ecandlcubed

okay. here goes.

my wife and i saw an '04 jeep wrangler sport for sale as we drove by a local dealership today. it has a huge sign for about 15k. both she and i never had a jeep, let along a convertible one but somehow she got all excited and thought it would be nice to have one in addition to our current '05 xa.

i researched it on jeep.com and found it is very close in dimensions to the xa. however the website seems to lack lots of info for a novice like myself.

so my question for those here who currently own or had owned a newer wrangler to answer...

what ya think of a wrangler? too collegiate (we are both in our 40s). not safe? what a part time 4wd (website says not to engage it above 55mph)? how the power etc.

i figure to ask them here first before going down to the dealer this weekend to see it in person. it would be a nice christmas gift (not as nice as a new lexus with a bow on top..hee hee).

thanks

Biznox

Go and drive one.

If you think you'd be happy with it after experiencing the frighteningly loose and imprecise steering, poor handling and rough ride, go for it.

I would say forget it though. Wranglers are very competent off-road, but they are rife with compromise. Like I mentioned, the steering borders on scary, the quality of the plastics and fit and finish inside reminds one of Eastern european standards (think Lada) Power is excellent with the prehistoric inline 6, but the fuel economy is abyssmal and the 4 cylinder version's performance makes an xA seem like a Porsche Carrera GT by comparison. On top of that, reliability is pathetic (check Consumers Reports for about 10,000 black dots across the board)

Strictly for the off-road purist. Not nearly as fun as it looks, trust me. If you don't trust me, than an extended test drive will convince you.

It's a shame because it could be a much better vehicle without sacrificing off-road prowess if Jeep would just decide to give a damn.

hotbox05

I LOVE THE WRANGLER. I've always wanted one. just recently have i driven ones. ( for work ) and oh lord do i love them. the 6 speed 4.0 liter straigh six configuration rocks hard. i'd take the longer unlimited tho but still AWFULLY nice cars.

completely different than a scion but nice.

scion for looks jeep for whatever. well whatever except racing.

chucksu

Is just as its said. Its part time. Meaning your RWD all the time. You see your self getting into a hairy probalem real fast, just slow down <55 & kick on the 4WD. Now your got power going to all 4 wheels to help you out. Its not a all time AWD like subarus. I guess it was done through many studies to find that speeds of 55+ with the 4wd on causes more wear & tear on the drivetrain & is not recomended.

Sanjuro

I have a Jeep Wrangler and love it when the top is down on a summer day.

That said, its not a very practical vehicle. The ride is rough, and steering is VERY loose. Also, even with the new soft tops, normal conversation at highway speeds is almost impossible. I always feel somewhat 'beat up' or drained at the end of long trips.

The top can also be a bear to get up and down. It's a mentality most Jeep owners have that you are guaranteed to get rained on at least once a year. "Its a jeep thing" is a motto that I have come to learn means "We put up with stuff other people wouldnt dream of".

Its nothing like having a convertable car. In summer, at stoplights you can cook. Anytime the top is down, and it is under 70 degrees, you will freeze. Keep in mind its not just top down, its sides off as well. Most convertables you are pretty protected from the elements on the sides and can run the heat to compensate.. not so much in a Jeep.

Its great off road and the 4/w/drive works very well in snow. You are always in Rear Wheel drive and engage the 4wd when needed. Power is good with the in line 6. But its horsepower and doesnt translate to road quickness.

willmw

I recently bought an '06 xA and then sold my '00 Wrangler to pay it off. I just didn't need the extra vehicle. I LOVED MY WRANGLER, THOUGH. The newer ones (since 1996) are much nicer than they used to be....still a jeep...but nicer than they used to be. Wrangler is the only Jeep, IMO, that will hold much of it's value over time. They are very fun to drive on short trips and over roughish terrain. Long trips, take something else. I've not yet taken my xA on a long trip so I can't compare the two, but I'm sure it will be a lot more comfortable.

Never had any problem with power, used the 4wd only when needed for messy conditions...good on wet dirt roads, or the occasional (relatively rare) GA snow...at lower speeds. I had 4.0 6cyl, with 5 sp. If I could have ever gotten the wife to really try to learn to drive a stick...I'd probably still have it, but I'm loving my xA now.

couper2

damn straight.

