What you need to know before you Buy a Jeep Wrangler

From 3arf

I own an '05 Wrangler X, and I'm absolutely in love with it. The 6-cyliner engine has decent power, and in town and off-road it is probably the most enjoyable ride I have ever owned. For most die hard "Jeepers" these facts are enough. I'm going to buy another one as soon as the "X" is paid off, and more than likely I'll go for the Sahara upgrade. Quite frankly, it's a Jeep thing, and most people wouldn't understand. In fact, most of the folks who have ridden in my Jeep DON'T understand. I'll address this from the perspective of the everyday car buyer. Keep in mind that I'm as quirky as my Jeep and can overlook the long list of hangups that most people would have.

If you're not sold on the unique qualities of a Wrangler, the first thing that will get your attention is the horrendous gas mileage. Jeep advertises 15 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway. I would like to tell you that I do better, but the fact is that I do a little bit worse. A lot of my driving is on I-68, which runs from Hancock, Md. to Morgantown, WV. This is a very mountainous highway, and it doesn't do any car's MPG rating any favors. Any time that I've checked my mileage, it has fallen in the 13-14 mpg realm. For a relatively small vehicle with a 6-cylinder engine, this is horrible. Anybody with a commute of more than a few miles would struggle with this. If that's the case, don't even look at a Wrangler.

Like many Jeep crazies, I had to run out and buy the bigger tires. Hey, they look good! However, I have come to two less than satisfactory conclusions. For starters, my odometer readings are 8% less with the bigger tires. In other words, a 140 mile trip now registers as being 130 miles. Also, hitting a sharp turn at 70 mph creates a G-force that makes me feel like I'm going to go flying through the roof. In fact, it has scared the hell out of me on more than one occasion. I kind of wish that I had stuck with the factory tires. Beauty has a price!

It is also important to remember that Jeeps are very inviting for thieves. The rag top unzips in the back, and under the cover of darkness a would-be crook can simply go through the rear "window" (which is both plastic and removeable) and crawl over the back seat. I know this; I've locked the keys in my Jeep once or twice. Also, the gas cap doesn't lock, and with gas prices as they are, a Jeep owner shouldn't be surprised to find an empty tank at some point. Locking gas caps can be purchased and are highly recommended.

Like I said, I can overlook the biggest part of these quirks, but one thing does bother me. I have the 6-speed manual transmission, and the gear synchronization isn't the best. First and foremost, there is a bit of a hitch when shifting from first to second gear. A friend at work has a 5-speed, and he says that he has the same problem when shifting from first to second. Apparently we're not the only ones. I talked to a counter person at the dealership, and he readily admitted that this is not uncommon.

If all of the above are things that you can overlook, I would highly recommend buying a Jeep Wrangler. Jeepers are part of a large fraternity, and most of us have a friendly wave for every Jeep owner we pass on the road. These die-hards are precisely the kind of people who wouldn't drive anything else. However, I do admit that I wouldn't sing the praises of the Wrangler to just anybody. If fuel economy, a smooth ride, safety, and comfort are more important than looking cool and being different, do yourself a favor and look elsewhere. If you're still sold on the Wrangler, there's a good chance we'll share a wave someday.

Related Articles

Retrieved from "https://3arf.org/en/index.php?title=What_you_need_to_know_before_you_Buy_a_Jeep_Wrangler&oldid=3687"