Ive had my Wrangler since 2011 and ;ove it. 205k miles so far. Only major issue was the automatic trans went out at 175k miles but was replaced under my lifetime warranty. Just know that buying a Wrangler is kinda like buying a Harley, you're also joining a club. They are also like Ar15's in that if you want to mod something, 12 companies make a version of the mod. Personally, I've had more reliable service from Jeeps than GM vehicles by far. WHITE FLARES3 by Wandell Asbell, on Flickr |
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Originally Posted By GlockCamper: What is wrong with Jeeps specifically? Is it all jeeps or just the wranglers? The 3.6 pentastar is a long running and well proven engine generally. It's the typical GD hate; the 3.6 Pentastar and 8 speed transmission is one of the best powertrains available today. A lot of people mod them, and then the quality of parts and labor come into play, but people will still blame issues on it being a Jeep. A lot of people buy one because they're cool, then decide they're a piece of shit because they aren't a comfortable highway cruiser. Well no shit. |
Wifes 2020 WK2 Grand Cherokee wk16 by Wandell Asbell, on Flickr
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Originally Posted By Szilagyi-hpg: I have seen several late models still eat cams and rocker arms. That engine has always been prone to a number of head issues since inception. It’s good so far as a fiat chrysler engine, but in no way is it a tank. The very first runs had some issues with castings that were resolved by the end of 2012. That's really it for widespread/design/manufacturing issues. |
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Originally Posted By AK-12: It's the typical GD hate; the 3.6 Pentastar and 8 speed transmission is one of the best powertrains available today. A lot of people mod them, and then the quality of parts and labor come into play, but people will still blame issues on it being a Jeep. A lot of people buy one because they're cool, then decide they're a piece of shit because they aren't a comfortable highway cruiser. Well no shit. Our Grand Cherokee is at 107k, and we are trying to decide what to do. Gave 25k for it brand new. Keep it, or replace with ???. (Not trying to hijack OPs thread). |
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Originally Posted By DirkericPitt: I still don't understand what is wrong with a jeep for daily driving. I do it everyday. I have never once in my life drove a car and thought about the "ride". Do bumps hurt your butts or something? I do not notice anything different between my wrangler, my wives palisade, my fils f150, my mom suburu. Same sentiment from me. I do have the longer wheelbase Gladiator though, which is going to ride better than a 2 door Wrangler. I’ve never cared much about ride quality. I’ve done plenty of daily driving in an unladen F250 
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Originally Posted By GlockCamper: Our Grand Cherokee is at 107k, and we are trying to decide what to do. Gave 25k for it brand new. Keep it, or replace with ???. (Not trying to hijack OPs thread). We traded out 2015 Durango for our current Grand Cherokee just under 2 years ago. Durango never gave us any problems but my wife wanted 4wd and a nicer trim. Jeep has 41k on it, Durango had 122k. No issues with the Jeep either. |
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Three-Jeep family here - 2010, 2013 and 2016 JKUs. Personally, I would not DD a Wrangler. I'm tall and fat, so that's part of the problem. Wife is 5' 2" and 120 lbs, she loves hers (the 2016). The JL was a pretty respectable upgrade/update of the JK. A buddy recently bought a used 2021 JLU with 50k miles, and he loves it. A nicely-optioned JL/JLU might be better as a DD, but it's still a narrow body with weird ergos, and a suspension/running gear setup that doesn't prioritize comfort and a nice ride. |
Posterity! You will never know, how much it cost the present Generation, to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make a good Use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it.---John Adams
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Originally Posted By Zakk_Wylde_470: If you want a Jeep, nothing else will satisfy you. Just make sure you actually want a Jeep. https://i.imgur.com/eSvxgRy.jpeg This is really good advice. They are a great vehicle as long as you consider running a full reliability program out of your garage a good deal. Expect to replace everything over time. Expect to replace a bunch of stuff early….also known as setup or buying in. Expect rando’s to ask about your ducks. Expect people to wave that you don’t know. Carry recovery gear and basic relocation supplies. Depending on the break down, relocation might be the better option. |
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| I just drove my gladiator for the first time in 7 weeks today. I had to swap the engine due to head gasket failure and chewed up intake cams. I missed it though! Couple more short trips in the daylight and I'll be commuting with it again. My sons Colorado gets around 50% better fuel economy though! |
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Originally Posted By Ramcharger_pilot: I'm not going anywhere rougher than a forest service road.  Honestly, buying a Honda Ridgeline was about the best thing I have done for myself after bouncing around for years in a fantastically dependable but uncomfortable 4 Runner. the Honda meets every demand of suburban life, has some very interesting features, and is wonderfully comfortable to drive. Perfect for light woods cruising, still capable of a commute or the interstate. Highly recommended. |
Never ask a man if he is from Virginia. If he is, he'll tell you. If he isn't, you don't want to embarrass him.
