I was just wondering what the general consensus is about Jeeps...Jeep Wranglers in particular like how long they last and (if anybody knows) what kinda stuff normally goes wrong with them and at about what milage because I have been looking into different vechiles for about 2weeks and I found Wrangler I want in my price ranger with low enough miles.
if it ain't broke...MAKE IT GO FASTER
I ain't really looking into much of the aftermarket except an intake yet for the wrangler but yeah I was thinkin that the 4.0 is fairly indestructable
if it ain't broke...MAKE IT GO FASTER
i had a 98 wrangler and that was the most reliable vehicle i ever had. thing was a beast too, lost of power. i could pull the front tires with the right launch (it was a 4.0 L 5 spd). i never once got stuck in it and i put it in some stuff i didnt think i was gonna get through. the only flaw they have is the manifolds crack, i had 2 of em go on me, first thing you should do is put a header on it.
I was thinkin about a Stainless Steel Gibson Header anyway so that just gives me more of a reason
if it ain't broke...MAKE IT GO FASTER
Cav2Envy why did u get rid of your Wrangler???
if it ain't broke...MAKE IT GO FASTER
Jeeps are good vehicles. They suck on gas but can drive FOREVER. I have a few friends with Cherokee's running around 170-200,000 miles and still kicking.
Unless you are making your own intake for little to no money, don't bother buying an intake for a Wrangler. They are pointless. The same goes with replacing the stock filter for a K&N of some type. The K&N has a tendancy to allow more dirt to pass thru.
As far as problems with the Wrangler, all I have been having with mine is water leaking from the passenger side. It only happens in downpours but it's nothing too bad. If you are looking for one to do some wheeling, then search around for one with a Dana 44 rear end. A lot of guys do still run on D35's with bigger tires but you are pushing your luck a little bit while off-roading.
Also, like ACav2Envy said, the exhaust manifolds tend to want to crack on you so most people just upgrade to a better header / cat-back setup.
Have a good one,
Justin
I thought they fixed the exhaust manifold problem in the 2000+ models. Also the d35 are not that bad if you do minor trail riding or average wheeling. But if your gonna do rock crawling you really want a d44. Also if your looking to do any deep water crossing get a stick. The auto trannies have a vent hole on them that will let water in them, and if that happens your tranny is screwed.
Also like Justin said don't bother with an intake. It will only let more dirt pass through and you will not notice any power gains. I would say don't even touch the engine a wrangler is not a race car. Also they tend to be a little scary driving over 85mph especially if it is windy.
Carguy05 wrote:Cav2Envy why did u get rid of your Wrangler???
i sold it because it got to expansive to drive, when its lifted with 33's + 3.05 gears = horrible gas milage and bad on the highway (didnt want to stay at speed in 5th) & gas prices got up to $3 a gal. i was going back to school and needed all the extra money i could get. payment + ins was $500 a month + gas to drive it, just got to pricey. but i sure miss that thing
i will have another one day tho. once a jeep owner you will always want one.
LOL I like the new ones...they got 6spds in em now
if it ain't broke...MAKE IT GO FASTER
6 speed still won't help if you have 3.07 gears and 33's. I wish I would have looked around more when I got mine. the 3.07 gear are the only thing I hate, but it really isn't so bad. I am running a 28's until tax returns come in. then it is 31's.
I am too looking into these wranglers. But trying to find one with the D-44 rear and the 30" wheel package without it being a rubicon has been a pain in the ass. The largest Jeep dealership in my area had a modle almost exactly what i wanted, but it didn't have the D-44 rear. It was a sport with some back trail package and the 30" tire package. But the new 2006 golden eagle edition is looking perfect for myself. Has everything i want. Only time will tell what i get.
my dad has a 2001 4-cylinder/5-speed, and it runs pretty good. sure, it's slow as balls, but it has 4.11's and gets 20 mpg on average, so it's not all that bad. but, if you want to go off-roading and throw on some 33's, i wouldn't go with the 2.5L. it's a good motor for commuting, but that's about it. the 4.0L is definitely the better engine for rolling some big-ass tires around.
C R J wrote:I am too looking into these wranglers. But trying to find one with the D-44 rear and the 30" wheel package without it being a rubicon has been a pain in the ass. The largest Jeep dealership in my area had a modle almost exactly what i wanted, but it didn't have the D-44 rear. It was a sport with some back trail package and the 30" tire package. But the new 2006 golden eagle edition is looking perfect for myself. Has everything i want. Only time will tell what i get.
Go for the rocky mountain edition. The golden eagle is ugly IMO. The huge eagle decal on the hood and gold colored wheels just look awful.
If you want the dana 44, get yourself a 72-75 CJ5. They came with the dana 44 stock in the rear, you could get the 258 straight 6 or the 304 v8, a lot cheaper to lift, motor swaps galore, and tons of aftermarket parts.
This is one of my old cj's:
It had the model 20 rear end, but with 1 piece axles, they were bulletproof. This pic was with 33 inch tires, with 40 inch tires I could still chirp them with the 258
9 inches of lift was some nice clearance too.
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The only thing that sucks about Wranglers is the tight cabin space, especially with full doors.
that and the $31k sticker price for the rubicon iwant.
Emor8t wrote:that and the $31k sticker price for the rubicon iwant.
Unless it is a Rubicon Unlmiited that is a good chunk of change. There are some used 2004 Rubicon models around my area going for 24,000.
Have a good one,
Justin
^^^ You can find used rubi's all around here for that price with less than 15k miles on them. Damn it if my wife was out of shool I could have got one.
