What I've been driving this week...

[AZhitman]

Quick review: Overpriced, trendy, hard to drive, noisy, underpowered and poorly-constructed.

Looks cool as hell, gets all kinds of attention. Black chrome wheels are gorgeous in person.

[Jesda]

I found them to be overly easy to drive, minivan-like, as if some of the character was drained from it.

After spending a few days in a newer 3.8 JK I really missed the trucky 4.0 TJ that I took to Oklahoma last year.

[MaximA32]

Keep it for a few weeks and we can put it through it's paces.

[krash]

I found the M/T V6 to be quite entertaining

[Kompresshun]

I have a soft spot for Jeeps

My old CJ7 Renegade(60k original miles, original paint and interior too):

[AZhitman]

Don't get me wrong, it's cool - but it's also $50K. And there's something really wrong about having A/C in a vehicle that has a black plastic top, no insulation, and no sound deadening.

Jeeps should be no top, no frills, ugly, nasty, articulating suspension, manual-transmission monsters.

The huge tires make it a b**** to drive over 45mph. You kinda point it in a direction and hope it goes straight.

[Kompresshun]

I WOULD NOT spend $50k on a Heep, no matter what it was... I bought the one above for $2,000, rebuilt the transmission in it myself for $425, then bought the wheels and tires for $400. Good to go for under $3,000.

I completely agree with what a Jeep should be though, I also don't care for tires over 33" on a Jeep either.

[nissangirl74]

Do not want. Do not like. It might be fun off-road but on pavement, it sucks.

[Kompresshun]

I'd take a stock one and would be perfectly happy with it. That one though, no thanks. Looks good, but I wouldn't want to drive it.

[nissangirl74]

The huge tires make it a b**** to drive over 45mph. You kinda point it in a direction and hope it goes straight.

You would definitely be a prime candidate to be pulled over for a sobriety check in this thing. No thanks.

[alms24sebring]

They do nothing for me and $50k makes me wanna throw up all over it.

How did it feel making the change from sitting low to riding high?

[AZhitman]

How did it feel making the change from sitting low to riding high?

Awful.

Worse than that is the change from ultra-precise steering input to "eh, close enough".

[Razi]

Greg, you'd easily fit into SoCal with that thing.

[AZ89two4Tsx]

What I don't understand is why Wranglers have always stayed so popular after all these years. They're definitely a huge part of why Chrysler is still around. Really, in 20 or so years, not TOO much has changed. The new specs for the 2011 Wrangler are:

202HP/232lb.ft.
15/19 mpg

And with a base price off $22,000 you get a front Dana 30, manual windows, NO air conditioning, and 16" wheels with street tires. Lol, you don't even get tow hooks.

Cult following I guess. You won't see me buying a new Wrangler anytime soon...

[nissangirl74]

This was worse. No. Way. In. Hell.

07-jeep-rubicon-t500928.html?hilit=rubicon

[sx moneypit]

Who held the gun on you to make you drive that?

[Bubba1]

Who held the gun on you to make you drive that?

Jeeps are fun, but its unusual around here to find someone buy a second one after owning one. They're not the most reliable vehicles. I had a good friend in college who owned a then new CJ-5 with a 4 speed, rollbar, and real metal dash. Cool car, especially with the doors, roof off and windshield folded down, driving thru a riverbed. He also had a bottle opener mounted on the dash.
But it was a terrible road trip vehicle. Too bouncy, and the vert roof flaps badly as they get older, the heater sucked, and was as aerodynamic as a cinder block, so the gas mileage was not great. Definitely a young person's car.

I rode in a newer one recently, as the daughter of another a good friend wants one. It certainly rode better than the old CJ-5, and is bigger, but it's still not a great on road driver IMHO. the metal's been replaced with plastic and the seats are better, but I guess what Jeep promotes as "classic", I consider outdated. Oh well.

[AppleBonker]

How did it feel making the change from sitting low to riding high?

Awful.

Interesting. I'm loving sitting higher than most people on the road. It was a welcome change for me.

[Bubba1]

Interesting. I'm loving sitting higher than most people on the road. It was a welcome change for me.

Better view of plunging necklines FTW.

[Jesda]

How the heck did it hit 50k? They start at 22k and with every single option they hit $36k.



Viper V10?

[Bubba1]

How the heck did it hit 50k? They start at 22k and with every single option they hit $36k.



Viper V10?

I think the loaded 4 doors are $50K

[Jesda]

Cult following I guess. You won't see me buying a new Wrangler anytime soon...

For every Wrangler you don't buy, I shall acquire three.



They're like old Saabs, Porsche 911s, Datsuns, or British roadsters. People who love them buy multiple copies and wrap their lives around them.

[Bubba1]

For giggles, I went to Edmunds.com and priced out new 4 door Rubican Unlimited with every option in my area:

MSRP is $41,865. Invoice is $39,034, but TMV (what people are paying)is $38,895. Yep below invoice, which means Chrysler's been discounting the hell out of them to get them off their lots..

[AZhitman]

How the heck did it hit 50k? They start at 22k and with every single option they hit $36k.



Viper V10?

I think the loaded 4 doors are $50K

There's also about $15K in mods (Teraflex lift, all sorts of suspension goodies, wheels / tires, lighting, full-frame interior roll cage, etc).

Like I said, it's cool - but for that $50K, I could buy a low-mileage C6 still under warranty and have a lot more fun.

[hannibal]

That's a ridiculous price for a Jeep.

Jeeps belong off road period. I did have a chance to go off roading with some guys out in Maryland. Night time trail riding was tons of fun.

I have a soft spot for Jeeps

My old CJ7 Renegade(60k original miles, original paint and interior too):

A Bulldog fan?!? Hells yeah!

[Kompresshun]

Yep, born and raised Bulldog fan. I would be banished from the family if I were anything else

I'm from GA, but you'd be amazed at how many bulldog fans are around the KY area too.

[Rex]

Jeeps are like vacation homes, there nice to visit, but you don't want to live there ... well at least most people don't.

I'm from GA, but you'd be amazed at how many bulldog fans are around the KY area too.

That's because, KY's a b-ball state and the SEC is all about football and UGA's the only real SEC football team near by

[nissangirl74]

Awful.

Interesting. I'm loving sitting higher than most people on the road. It was a welcome change for me.

Driving a tall truck is way different than driving a tall Jeep. The short wheelbase is horrible, it's very unstable.

[AppleBonker]

Good point on the wheelbase. Wasn't even thinking about that.

[nissangirl74]

I always wanted a Jeep, until I drove this one. It killed the craving pretty quick.