Don't flame... BUT is the Wrangler the new Defender for the U.S. ???

[iowalr4]

Some look great. I really liked the Jurassic Park Jeeps. I know they're not JKUs. There's just too many of these embarrassing abominations running around

I see these all over, even in Iowa.

My favorite part is the decapitation device mounted to the hood near the windshield.

 

[sedat]

Properly mounted the hi-lift won't go anywhere.

but the key words "properly mounted".....

 

[libarata]

I see these all over, even in Iowa.

My favorite part is the decapitation device mounted to the hood near the windshield.

It even has a "Call of Duty" sticker. Bets on whether or not a 16yo boy drives this? Also, look how SHINY those tires are!

 

[LL247]

I've grown to despise the jeeps like the one pictured above. I'm currently the owner of an '08 JKU that actually gets used for it's intended purpose and spends most of it's time covered in dirt (and filled with sticks & leaves that seem to find their way in).

It's just hard for me to understand why you would spend all the money on a lifted suspension and tires...PLUS put up with an uncomfortable ride...THEN add all the extra weight of bumpers, winch, ect...to NOT take it off road??? What's better is those people seem to stare mine down with the 'man that's cool!' look just because it's apparent it gets used.

 

[libarata]

I've grown to despise the jeeps like the one pictured above. I'm currently the owner of an '08 JKU that actually gets used for it's intended purpose and spends most of it's time covered in dirt (and filled with sticks & leaves that seem to find their way in).

It's just hard for me to understand why you would spend all the money on a lifted suspension and tires...PLUS put up with an uncomfortable ride...THEN add all the extra weight of bumpers, winch, ect...to NOT take it off road??? What's better is those people seem to stare mine down with the 'man that's cool!' look just because it's apparent it gets used.

I absolutely love seeing Jeeps being used as farm, and ranch rigs out here. Nothing screams sexy, like that farmer out there repairing his fence, checking his cattle, or just doing his rounds in that Jeep. Sadly, more of those idiotic little sXs go carts are being used for that, at the price of a used jeep...

 

[GaAlpinaowner]

Some look great. I really liked the Jurassic Park Jeeps. I know they're not JKUs. There's just too many of these embarrassing abominations running around

Ok I own a decked out D2 so personally I don't think these look that bad/terrible....but they are around 44k to buy and that seems way out of line. I used to have a 1975 CJ5 bone stock with decent tires when I was a teenager. With minimal lift w/ added leaf springs I have never seen anything come close to offroading capability that this inline 6 offered. I could swamp it as I did often, and it would literally climb a tree (there was barely zero hill that it could not conquer). It totally suxed on the street and highways though with no power steering. Of course it was around 4500.00 in 1979 as well .....

 

[justaddmtns]

This is the referenced article: http://expeditionportal.com/why-the-jeep-wrangler-is-the-new-land-rover-defender/

The Expo just is done "right"in my opinion. I remember a picture floating around with white rims that at first glance I thought was a defender even.

Edit - found it: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/31401-JK-Overland-Project-Expeditions-West-3-0

 

[dwvninety]

I do, but there's a fine line between disliking a brand, and respecting a design. Read the first line of the description.

http://www.aev-conversions.com/vehicles/brute-double-cab

"Drawing inspiration from the Land Rover Defender 130"

Didn't Rover Company draw inspiration from a WWII Jeep Willys?

The design for the original Land Rover vehicle was started in 1947 by Maurice Wilks, chief designer at the Rover Company, on his farm in Newborough, Anglesey. It is said that he was inspired by an American World War II Jeep that he used one summer at his holiday home in Wales. The first Land Rover prototype, later nicknamed 'Centre Steer', was built on a Jeep chassis and axles.

