Why the Jeep Wrangler is the new Defender.

[toymaster]

^^^ I agree with keeping a perfectly worn leather glove. I have the same feeling with my jeep, well maybe not as strong due to only owning it a short 3 years but there none the less. Tires, axles, ujoints, motors, transmissions, body panels even may come and go but my jeep will be with me till my life's end.

Kermit, I think you are missing the point (or at least my point) to overland travel. It is taking "your" rig to places decked out with what you deem necessary. I have traveled near and far via airplane and rented/bought vics at the destination; it is not the same. I have enjoyed my work/travels immensely but there is something to be said about doing it with your gear on your own. I have seen wranglers and ford F trucks along with dealers in Africa, Europe, and Middle East. Parts can be gotten; DHL is a wonderful thing. Going incognito is a good idea but by far the world is a peaceful place. I was in Africa a few years ago and some co-workers were singled out in traffic and robbed at gun point. They were driving very plain white Toyotas.

For me the key is having faith in one's vic. Being mechanically inclined, my idea is to make the vic as reliable as possible. Every upgrade I have completed on my jeep is preemptive as to not have failures. OK, some may be esthetics. Flying to a place and buying a used one, even new one, leaves one having to trust in the unknown. Additionally, in most of the world this would be a 125cc motorcycle. Just added info, it seems I remember some of the first around the world trips with motorcycles were completed with Harleys and Triumphs…talk about hard to get parts.

Lastly, am the only one that sees just a little of irony in this article? After all land rovers and land cruisers descended from Jeeps.

 

[MOAK]

We have an older Rubicon, an '04, before that a '97 wrangler, and we have been doing long range excursions in each of these wranglers. It's just my wife and I, so a floor storage box takes the rear seats place. All our camping gear is stowed in our home built trailer. Thus, plenty of room for two people. The JKUs are nice, but not neccessary for 2 people. Comparing apples to apples, I'd say my 04' is much closer to the older defender 90s, but much more reliable, and lots easier to find parts for. So is there really any comparison? Example? Yesterday I went to the Auto Zone for spare radiator hoses,,, in stock, on the shelf. How long would one wait for defender 90 or 110 hoses?

 

[SSF556]

Toymaster I agree with you as well....

To Kermit....here is a guy in South Africa who just bought a WK like mine to build as an expedition vehicle. Wonder why he bought this with all the options he has. So maybe I am not that unique after all.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f67/start-journey-1359700/#post13449109

 

[Clutch]

To Kermit....here is a guy in South Africa who just bought a WK like mine to build as an expedition vehicle. Wonder why he bought this with all the options he has. So maybe I am not that unique after all.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f67/start-journey-1359700/#post13449109

Ahh-oooh....you're not unique anymore, better sell and buy something else! :ylsmoke:

 

[Clutch]

Kermit, I think you are missing the point (or at least my point) to overland travel. It is taking "your" rig to places decked out with what you deem necessary.

Maybe missed your point, but traveling is different, to different people no matter what you call it, overlanding, exploring, trekking, adventuring, car camping, etcetera ....some like to sit and plan for months/years gather all the goodies for their own private vehicle, and others like to grab a backpack and hit the road, and simply wing it. Both will have an adventure...some know their vehicle down to the last well nut, others simply jump in a strange vehicle, and hopes it makes it...and when (not if) it breaks...fixing it with a rock and a bar of soap in BFE...is part of the adventure.

 

[bunduguy]

Toymaster I agree with you as well....

To Kermit....here is a guy in South Africa who just bought a WK like mine to build as an expedition vehicle. Wonder why he bought this with all the options he has. So maybe I am not that unique after all.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f67/start-journey-1359700/#post13449109

Just chiming in here without reading the whole thread; so don't flame me.
I'll tell you why he bought it. In South Africa a GC is a very expensive, thus luxury fairly hard-to-come-by vehicle. As a full import, it is viewed much as we would view a 110; a desirable, but uncommon and expensive vehicle and status symbol. In SA, it is an expensive head-turner status vehicle with a big V8, in a country where LC and 110 diesels are very much the norm. As impressive as the GC is, in that environment, I guarantee he did not buy it for its reliability or parts availability.
I am not dissing the GC at all. I'm just saying that you cannot really use it as an example because it means different things in different countries, where priorities are different.

Just read further down the Jeep Forum post where he comments on 2nd hand prices. Interesting how much value they lose compared to the Defender and Hiluxes. On my first pass, i missed where he said how cheaply he got it. Certainly not the case when buying new.

 

[toymaster]

Maybe missed your point, but traveling is different, to different people no matter what you call it, overlanding, exploring, trekking, adventuring, car camping, etcetera ....some like to sit and plan for months/years gather all the goodies for their own private vehicle, and others like to grab a backpack and hit the road, and simply wing it. Both will have an adventure...some know their vehicle down to the last well nut, others simply jump in a strange vehicle, and hopes it makes it...and when (not if) it breaks...fixing it with a rock and a bar of soap in BFE...is part of the adventure.

Well to argue semantics you are on an overlanding website not a backpacking or other style adventure site.

The definitions of this website per Scott Brady are:

Overland(ing): Vehicle-supported, self-reliant adventure travel, typically exploring remote locations and interacting with other cultures.

Overlanding is the self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations where the journey is the primary goal. Typically, but not exclusively, accommodated by mechanized off-highway capable transport (from bicycles to trucks) where the principal form of lodging is camping; often lasting for extended lengths of time (months to years) and often spanning international boundaries. While expedition is defined as a journey with a purpose, overlanding sees the journey as the purpose.