Biznox is dead on bout the jeep.

tat2dude25

Sounds like my area! OK former Jeep man here! Had an '84 CJ7 soft top, '95 YJ Wrangler Rio Grande, 91 Cherokee (JUNK). Loved my CJ and Wrangler. Still Miss them. The Newer Wranglers (TJ) '97-'06 are more like the Cadillac of Wranglers. They have a softer ride and airbags and even hard doors. There is no better car except maybe a hummer to have in snow and ice. Soft tops are a pain to take off and put on. Hard tops are even worse. I had nothing but problems with the inline 6 engines in the CJ7 and Cherokee but the YJ had a 2.5 litre 4 cyl. The 4 cyl was a reliable engine for me. The xA and xB engines are power houses compared to their 4 cyl. If the still make it I would suggest it compared to the 6. Yes they have a very bumpy ride and can be noisy. There is no other car that can be customized more than a wrangler though. Check Quadratec.com for all kinds of options. Bestop makes a soft top that Is way quieter than the factory soft tops. I say GO FOR IT! My '95 YJ lasted me 155,000 miles until the tranny and the U-joints went. The JEEP is not a family car or fuel efficient by no means, but for something that you can drive anywhere or just a cruise on a sunny day its awesome.

Biznox

Notice everyone admits they are uncomfortable, poor handling slow beasts with awful fuel economy.

Some people find that part of their charm though, but I can think of no less practical vehicle than a Wrangler. Unless you live in a cabin in Wyoming at 10,000 feet -- you don't need one. Extremely capable off-road by nature, but EVERY other kind of travel is a compromise in comfort and safety. You live in Washington DC. Why the hell would you subject yourself to that?

If you just want a convertible there are a long list of better choices. If you just want a capable 4x4, there is an even longer list of better choices that offer all the 4x4 utility you will ever need without sacrificing relibility, comfort and the ability to outhandle a Metrobus.

In short, unless you rock crawl at Moab or drive through snow up to the door handles regularly, you really can't choose a less practical vehicle than a Wrangler. That's the bottom line.

Sanjuro

^^^^ yeah but the chicks LOVE 'em ..until they ride in them.

Actually, for all the negative, there is something so great about riding with no doors on a beautiful sunny day. Bliss.

SCI_TC_GUY

I haven't read all this, but I'd say definitely DON"T get the 4cyl.... if you're gonna get the jeep, go for a 6cyl....

tat2dude25

The Wrangler isn't that bad! I felt safer in it than any othe vehichle I have ever owned. 1 Its a tank. 2. What other car has a full roll cage? Just wear those seat belts and you'll be fine.

FrankenScion

I miss my Jeep.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/solque...etta/my_photos

Biznox

I say go take it on an extended test drive. Make sure you drive it down a windy road and take it out on the highway for a good 15-20 minutes if possible.

Then decide.

LVXB

After reading all this it seems like the wrangler is the perfect 4th car or perhaps the perfect " my buddy has one" type vehicle.

KevinxB

I could totally see you driving that!

melton83

I have a 1976 CJ-7 Jeep, and anyone that sees it or rides in it loves it! But that's a classic. I like the new Wranglers though too. It depends on whether you're going to do any off-roading or not.

phatcyclist

I have owned two jeeps, the first one was a 1988 Grand Wagoneer. That car was so awful, I was almost happy when the engine finally went south, it gave me another reason to sell it off. I had a 1990 Cherokee, that was a failry good car, 4x4 4.0L, auto. I never had any real problems with it. I have never driven a wrangler, but I did drive a 5 speed 4x4 4 cyl cherokee, and lathargic doesn't even capture how slow that car was. The phrase "dangerous for highway merging" comes to mind with that. I cannot with a straight face reccomend a Jeep, or really any american car for that matter, after all the ones I have worked on, they are just not built very well. American companies think it is OK to build a car that will last the warranty, and then have someone buy a new car. I don't believe that is a way to do buisness. I'm not saying the xA will last forever, but I plan on driving it longer than the warranty, because I don't think I will be worring about it dying on me.

All that said, if you MUST get the wrangler, get a 5 speed with the 4.0L, jeep has been using that setup for a while now, and it works alright.

I would also reccomend looking around at other vehicles. If you don't need a car that can climb over boulders, and up the side of a cliff, look at a Rav4, or another "cute-ute". If you are looking for something that will be better for gnarly weather, something with a decent AWD system would be a better choice I would think.

Biznox

It's amazing the Wrangler is street-legal given the way it steers and handles on the road. That is no exaggeration. It's astonishingly bad. I'm amazed so many people allowed their romantic notions of Jeep-coolness to override common sense in recommending a POS like this for public consumption, especially to someone who lives in the CITY.

FrankenScion

I drove mine everyday for 9 years and never had a problem.

I put different axles, different suspension and a completely different powertrain in it too.
(Among a whole lot of other stuff that was dont to it.