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Originally Posted By Dopple: WK2 Hemi. OP should get both: WK2 Ecodiesel That said, they are definitely not for everyone, but if you get a good one it’s hard not to love them. Ours is my wife’s primary vehicle and our road trip vehicle of choice when not towing our travel trailer. It’s easy to put in 400-500 mile days behind the wheel. 30+ MPG on the freeway means stopping to use the bathroom more than stopping for fuel. |
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Originally Posted By Ramcharger_pilot: Small. I'm big. I know, challenger. Still it's the smallest thing I can get in/out of. I'm also old. Really don't need or want a car. ETA Just noticed the picture. I'm interested. I acknowledge most of the internet BS is just hate. Haters never win. Originally Posted By Ramcharger_pilot: Originally Posted By Aimless: I bought a gladiator used this year. I wouldn't want one for commuting. They're loud and unreliable. They're great off road. Why not a Camry or used Lexus ? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/14563/IMG_2627-3831373.jpg Small. I'm big. I know, challenger. Still it's the smallest thing I can get in/out of. I'm also old. Really don't need or want a car. ETA Just noticed the picture. I'm interested. I acknowledge most of the internet BS is just hate. Haters never win. ...aren't current gen Jeeps notorious for bad seats & no leg room? |
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Just don't buy a new Tundra |
Stuff I learned from A-Team: 1)Always pity da fool 2)Carry wire cutters (you may need to defuse a bomb or start a car) 3)Never trust a crazy fool 4)Carry grenade launcher/machine guns in the van 5)Know how to weld 6)Love It When A Plan Comes Together
| Yes OP. Buy a diesel when the current national average diesel price is $6.53/gallon. |
“It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers-out of unorthodoxy.” -George Orwell, 1984
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Originally Posted By MattyMattel: I have a Gladiator, and take it off road all the time. Why tonight I went to the pet store to get a baggie of doggie food, then to Walmart for some Maxwell House coffee. Oh yeah, went to Jersey Mike's too, got a #7. Dang the Gladiator is impressive. It can go off road, while also has the ability to go to the pet store, Walmart and Jersey Mike's. |
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Originally Posted By fighter443: 2011 Jeep Wrangler here. 245,000 miles on it. No major issues. Jeep has had some QRD failures. No doubt more than average over the last 25 years (I'd need to do some work, but Im relatively sure that's a correct statement) Wrangler does better. The Pentastar has has some serious issues as some have noted in various production brackets. Every mfgs does (Love Toyota Camry? 2AZ head bolts and piston rings then U660 slushbox - ES as well - right after, is an example). The 2.0L GME T4 has been much better than anyone expected. I'm kinda surpisede. EcoDiesel 3 GEN has some softspots as mentioned. If I was mostly tooling around local, I'd avoid. Consistent highway seems to fare better. But overall many Wrangler owners go long term without much issue. I can't say much good about either local franchise service or Jeeps after sale ops. That first is incredibly variable base on locale. I can say the same for Lexus or Toyota in swaths of the country. The Corp side is a bit more prickly. As long as you realize you're gonna be mostly on your own. Which is fine, since these get modded to wheel and that fixes much done right (or fucks stuff up on your watch if not). Jeep wouldn't have the owner loyalty it does if everyone was a shitbox. But yea I wouldn't expect a 100% defect avoidance experience. Especially in the known trouble spots - periods and systems - which are easily avoided with some research. |
Tertium non datur
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Anything other than a Camry, Civic, Mazda 3, etc, is just plain stupid for commuting. For a new vehicle, a Wrangler is probably the single worst commuter out there. They are smaller inside than a Camry. Fix the Ramcharger for a fun vehicle. They are so easy to work on a drunk gorilla could do it. Drive a shitbox that doesn't break to work and retire 20 years before everyone you work with. |
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Originally Posted By onthebreeze: Anything other than a Camry, Civic, Mazda 3, etc, is just plain stupid for commuting. For a new vehicle, a Wrangler is probably the single worst commuter out there. They are smaller inside than a Camry. Fix the Ramcharger for a fun vehicle. They are so easy to work on a drunk gorilla could do it. Drive a shitbox that doesn't break to work and retire 20 years before everyone you work with. Get with the program, GD hates Jeeps because they're too big now, not because they're too small 
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When doubt returns, may it be
That faith shall permeate our scars
When we're seduced, then may it be
That we not deviate our cause
That faith shall permeate our scars
When we're seduced, then may it be
That we not deviate our cause
Been driving my Ex's 2025 Wrangler 2 door Sport around which has the 2.0T engine. I like that it has a heated steering wheel, heated cloth seats, and adaptive cruise. It's a blast to drive and easily passes farm trucks pulling cattle trailers on the 2 lane roads around here. The acceleration reminds me of the 3.5 Ecoboost in my F150.  Mpg's are pretty good at 24mpg but I expect them to get even better.  If it were mine, I'd add a snorkel and a winch but leave the small tires or go up 1 tire size. My Jeep:  My on pavement MPG with 4.88 gears and 37x12.5R17 MT tires.  OP go test drive some new JL / JLU's. |
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392 jeep is the only jeep. my buddy has a diesel, its ok, but i wont own a diesel thats not uncorked. Attached File |
