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Any Jeep Wrangler Owners?

post #1 of 16
1/29/09 at 11:33am
Thread Starter 
I am tired of 2wd and being sidelined when it snows. I have always liked te wrangler and have been looking at new ones. The incentives they are offering these days make them pretty tempting, except for 1 thing...the fuel economy. I drive alot and I also have another car to drive on occassion but it would be my primary daily driver. Anyone own a new one?
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post #2 of 16
1/29/09 at 11:40am
What kinda snow are you dealing with that requires a jeep?
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post #3 of 16
1/29/09 at 11:45am
Dude, if you're buying new, get a 4 door. The longer wheelbase corrects alot of the driveability problems with the TJs and such. I've driven one and it was head and shoulders above my TJ. Great 4 wheel drive systems and with power everything, you're giving up less and less to drive a jeep. Get a hardtop with power options.
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post #4 of 16
1/29/09 at 11:51am
I've been driving a wrangler as my daily drive for 5 years now. It's an 02. I used to commute 40miles each way in it for a couple years, it wasn't bad. The only thing that sucked is it's a standard so when you're stuck in stop and go traffic you have to work. I also only have a soft top so the ride is a little loud, deffinetly get a hard top.

As far as snow goes they eat that shit up. the more the better.
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post #5 of 16
1/29/09 at 11:54am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by karpiel View Post
What kinda snow are you dealing with that requires a jeep?
Not that much on average. Something like a Subaru would be more practical but not as much fun. You can't drop the top on a Forester or outback.
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post #6 of 16
1/29/09 at 12:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cstreu1026 View Post
Not that much on average. Some like a Subaru would be more practical but not as much fun. You can't drop the top on a Forester or outback.
Good enough reason for me. Cant beat a subaru on snowy roads, but they are pretty plain and not good off road. (before anyone slams me for this, I've gotten subies through places that an idiot in a jeep couldn't, you cant deny the lack of low range in the US and crappy approach and departure angles though.)

I also say go with the unlimited, the ride sucks so bad on the regular ones. Even though I'm a complete subie nut, I almost got an unlimited.

Or just buy a brat and pimp it out.
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post #7 of 16
1/29/09 at 1:40pm
I haven't driven the new JK Wrangler. I have a 98 Wrangler (currently in my shop awaiting repairs from an off road excursion). I would definitely recomment the 4dr with extended wheelbase. My Wrangler, as much as I enjoy it, has really bad handling characteristics at highway speed in snowy conditions which I attribute in part to the short wheelbase. It will get you through the snow in 4wd though. I would look into their Selectrac option. I'm not certain this is available in the Wrangler and isrelatively scarce in their other products for some reason. This is an option that enables full time 4wd at highway speeds. It can be disengaged to give you 2wd for fuel economy and has a 4wd low speed range that you can use for locked 4wd in off road situations.
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post #8 of 16
1/29/09 at 2:14pm
i have a '03. Hard top is a must for highway driving. my fuel economy sucks- i'm lucky to go 300 highway miles on a tankful (about 17gallons). you can do the math. if you're in 4WD, you can expect less than 15 mpg.
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post #9 of 16
1/29/09 at 2:34pm
Short wheelbase TJs, no ABS, traditional command-trac....not a winter car for someone who is sidelined by 2wd.

OTOH, the new ones probably have all the acronyms you'd be looking for...ABS, EBD, etc, and a longer wheelbase.
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post #10 of 16
1/29/09 at 5:42pm
Thread Starter 
Well I drive a high powered front driver that sits low to the ground currently so even with snow tires its far from ideal for winter. I had to sit out an 18 inch storm last March because my car would have been nothing more than a snow plow.
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post #11 of 16
1/30/09 at 7:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by oisin View Post
I haven't driven the new JK Wrangler. I have a 98 Wrangler (currently in my shop awaiting repairs from an off road excursion). I would definitely recomment the 4dr with extended wheelbase. My Wrangler, as much as I enjoy it, has really bad handling characteristics at highway speed in snowy conditions which I attribute in part to the short wheelbase. It will get you through the snow in 4wd though. I would look into their Selectrac option. I'm not certain this is available in the Wrangler and isrelatively scarce in their other products for some reason. This is an option that enables full time 4wd at highway speeds. It can be disengaged to give you 2wd for fuel economy and has a 4wd low speed range that you can use for locked 4wd in off road situations.
I'm guessing since you off road, you are running some sort of MT's. MT's on Wranglers suck in snow. When I switched to an aggressive AT with lots of siping...instant change in snow handling at all speeds. Jeeps are too light for MT's & no siping in snow. Mine downright sucked with MT's.
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post #12 of 16
1/31/09 at 9:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Taylormatt View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by oisin View Post
I haven't driven the new JK Wrangler. I have a 98 Wrangler (currently in my shop awaiting repairs from an off road excursion). I would definitely recomment the 4dr with extended wheelbase. My Wrangler, as much as I enjoy it, has really bad handling characteristics at highway speed in snowy conditions which I attribute in part to the short wheelbase. It will get you through the snow in 4wd though. I would look into their Selectrac option. I'm not certain this is available in the Wrangler and isrelatively scarce in their other products for some reason. This is an option that enables full time 4wd at highway speeds. It can be disengaged to give you 2wd for fuel economy and has a 4wd low speed range that you can use for locked 4wd in off road situations.
I'm guessing since you off road, you are running some sort of MT's. MT's on Wranglers suck in snow. When I switched to an aggressive AT with lots of siping...instant change in snow handling at all speeds. Jeeps are too light for MT's & no siping in snow. Mine downright sucked with MT's.
 
