Anyone also own a Jeep Wrangler?

I love my 2022 Tacoma TRDOR, but I have always wanted a Wrangler. So, I just bought a 2-door 2017 Rubicon/Recon with a manual transmission. It's completely stock with 3000 miles on it and seems in perfect condition. It's pretty raw and fun to drive, but it's a serious handful to drive at times compared to my truck. Any other Taco owners with Wranglers out there? Thoughts?

 

I hate getting in and out of wranglers. Also hate the high speed offroad handling. But man Jeeps kick ass on the trails. I miss my little jeep sometimes, then I remember how many times I smashed my head.

 

I have a 2022 TRDOR and a 2017 2door Wrangler (it’s my fiancé’s daily). I honestly hate the Jeep. Every time I fix a squeak another one starts. It’s got more creaks rattles and pops than anything I’ve ever owned. Not to mention how impractical it is for daily use.. it’s fun in the summer with the soft top down and doors off, but that’s about all it’s got over the Tacoma.

 

My wife has her 2000 TJ manual she bought new. Damn are rear coils plush.

 

I have a 2015 JKU Rubicon with 30k miles and a 6.4L hemi.
Also have a 2004 TJ Rubicon with 20k miles.

 

Thanks for the answers. Are the Unlimited's better handling/riding at highway speeds?

I can drive my Taco almost like my Subaru (but not my Miata). The Wrangler is pretty wobbly at speed even with Goodrich ATs.

 

I had a 2008 JK Rubicon. In the city, trails, and the trade in lot, it was awesome. On the highways it was absolutely horrendous, the noise and hot/cold was too with both the hard and soft top.
in the end; I would I’ve kept it, but the 3.8 started burning oil at 80-90k and I dumped it. The lack of space didn’t fit my lifestyle either, I took the back seat out when I bought it, and still had to pile shit up and play jenga to get the silly ass back window/door to shut.
It was a fun experience, but one I doubt I’ll do again.

 

I have a 94 YJ, which is not at all similar to your JK. I love the thing, I need to get done with my projects though and get it back on the road. I took it down from perfectly drivable to do what I wanted to do to it and I haven’t had the time or energy to get it done and back on the road. Kills me to see it just sit there. Eventually when it cools off I’ll get back to it.

 

^^^ I had one of those too, except mine was a ‘95.

I used to call it my “Fred Flintstone-mobile” because it was so basic. Leaf springs at every corner, manual trans, straight six engine - just as basic as basic could be.

I’d love to own one again, but only as a “fun” vehicle and never as a daily driver.

 

My 2012 JK

 

I bought a 2014 Rubicon to replace my totaled Tacoma (2017). Up until that day, I had always wanted a Jeep. Buying that thing was a decision I quickly regretted. I've never seen such poor build quality. And it was downright scary on the highway. It had 90k miles on it. To try and fix the highway behavior, I replaced EVERYTHING suspension wise. It had a crappy Skyjacker lift on it and I replaced it with a franken-lift comprised of AEV and Metalcloak products. New wheels and tires. And the really expensive replacement ball joints (Dyna-something?). While taking it all apart I was amazed to find the ball joints smoked and a lot of the bushings in the suspension arms were on their last leg. No paint under any of the hinges and starting to corrode. All the painted bolts holding the hinges on were rusting. A plastic evaporative nipple on the gas tank broke and it was something that Jeep was aware of as being a problem and they refused to fix it. I had a few electrical issues as well. Keep in mind, I only owned it for a few months. You think the Tacoma auto transmission is bad....

I'm sure there were more issues in that short amount of time, but watching the new owner pull out of the driveway with it was a happy day. I really wanted to like it, but just couldn't. I have been assured by other Wrangler owners that the JLs are leaps and bounds better than the JK. I plan to never find out.

 

I have a 99 TJ 4.0L 5spd Sport that I bought new for a weekend car. That in-line 6 has torque for days and has been a blast for creeping around in the woods. Just turned 50k miles on it and completely stock. Soft and hard top so really fun for quick jogs around town or on the hills. Completely nuts to own it since I am 6’9” and have to fold myself into it but so much fun to drive it’s been worth it. Miserable thing on a longish drive and I think It has seen the interstate twice in it’s life. Perfect for what I bought it for but absolutely don’t see it as a daily driver by any means.

 

I drove a 2002 TJ for 9yrs. Only got the Tacoma after getting rear ended at a red light. 215K miles and would still be driving it.

I was still on the original clutch. I think it's like most things. People repeat horror stories about their reliability b/c a friend of a friend of a friend has one.......my TJ was great.

After being in the Tacoma, I would never go back to DD'ing a Wrangler. The ride is what it is.....but they are unmatched as far as offroad in stock form goes

 

It sounds like you didn’t have a nice stock JK, you had a molested piece of junk JK. The stock ones are not as you described yours. And those overpriced dynatrac ball joints are flaming garbage.

 

I've owned two. A 2007 2-door and a 2014 4-door. Bought the 2007 used with 18k miles for $18k, sold it with 130k for $13.5k. No issues at all.

The 2014 was bought new (to replace the 2007) and had a transmission replaced under warranty, other than that, I haven't done a thing to it. 120k miles and still going strong.

I'm a firm believer that if you take care of your car, it will take care of you.

 

Seems like the consensus on Jeeps is they are great offroad, and pretty terrible at everything else in terms of drivability, fit and finish, etc. There's a reason Jeep is consistently ranked at the bottom of all reliability studies, in my opinion they are a toy for the trails and nothing else. There's a reason Jeep and some HD trucks are the only ones that still use solid front axles, they aren't ideal for daily driving. Far superior for offroading, but it's always seemed silly to me for something that likely sees the pavement for 95% of it's life. It's pretty apparent how floppy they are if you've ever driven behind one on the highway. Know that going into it, and they are perfectly fine if you can accept the tradeoffs for what you're getting.

 

2018 jeep wrangler jk willys 2door checking in. Owned since new 6k on it mainly used for camping and beach trips. Love it. I had a jeep cj 7 renegade in high school, late 80's that rusted to pieces in less than 7 years.

 

Sure.

 

All I'm saying is you talk about it like it was poorly engineered but in reality, the fact that it came with a Skyjacker lift tells me all I need to know about the owner that ruined it for you. They have their downsides being heavily designed towards off-road use, but overall they are not bad vehicles. If it was completely stock and the PO wasn't a tard, you would have had a much better experience.