Endeavor to Persevere
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Our jeep has had one issue. Replaced the sticking thermostat at 80K. Replace the hard top gaskets every other year to ensure no leaks. Trouble free. The thermostat took me 45 easy minutes to change in the drive way. Oh forgot one. Had to replace the battery last month. Seems that they don’t last more than 10 years. Oh well. |
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As someone who owned a current generation Gladiator, i will tell you that Jeeps are a ton of fun. There arent many, if any, vehicles that check as many boxes. But you make a lot of sacrifices to own one. The 3.6 is a pain to work on. The valve trains can literally fail at any point. They all leak. Theyre noisy. They get horrible gas mileage. Theyre cramped and have limited storage. The 8 speed ZF tranny is awesome, and some of the higher end models are well trimmed. And taking off the top and doors gives you an unrivaled driving experience. They make great 2nd cars. As a daily, they are very hard to recommend. Mine was a daily and I had a growing family. It just wasn't a good fit anymore. For people who plan to never plan to take the doors or top off or modify a vehicle, a 5th gen 4runner is a much better choice. |
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Just bought a 2026 JLU Rubicon with 6spd manual , 3.6 V6 and 4.88 gears from the factory. It's my daily driver. Really like it. I am a regular visitor to Moab and Ouray, wanted something I could drive to the trail vs haul on a trailer. Previous combo was a diesel F250, a 2000 TJ and a flatbed trailer. |
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Originally Posted By Szilagyi-hpg: I have seen several late models still eat cams and rocker arms. That engine has always been prone to a number of head issues since inception. It’s good so far as a fiat chrysler engine, but in no way is it a tank. My 2015 did exactly this, to the tune of about $12-14k in repairs (fortunately covered by warranty). My hard top also leaks and the radiator leaked too (also fixed under warranty). But these issues appear to be very YMMV. |
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Originally Posted By Wobblin-Goblin: We bought a new '18 Durango when we had all five kids still home. Eight years later with almost no issues whatsoever, we decided to turn back the clock and buy a '26 before they dropped the V6 and redesigned the vehicle. We had 140k on the ticker. We upgraded from the SXT to a GT. Love it. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/3241/2026DurangoDay1-3827291.jpg I've still got the 2012 Durango I bought new for my wife. V6 with 253k miles on it now. She wanted a Suburban back in 2022, but we kept the Durango as well. Only big issue was the oil pump. Last month she decided she wanted something newer. I really tried to talk her into a new Durango with eifher the 5.7 or V-6. She wanted another Suburban though. I think the Durangos are great vehicles, and I'll keep the 2012 until it dies. |
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Originally Posted By AK-12: This is basically all nonsense Certainly not nonsense. People have experienced rocker failure at extremely low mileage (less than 5k). It happens. Those rocker arms are ticking time bombs on any 3.6. They replaced a few of them at varying points on my Gladiator with less than 30k on the odometer. And the car was impeccably maintained. Ive worked on a lot of engines. For a non DI engine, the 3.6 isnt one of my favorites to do routine maintenance. The upper intake manifold needs to be removed to access half of the engine. The way the hoses are routed are totally non sensical. And yes. All Jeeps leak. |
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Originally Posted By WhyNotDev8: Certainly not nonsense. People have experienced rocker failure at extremely low mileage (less than 5k). It happens. Those rocker arms are ticking time bombs on any 3.6 Ive worked on a lot of engines. For a non DI engine, the 3.6 isnt one of my favorites to do routine maintenance. The upper intake manifold needs to be removed to access half of the engine. The way the hoses are routed are totally non sensical. Failures happen with every engine. Given the number in service, statistically it’s small. “Pain to work on” is a valid complaint but as a former tech I can tell you that the Pentastar has nothing on a lot of other designs. |
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Originally Posted By Never_A_Wick: People watch YouTube or read Facebook and suddenly they're failure experts. Statistically the Pentastar is a solid engine. There are millions of them out there. Originally Posted By Never_A_Wick: Originally Posted By AK-12: This is basically all nonsense People watch YouTube or read Facebook and suddenly they're failure experts. Statistically the Pentastar is a solid engine. There are millions of them out there. https://www.dashboard-light.com/reports/Compact_SUV.html https://www.dashboard-light.com/vehicles/Jeep_Wrangler.html https://www.dashboard-light.com/click-here-first/  |
Tertium non datur
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Originally Posted By Never_A_Wick: People watch YouTube or read Facebook and suddenly they’re failure experts. Statistically the Pentastar is a solid engine. There are millions of them out there. I owned a 3.6. The rocker arm issue isnt some make believe problem. It exists and it will impact many owners. |
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Originally Posted By Zakk_Wylde_470: Get with the program, GD hates Jeeps because they're too big now, not because they're too small Haha, just mentioning it because OP said a car would be too small. The current Camry and Civic certainly have more room than a Wrangler. |