Actually I don't think Wranglers are very light but I can see your point regarding good tires.Some of the best snow tires today have siping that improves traction and tread patterns that improve lateral traction. What alarms me is the tendency of my Wrangler to suddenly lurch into a spin from which it can be almost impossible to recover.I've driven quite a few different vehicles in snow and none of them behave this way.Even my 2wd pickup truck is much much better, probably because of its longer wheelbase even though it is quite high. The Wrangler excells at driving through deep snow though. Most of my commute is on a narrow winding back road with lots of hills and infrequent plowing and the Wrangler is great. At 40 mph or lower you can put it in 4wd and with a little attention to the steering it is fine. I think its important to distinguish between full-time AWD and part time 4WD which is why I suggested looking into the possibility of Selectrac. Part time 4WD can exhibit some interesting steering behaviors at speed. I used to drive home from skiing and see quite a few Blazers and other 4WD vehicles off the road along the snow packed interstate. Their drivers had seemingly driven straight off the road for no apparent reason,presumably in 4WD.


 

 


Edited by oisin - Sat, 31 Jan 09 17:26:57 GMT
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post #13 of 16
1/31/09 at 10:35am

My brother's GF just bought an 08 Unlimited, she loves it.  She is coming out of a Mitsubishi Eclipse. She lives outside of Denver.


Edited by Richie-Rich - Sat, 31 Jan 09 18:36:18 GMT
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post #14 of 16
1/31/09 at 11:12am

I have an '08 4-dr Rubicon that I use to plow my driveway.  It really never leaves Summit County but on our snow packed roads it's great.  When I put it in 4wd low and lock the hubs it's like a tank.  I've pushed 2.5 feet deep snow with stock tires.  In the summer I leave the hardtop off all summer and it's a lot of fun.  Highly recommend it.

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post #15 of 16
3/10/09 at 9:58am

I Have an 04 Jeep Wrangler in great condition for under blue book. Blue book lists it at 14,988.00 We have been asking 12,488.00, But it must go by Thursday 3/12/09 So we have marked it down for your benefit to 12,000.00 . It only has 56,925 miles. Please contact me right away at 503-492-1000 for more details.
Ask for Dave

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post #16 of 16
3/13/09 at 5:27pm


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Taylormatt View Post

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by oisin View Post
I haven't driven the new JK Wrangler. I have a 98 Wrangler (currently in my shop awaiting repairs from an off road excursion). I would definitely recomment the 4dr with extended wheelbase. My Wrangler, as much as I enjoy it, has really bad handling characteristics at highway speed in snowy conditions which I attribute in part to the short wheelbase. It will get you through the snow in 4wd though. I would look into their Selectrac option. I'm not certain this is available in the Wrangler and isrelatively scarce in their other products for some reason. This is an option that enables full time 4wd at highway speeds. It can be disengaged to give you 2wd for fuel economy and has a 4wd low speed range that you can use for locked 4wd in off road situations.
I'm guessing since you off road, you are running some sort of MT's. MT's on Wranglers suck in snow. When I switched to an aggressive AT with lots of siping...instant change in snow handling at all speeds. Jeeps are too light for MT's & no siping in snow. Mine downright sucked with MT's.

Depends on what MT you run, I have Cooper STT and it works great in snow. Caught in snowstorm on the highway a few times and have no problem going what everybody else is going (which is not slow with Quebec drivers, lol)
I keep mine in RWD most of the time, only shift to 4WD if I feel the snow is deep enough to drag my front tires.

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