Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Wrangler Hits Rock Bottom
It's a shame, but what I'm seeing in the execution of the current excellent Wrangler design is highlighted in this Consumer Reports article just released, making it the lowest of the eleven lowest vehicles rated 
:
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/autos/0802/gallery.2008_cr_worst_cars/
JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED
"Score: 17 (out of 100)
Highs: Off-road ability
Lows: Ride, handling, braking, noise, fuel economy, fit and finish, visibility, frontseat comfort, access, reliability
Consumer Reports performs off-road testing at its Connecticut proving grounds, but off-road ability doesn't factor into the final scores.
That's part of the reason the Wrangler Unlimited gets the lowest score of any vehicle the magazine currently rates.
"We're rating these cars as most people would drive them in the SUV category," said Jake Fisher, a Consumer Reports auto test engineer.
While Jeep boasts that it sells to more owners who actually drive off-road than any other brand, the majority still spend most of their time on pavement.
A spokeswoman for Chrysler pointed out that the Jeep and Dodge vehicles in this list were fundamentally engineered for heavy-duty off-road use and the Jeeps, in particular, have been rated highly by other publications. "
:http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/autos/0802/gallery.2008_cr_worst_cars/
JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED
"Score: 17 (out of 100)
Highs: Off-road ability
Lows: Ride, handling, braking, noise, fuel economy, fit and finish, visibility, frontseat comfort, access, reliability
Consumer Reports performs off-road testing at its Connecticut proving grounds, but off-road ability doesn't factor into the final scores.
That's part of the reason the Wrangler Unlimited gets the lowest score of any vehicle the magazine currently rates.
"We're rating these cars as most people would drive them in the SUV category," said Jake Fisher, a Consumer Reports auto test engineer.
While Jeep boasts that it sells to more owners who actually drive off-road than any other brand, the majority still spend most of their time on pavement.
A spokeswoman for Chrysler pointed out that the Jeep and Dodge vehicles in this list were fundamentally engineered for heavy-duty off-road use and the Jeeps, in particular, have been rated highly by other publications. "
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
For what it is, it is a GREAT SUV. I don't know much about the quality, but reports of the leaky tops, transmission issues, tire pressure monitor issues on the 08's when offroad, etc, leads me to think that Jeep's parents didn't think things through. With Chrysler's sale from DC, I wonder if those issues will be addressed for the 09+ model years. 07 and 08 are looking rather taboo to me right now.
-Paul
CR used to really slam the TJ, complaining about the ride and the "uncomfortable" seats. My wife is far from a rabid off-roader, but she finds my Sahara's seats to be perfectly fine and the ride-even with Bilstein HDs-to be more than acceptable.
And one more thing: the National Weather Service is calling for over 12 inches of snow tonight. I live at the end of a 1/2 mile gravel road and I'm extremely glad that there's a Wrangler TJ in the driveway; I sincerely doubt that any of CR's favorite SUV's could make it out.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
My nephew bought a 2007 2-door Wrangler and he said it is the best Jeep he has owned. He had owned a 1995 YJ and a 1999 Cherokee. He also owned a Liberty for about three months, but traded it in because the transmission shifted poorly. This probably backs up the uneven QC at Chrysler.
How come you didn't test drive it before you bought it? Seriously. A competent evaluation would reveal that the V6 Wrangler is far from a powerhouse.
And one more thing: there's a sticker on the window that lists the EPA mileage estimates.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Jeeps are not perfect. Neither is anybody else. You would think for a a $50k luxury car like my wife drives there'd be no problems. It is one of the most problematic cars I've EVER owned.
I drive a 97 TJ - first year they were made. Other than a cracked manifold when I bought it USED and a messed up catalytic converter, the vehicle has had ZERO mechanical issues. I wheel it and I often wheel it hard. So to say Jeep doesn't get it doesn't hold water. Yeah I COMPLETELY agree that there are initial problems that should NOT happen (leaks, etc), but to criticize the vehicle for lack of power AFTER buying it is more like sour grapes.
As mentioned, why not do a test drive? Even w/o a boat attached, you can get an idea of low end power (plus finding the power specs on that V6 is not hard to find on the 'net). There is no reason to go into a car purchase unprepared any more.
I would HOPE that Jeep would at least read their feedback and offer something with oompf, like a diesel or a V8 in the JK. Perhaps offering it in certain trim levels (like the Rubicon) would be a solution.
-Paul
I would NEVER go by ANYTHING that Consumer Reports says.
