Anyone consider a Jeep Wrangler?

I went the other way. I had a 2014 JKU, went to a 2017 AC OR and then a 2018 Pro.

I grew up in the sierras. One of my first cars was a 1968 FJ40 that I bought for $2500, It had the stock 3.8 six and three speed manual. I first did the Rubicon in 1985 with my dad and older brother and extensively explored many parts of the area now closed off to 4-wheelers. My uncle is president of the local Jeep club in the Placerville area and he and my nephew are also stewards of the Rubicon...doing trail maintenance, clean up, patrol and recovery missions.

I do a lot of hunting, these days mainly with on ranches throughout northern California. There is a group of us that are "hired" by ranchers to rid their property of various vermin by using our dogs. I've had several Jeeps and have experimented with various 4 wheel drive trucks over the years.

The offloading on these ranches runs the gamut from dirts roads, to narrower trails to shallow creek/dry arroyo crossings and sometimes mild to moderate rocky climbs and descents. There is no doubt in my opinion that the Wrangler is a superior all around off road vehicle in stock form. It takes a bit of modding with a Tacoma to get it close, but the Tacoma just cannot match the approach and departure angles in the Jeep. Having factory sway bar disconnects and front and rear lockers are useful, but in over three decade of off roading I have to struggle to count the number of times I've had to use either.

Why the Tacoma then?

Well, the Tacoma is a much more comfortable and practical vehicle to drive around town and to the trails. If you are not going 8 to 9/10ths, it can also be a more useful off-road vehicle. I can carry more gear and camp in it with less difficulty. With a minimum of mods, it can become one of the more capable off-road vehicles around. I would hazard to say that in stock form, most Tacoma owners will never approach the limits of the vehicle. In the past year that I've owned Tacomas, I can honestly say I have never felt that I was at the limit of the trucks capabilities.

On Labor Day weekend, we ran a ranch down in the San Antonio Valley between Livermore and San Jose. Over three days I put over 60 offload miles on the Tacoma. I was even able to climb up the bank of a dry creek that a young gentleman in our group almost high centered his JLU in (there is something to be said for experience in picking your angles).

For most people these days, the Wrangler is a style statement, not a tool. For practical purposes, if you are at the point in your life where you no longer need to make statements through your purchases, the Tacoma is most likely a wiser choice.

 

I was taking a hard look at the '18 JL Saharas and Rubicons. But price and reliability were ultimately my deciding factors for getting my Tacoma.

 

Ah yes, the Jeep. The tennis ball of trail vehicles.

 

Considered a Jeep, then remembered it's a Chrysler product.

 

Except that’s a samurai lol

 

Lol you right. But the difference is the samurai knew what it was going into it, and never took itself seriously. It’s like it decided “yeah I’m a trail tennis ball. But I’m going to be the best trail tennis ball ever”


Which I respect

 

Thought about it briefly but the sticker shock for a specialized 4x4 turned me back. A week after picking up my truck our water heater went bad. No problem picking it up and hauling it home.

 

Wrangler needed some help getting off the beach in NC yesterday

 

No.

 

I like the truck bed but jeeps are better at offroad

 

FIAT

 

Despite my signature, I love the Samurai. It just looks like it’s having fun. Cars in general just look too serious and mean these days, I feel. Not every car SHOULD look mean.

 

As a second vehicle just to beat the shit out of it on the weekends yeah I probably would. Easy to fix and parts are cheap.

 

Other than a dedicated trail rig, I dont really see the Jeep as a better offroad vehicle, but this is just perspective and an opinion. There are apsects of it that make some offloading a bit easier such as solid front axle great approach and departure angles but a well built Tacoma can follow a well built Jeep anywhere until you start doing extreme trails in which case most drivers dont want body damage. At that point your dedicated rigs come into play

 

Jeep is better design for off-road bottom line

 

When I saw that family guy episode I died laughing, my roommate was from AZ and had a gnarly samurai, and everyone in the house was sponsored by an energy drink, and this dude never drank water. Just energy.

 

Oh ok that must be the bottom line. Because you said.

 

I've owned 7 Jeep Wranglers in the last 8 years and still have a 2000 TJ. I'm also on my 3rd Tacoma in the last years so I've switched between them several times. I never had any issues with any of the Jeeps I owned, all of them were trouble free and had no leaks in the rain. I traded in a 2016 JKU 75th Anniversary JKU on my 2017 Tacoma. I love everything about a Jeep except for the driving experience. While the newer Jeeps ride and drive much better than the older ones, it is still not a relaxing experience. I recently bought a 2nd home at the coast about 230 miles away and have been making the trip down there every 2 or 3 weeks. After about the 5th trip down in the Wrangler I made my mind up that was my last trip in it. The Tacoma feels like an absolute luxury car on a long trip compared to the Jeep. I can actually look at the scenery for a second or two and still be going the same direction when I look back at the road. Even though the engines are similar in power the Tacoma feels much faster and doesn't feel like it ever works nearly as hard. On the 460 mile round trip I was lucky to get 19-20 mpg in the Wrangler, but consistently get 25-26 mpg in the Tacoma. One thing both vehicles have going for them is that both retain their value very well, Tacoma is number 1 and Wrangler is number 4.

 

Because it’s true. Jeep is better for off-road. Better design. JoeCova’s straw man doesn’t change that fact.