Considering buying a Jeep.

[Somecallmetimm]

Is it?

Yes.

FOTW #1137, June 8, 2020: One-Third of all Light-Duty Vehicles Produced in the 2019 Model Year Were Turbocharged

Turbocharging has become increasingly common as manufacturers strive to provide better fuel economy and performance.

www.energy.gov

 

[Somecallmetimm]

Don't get me wrong, turboed engines and new technology has it's place, and I think eventually they will be just as good and reliable, if not better than older stuff.
Taking into context what we do with our vehicles, remote places, limited available of tools or emergency repairs, limited communications, etc. My approach has always stick with the tried and true, the simplest approach, and going with what has proven to work. Both my jeeps (TJ & XJ) run 4.0L with automatic. Both are high miles, but I know them inside and out and wouldn't hesitate to drive either of them across the country or further, because of their reliability and simplicity.
Outside the parameters of the OP request for advice, I would say stick with TJ, LJ, XJ or other jeep with a 4.0L straight 6 because they're 300,000+ mile engines all day long. They still enjoy a huge aftermarket support and don't come with the electronic nightmares that newer models have.

 

[Todd780]

Yes.

FOTW #1137, June 8, 2020: One-Third of all Light-Duty Vehicles Produced in the 2019 Model Year Were Turbocharged

Turbocharging has become increasingly common as manufacturers strive to provide better fuel economy and performance.

www.energy.gov

Getting more common, yes. Both our vehicles have small displacement turbo'd engines.

But where I disagree with you is that it's a relatively new practice to turbo charge a small engine in a large platform.

 

[Ozarker]

Jeeps are a cult thing, period. I had an old Tj, really a POS, horrible MPG, cold, rough riding, parts were expensive and after market crap was more expensive. But, I still bought another Jeep and live to regret it.

I had a GMC Safari AWD van, v-6, more comfort, more room, better milage, rode better on the streets or highway, and there weren't many places it couldn't go, all at half the price.

I recall my '89 Dodge Raider, the cheap version of a G Wagon, V-6, 4x4, that was the bomb for the money, agile, cheap to run, enclosed from weather, as agile as ANY Jeep!

Instead of following a cult, you might be better off really defining what your needs are and build around that. No vehicle is perfect, rarely is any vehicle perfect for any one owner.

If your ego is buying you may well end up with a Jeep, if you are driven by your actual needs, most likely there will be something better.

 

[GATORB8]

But that is because I hate the "you are on too steep a slope and the engine will shut down" message.

In a JL? We've done a decent amount of cross country hard core wheeling and never had an issue.

 

[GATORB8]

If your ego is buying you may well end up with a Jeep, if you are driven by your actual needs, most likely there will be something better.

Unless your definition of practicality includes the ability to go anywhere, a Jeep certainly falls behind on any comparison based on practicality.

I don't think it's really ego though, I've always felt Jeeps fill a passion place.

I have a newer Ram 1500 I daily drive. It's more practical and comfortable in probably every category when compared to our wrangler. It even cost about the same new. When we decide to take a weekend drive, go wheeling, or go on an adventure, we grab the keys to the Jeep instead.

 

[Ozarker]

Unless your definition of practicality includes the ability to go anywhere, a Jeep certainly falls behind on any comparison based on practicality.

I don't think it's really ego though, I've always felt Jeeps fill a passion place.

I have a newer Ram 1500 I daily drive. It's more practical and comfortable in probably every category when compared to our wrangler. It even cost about the same new. When we decide to take a weekend drive, go wheeling, or go on an adventure, we grab the keys to the Jeep instead.

LOL, it has to be either the Ego or the Id that motivates us to buy new vehicles, that's O.K.

After reading my comments it sounds like I hate Jeeps, that's not the case at all. Jeeps fill a niche of specialty utility vehicles.

Two vehicles credited for winning WWII was the Jeep and the Higgins boat.


Always wanted to build a houseboat out of one of these and carry a vehicle for river travels.

Back to Jeeps, they have a history that no other car/truck has, when you buy a Jeep you're driving a bit of history.

Some may think a Bronco is better than a Jeep, that might be but the Bronco will never have the history and alure of a Jeep.

The fantasy of overlanding and off roading can be filled by driving a Jeep even if it never leaves the streets. There is a Jeep culture, if you own a Jeep and have received a little yellow rubber ducky from an unknown source that was left on your Jeep, that was from one of your cult members. I passed my rubber duck off to another the day I got it.

If you own a Jeep you're in the cult by default.