Lows:
Ride ...Rides just fine for the vehicle it is IMO
handling ... Im not cutting corners or running laps at the Nurburgring. It handles just fine on public roads at posted speed limits and wonderful off pavement.
braking ... Brakes are just fine. I wouldn't expect an SUV like this to stop on a dime anyway.
noise ...I have the soft top on my and wind noise is evident at 50mph+. Not as bad as CR makes it seem. Besides, my Rubicon came with the upgraded audio system so I don't even notice it much.
fuel economy ...I have to admit it isn't great. Then again your driving a two ton SUV with the aerodynamics of a chinese food take-out container. It all depends how you drive and how heavy your foot is. Like someone said before, EPA ratings are right on the window sticker so don't be suprised after you take delivery.
fit and finish ...Your driving an open top SUV with the best off-roading capability current on the consumer market. Most people, like I, off road these. If you do this with the top off eventually your interior might get a bit dirty due to exposure of the elements(dirt,mud, dust,etc.). Nice thing about the jeep is all you need is a hose & towel for most cleaning. "YES" cloth seats are stain, water, dust resistant and there are even drain plugs under the carpeting. Best thing is that after you leave the car parked for a while in the hot sun, the seats don't get really hot as they would with leather/leatherett or other materials.
visibility ... Great visibility IMO. Great view over the hood, windows are near shoulder level, and trucks sit high(especially on Rubicon), so I don't get what they're implying here.
frontseat comfort ...Seats are good. Sure, they aren't as comfortable as the lazy boys you find on an Escalade or QX but they do just fine.
access ...Don't know what they mean by that.
reliability ...I've only had mine for almost a month and a half so I can't really say.
Those are my views on the Wrangler. Just a little info about me and my history with cars so you can better understand where Im coming from on most of my opinions and what I'm used to.
I work at a large dealership in New Jersey that sells Porsche, Jaguar, & Aston Martin. Next door to the building I work in we also carry other brands like Mercedes Benz, Infiniti, Maybach, & Smart.
I drive fast luxury cars on a very regular basis. I've driven so many cars I can't keep count. Just a couple weeks ago I went for a spin in a new 530hp GT2. Yesterday it was a 500HP Cayenne Turbo. Two hours ago it was a XF. I've driven trade-ins that range anywhere from SRT-10 Vipers to 360 Modenas to M5s & Z06s & Maseratis etc.
My cars of the past have all been of the sporty type.
I've had an '86 Porsche 944(AutoX car), a 2004 Dodge srt-4, and just recently sold me '06 Mitsubishi Evolution IX MR edition.
In other words I've driven almost everything out there. I know the difference between a $100,000 500HP Cayenne Turbo & and $33,000 202HP Jeep Wrangler.
It is my first SUV and so far I love it. All my past cars that I've owned were fun to drive and this one isn't that different, just a different type of "fun".
With my past cars, if I listened to everyone on every car I got and took their advice on why this car isn't good and why that one isn't recommended, I would've seriously regretted not getting them.
Before I got my 944 people would tell me that It was a unreliable POS. I never had one problem with it and to date it is still my favorite car i've ever owned and I regret getting rid of it(high insurance cost reasons).
Before I got my new SRT-4 people would tell me that it was a POS neon and it would have nothing but problems. It ended up being ANOTHER reliable car which was really fast(modified) and that I also regretted selling.
Before I baught my new IX MR I noticed not much bad things was said or written on it. It was a great car with better performance than alot of $100,000+ sports cars on my market. Although other publications like Consumer Reports mentioned how it was an "unconfortable" car and that it wasn't an good every day car. I used it every day and loved it. Cut around traffic really well, got to work fast, had 4 doors, & the AWD meant that with a tire swap it could be driven all year.
Sorry for the long post but what I'm trying to say is that you can't really go by everything some of these guys say because in the end most of it is false. It is very easy to badmouth something, it is another to experience it.
I'm happy I didn't listen to those like Consumer Reports in the past.
Sorry for the rant.
The seats were supportive, the ride was fine and it actually cornered in the winding mountain highway better than I ever thought possible. I rand down other cars and trucks and even had to pass them - never exceeding posted limits, just so ya' know I was driving it civil. Windshield wipers are useless (thank you RainX).
To this point my Jeep was a commuter; never took it on a road trip. Loaded with coolers, tools, luggage, etc.. it did just fine... and with better MPG than my Tahoe.
What the dealer actually pays for a car is another story. No one really knows, and the owner of the dealership may not even know until the accountants balances the books.
Dealers get kickbacks, spiffs, hood money, bonuses, trips and cruises, free training, financing credits, and who knows what else.
Check out Jeep Wrangler Prices Paid and Buying Experience.
As long as there is a good demand for Wranglers, I don't see Jeep killing off the golden calf...
-Paul
Glad you had the knowledge, money, and a good '97 to never need to see the dealer. So far just the alignment, but it would have been nice to talk to dealer employees who love the wrangler they drive.
Although not nine hour, our little trips so far don't kill us or my bad back. I think some of it is the suspension/tires and the height of the seat from the floor pan. The seats don't seem to be extraordinary.
I wish Jeep employees drove Wranglers too, but I don't go there much, I don't worry too much about it. There are a LOT of Jeep resources out there to help you keep your Jeep looking and running great as well as resources to help you modify it. Edmunds is a great source, don't get me wrong, but there are sites that are more focused on the modification and DIY mechanic than Edmunds.
-Paul
Nice yes, but not really a reasonable expectation, and even if each employee was issued his/her persolal Wrangler it's no guarentee they'd appreciate them like we do.
One of my pet peeves is that people will throw hundreds of dollars worth of parts at a problem in the hope that something might stick, rather than purchase the Factory Service Manual (FSM) and a code reader. You can even subscribe to the FSM for around $25 annually here:AllData.
Doesn't mean I'm right though, just my point of view.
Nope; you ARE right.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive