Jeep Wrangler unlimited

[importracer]

Hello Beyond,

I am looking to get some advice on purchasing a used Jeep Wrangler unlimited for my wife. Her requirements are: 6spd manual, 4 doors, cloth seats(hates leather), power locks/windows AC, hard top etc. Budget is approximately 25-30k.

A few questions:

-which trim is the best for her requirements (sport, sahara, Rubicon)? It Will be used as a daily driver; miniscule amount off roading if any at all. May potentially consider a slight lift/bigger tires down the road(just to look cool lol)

-Any particular issues to look out for with these vehicles?

-Any years which are better than others? Years to avoid?

-for contingency planning purposes; are these feasible for a baby seat(s)

- how to determine a fair price for these? Prices seem all over the place on kijiji?

Any other advice in relation to wrangler unlimited?

Thanks!

[Shlade]

2012+ has the better and more powerful 3.6 Penstar motor so I would look for one of those

As for price its hard to say they are one of the best vehicles ive found that seem to hold their value. Sport is basically as basic as they come. Id get a Sahara, Willy's, or Rubicon if budget allows and if you find a good enough deal.

Issues: Any with a lift/tires id take on highway speeds to make sure there is no major front end shake/ "death wobble"

But regardless even if you go earlier than 2012 models they are tough motors. I love my Wrangler its been great.

[Jeeper1986]

Where should I start...

Ask your self or your wife these questions.

Why are you set on a wrangler?

Do you care about gas mileage?

Do you care about small ticks or squeaks?

Do you care about wind noise?

Do you care about a smooth ride?

A wrangler is not for everyone, most people get drawn towards them because of there looks and they don't take in to account the questions I have asked above

I my self have owned 3 wranglers a 2002 tj with the inline 6 a 2014 and a 2015 that I currently own

I'm not going to get in to the tj side of things, but the 2014 was nothing but a nightmare problem after problem with the 6 speed, my 2015 has given me 0 problems "knock on wood"

you have the 2007 first gen jk with the 3.8 this engine is tough like shlade has mentioned but it needs to be taken care of it does like to drink oil in the higher km range its underpowered for how heavy the wrangler is and resistance to wind, but good for city driving

In 2011 that's when they changed the interior of the jk to the current one its much more nicer then the prev gen jk but it still ran the 3.8 engine

2012 to 2013 early 2014 there was a problem with the 3.6 heads going out on the jeep within its first 30k of its life, these heads where made in Mexico and something was not right with them, but if u do get one with these heads jeep has a 10 year warranty on it not sure how many kms it covers but the 2014 would be the upper safer side with the engine heads.

In 2015 the wrangler got the upgraded alpine sound system and the in floor sub that sounds just awesome and the sub it self is water proof. No major changes from 2014 to 2015 other then the dash speakers in the 2015 are flat and not coming out of the dash in a pod like in all the other jeep years.

In 2015 also the soft top got an upgrade to cloth that's a lot better then the older one and much more quitter on the hiway


As to what trim you want.

Most of the sport basic trims u cant add anything in them the sport s can have some upgrade done to it

The Sahara and Rubicon "hard rock" trims are the top of the line, Rubicon hard rock being on the top of the list.

In a Sahara trim you can get everything a Rubicon has, power windows, heated seats, leather or cloth seats the dvd/gps system Bluetooth

A Sahara has a softer ride then a Rubicon the willys will also ride the same as a Rubicon taking it has the red shocks and stiffer springs

If you do buy a Sahara make sure it has 3.73 gearing as that would still be ok still if you upgrade the tires and add a lift with a 6 speed but do not count on using 6th gear or even 5th gear other then a flat road lol

The Major differences between a Sahara and Rubicon is the Rubi will have both front and rear HD Dana 44 axles while the Sahara will have a Dana 30 front and a normal dana44 rear.

The Rubi will have the 4.10 gearing also in the 6 speeds while some of the auto rubis came stock with 3.73 and an option 4.10 gears. The rubi will also have the 4.1 T case witch is great for crawling and the nice option of disconnecting the front sway bar when u go off roading

The Sahara would come with street tire while the Rubi and willys will come with the mud terrain tires


Your best bet would be the Sahara or a sport S if you want comfort and some what good gas mileage


if you have any questions pm me. no I'm not a sales man lol

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Minimalist]

While I have always liked Wranglers, I'm certain I'd not be putting my family in a vehicle with marginal crash scores and total mess in rollovers/side impact. Normally a pretty important consideration with new parents. Get an F150, win the battle of physics.

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/vehicle/v/jeep/wrangler-4-door-suv/2014

[Redlyne_mr2]

Our group owns a Jeep dealership, email me specs and my price should be the lowest out there (if you're going new). Lots of used options out there but sometimes its almost as cheap to go new.

We have a 2012 Rubicon on the lot for $29990 which seems like a lot but were the cheapest 12 Rubi in Alberta.

[email protected]

thanks
Ryan

[InRich]

^ talk with Ryan on the phone.. He'll hook you up.

Personally I really like jeeps. but like one of the guy says above.

Their noisey! Gas guzlers! Rough Riding! and not so good in the winter. If Ryan can get you a good deal and you don't mind the shit above, go for it. get a manual though so every guy out there doesn't think your a fucking pussy.

[r3ccOs]

I loved the idea of a GP general vehicle, and the old YJ/TJ's as being real capable simple vehicles with pretty much like John Deer vintage bulletproof 4.0 on solid steel axles.

the new unlimited wides and lengthens the wheelbase, making it less effective of an offroader, meanwhile supposed to improve its utility, while... its not a truck and certainly not a well behaving road vehicle.

I think its it pedigree that makes it so desirable, but just slapping a lift on a Sahara doesn't make it an offroader... however admittedly they are good looking ;)

I'd go Yukon, and buy a quad lol

[GTR_Auto]

need to wait for one of these bad boys

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--VJNK3A_Q--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/icnwh05iysxt7xkj6bbn.jpg

[sabad66]

My fiancé bought a 2014 sport-s (2 door tho) brand new.

Looking back on it:
- get a Sahara - the ride is smoother
- get a 4 door if you have kids/pets. 2 doors have basically 0 room unless you fold the back seat down, and even then my mazda3 still has a lot more room for camping gear
- off roading is fun as hell in these things. They will get you anywhere. Make sure you take it out
- you will get windshield cracks no matter what due to the almost vertical windshield

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

My ex girlfriend had one. It was a two door Sahara. Interior actually wasn't too bad in terms of space, even the back seat. The leather was nice but the rest of the fit and finish was sub par in my opinion. The doors needed too much force to close. The suspension and ride is probably the most archaic seasick uncontrolled but too stiff feeling I've ever felt in a vehicle. It had adequate power with the Pentastar V6.

Overall would only buy if it was a Rubicon and I was buying it with the specific intentions of taking it off road.

[Shlade]

Originally posted by InRich
Gas guzlers!and not so good in the winter.

What's considered a gas guzzler...? I get 500k a tank with my jeep with oversized tires on about $65-70 a tank. I don't consider that even remotely close to a gas guzzler. Also that's 500kms a tank with probably an extra 1000lbs in metal added on the jeep

Also my jeep has been nothing short of awesome in winter. Feels strong and sturdy on the road even in the worst snow storm.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by Shlade


What's considered a gas guzzler...? I get 500k a tank with my jeep with oversized tires on about $65-70 a tank. I don't consider that even remotely close to a gas guzzler. Also that's 500kms a tank with probably an extra 1000lbs in metal added on the jeep

Also my jeep has been nothing short of awesome in winter. Feels strong and sturdy on the road even in the worst snow storm.

It's rated by EPA as similar fuel consumption as the 1/2 ton domestic V8 trucks and worse than Ram half ton with the same engine.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[civic_stylez]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


That isn't too bad, my Audi is maybe only about 10$ cheaper for the same distance and I consider it to be pretty decent on fuel

The old inline 6 engines though were just terrible on fuel, I think that is what a lot of people remember

My I6 offroad XJ approves of this statement lol. It is the Exxon Valdez of the jeep world.. chugs fuel and leaks oil.

[InRich]

Originally posted by Shlade


What's considered a gas guzzler...? I get 500k a tank with my jeep with oversized tires on about $65-70 a tank. I don't consider that even remotely close to a gas guzzler. Also that's 500kms a tank with probably an extra 1000lbs in metal added on the jeep

Also my jeep has been nothing short of awesome in winter. Feels strong and sturdy on the road even in the worst snow storm.

you must drive like a bitch then... lol


































just joking, relax :rofl:

[importracer]

Lots of good information; thanks all!

From what is posted above, we will be looking for the following:

-Sahara trim; as we definitely want a smoother ride. I don't believe we need the rubicon for daily driver use. Options we definitely want are 6spd manual, power windows/locks, cloth seats, heated seats, AC, hard top.

-2012 or newer (newer the better within budget preferably 2013-14)

-Preferably a stock one, however if we do find a deal on a modified one; we will test it out at highway speeds for shake/wobble and inspect the underneath for damage/abuse

-Jeeper1986- to answer your questions:

Why are you set on a wrangler?
My wife is set on a wrangler because she does not want to give up driving manual, and would like an SUV. She is also guilty of being attracted to the looks of the wrangler.

Do you care about gas mileage?
Currently she drives a TDI Jetta which gets close 1000km/tank, so she is expecting take a reduction in mileage. If the tank on the wrangler gets 500k out of a $65-$70 fill we are ok with that

Do you care about wind noise?
Personally I am not too concerned about wind noise. Any chance you know how the wind noise is compared to an S2000?

Do you care about a smooth ride?
I think we would prefer the Sahara trim compared to the rougher sport ride as described by others who posted in the thread

Redlyne_mr2- I am pretty sure a brand new one is out of our budget, however I will definitely contact you when we are a bit more serious

Can anyone else comment on the crash test ratings of these vehicles? If it's unsafe as mentioned above especially for babies, then we may have to reconsider...Thoughts on other manual SUV's which are similar however safer?

Thanks Again for all your help guys,

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Jeeper1986]

importracer

for protection, the so called ratings are on a stock jeep....

the aftermarket world for the jeep is endless

when u deck out a jeep with steel bumpers and side rock sliders I'm sure if u get hit on the side front or back with the stock items ur gonna get hurt or worse but when u beef up the front bumper and add some steel side rock slider and getting rid of the %100 plastic rear bumper you will gain some ratings in the safety department

[r3ccOs]

are those Dana 44 anvils on the Rubi's still made of aluminum?

on-road, I really found the wrangler less than confidant inspiring... even the unlimited. It is a short wheelbase with solid axels, with truck tires, without truck weight.

In the winter, like a truck, they may be the vehicle that will get you out of a 3 foot snow drift.. but they won't be the idea vehicle to take going highway speeds on a glazed over QE2, where something like a tiguan with car sized winter tires will excel.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by r3ccOs
are those Dana 44 anvils on the Rubi's still made of aluminum?


Wrangler D44s have never been made of aluminum, Rubicon or otherwise. D44As were strictly a Grand Cherokee item.

[Jeeper1986]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat


Wrangler D44s have never been made of aluminum, Rubicon or otherwise. D44As were strictly a Grand Cherokee item.

there was a batch of axles with flaws where the metal broke and it looked like aluminum but it was shit steel lol I think that problem has been fixed

[mazdavirgin]

Originally posted by importracer
Can anyone else comment on the crash test ratings of these vehicles? If it's unsafe as mentioned above especially for babies, then we may have to reconsider...Thoughts on other manual SUV's which are similar however safer?

Pretty bad safety ratings when compared to vehicle in it's class when it comes to side impact. Removable doors suck when it comes to side impacts who would have thunk...

Not so great for kids either(select the section on child seat anchors):
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/vehicle/v/jeep/wrangler-4-door-suv/2016

Marginal safety ratings for kids, side impact, and head restraints/seats.

Also a poor rating for headlights which Jeeps frankly are infamous for having just god awful lights.

If safety is a priority wouldn't figure at all on my list of vehicles to consider.

[jonnycat]

I'd only ever buy another wrangler as an off road toy, never again as a daily driver. Just a pain in the ass to live with most days.

[freshprince1]

If it's a daily driver, make sure to at least go with the Sahara. I rented one in Hawaii (Sport model I think?) and had the wife and kids in it...we took it back after 2 days...it was really uncomfortable as a daily driver.

Then last year I rented a Sahara for an 8 hour highway road trip and a week of pheasant hunting. It was a whole different story. It rode great on the highway and was pretty quiet )it was the hard top). Then we'd go bombing off road into farmer's fields (don't worry, we had permission) and got up to 60km/hr driving through corn fields, driving up and down steep ditches, etc. It was great!

Even the Sahara with its upgrades was still a much more rigid driver on the roads, and you fully notice you're still in a Jeep...but it was much more doable and comfortable.

So as long as you're making the conscious decision to sacrifice some comfort and drivability, you should be good with the Sahara edition.

[4WARNED]

We've got a 2013 Geck Green Rubicon and we're a family of five . here's my two cents:

- Wife hates the soft top rear window. It's a pain in the ass to put anything in the back when it's installed. She prefers the hard top for those instances. gate swings open and window pivots up on the hardtop, giving you enough room to swallow a shop vac or baby stroller. Try that with the soft top window (and let's be honest, it's not that easy to pull out and put back in) and you'll hear from the wife.
- it is fairly loud on the highway. We drove it down to Fernie for a weekend and it was brutal in the wind (had the hardtop on at the time). Between the high winds and the Mud Terrain tires and 125 kph highway speed, it wasn't that great. I've rented saharas for my work and they're much much better on the highway.
- gas mileage - ours gets 500km to tank in the city. I thought that was acceptable for what is essentially driving a brick shaped front end.
- headlights - yep. need an upgrade. I put CIBIE housings with higher wattage bulbs (H4 to H13 conversion) and it made a huge difference.
- 4:10 gears with the rubicon. Having driven the other version of the unlimited, these gears actually make the jeep quite "quick". I did the accelerator pedal flash too (google it) and it made a difference to how quickly the jeep accelerates.
- find a good windshield shop. you'll be visiting often.
- I bought ours when it was a year old - private sale. We've had it for 2.5 years now and I could sell it for what I bought it for. crazy strong resale - especially if it's a odd color (like Gecko Green).

Other than those items, we love it. I've had the doors off a bunch of times (top down too) and the kids can't wait to go cruising with it.

With that said, we ended up adding another jeep to our stable for highway trips ( GC SRT lol). but I won't give up our Rubi....it's too much fun.