New Jeep Pick Up to be unveiled...The Gladiator
- Thread starter smlobx
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Clutch
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When I was looking at F-150's, it was the console shifter that I would prefer...simply because I am coming from manuals. Think it was the Sport package was the cheapest that came with it standard. Have great distain for column shifters, wouldn't mind loosing a little storage space. F-150 console storage is massive compared coming from a Tacoma.
Todd780
OverCamper
Yes, that's what I have. The cheapest package you can get with the Sport package, 301A. It came with the FX4 package as well as 3:73's, 5.0L V8, tow package with trailer brake and that is it. Pretty close to how I would have spec'd it if I was ordering it myself. No big screen, no heated seats, no sunroof, no NAV etc...
The sport package gives you painted bumpers, grill (I find the grill surround being body color tones down how ginormous it is), buckets / console and I think body color door handles.
Yes, tons of space in the console! I keep a booster pack, window smashing thingy, flashlight, 1st aid kit, couple map books and various crap in there and still have tons of room.
Clutch
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Of all the trucks out there, seems like Ford has the best layout. Love the flat floor in the Super and Crew cabs.
Was a bit blown away by how big the console storage was, all the stuff I could toss in there and forget it was in there until years later, so that where it was!
Have like literally a handful of pens in my Taco's. Why anyone needs that many pens I don't know. Must keep on loosing them, and tossing them in there.
Wallygator
Adventurer
wish that flat floor found it's way to the Ranger, but it didn't
Clutch
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Clutch
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Have considered it over the years. Before I bought my Tacoma test drove about 10-12 Jeeps, all of them weren't very good...one even broke down on the test drive. I really really really wanted a Jeep, but said to myself...oh well just stick with Toyota.
Several dirt bike buddies have JK's...I like them but there is always some nagging issue they are dealing with, all of them complain that they are underpowered. Few of them got fed up enough that they have moved to a different platform.
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Jeep or Tacoma
Explorer
My jk was not very powerful. I ran 315 70 17. With ab OME lift On it for 10 years the 3.8 minivan mother was bullet proof. I blew an intake gasket and had some over heating problems the temp ran high but not high enough to set off the warning lights just high enough to know something was wrong. Finally it got bad drove it from Orange County to San Diego jeep dealer they fixed the gaskets. Under warranty lifetime. And it just kept going. Never had any other issues. 10 years 175 k miles sold it for 12000. Bought a new jl
Clutch
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All of my friends run 35-37's on theirs (regeared but still...) FCA needs to toss a V8 in there, but that will never happen. Why a company like AEV exists.
Funny that they make it easy to install 35-37" tires but don't put in a V8 to churn those tires. Think the crash test excuse is rubbish, since the whole vehicle is rather dangerous anyways.
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Jeep or Tacoma
Explorer
I am not so sure about that. I got t-boned by a sequoia in my jkur and we walked away. The occupants of the sequoia did not. There was more damage to the sequoia than to my brand new ( then 08 JKUR). There are 2 stories on JL wranger forum of guys in pretty serious accidents in their new JLUs and have both walked away. One was a roll . Just not sure how real the safety testing mimics the real world conditions.
Clutch
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I was thinking with the doors and top off...it is a bit more dangerous than a vehicle with a closed cab. Surely they can drop a V8 in it. Is it really going to be all that much different safety-wise than a V6?
Wallygator
Adventurer
I know crash tests are important and all but it is still a lab test and real life can be very different. The Jeep doesn't fare that well in the lab, but it is a body on frame and I will take my chances in a BOF vehicle before any other. For instance, this video, if this kid was in anything but a body on frame vehicle he would not have survived.
The moment he mentioned it, I could see how it could effect frontal impact and pedestrian safety tests that are mandated these days. A failure in any test could require 100's of thousands of dollars to redesign, retool, and retest, the vehicle.
As far as FCA is concerned, the V6 wrangler sold as fast as they could build them. Why spend production dollars to reengineer something that's not degrading sales and profitability?
Clutch
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Makes me wonder how does AEV get away with the swap. Why are they allowed on the road if it would fail a crash test?
There is a market for it, or AEV wouldn't exist otherwise, yeah?
It is the same as why does the Lexus GX470 have a V8 and the 4Runner doesn't anymore. They are built on the same chassis.