Traded in 2017 DCLB OR for Gladiator Rubicon

Good write up and enjoy your new vehicle.

 

Still think that the gladiator would look better based on a normal Jeep not a four door just me though

 

Nice write up! I have a soft spot for the Gladiator... of the midsize truck options, I'd put it right behind the Tacoma. I do think it's overpriced given FCA's track record for quality and reliability.

Hopefully you don't have too many issues with yours. Good call on the extended warranty purchase.

 

Not too bad. Nice write up. Honestly it just doesnt look proportional to me. It seems to be way too long. Blackops 4x4 built his own "Gladiator" and shortened the bed. IMO, it looks awesome and the way Chrysler should have build these new ones.

 

Bye,good luck with your new truck.

 

I like it, unfortunately I would never buy a fiat jeep (former yj guy here) hopefully yours doesn't give u too many problems. Have fun

 

Nice write up. It took some balls to put this on a Tacoma forum, especially TW. I think you will be fine, especially with the extended warranty. I owned a 2013 Wrangler Unlimited for 5-years and the only time it visited the Jeep service department was for an oil change every 5k miles (zero warranty work).

Did you consider the manual? The Jeep engineers did a phenomenal job addressing all of the weaknesses with the old one. The shifter is now cable operated and super smooooooooth.

 

Congrats, wouldn't mind one myself. I built a Rubicon on Jeep.com, $45k including shipping. I skipped every option, just a base manual Rubicon soft top. The option packages is where the price starts building up, like the winch-ready front bumper.

You want that nice winch-ready front bumper? No problem, it's only $600, but doing so you have to get the LED lighting package for another $1050. And so on and so on . . .

IMO $45k is a great price point for what you get standard. Those that keep saying it's a Fiat, no it isn't. It's the same Jeep JL built in the same plant since 2011. It's a JLU with a bed and a rear coil suspension from the Ram truck. It's exactly like a JLU from the front bumper to just behind the rear doors.

 

Hahahahah

 

So the bumper has a plastic cover on it, so what? It's still a solidly built steel bumper that is winch-ready with tow hooks.

Alright, so it was the JK from '07 to '18, my point stands, the Gladiator is built on the JKU/JLU platform in the same USA plant since 2007. It's not a Fiat just because Fiat bought Chrysler . . . .

 

Reminds me too much of someone trying to cross an H2 with a cargo HMMWV.

 

Sorry,but if Fiat owns the company,its Fiat built!

 

I did the same thing and built one online. Pretty much the exact one I priced out is still 60k at any local dealerships. They are pricing them way high l, otherwise I’d have made the jump.... just for the solid front axle and being able to fit 35’s with minimal effort. I still miss my TJ a little.

 

I like the look of that. I have owned a YJ and a TJ and decided we needed a truck again and the Tacoma fit our needs and price better than the gladiator.

 

Dude, the vehicle & bumper is like 50” wide & there is only 16” of steel centered behind all that plastic that will get ripped off on a trail. It is not a “steel bumper” at all. If you want a steel bumper you have to go aftermarket. How many jeeps have you owned, btw?

 

Thanks for making this write up. I have to admit, when I first found out about the gladiator I knew I was going to be tempted when they came out. Really great to hear from someone who made the leap. The main thing holding me back is price. I hear these first year models are going for 60K. But maybe in the next year or so they'll start producing more of the 'bare bones' mid 30s models. At that point it will be very tempting to trade in. I very much doubt I can spend 5K to make the tacos roof removable!

Have you done any longer drives in it yet? I'm thinking like 4-5 hours? One thing I really like about my Tacoma is that it is very comfortable for that length of time and I show up fresh, relaxed, and ready to go mountain biking or set up camp or whatever I just drove 5 hours for.

 

Good and fair evaluation. Enjoy.

 

If you build and order a Rubicon on Jeep.com for $45k, you'll pay $45k when you pick it up at the dealership . . . .

If I was interested that's the route I would go. Great stock package, probably the wandering issue onroad is Jeep still uses recirculating ball steering instead of rack and pinion. Then you have the breakover angle problem, it's like a Tacoma DCLB, all of the offroad reviews I've seen point out the breakover angle is a problem, get some scraping in the middle even with 33's.

 

As an owner of a 3rd gen double cab taco, its easily the worst vehicle I have ever owned. Underpowered, transmission is dogshit. I actually prefer to drive my wifes 100 series land cruiser over the taco due to the fact that it shifts correctly and drives better. Crazy. Its 19 years older than the tacoma and still outperforms the tacoma in literally every category except being able to toss shit in the bed.


That being said, my tacoma is my reliable, fuel efficient, get to work vehicle. It sucks to drive, but whatever. It looks nice and is IFS so its absolute dogshit off road, but is a nice comfy on road street truck. Anyone who will tell you a 3rd gen taco is not dogshit off road is smoking crack.


I bought a trail truck FJ40 so the tacoma looks like its staying, cant tow the 40 with it. Cant really do anythign with it besides get mulch and drive it to work. First world problems.


Hope you like it, the gladiator is not my cup of tea. woulda got the regular 4 door or even the 2 door if it were me, but different people like different things! Ironically, you can dump 20K into a 3rd gen taco and a stock rubicon will still out wheel it. Seent it with my very own eyes!

 

Nice!!