Found at: http://www.expeditionportal.com/what-is-overlanding/definition.html

You may travel in any fashion you desire after all you are living in a free country and have those options; many of this planet do not have. One of the quotes I live by is "Life is tough, tougher if your stupid". What you are describing is not overlanding. Adventure yes, overlanding no.

 

[SSF556]

Just chiming in here without reading the whole thread; so don't flame me.
I'll tell you why he bought it. In South Africa a GC is a very expensive, thus luxury fairly hard-to-come-by vehicle. As a full import, it is viewed much as we would view a 110; a desirable, but uncommon and expensive vehicle and status symbol. In SA, it is an expensive head-turner status vehicle with a big V8, in a country where LC and 110 diesels are very much the norm. As impressive as the GC is, in that environment, I guarantee he did not buy it for its reliability or parts availability.
I am not dissing the GC at all. I'm just saying that you cannot really use it as an example because it means different things in different countries, where priorities are different.

Just read further down the Jeep Forum post where he comments on 2nd hand prices. Interesting how much value they lose compared to the Defender and Hiluxes. On my first pass, i missed where he said how cheaply he got it. Certainly not the case when buying new.

South Africa:

New Grand Cherokee Diesel = $76,000

New Toyota Land Cruiser 200 = 115,000

Umm not very expensive at all....

 

[Clutch]

Well to argue semantics you are on an overlanding website not a backpacking or other style adventure site.

The definitions of this website per Scott Brady are:

Overland(ing): Vehicle-supported, self-reliant adventure travel, typically exploring remote locations and interacting with other cultures.

Overlanding is the self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations where the journey is the primary goal. Typically, but not exclusively, accommodated by mechanized off-highway capable transport (from bicycles to trucks) where the principal form of lodging is camping; often lasting for extended lengths of time (months to years) and often spanning international boundaries. While expedition is defined as a journey with a purpose, overlanding sees the journey as the purpose.

Found at: http://www.expeditionportal.com/what-is-overlanding/definition.html

You may travel in any fashion you desire after all you are living in a free country and have those options; many of this planet do not have. One of the quotes I live by is "Life is tough, tougher if your stupid". What you are describing is not overlanding. Adventure yes, overlanding no.

LOL....the snobbery is high with this one. ********..."Life is tough, tougher if you're stupid" Wow man! That is rich! It is "you're" not "your" by the way...now exactly who are you calling stupid?

What is the difference of owning verses hiring, to travel via mechanical vehicle with wheels? Or simply buying a vehicle of the local flavor when I get to a far off foreign land with backpack in hand. Can't overland if I don't follow said outlines, drummed up by Mr. Brady!? So if I fly to OZ and rent, forgive me, "hire", a vehicle and go on 2-3 month walk-about (well make that a drive-about) in the Outback, that isn't overlanding since I didn't transport one of my own vehicles in a container ship over to Melbourne...which makes the part over the "overland" journey null and void since....oh you know, because it is over water...not to mention it isn't under its' own power...

Sorry, if I don't follow "The Rules"...guess I can't be in the Elite Overland Club...ha ha, boo hoo...:elkgrin: Damn dude you are too funny, I am going to split my sides...

I own 5 vehicles by the way...all can be used for "overlanding"...make it 9 if you include the bicycles...which by Brady's definition are A-OK. What is next, are you going to verse me on the differences between "Expo" and "Exped" or one can not simply "overland" if I don't have RTT, ARB, or wear Mountain Khakis!? Oh man, you're too much!

All of my vehicles are in excellent mechanical condition, and ready to go around the World, today! Would I take one of them, probably not...

 

[bunduguy]

South Africa:

New Grand Cherokee Diesel = $76,000

New Toyota Land Cruiser 200 = 115,000

Umm not very expensive at all....

Well, I'll be! Thanks for the clarification.

 

[jdzl]

I'm not sure where the idea that Jeep is only sold in NA came from but from my quick research Jeep has a presence / is available in the following countries [78]:

Asia / Pacific
- Australia
- China
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Philippines
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Taiwan

Europe
- Austria
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxemburg
- Montenegro
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom

Latin America
- Argentina
- Barbados
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Columbia
- Costa Rica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Puerto Rico
- Uruguay
- Venezuela

Middle East & Africa
- Bahrain
- Egypt
- Israel
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- Yemen

North America (Obviously)
- Canada
- Mexico
- United States

 

[SSF556]

Well, I'll be! Thanks for the clarification.

If you played your cards right you might be able to get a brand new Grand and Wrangler for the price of a Land Cruiser in South Africa.

 

[grahamfitter]

This may be sour grapes but in the last year I've replaced both engine and gearbox of my 2005 Wrangler LJ Rubicon which has traveled less than 75K miles. Given Land Rover's atrocious reliability record, claiming that the Wrangler is the new Defender may not be something to be proud of.

 

[Rovertrader]

Apparently some folks think the JK has international abilities:
http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/us-dod-awards-contract-to-ccds/

 

[dugedug]

This may be sour grapes but in the last year I've replaced both engine and gearbox of my 2005 Wrangler LJ Rubicon which has traveled less than 75K miles. Given Land Rover's atrocious reliability record, claiming that the Wrangler is the new Defender may not be something to be proud of.

Jeeps reliability record has been as bad as LRs for a long time. I think LR has actually been besting Jeep in the past couple of years... Maybe the article had hidden meaning :coffeedrink: