Buying a Jeep Wrangler?
- Thread starter DeadHorse
- Start date
OakHillHorn
100+ Posts
I bought a '99 Wrangler Sahara in August. It is the 2 door model. They take some getting used to. I drive it to work everyday, up and down Mopac. I have to keep telling myself that it is a Jeep. It is fun to drive and you can park them anywhere. Gas mileage isn't that great.
halsteadfrost
1,000+ Posts
I own a CJ7 and my wife owns a YJ ('92 Wrangler). I'm also an avid off-roader so I know a thing or two about Jeeps. As the above poster said they are what they are.
They ARE: fun to drive and decently good off-road stock.
They AREN'T super reliable especially if you off-road them nor are they quiet.
It's hard for me to say whether you should or shouldn't get one since they are in their own class of vehicle. If you want a "Jeep" the Wrangler is pretty much your only option. Most "Jeep" people enjoy having a vehicle that they can take the top and doors off of and cruise around and forgive the sweaty back and messed up hair and the random rattles and pops that show up after a while. If you can live with those things then get one. If you just want a vehicle that's reliable and can get you to and from work you might be better off looking at an accord or something. If you want a reliable vehicle you can moderately off-road (i.e. take to the beach) then check out a Tacoma. If you want a convertible there are tons of vehicles available. But if you want a Jeep then by all means get one.
As for the 2dr v 4dr debate, one of the problems with standard short wheelbase Jeeps is lack of interior room especially the back-seat and behind. The 4-door fixes this. If the look bugs you, don't get it. It'd suck to feel weird about the way your vehicle looks.
One more thing, if you don't ever plan on taking it off-road don't get the Rubicon package. The package is worth the money for what it is (unlike a Z71 package for example) but it's not worth the money if you don't ever use it.
Let me know if you have any specific questions about Jeeps.
They ARE: fun to drive and decently good off-road stock.
They AREN'T super reliable especially if you off-road them nor are they quiet.
It's hard for me to say whether you should or shouldn't get one since they are in their own class of vehicle. If you want a "Jeep" the Wrangler is pretty much your only option. Most "Jeep" people enjoy having a vehicle that they can take the top and doors off of and cruise around and forgive the sweaty back and messed up hair and the random rattles and pops that show up after a while. If you can live with those things then get one. If you just want a vehicle that's reliable and can get you to and from work you might be better off looking at an accord or something. If you want a reliable vehicle you can moderately off-road (i.e. take to the beach) then check out a Tacoma. If you want a convertible there are tons of vehicles available. But if you want a Jeep then by all means get one.
As for the 2dr v 4dr debate, one of the problems with standard short wheelbase Jeeps is lack of interior room especially the back-seat and behind. The 4-door fixes this. If the look bugs you, don't get it. It'd suck to feel weird about the way your vehicle looks.
One more thing, if you don't ever plan on taking it off-road don't get the Rubicon package. The package is worth the money for what it is (unlike a Z71 package for example) but it's not worth the money if you don't ever use it.
Let me know if you have any specific questions about Jeeps.
rage-a-holic
250+ Posts
I've had a 2001 TJ for 7 years. I just took it in for some minor work for the 1st time ever. My experience has been great.
Gardner Barnes
250+ Posts
I HIGHLY recommend you rent one from Hertz before you make your decision. It will cost you about $200-$300 for about 5 days, but you will get a good idea what the day to day driving will be like.
I thought I wanted one as well for a 2nd "fun" car, but after renting for a week, I realized they were not for me - especially after getting caught in a sudden rainstorm.
I thought I wanted one as well for a 2nd "fun" car, but after renting for a week, I realized they were not for me - especially after getting caught in a sudden rainstorm.
Stuck_At_Work
1,000+ Posts
The 'fun factor' and 'personality' are pretty much the only reasons to buy a Jeep Wrangler in my opinion.
They are near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to reliability, comfort, and noise. They get somewhere between 16 and 22 miles per gallon depending on the engine.
My coworker sums it up best, "I love my Wrangler. It is like my toy, but there is a reason I don't drive it to work every day. [she also owns a sedan]."
They are near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to reliability, comfort, and noise. They get somewhere between 16 and 22 miles per gallon depending on the engine.
My coworker sums it up best, "I love my Wrangler. It is like my toy, but there is a reason I don't drive it to work every day. [she also owns a sedan]."
OakHillHorn
100+ Posts
I have a one piece hard top and it is easy to take off. 6 bolts and a couple of latches. It isn't heavy. The hard top makes the noise bearable at high speeds.
halsteadfrost
1,000+ Posts
Reliability has a lot to do with how much it gets used off-road. Even a day at the beach (especially a day at the beach) will cause problems. Also if you lift it or modify it you could have problems. Most of the problems we run into are related to off-roading such as blown up rear diff gears, dropping the drive-shaft, going through u-joints, having to replace the tranny, things like that. But we used them pretty hard. I've also had 2+ Grand Cherokees which I had various problems with. I wouldn't say they are lemons, but compared to my Nissan Maxima they had a fair amount of problems (broken control arm, AC going out, heated seats shorting out, transfer case gears breaking). I would say they are on par with other American built cars. You might get one that's great and causes you no problems, but I'm guessing over the life of the vehicle it will cause you various minor headaches here and there.
As for the hardtop I find them very awkward to get off. It takes both my wife and I to get hers off, and it's just not easy to move around. We basically take it off around March, and leave it off until October or so. It's too much of a hassle to put on and take off on a consistent basis. Now some people build these little hardtop winch systems in their garage that make the whole process a ton easier. We've considered doing that, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
Anyway it's like I said, if you want a "Jeep" (i.e. a small, convertible, off-road vehicle) then get a Wrangler. If thats what you really want you don't have any other options (unless you want to get a 10+year old used vehicle), so you'll learn to live with their problems.
As for the hardtop I find them very awkward to get off. It takes both my wife and I to get hers off, and it's just not easy to move around. We basically take it off around March, and leave it off until October or so. It's too much of a hassle to put on and take off on a consistent basis. Now some people build these little hardtop winch systems in their garage that make the whole process a ton easier. We've considered doing that, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
Anyway it's like I said, if you want a "Jeep" (i.e. a small, convertible, off-road vehicle) then get a Wrangler. If thats what you really want you don't have any other options (unless you want to get a 10+year old used vehicle), so you'll learn to live with their problems.
OakHillHorn
100+ Posts
I use this website when I run into problems with my Jeep. It is pretty helpful.
www.jeepforum.com
I have had a problem with sensors. One day, it wouldn't start. It turned out to be the crank position sensor. Now I am having problems with my O2 sensors. They are also known to go through exhaust headers if you off road or go mudding alot.
www.jeepforum.com
I have had a problem with sensors. One day, it wouldn't start. It turned out to be the crank position sensor. Now I am having problems with my O2 sensors. They are also known to go through exhaust headers if you off road or go mudding alot.
I bought a Sahara brand new in 97' and it continues to be my primary vehicle.
Pros: For me it has been VERY reliable. In the time I have owned it I have had to replace only the radiator (this year) and the exhaust manifold. Everything else is original and working fine.. although the fuel pump will probably be the next thing replaced.
Jeeps are fun. They are great for top-down day trips, exploring the woods, and you can grab killer parking spots with them in the city.
Cons:
They can be loud and perform poorly on the highway. People will try to break into them and space is at a premium on the inside.
I have been very pleased with mine and would buy another Jeep with no reservations. A Jeep needs to fit your lifestyle, though, otherwise it might be impractical.
Pros: For me it has been VERY reliable. In the time I have owned it I have had to replace only the radiator (this year) and the exhaust manifold. Everything else is original and working fine.. although the fuel pump will probably be the next thing replaced.
Jeeps are fun. They are great for top-down day trips, exploring the woods, and you can grab killer parking spots with them in the city.
Cons:
They can be loud and perform poorly on the highway. People will try to break into them and space is at a premium on the inside.
I have been very pleased with mine and would buy another Jeep with no reservations. A Jeep needs to fit your lifestyle, though, otherwise it might be impractical.
DCLonghorn8
250+ Posts
I bought a new 90 YJ and drove it all throughout college.
It was fun, it had real personality, and in its own way it turned heads.
I had to sell it right after college because I got a job that required a lot of driving which demanded a real luxury, a trunk with a lock.
One of the upsides to the Jeep for me was that I was less inclined to speed as it was noisy and you felt like you were going a bit faster in it than you really were. I got less tickets with that ride than any other.
One downside, I got everything stolen out of it in Austin. There was a rash of Jeep thievery as the seats, the roll bar pads, the carpets, the top, tire cover, spare tire, everything, are all really easy to take out.
I had to go find a couple of junk yards and order some parts to get things replaced and then melted all the zippers so it wouldn't happen again.
If any of you noticed a dude driving around campus for a little while with a cinder block as a driver’s seat back in the day…that was me.
I didn't do a ton of off-roading, but I did a bit, and beat the Jeep up pretty good.
In that time, nothing went wrong except what I inflicted. There just isn't much to it to go wrong. Most of the little dinky things that go wrong in cars weren't even present in the Jeep. It was a basic vehicle. That simplicity was a good thing.
It's also one of the few cars out there that you can still get under the hood and figure things out. Not too complicated. Or at least they weren't in 90.
If you get the soft top, the plastic gets scratched up pretty quickly, and it frays after a while but that's all part of the Jeep thing you just get used to. As already posted, messy hair, sweaty back, AC and heating good but not as good as a car, stereo OK, but not as good a car. It’s all a part of the Jeep thing.
And if you drive too fast with the top up, and the wind catches it right, it will pop your ears pretty good.
I loved that Jeep, but that was a kickin’ ride for a simpler age. It would do me no good in the city, with a commute and car seats.
If you take the suggestion to rent one, I suggest you drive it a good distance in one stretch, like Houston to Dallas or similar. You will get a real feel for it after a solid couple of hours in it.
It was fun, it had real personality, and in its own way it turned heads.
I had to sell it right after college because I got a job that required a lot of driving which demanded a real luxury, a trunk with a lock.
One of the upsides to the Jeep for me was that I was less inclined to speed as it was noisy and you felt like you were going a bit faster in it than you really were. I got less tickets with that ride than any other.
One downside, I got everything stolen out of it in Austin. There was a rash of Jeep thievery as the seats, the roll bar pads, the carpets, the top, tire cover, spare tire, everything, are all really easy to take out.
I had to go find a couple of junk yards and order some parts to get things replaced and then melted all the zippers so it wouldn't happen again.
If any of you noticed a dude driving around campus for a little while with a cinder block as a driver’s seat back in the day…that was me.
I didn't do a ton of off-roading, but I did a bit, and beat the Jeep up pretty good.
In that time, nothing went wrong except what I inflicted. There just isn't much to it to go wrong. Most of the little dinky things that go wrong in cars weren't even present in the Jeep. It was a basic vehicle. That simplicity was a good thing.
It's also one of the few cars out there that you can still get under the hood and figure things out. Not too complicated. Or at least they weren't in 90.
If you get the soft top, the plastic gets scratched up pretty quickly, and it frays after a while but that's all part of the Jeep thing you just get used to. As already posted, messy hair, sweaty back, AC and heating good but not as good as a car, stereo OK, but not as good a car. It’s all a part of the Jeep thing.
And if you drive too fast with the top up, and the wind catches it right, it will pop your ears pretty good.
I loved that Jeep, but that was a kickin’ ride for a simpler age. It would do me no good in the city, with a commute and car seats.
If you take the suggestion to rent one, I suggest you drive it a good distance in one stretch, like Houston to Dallas or similar. You will get a real feel for it after a solid couple of hours in it.
CHIEFLAZYBOY
100+ Posts
Owning a Jeep is like owning a Harley/4wheeler/bassboat. Mine spends most of its time in the garage, goes to the deer lease in the winter, to the coast in the summer and has a killer a/c and heat. I would rather drive from New York to Los Angeles in something like a 4Runner than from San Antonio to Austin in my 99 TJ Wrangler.
They will wear you out.
Chief
They will wear you out.
Chief
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