 

[ZG]

They did, but couldn't seem to keep it from becoming the teenage girl dream car. Jeep never built an ultra long wheelbase like the D130, so that is where the aev double cab design came from


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[dwvninety]

They did, but couldn't seem to keep it from becoming the teenage girl dream car. Jeep never built an ultra long wheelbase like the D130, so that is where the aev double cab design came from


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You should come visit Dallas TX next time SCARR 2015 is around instead of Jeff Aronson. You can personally see that most of the rich teenage girls drive Land Rovers which are a all over the place. Maybe you'll hate Land Rover then.

 

[roverandom]

JK Jeeps are not Defenders in the USA.

A more accurate comparison would be Jeep CJ7 from 1983 and a Defender.

Utility Land Rovers were well engineered for their day ( that day was in 1983) but build quality on Defenders is crap.

If the luxury whores at LR ever bother to get real and put some serious effort into the new Defender and it becomes available in the US look for the values of all the overpriced old units to fall fast.

Old Defenders will then join the ranks of Series LR's suitable for only the most ardent fan while all the rest will move on to the new unit.

Such is the fickle world of 4x4's

 

[ZG]

You should come visit Dallas TX next time SCARR 2015 is around instead of Jeff Aronson. You can personally see that most of the rich teenage girls drive Land Rovers which are a all over the place. Maybe you'll hate Land Rover then.

I did go to SCARR this year with Jeff.

 

[brushogger]

I did go to SCARR this year with Jeff.

I attended SCARR 3 years ago before the cylinder liners in my much loved D2 (with 70k miles) let go. The LR3's we followed were capable, but left a trail of hangy down bits (spare tires, exhaust parts, trim, etc). This wasn't an issue with the stock Discos, Series, or Defenders. I decided then and there that this problem, along with LR's insistence on using 20" tires and wheels was proof LR was abandoning the offroad market- no matter what electronic traction and suspension aids they could develop. When the Defender is gone, The JK will be the only logical successor. If Jeep goes IFS on the Wrangler, and starts putting the Grand Cherokee air suspension bits on it, they may as well commit corporate suicide. I personally believe, that Ford has a new version of the first gen Bronco waiting in the wings (with straight axles and lockers) to trounce all competition in this scenario. But I also believe in fairies, black helicopters, and that Elvis and JFK are alive and dance in Avalon to this day.

 

[Kmrtnsn]

The Japanese and others have built robust IFS for years. To think that Dana/Spicer had not cracked this nut defies logic. Sure, running 37s, 40s, 42s might be problematic but I am sure that what ever D/S has waiting in the wings will be capable of anything a Dana 44 equipped Jeep with 35s can handle. Frankly, I'm anxious to see it.

 

[dwvninety]

I attended SCARR 3 years ago before the cylinder liners in my much loved D2 (with 70k miles) let go. The LR3's we followed were capable, but left a trail of hangy down bits (spare tires, exhaust parts, trim, etc). This wasn't an issue with the stock Discos, Series, or Defenders. I decided then and there that this problem, along with LR's insistence on using 20" tires and wheels was proof LR was abandoning the offroad market- no matter what electronic traction and suspension aids they could develop. When the Defender is gone, The JK will be the only logical successor. If Jeep goes IFS on the Wrangler, and starts putting the Grand Cherokee air suspension bits on it, they may as well commit corporate suicide. I personally believe, that Ford has a new version of the first gen Bronco waiting in the wings (with straight axles and lockers) to trounce all competition in this scenario. But I also believe in fairies, black helicopters, and that Elvis and JFK are alive and dance in Avalon to this day.

I have to mildly disagree with you on this. Being part of past SCARR committee and a volunteer last year, we always emphasize safety for the drivers, passenger and vehicles. We make sure the trails are cleaned and safe for the newer and older vehicles. The last thing we don't need as organizers of SCARR is to have participants complain on how their vehicles were damaged. We always strive to get as many people and trucks. Having said that we run the trails prior to SCARR not just once but a few times. Me personally on my LR3 have run those trails numerous times. Also if you were following an LR3 with 20" tire clearly the driver of that vehicle is someone who is very inexperience as LR3 has never been sold with 20" factory tires.