Jeep has evolved playing off the hearts and minds of their cult members, today the Grand Cherokee is a luxury vehicle with little resemblance to the original Jeep.
Jeep Wrangler Reliability and Common Problems - In The Garage with CarParts.com
Ranking of the Wrangler by owners turned out to be 25th of 26 small SUVs. That article also points out 6 common issues and none are a cheap fix, unless you have the tools and skills to do it yourself.

Owning a Jeep isn't a question of "if" you will have a problem but "when".
That's just part of owning a Jeep.

 

[Todd780]

And none of those were top sellers or durable. They ALL had problems and were abandoned.
But you missed the big one
View attachment 759471

and its off spring
View attachment 759472

Given that most of the past turbocharged engines were less than 5 year wonders, I worry about todays turbo bandwagon which is only in its first few years. One third of vehicles since 2019 says nothing about long term reliability.

Every turbo engine I have been around has needed more maintenance than the non turbo version.

Oh I didn't forget about the GN / GNX. I was trying to show even older examples of turbo'd cars.

EcoBoost's came out in the F150 in 2013 I think?

Plenty of high mileage PowerStrokes, Cummins and Duramax's out there. They're all turbocharged.

PowerStrokes and Duramax's have had their issues but the turbocharger wasn't usually the culprit.

 

[GATORB8]

wow, totally the opposite for me after an m38, a few CJs, a YJ, an LJ and on my second Rubicon. They have all been my favourite vehicles. And over a million miles on them in total.

Size is perfect for me, my wife, one dog.

I have 3 trailers and the 4.0L engine is plenty powerful to maintain highway speeds in the mountains.

The open trailer works better than any pickup.
View attachment 759511

The work trailer gets 12K miles a year and its been towed by the YJ and both Rubicons for 12 years.
View attachment 759512

And the Square Box, now 5 years old is perfect for us.
View attachment 759513

I definitely would not want anything bigger.

Nothing is more flexible. I get home from work, trade trailers, unload the ladders, store the doors, and we are gone in 30 minutes. Get home late Monday, trade trailers, load the ladders and I'm off to work in 15 minutes. Both trailers are always loaded for work or camping, zero loading needed. Buy some groceries and beer and keep going.

Ride??? well yes you can feel the road if it is rough unlike all the smooth riding overloaded pickups with broken frames. At least when the road is rough you know it and slow down.

And nothing else lets you travel with the doors off which I hang in the front of the SquareBox.
View attachment 759514

If you want a fun vehicle which does it all, nothing beats the Wrangler. On gas mileage if I maintain 55mph I get 15mpg towing.

Jeeps definitely are a family thing for me. Heres my Uncle somewhere in Europe in 1944 with his Government Issued Jeep, back when ALL Jeeps were Government Issued.
View attachment 759518

The door storage in your trailer is great. Now I've got to figure out how to work that into my current trailer build.

 

[AggieOE]

I think it's well-known that older usually means simpler. That can be said about, well, everything.

That being said, newer can have a number of benefits.
Per @zip 's original post it seems you want:

• < 5-years old
• Low mileage
• Hardtop
• Auto trans
• Stock

Additionally, it needs to be able to get to the mountains in the winter and be able to drive over the passes in some snow but does not need super off-roading capability.
It sounds (to me) that a newer JK/JL with a beneficial traction control system would be perfect (from a Jeep perspective). Also, it doesn't sound like you need an apocalypse-proof vehicle that can survive an EMP burst. Contrary to a large number of posts here, Jeeps aren't just defaulting to a limp mode during normal driving conditions. What you described are normal driving conditions for it. Worst case, grab an OBDII port reader/code clearer should something arise.

Now if you want 20-year vehicle maintenance, then grab yourself a TJ. They are cool for sure.

 

[Todd780]

I must be in the minority. This one was enough for me:



If I ever got another Wrangler, it would be a JL.
Very possible I just had a lemon tj though. The only thing that was good about this particular Jeep was the 4.0L.

 

[shays4me]

I must be in the minority. This one was enough for me:
View attachment 759647
View attachment 759649

If I ever got another Wrangler, it would be a JL.
Very possible I just had a lemon tj though. The only thing that was good about this particular Jeep was the 4.0L.

A red YJ was my worst Jeep ever. Don't buy a red Jeep. Red Jeeps are cursed. There, I fixed it for you, and now you can go on happily owning decent Jeeps cause they don't have the red curse, LOL!

 

[Ozarker]

A red YJ was my worst Jeep ever. Don't buy a red Jeep. Red Jeeps are cursed. There, I fixed it for you, and now you can go on happily owning decent Jeeps cause they don't have the red curse, LOL!

Totally agree, the same holds true for black ones as well!

 

[Zeep]

I'm satisfied with my red Jeep

 

[kmacafee]

Is there one place to go that describes the differences between the models - JL vs JK vs YJ?