JKU vs JLU

[Beowulf]

I've had a LJ since day one. Even though we have a Volvo wagon, we do 90% of all daily life with the LJ. I did not find getting a kid with a car set into the LJ that difficult. You open the door, move the sit forward and put them in the back. If you have to, climb in real fast to lock it down and hop out. Really not that difficult.

Plus, you really only have to do that for a short time. After a bit they are walking on there own. Then you pick them up and put them in the back. They crawl into the seat and just just make sure to help them buckle in, which can be done from the front seat reaching back. After that, they will fight you just to climb in themselves, "because they are big enough to do it on their own".

The JL is one of the best small yet big enough jeeps ever made. If you cannot fit enough behind the back seat for two adults and one kid, you are taking WAY too much stuff. We established from the very beginning that when we go on adventures, the toys stay home. Blanket and a single stuffy is what can come. The rest was just the items needed for the adventure.

Now that my son is 10, he might as well just be a 5' 90lbs adult.

 

[ratled]

So I saw my first JL today, a Shara. It was nice. If I was in the market for a new Jeep I would consider it. I would not sell my JK to get one.

To the OP, like one of the posters mentioned I would wait a year and see what you need. Again, what do you hope to accomplish with the new Jeep and down to 2 cars that you can't do now? Having a spare car with kids is nice thing to have.

ratled

 

[pittsburgh]

So I saw my first JL today, a Shara. It was nice. If I was in the market for a new Jeep I would consider it. I would not sell my JK to get one.

To the OP, like one of the posters mentioned I would wait a year and see what you need. Again, what do you hope to accomplish with the new Jeep and down to 2 cars that you can't do now? Having a spare car with kids is nice thing to have.

ratled

The two biggest things would be;

Decrease monthly bills, insurance on all 3 cars is kind of ridiculous at the moment.

Have an easier time living in the city.

 

[SoCal Tom]

The two biggest things would be;

Decrease monthly bills, insurance on all 3 cars is kind of ridiculous at the moment.

Have an easier time living in the city.

Shop for better insurance. A “weekend car” driven low miles shouldn’t be a ton.

 

[js9234]

I would definitely get the JL. Many improvements over the JK which was already a good Jeep. Maybe wait till the end of the year on a JLUR for discounts and should have decent aftermarket support by then.

 

[HRPINDC]

I had my JKUR since our daughter was 5, it's been a good family vehicle. It's not great for this purpose, but it's good. There are sacrifices for not having to drive a boring family car. The back doors aren't big, so sometimes it's tough getting the car seat and the kid in and out. On the JK, the headrests get in the way of car seats. It's not difficult to move them, but it is a pain. They fixed this in the JL. Because the side impact ratings weren't the best, we put the car seat in the middle. My daughter liked that a lot because she could see out the windshield.

I got a good look at the JL at a car show, and it's very nice. If I were in the market I would absolutely be considering it. But if the goal is to reduce expenses, the JKU would be my choice. Good luck!

 

[jzzr83]

Those are two nice vehicles and I would not want to get rid of either. Sit down with the boss and reevaluate how to solve this. What is the core issue at hand? I would move and keep all the vehicles.

 

[ratled]

This thread reminds me of the State Farm commercial "We Are Never"

 

[Haf-E]

I bet the overall cost of the three vehicles and insurance is less than the new vehicle payment and new vehicle insurance + second car - especially when you look at it over a five year period.

Best solution for the hassle of putting kid seats in and out is getting one for each vehicle - used ones are cheap/free often if you look for them.

 

[justbecause]

I bet the overall cost of the three vehicles and insurance is less than the new vehicle payment and new vehicle insurance + second car - especially when you look at it over a five year period.

Best solution for the hassle of putting kid seats in and out is getting one for each vehicle - used ones are cheap/free often if you look for them.

They expire, and like helmets should be disposed of after an accident. We have used 3 car seats with our first daughter, she outgrew the infant seat, and her 1st bigger seat was too big for the back seat of our truck.

they are less than 200, I'm a thrifty person, but thats not somewhere I'm going to skimp.


OP, how do you prefer a taco over a 4runner? Especially the 3rd gen taco, those are one of the worst least comfortable vehicles I have ever been in, except my TJ.


and for the crosstrex, that might might take the infant seat. My parents have a forester and the car seat is an absolute no go. Front seat gets run almost all the way forward.

 

[pittsburgh]

I bet the overall cost of the three vehicles and insurance is less than the new vehicle payment and new vehicle insurance + second car - especially when you look at it over a five year period.

Best solution for the hassle of putting kid seats in and out is getting one for each vehicle - used ones are cheap/free often if you look for them.

I am still making payments on the truck, so I could probably get a lower payment just by selling both and getting a 4 door jeep. But, the more I look at it, its is probably cheaper in the long run to refinance my truck if I can to help my monthly budget. I also contacted the insurance company and told them my dilemma and that I was shopping around and the did some magic and were able to reduce my insurance bill significantly.

 

[pittsburgh]

OP, how do you prefer a taco over a 4runner? Especially the 3rd gen taco, those are one of the worst least comfortable vehicles I have ever been in, except my TJ.


and for the crosstrex, that might might take the infant seat. My parents have a forester and the car seat is an absolute no go. Front seat gets run almost all the way forward.

I just prefer the way the Taco drives and feels. I feel more connected to it, the 4runner felt mushy and numb to me. But, it could be all of those years driving CJs, YJs, TJs, and even a Samurai that have ruined me for creature comforts :smiley_drive:

I wold say our Crosstrek has just as much room as the Taco in the back for a car seat, at least as long as the car seat is behind me. She is the taller of the two of us.