AusVarmint

After the missathon i have decided its time to grab a 4x4, its been on the back burner for a while but that hit the point home.

Has anyone owned a Jeep Wrangler? I'm after some first hand comments. I've heard all the jeep bashing stories from the cruiser and patrol guys. What im mainly after is ground clearance and the ability to go places the SS wont. From my point of view the wrangler has 3 good selling points, it was built to go off road first, its small enough to not take up all of my side of the garage and you can take the roof off.

Never owned one so can't help but

Seddo wrote: and you can take the roof off.

Snipetac or do you have something else hidden away to mount on the roll bar

Bruce

Never had one but they are capable off road.

B4408 wrote:Never owned one so can't help but

Seddo wrote: and you can take the roof off.

Snipetac or do you have something else hidden away to mount on the roll bar

Bruce

i might soon

Seddo wrote:After the missathon i have decided its time to grab a 4x4, its been on the back burner for a while but that hit the point home.

Has anyone owned a Jeep Wrangler? I'm after some first hand comments. I've heard all the jeep bashing stories from the cruiser and patrol guys. What im mainly after is ground clearance and the ability to go places the SS wont. From my point of view the wrangler has 3 good selling points, it was built to go off road first, its small enough to not take up all of my side of the garage and you can take the roof off.

I knew someone who owned such a beast, I was susprised how capable it was off road (stock) but dissapointed with the interior room.

Mechanically, the turbo hoses are a weak spot. Two hoses in under 50K. If I had one I'd buy some proper aftermarket turbo pipes (not rubber hoses with cheap sheaths to add extra support).

Dealer maintenance bordered on incompetent. Not plugging things back in properly, letting hoses dangle into the pulleys etc, fitting parts upside down (yes, seriously).

It seems to be a Lego 4WD, plenty of bolt on upgrades available if you don't like the stock stuff.

Engine bay isn't the friendliest for home maintenance, but then what engine bay is these days....

I rate em but then again I once liked Toyota's ......and sacko's ......

had a 2007 CRD for 4 years and 220,000km, crackin 2.8 CRD, yeah hoses are a weakness as shit, I actually got custom alloy ones made up, even better as earlier spool and also longer spool as no expansion and contraction going on, stop start short trips mean a catch can needs to be install otherwise a great 4wd, solid axle up front means alot of wobble thru the steer wheel, good dampner and a smidge of toe out helps control things.

Im now driving a 2 year old V6 5 speed auto 4dr Wrangler and its a crackin car, obviously fuel economy is around 15-20% worse than the CRD but the 209kws makes up for the lack of Torque. Beats falcon and commodores in drags ......

Long wheel bases is a much better car all round than the 2dr and size wise my 4 dr Wrangler is the same length as my old 4dr Civic.

Seat and driving positon is super comfy. Apart from that Id say go for it, I paid $36K for 2013 with 7000km on the clock, dealer wanted 46500, and I got it in Cammando green and with paint protection and 6 yr eng and drivetrain warranty.

Resale on these is the best in the 4wd Market hands down.

try and buy 1 thats not been lifted as too many dodgy installers out there.

If you're buying second hand, make sure the owner throws in the supplied soft top etc. I believe the hardtops are supplied with both.

As you could imagine, many sellers will hold onto the soft top (probably still in the boxes) in the hope of selling it on eBay and making a bit more cash.

I was talking to a guy who has had a bit to do with them a few weeks back and he said they had installed lift kits etc. in a few and some of them became almost un-driveable while others were fine

He also said some who had put the kits in brought them back to return them to stock

Gotta admit they look pretty cool though

Cheers,
Waldo

they dont get alot of cash for em either, most owners never utilize the soft tops due to security and drop bears.

roof removals was simple for the 2dr and can be done in 5mins, 4 dr shouldnt be any diff. 2 blokes required for rear lift and removal.

a few have complained of leaks after refitting the roof panels but I found most times a lift of the panel and refit got the rubbers resealing.

a bit of wind noise around 115kmhs and above, windscreen pillars to blame here.

