New member thinking of trading my F250 for a Gladiator...

[crimsondave]

Hear me out. I know it sounds ridiculous.

Two years ago I bought a 2020 F250 with a 7.3 gas engine and 4.33 gears. I've never had a trailer on it. If I did tow with it, it would be a 18 foot John boat or a four wheeler trailer. I bought the truck because I liked it and it had an old school big V8 with NO cylinder deactivation. I got the 4.33 gears because I thought it was cool how slow it would crawl in 4 low. That's it. I have a company truck I drive for work so I don't put many miles on my truck. It has less than 14,000 miles on it now. That's why I don't care that it drinks gas. I wanted a truck that would last 20 years and Ford claims that the 7.3 was built to last. Thus far, no problems and the heavy truck mechanic at the Ford dealer said they aren't having issues with them. When I bought the truck it was between it and a Gladiator simply because those where the two model trucks I liked even thought they aren't really similar.

However, I've been thrown a curve ball on my truck. I've been offered more for the dang thing than I paid for it new 2 years ago! F250s are apparently very hard to get right now. I can't replace my truck with another F250, BUT I can buy a brand new 2022 Gladiator for under MSRP and get 0%. If I make the same payment I make now I'll pay it off the exact same month I'd have paid off my 2 year old truck.

I drove a 2022 Gladiator Overland with the 3.6 and the tow package today. It is more cramped for a fat boy than my truck. However, even though it's a solid axle Jeep it rode substantially better than my F250. It was a nicer trim level than my XL STX Ford too. I really liked it. To be honest I still SLIGHTLY prefer my truck but not by much. I'm just not sure it makes sense to keep it at this point.

I guess my question is how reliable are Gladiators typically? I kept my 2004 GMC 16 years and I expected to keep the F250 20. The ridiculous car market is the only reason I'm even considering this. I've seen plenty of articles saying the newer 3.6 is a great and reliable engine but there's a post in the 3.6 section about a blown engine. Am I missing something important regarding how long I can expect a Gladiator to last? Can I expect it to hold its value the same way a Wrangler does? Sorry for the rambling but I thought the idea of swapping a F250 for a Gladiator needed a bit of explaining.

Sponsored

 

[CJ5w4wdSmokyOnMyTail]

V6 Pentastar has been in production for ages so bugs have been worked out. it is reliable. Never had an F250 but had a 150. Nice truck.

But the Jeep is a different animal. Its main purpose is fun. Customize the hell it of it. Drive with top down (get soft top - you will enjoy it more) and take doors as much as possible. Or leave doors off all summer and drive work truck on rainy days.

The fun is what makes a Jeep. If you decide to have it as open as possible as much as possible and take as many dirt roads and trails as possible, you will love driving it like no other. If you just keep the top and doors on and drive it on paved roads, it is just another vehicle with slightly bad road manners.

I will keep mine forever.

 

[Kevin_D]

I have an older (2006) F250 as well as my Gladiator.
Just today I had to make a lumber run, including some 12-foot dimensional stuff. Could I have used the Gladiator? Probably. Would it haul the load without stuff sticking out the back nearly 6 feet? No.
I often haul 2,000+lb. loads. Yes, I could split the loads, but...

I guess what I'm getting at is if you use the F250 as an F250, you'll be disappointed with the Gladiator. If it's basically used as a glorified car, I think you'll enjoy the smaller size, maneuverability, and sheer FUN of the Gladiator.

Kevin

 

[kevman65]

Any engine new from the factory can have an issue. Doesn't matter the size, make, or cost.

With that out of the way, there is no comparing the two trucks.

One, the F250, is a TRUCK. Designed and built to do TRUCK things.

The other, the JT, is an offroad toy built to do some light truck things.

The two drive, handle, ride completely different. Wish I still had my diesel 4x4 F250. But that's water under the bridge.

If you want a new JT and can get what you want and can get what you want out of the F250, then join us on this psychotic ride called Jeep.

 

[crimsondave]

I live in the country so I drive in the fields and drive to the pond to fish. Frankly, the Jeep would be better at that than my F250. I did have to pull my father in laws 50 hp tractor out of the edge of the pond but I think the Jeep probably would have done that too. As far as hauling it's hauled luggage on a couple trips and trash to the trash dump. That's about it.

