full time 4WD. I have the SR5, and it's still quite beastly in the snow. With 4WD, traction control, limited slip differential, and decent tires (not the stock garbage it comes with), it practically drives itself!
 
I have a 2010 and the only problem I have had is with the government mandated eletronoc stability control.
 
I'm glad I found this thread. I've been considering trading in my F-150 for a Rubicon Unlimited, but I'm starting to reconsider. The wife wants me to keep the truck, but I'm thinking maybe I'll get her something and I'll take her Land Rover LR4.
 
If you compare a Wrangler to any regular SUV or crossover ( based on comfort or performance), the Wrangler will always lose.

Wranglers are purpose built, street legal off road vehicles. They have a cult following and are targeted to a specific niche.
When I bought my Wrangler I didn't even consider another SUV. I like to think of them as the sports car version of an SUV.

But with all that being said, I wouldn't ( and don't) own the jeep as my only car. They're fine if all your trips are under 75 miles.
 
I've driven my Cherokee several hundred miles at a stretch several times... but if I'd had an AWD car I probably would not have :)
 
Toyota Rav 4 should fit your bill. It's a bit bigger than others in its class (Forester, etc.). But it has more leg room and storage. Lots of model gradations ( one has run flat tires) & trim options. I'm on my third. No unscheduled maintenance or repair, so far.
 
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