At a jeep crossroads. Want opinions.

[goin camping]

Here's the story and would like your opinions and reasons why.

Too many jeeps and other 4wheel drives... 2 jeeps, 1 02 suburban, 1 73 Power Wagon, 1 53 Dodge Army ambulance.

I have a stock 42 Willys Marine Corp. jeep I was tooling around in until about four years ago. Mechanically it is in fine shape but us old fat guys really don't fit in them and depending on the season out here in the Mojave you will either cook or freeze in it. Sadly I really love the thing and I've had it since 1985.

Also have a mostly stock (Winch, bumpers, sliders) 95 yj Wrangler. A/C, I6 engine with a 5 speed. Real comfy and it has surprised me where it will go but it is too small for camping with wife and dogs.

We went to the jeep store as the Mrs. wants a Grand Cherokee* now that we live above the snow line. I foolishly looked at the new Rubicon four door. The evil salesman let me inside one. Lots of room, comfortable, a Rubicon and not as expensive as I thought it would be.

* When jeep brings out the diesel in a few months the Mrs. says we buy. This was followed by her stamping her foot which is something she has only done twice in the last ten years.

So the question.

Assuming the GC diesel will tow our RV (8K lbs loaded) Should I sell all the 4X4's above along with my daily driver and get a new Rubicon when she buys her GC?

One other thing. The day you buy or lease a new jeep you have the option of buying a jeep extra warranty. For the GC it is $1000 for power train and $3000 for everything else and as long as you own the vehicle they fix it for a $100 co pay. So if you buy and own it for 30 years. You still have this warranty.

No payments on any vehicle I currently own.

So should I give in to Rubicon lust or...

 

[Ryanmb21]

Yes

 

[BushHead]

I agree...

 

[shortbus4x4]

One, you can never have too many Jeeps. Jeeps are to guys what shoes are to women.

Two, add a Rubicon to your collection.

 

[KJP]

I too was at similar cross roads a short while ago. A friend just bought a 2012 Rubicon Unlimited - very nice - and then he lifts it, 37's, etc. etc. I was tempted to sell my '52 flatfender, 85 CJ7 and '05 LJ and go to one Jeep - the 4 door Rubicon. But then I added it all up. I would have to sell all 3 Jeeps and still would have to put in a five figure bill, and then would still have been left with only a stock vehicle. And to me stock is no where near enough LOL.

So, while I agree with the above folks that it would be nice, keep in mind the extra money you will need if you decide not to keep it stock. My vote would be find a used one and pay a lot less, or get something like an LJ if you need the room, and use the money you save for upgrades (and still have coin left over... yup, I've done the math haha). And now I only have to sell one of the two others - either the flattie or the CJ... I still get to keep a toy.

And hopefully the GC will be able to pull an 8K trailer - the sticker might say it can but reality may be otherwise. My old XJ said it could pull 5K pounds - I was never comfortable over 3K. Good luck on your decision.

 

[BillTex]

I love jeeps...have owned 3 cj's.

We also tow a lot...

I would not tow 8000# with any jeep.
They don't have the wheel base, brakes, or mass to control that kind of load.

Buy the Rubi...get DW something esle to tow with.

B

 

[jeepdreamer]

goin camping.... Feel free to put me first in line for either the 42 MB or the 53 Dodge Bambulance! Drool. The Army still keeps me thin enough to squeeze behind the wheel even if the rest of me is getting destroyed. haha!
I would be inclined to wait until the second year of the diesel being out to let the "bugs" get worked out but maybe there won't be any/many?

 

[shortbus4x4]

I love jeeps...have owned 3 cj's.

We also tow a lot...

I would not tow 8000# with any jeep.
They don't have the wheel base, brakes, or mass to control that kind of load.

Buy the Rubi...get DW something esle to tow with.

B

I happen to have a Jeep I would tow 8k lbs with. Its a 5/4 ton but sadly Jeep stopped making them decades ago.

 

[Pushrod]

I love my Rubicon and unless you want to do serious rock crawling you don't need to change anything. I love the looks of a JKU on 40 but it is not practical for me. I have gone through some awesome stuff in my near stock Rubicn, only changed bumpers and added a winch. You will only hate the monthly note if you finance so you may want to liquidate some old stuff you don't need. Also I bought the lifetime warranty but have not had a single problem with my 2010. I may be glad for the warranty long term as I plan on keeping this Jeep for a very long time. As for the "foot stomp" it sounds like you will soon own a diesel Grand Cherokee LOL

 

[orangeTJ]

...I would not tow 8000# with any jeep.
They don't have the wheel base, brakes, or mass to control that kind of load.

Ditto. Towing 8000 pounds is full size truck (or 3/4 ton suburban) territory

 

[goin camping]

goin camping.... Feel free to put me first in line for either the 42 MB or the 53 Dodge Bambulance! Drool. The Army still keeps me thin enough to squeeze behind the wheel even if the rest of me is getting destroyed. haha!
I would be inclined to wait until the second year of the diesel being out to let the "bugs" get worked out but maybe there won't be any/many?

You want the 42? It's yours.

I would keep the Rubicon stock. We're wandering desert folks so instead of rock crawling we just pick a direction and meander off and see what we find.

Funny shortbus mentioned the 5/4 jeeps. A buddy just asked me if I wanted his 5/4 ambulance. I doubt I have the will power to say no.

 

[jeepdreamer]

Tease! haha!
One day I WILL have an actual MB/GPW....even if I have to build it from scratch. I've had 2a's and a 3a, but never an original MB. I just want one that's stock and not rotted out. No parade quality needed as I plan to drive the wheels off it for grocery runs ans stuff...
Sigh...
One day!

 

[goin camping]

Tease! haha!
One day I WILL have an actual MB/GPW....even if I have to build it from scratch. I've had 2a's and a 3a, but never an original MB. I just want one that's stock and not rotted out. No parade quality needed as I plan to drive the wheels off it for grocery runs ans stuff...
Sigh...
One day!

Don't give up on the dream. I bought this one from the estate of my neighbor Hans Burkhardt*. He owned it from 1957 til he passed back in 94 and I've had it ever since.

Bone stock except for the chrome gearshift nob and air cleaner. I added locking hubs but other than that... Also as a true California jeep. No undercarriage rust. (Hats are all solid and only a tad of body surface rust here and there. I'll be selling this one in a month or two. But if this is not the one for you don't worry. These loved driver jeeps still hit the market when you least expect it. And these stock drivers are not that expensive either.

*An artist of some fame, Wikipedia him. He spent almost 40 years spray painting this jeep gray with rattle cans. You'll get the irony if you look at his art. So I'm driving Hans Burkhardt's only art car. Under the gray is that rich Marine Corp. dark green.

 

[jeepdreamer]

What a cool story! I'm sure it will be out of my pay range but I'll be watching when it does come up for sale.

 

[shortbus4x4]

You want the 42? It's yours.

I would keep the Rubicon stock. We're wandering desert folks so instead of rock crawling we just pick a direction and meander off and see what we find.

Funny shortbus mentioned the 5/4 jeeps. A buddy just asked me if I wanted his 5/4 ambulance. I doubt I have the will power to say no.

Ahhh a M-725. I will help you say no by taking it myself. I would love to have one of those in decent shape, the one I have is pretty rough. It would go good with my M-715's and M-38.