I don't keep my truck on paved roads so I sure wouldn't be keeping a Jeep on them. Taking the top and doors off would be a big plus for me.

Frankly, I don't do F250 things with my F250. I just like it. I decided to buy it strictly out of personal preference and not any practical reason. Financially, I just don't think it makes sense to keep it. I paid $48k for it new two years ago and I can get $50k for it now.

 

[DesertGladiator]

I traded a full-size Ford for my Gladiator, never looked back. Yeah I can barely tow my boat now but that's not everyday and like you said, once you take the top and doors off it's 100percent worth it.

 

[Labswine]

Any new vehicle CAN have issues. It's the nature of the beast, the luck of the draw. I got my Gladiator Overland (ordered in May 2019, with tow package and some extras, $51K out the door) in July of 2019.

I now have around 20,500 miles on it. I tow a 5,000 lb, 27' (hitch to bumper) travel trailer. I have had zero mechanical issues with her. I did have to have the hard top replaced because the rear window leaked and water got in it but, other than that, absolutely zero issues.

You'll read about leaking rear axle seals, blown engines, water in the roof, poor steering boxes making it want to wander all over the road and more. Except for the roof, I have had ZERO issues with any of these reported (here) problems. I guess because mine was an early build, quality control and quality of build were better.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE mine and plan on keeping it for as long as possible.

If you're a 'bigger' guy then you might feel a bit squished in it but that's your own choice. Even with better fuel economy than your 7.3L F250, and the fun with being able to go topless (and doorless if you so choose), then go for it.

 

[NCSteve83]

I traded a full-size Ford for my Gladiator, never looked back. Yeah I can barely tow my boat now but that's not everyday and like you said, once you take the top and doors off it's 100percent worth it.

Same. Traded my 2018 F150 in for my 2022 Gladiator. I bought the F150 new in 2018, sticker was a little over $50k, but man times were different then because I bought it for $38k. Good luck getting 25% off sticker these days.
Anyways, 4 years and 40k miles later and I trade it in for $35k and got the gladiator.
I loved my truck.... but I never have one minute of regret when I'm driving the gladiator. There's just nothing like it. And it is still pretty good at truck stuff ?

 

[MaysvilleStig]

I traded in a Sierra AT4 for mine. There are times where I miss the space of the full size but they are few and far between. My issue was always thinking I "needed" a full size to pull my car and ATVs from time to time. Then I would attempt to modify the full size truck to do what liked to do which is off roading. It never worked. The gladiator has done everything I needed from the full size while mopping the floor with it off road. Judging by what you used the F250 for, I think you'll be happy with the Gladiator or any mid-sized pickup for that matter. Aside from having to play a real life game of Tetris sometimes when packing it, I love it.

 

[Gvsukids]

There are other threads of people in similar situations regarding trading in a larger vehicle for the Gladiator.
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...d-gas-for-a-new-2021-gladiator-rubicon.53865/

We use ours for towing our boat, off-roading and daily driver. We have 43,000 mi since August 2020.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/100000-mile-gladiator-owner-review/

 

[crimsondave]

Thanks, everybody. Now I just have to decide.

 

[crimsondave]

Sorry for the thread necromancy here but I finally did it.

After I started this thread in July of 22, I washed my F250 up and got it ready to take to the dealer and I just couldn't do it. I loved that truck. I kept it until November of this year. The factory warranty had run out on time. It still only had 19k miles on it. I saw I could still get what I paid for it if I sold it myself. I put a sign on it in the yard and put it on facebook and it was gone in a week.

I decided to wait until the end of December to buy and was able to get a great price with the 15% rebate and additional dealer markdown. I just couldn't say no. I put all my F250 money as a down payment so I'll have this thing paid off before the Ford would have been. Unfortunately it's been too cold to take the doors or top off so I'm looking forward to warmer weather. I've lost 70+ pounds since then so I fit in it a bit better than I did back then. I'm really liking it. The main problem I'm going to have with it is my wife was intimidated to drive the F250 with it being so big and hard to park. She's already talking about driving my Jeep.

Anyway, I finally pulled the trigger. Better late than never I guess.

 

[cranbiz]

Congrats. Now, where are the pictures?

 

[Banjomule]

Congratulations on making the move! Those Fords with the 7.3 gasser are pretty sweet but I’m sure you’ll love the Gladiator too!

 

[crimsondave]

Sponsored