JLU worth car payments?

[billiebob]

If you were to start a family

4 door pickup..... old fart here, kids are almost 40. From 1985 thru 1995 our transport was a '79 F250 Crewcab.
Family.... get a truck. With a family, yer travelling and goals will likely settle a bit and there will be no need for 37s, even 35s will seem excessively selfish vs dance, hockey, horses, band, ballet for the kids, but a stock JT.... will actually be practical and let you enjoy family adventures in the wild.

 

[pittsburgh]

4 door pickup..... old fart here, kids are almost 40. From 1985 thru 1995 our transport was a '79 F250 Crewcab.
Family.... get a truck. With a family, yer travelling and goals will likely settle a bit and there will be no need for 37s, even 35s will seem excessively selfish vs dance, hockey, horses, band, ballet for the kids, but a stock JT.... will actually be practical and let you enjoy family adventures in the wild.

Every time I think about down sizing the fleet and keeping ether the Tacoma or the LJ, a littleness voice in my head says get a JT Sport and throw a rear locker in it, add some rock rails, and enjoy. ? Just not sure i am ready to part with the LJ yet. I should just go drive a JT that will probably finalize my decision.

 

[vintageracer]

I am sure a new Jeep is very nice and very capable vehicle.

2 of your biggest personal assets are your ability to earn an income and your time as none of us knows how much time we have in life. Pledging part of your income for a new Jeep payment cause your want it rather than need it to "me" does NOT appear to be a good use of your personal income when you have or are considering starting a family. I believe this to be especially true when it will be in your words a that Jeep will be a "Third Vehicle".

Please realize this observation comes from a person who has never had a car payment in their life and as a result has only purchased 1 new vehicle in their life. I purchased that 1 new vehicle 25 years ago this month of September. I still have and use that same 25 year old truck whenever I need to!

 

[Regcabguy]

Saw my first Gladiator this morning. Pretty nice but what do they run?
Perpetual payments.

 

[Regcabguy]

I am sure a new Jeep is very nice and very capable vehicle.

2 of your biggest personal assets are your ability to earn an income and your time as none of us knows how much time we have in life. Pledging part of your income for a new Jeep payment cause your want it rather than need it to "me" does NOT appear to be a good use of your personal income when you have or are considering starting a family. I believe this to be especially true when it will be in your words a that Jeep will be a "Third Vehicle".

Please realize this observation comes from a person who has never had a car payment in their life and as a result has only purchased 1 new vehicle in their life. I purchased that 1 new vehicle 25 years ago this month of September. I still have and use that same 25 year old truck whenever I need to!

Which one. You've got a ton of vehicles in your signature?

 

[Todd780]

I purchased that 1 new vehicle 25 years ago this month of September. I still have and use that same 25 year old truck whenever I need to!

Which one. You've got a ton of vehicles in your signature?

I'm going to guess the 95 Ford as it would be 25 years old now since Sept 94 would have been the 1995 new car model year.

 

[vintageracer]

Yes it was the 1995 Ford f350. Immediately cut in half and stretched it when new. Made it into a "Crew Cab Extended Cab". 204K miles later and 25 years later it still runs and drives great!

 

[Nautadoc]

Yeah, tough decision with a lot of variables.

 

[ExplorerTom]

It sounds like you might live in the Denver or general Front Range area. Everybody who’s anybody on the Front Range with a brand new JL has also spent at least an additional $5k in wheels, tires and armor.

So I think the choice is clear: you NEED a JL. I mean: what will the neighbors think?

 

[jktowhere]

It sounds like you might live in the Denver or general Front Range area. Everybody who’s anybody on the Front Range with a brand new JL has also spent at least an additional $5k in wheels, tires and armor.

So I think the choice is clear: you NEED a JL. I mean: what will the neighbors think?

Haha right. I saw a modified one before a stock one once they hit the streets for the first time out here.