80l and I've managed 700km before a refill, 600kg of boat towing added 2l/100km, going upto 13L/100

expect 15L/100km out of the V6 if you lift, put big rubber on, winch, bars both end and roof racks.

More modding parts available for the Jk Wrangler than any other 4wd, 8 years of the model means plenty of spares at wreckers and online classifieds.

ausjeepoffroad is worth joing if ya serious about your research. A word of warning thou alot of latte sippers own em so alot of advice on offer, but without a true understanding.

Cheers guys, i'm looking at the TJ because i like the look of the half doors and it will leave me enough case to tart it up a bit. It will be a 4ltr so no pipes to worry about, fuel economy isnt an issue as it will be a part time weekend drive as i have other cars. well a ss ute and vh commodore. I did look at a few that had been lifted and with diff locks but ive gone back to looking at standard cars so i know they haven't been stuffed with. Ive spoken to a jeep 4x4 guy who recommends a 2" procomp lift and said anymore and you need to start replacing other parts.

All of the youtube videos shows them to be totally lego based, if it doenst bolt on they drill an hole and screw it on. I'm happy to bolt shit on but drilling is something i would rather leave to a pro.

I've been talking to a dealer who traded one and is working through the rwc now, it will be a little more than buying one privately but it has a full service history and low km's and a 12 month old soft top.

It was a hard sell tot he wife but when she realized i sold 2 rifle to buy it she came around..... well as much as a wife will when you want a 3rd car. Technically its a 2nd as the ute is a work car, i just happen to own half of work.

Seddo, from the Jeep Wranglers that I have seen running around, they seem to have pretty good paint jobs and some sort of mud repellent, they never seem to be dirty.

Camel wrote:Seddo, from the Jeep Wranglers that I have seen running around, they seem to have pretty good paint jobs and some sort of mud repellent, they never seem to be dirty.

the paint job on mine wont have repellent on it.

NEVER EVER buy the 4 door German made diesel ones.......... While awesome when running the parts for them would make a loans officer at the bank very happy with ya! Took almost 2 months of ringing round the country to get a starter motor for less than 1k (was classed as a "New replacement part") and getting the original one reconditioned is almost as expensive as the cheaper one, an original will set you back 3.5K.

If you're a tall fella 6 foot you will have enough leg room with the seat right back, above 6 foot and you will feel the under dash on ya knees and shins. I was fine as I'm a short ass but when the second son (6"4) sat behind me I could feel his knees in me back.

Plenty of power there with the turbo and will crawl slow enough in low range that you could get out and walk beside it when going up a nice steep track.

Don't go no bigger than a 2 inch lift and it will serve you very well without having to replace other bits to make it handle right again.

My son owned a 4ltr petrol one and loved it ta bits but was to noisy on the highway with the soft top on. Most times when hwy driving he would take the roof off and wear a cap nd sunny's. Replacing parts on it was a peace of piss and very affordable.

hey Gnome shame to hear bout ur starter motor experience, Mine got started atleast 6-7 times a day over 5 1/2 years and never missed a beat.

I also never replace a rotor or brake pad over 220k.

the current Holden Colarodo runs the VM 2.8 CRD which has been used in the Wrangler since 2007, which btw has more very similar power but more torque than the pos V8 they throw in the Landcruiser .

It may have more torque but torque is a very funny thing, it is more about when and where it is delivered than the final amount. This is why the same blokes that tunned the colarado opted for slightly less torque delivered earlier and longer in the Isuzu. Yes they also said the Isuzu could produce more torque than the colarado but it became peaky also so they chose to supply 1 of each.
I do not own or drive either a landcruiser or colarado so have no idea what either is like only that unless you drive on flat roads with no load and a constant speed I would look more at the delivery than final figure. Horses for courses