Drove a JKU and JLU back to back yesterday...JK is still better.

shortbus4x4

Expedition Leader
No no. The last of the real Jeeps had flat fenders, 3 speed manual transmissions, and valves in the block. CJ-3B, valves in the head!!! Not a real Jeep.
 

InvertChaos

New member
I drove one, and I really like it. Like a lot. Enough that I think I am finally going to sell my TJ and 16 Subaru STI for it.

Before I got the Subaru, I looked at JKURs and just wasn't impressed enough to ditch the TJ for one. The JLUR seems to have improved on every one of my complaints about the JK.
 

AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
“his 4 door feels like a truck”

.....and that’s a bad thing?

(I’m shopping for a used Jeep 4 door at the moment)
 
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zb39

Adventurer
Everyone is entitled to there opinion. The good news is brand new JK's can still be found if that is what you want. They all have good and bad points. I generally order and buy new. That way I get exactly what I want and a great price. My order for a 2dr Rubican will go in about a month after the 2019 open up.
I have owned many Jeeps, from multiple CJ's on up. They are all fun and I have never had any real problems with them. Even back in the day putting 360/401's in CJ5's.
 

GB_Willys_2014

Well-known member
I really like the exterior aesthetics of the new JLU. The new grill, hood side vents, and "rounded body edges" (my best description) work, imho.

And I am intrigued to try the new 6MT.

That said, I have no plans to trade in my JKU for a JLU. Maybe in years time, I will buy one, tho.
 

autism family travels

Active member
I just don't like the look of the fenders, they are uneven front to back, the signal lights in the front fenders are going to be trashed if you do any tight woods trails, and the interior is WAY to soccer mom'ish now. It's up to bmw levels of electronic tidly winks inside now. Thats why I said the JK is still better. It is in my opinion that the JK is a better jeep for taking off road. Less damage will occur in some instances, and there is WAY more inside and underneath to fail.
 

GB_Willys_2014

Well-known member
I just don't like the look of the fenders, they are uneven front to back, the signal lights in the front fenders are going to be trashed if you do any tight woods trails, and the interior is WAY to soccer mom'ish now. It's up to bmw levels of electronic tidly winks inside now. Thats why I said the JK is still better. It is in my opinion that the JK is a better jeep for taking off road. Less damage will occur in some instances, and there is WAY more inside and underneath to fail.
Good point on the fender lights.

My fenders are ... um ... a bit worse for wear.
 

JIMBO

Expedition Leader
That's a good opinion and I agree with it all, but

At my age and having owned/modified enough off-road vehicles that were "BARE", with minimum NICETIES--

THIS JL HAS EVERYTHING WANTED/NEEDED AND STILL COMES WITH A WARRANTY-

I'm really impressed with this little jewel

W.E.

JIMBO
 

Bobzdar

Observer
I just don't like the look of the fenders, they are uneven front to back, the signal lights in the front fenders are going to be trashed if you do any tight woods trails, and the interior is WAY to soccer mom'ish now. It's up to bmw levels of electronic tidly winks inside now. Thats why I said the JK is still better. It is in my opinion that the JK is a better jeep for taking off road. Less damage will occur in some instances, and there is WAY more inside and underneath to fail.

Shrug, I've been in some very tight places, with fractions of an inch clearance (and some light contact), and the black plastic lining on the bottom lip of the fenders is what will hit first. If you're rubbing more than that you screwed up, in which case you're going to rip your side markers off of your JK anyway.

I rubbed the belly of mine across logs, in mud etc. and no issues. This sounds to me like fear of change, to be perfectly honest. In which case, have fun with your JK, the JL isn't for you.

I never seriously considered a JK (having owned every Jeep CJ/Wrangler from the CJ-5 up), but the 8 speed auto, live-able interior both in terms of comfort and room, and improved capability made me an early buyer of the JL. It's a large leap over the JK in every day usability without sacrificing performance or off-road prowess, indeed it outperforms the JK in pretty much every objective measure, especially acceleration, fuel economy and nvh. I would think overlanders would be clamoring for the 3-4mpg jump of the JL, that gives an extra 60-80 miles per tank - which is around one less jerry can needed...
 

Renshi

Member
I sold Jeeps for years, and have owned many models,( Currently a WJ) and what surprises me the most is that I never imagined a day when a Wrangler would ever cost more than a Grand Cherokee Limited! But then I never thought that Mall Crawling would become so popular either!
 

autism family travels

Active member
Shrug, I've been in some very tight places, with fractions of an inch clearance (and some light contact), and the black plastic lining on the bottom lip of the fenders is what will hit first. If you're rubbing more than that you screwed up, in which case you're going to rip your side markers off of your JK anyway.

I rubbed the belly of mine across logs, in mud etc. and no issues. This sounds to me like fear of change, to be perfectly honest. In which case, have fun with your JK, the JL isn't for you.

I never seriously considered a JK (having owned every Jeep CJ/Wrangler from the CJ-5 up), but the 8 speed auto, live-able interior both in terms of comfort and room, and improved capability made me an early buyer of the JL. It's a large leap over the JK in every day usability without sacrificing performance or off-road prowess, indeed it outperforms the JK in pretty much every objective measure, especially acceleration, fuel economy and nvh. I would think overlanders would be clamoring for the 3-4mpg jump of the JL, that gives an extra 60-80 miles per tank - which is around one less jerry can needed...

Our trails are very tight with a lot of alder trees that grow in on the trails. They will destroy the signal lights on the fenders. Limb Risers are a must as your windshield will be toast in short order too. And NO it's not fear of change. It's I, as in ME, feel the JL is not as nice as the JK as an off roader. Mall crawler, sure.
 

Grenadiers

Adventurer
You boys have the initials backwards! It's the LJ that is THE greatest Jeep ever~! Extra storage, stability, longer wheelbase for those point-to-the-sky-Moab climbs, combines classic YJ/CJ simplicity coupled with modern pre-JK accommodations. Just skip the 05/06 models for the stupidity of Jeep engineers. My sister traded in a perfectly good 2012 JKU at 75,000 miles for a new JLU. The razzle-dazzle was pretty, she's fond of it, but, the JKU was in perfect shape, lots of years left on it. Mistake in my opinion. She's a mall crawler anyway.
 

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