 

[shays4me]

I've had a Casita that I pulled behind my JKUR and maybe I'm just a safety ninny but with my family along I wouldn't have thought of ever putting 37" tires on the Jeep. I had a prodigy 3 brake controller, firestone air bags and 4.10 gears with stock tires. It pulled fine and handled okay with this setup, however I would be cautious about adding much weight or a soft suspension to your build if this is the direction you want to go. Jeeps are already close to GVWR when they're loaded with passengers and adding a trailer to that just ups the ante even more. I know that doesn't sound like fun but neither does picking up the pieces of your Jeep and your family out on the road. To me expedition build means a totally different thing then it does to the marketing people. Their job is to sell you junk, and if they're successful your Jeep will be so overbuilt and overloaded that it's no longer fun to drive any distance and it's no longer safe and reliable because it's a fatty. It's a battle for me to stray away from the pack because I love cool gear but I have to consider that each and every time I add a part. I recently installed OME 2" medium heavy springs. They're stiffer than the original springs and should help with trailering if I don't go too wild on tire size. Weight s always the first consideration I make when deciding if I do or don't add a part. My last JK was too heavy and I learned my lesson! Anyway, just my 2 cents and it's your Jeep so do what you want. Cheers

 

[pittsburgh]

What @shays4me said about expedition needs/build.

Plus my 2 cents, which will make me sound old ?

There was a time when’s 37’s were buggy tires or for trailer queens and most of use wheeled just fine on 33’s for most stuff and 35’s were “big extreme” tires for rock crawling.

In the late 90’s I drove my TJ on 31’s with a font locker and rock rails on the Holy Cross City trail to the ghost town.

Also in the 90’s we took two TJ’s on 33’s to The Great Smokey adventure in Tellico.

In 2000 we took a Willy’s on 32’s and an XJ on 33’s to drive the river bed trails in Las Cruces NM.

Don’t buy I to the you”need” 37’s hype, but, it’s ok to want 37’s If you feel it’s worth it to you.

Most of the Tacoma guys don’t gone over 33’s because of all the work it requires for their trucks and they go lots of places.

Just some stuff to think about. ?

 

[86scotty]

If you were to start a family, what makes the most sense at this point? I go back and forth constantly. The Jeep will be a third vehicle / toy / camp rig. Is the jlu worth the car payments which I despise?

Thank you everyone. We want to explore and have fun, but make smart choices.

A Subaru makes the most sense, one you can pay cash for. I mean, I hate to ruin all the fun but look where you're asking this! Of course everyone here is going to say you need a Gladiator Rubicon with 50" M/T's just so you can make the expedition to get milk from the grocery. You've answered your own question. You want to make smart choices. You don't rock crawl. You despise car payments.

Ever try to put kids in their car seats in a truck with 37"s?

 

[jadmt]

If you are tall a JL will not work so well as your head will be on the sound bar.. If you are under 6'2" definitely go newer. I have run the Rubicon trail, Dusy ershim, all the trails in the San Juan area, most trails in Moab including Golden Spike, Kane Creek, Behind the rocks and rose garden hill and even did potato salad hill all on 35's and never once felt like I needed 37's. in a jkur. If I were buying something that I was not going to rock crawl in and wanted mostly a nice overland platform I would look at a JT rubicon (local dealer has one for under $50K) or a Chevy zr2.

 

[luk4mud]

I vote JK for several reasons.

First, the early years of a new model are never desirable. Jeep quality control (and yes I own a Jeep) is certainly not the same as Toyota (own one of those too).

Second, I just cant see putting a $50k+ vehicle on a black diamond trail. I own a 2006 built LJ. Looks like crap, but is mechanically sound and very capable. A new dent is a badge of honor.

Third, I personally hate car payments. Vehicles are depreciating assets, so paying over time just exacerbates the issue.

Fourth, the novelty of the new JL means you pay a premium over a good used JK. They dont give the JKs away either, but you can find a decent low mileage one that is built in the low 30k range.

Fifth, I personally have never had a need for anything beyond 35's, and I have run virtually all the non-buggy black diamond trails in the West.

HTH