Gladiator Sales Slump

[Blade1668]

Sad that certain people or groups believe lack of advanced "formal education" equates to lack of intelligence, lack of ability, lesser worth or value and so on. but that's no surprise when I see certain people and groups thinking that way. it's a made-up media thing that certain people latched onto because it confirmed or validated their already incorrect opinion of other people.

MPG - 19-20
Chevy - MAYBE upper teens if you limited it to 55 mph.
JT towing - 13-13.9 mpg
Chevy towing - 12-13 mpg.

Iowa is truck country. Farms, cattle, hogs, construction, recreation as in camping and boating and hunting. It's a place where you expect and see ths typical vehicle on the road is a big Ford or Chevy 1/2 ton or larger - even the women going for groceries.
But my wife and I commented yesterday - for JT sales supposedly being down, why are we seeing more of them out and about, or parked in driveways. Contradicts what I've been expecting or seeing in the past.
I thought of this thread every time my wife said "look, there's another one". Huh? Someone is buying them. Doesn't look like a sales slump here. Weird.
But then, it's Jeep territory. Every intersection has at least 2 or 3 Jeeps sitting waiting for the light to turn. Sometimes the Jeeps outnumber other makes.

Funny, I was talking with son his mother bought some land near me. If you was to assume from speech and his attire first thought would be of low IQ / intelligence and mental facilities. If someone was to have conversation with him for awhile. To find out his former employment he was making over 91K running a traveling construction crew. The old saying "Don't judge a book by the cover" is clearly true.

On the MPG'S about spot on of what I got towing my utility trailer and 4wheeler from N. AL to E. KY a week or so back. 13-14 MPG's
My LJ got better than that with 4.0 6 speed on 32 A.T. or 31 M.Ts.

On Jeep sales slump maybe some places or not to the numbers of the JT launch sales or plandemic situation. I do think sales are or will make a down turn in some areas and ways. I will stop on that subject.....

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[GoBraves95]

With the 24's having some improvements worthy of the wait, dealers are going to be trying to give away 23's.

Prices are still above what I paid in 2021. If they would give me a max tow for the same cost (monthly and total) as what I have now I would do it tomorrow.

 

[Jeephead]

It doesn't matter matter who owns jeeps or what their ideology is. Jeeps are not good for the environment, even if it can go 50 miles without gasoline. There are much better earth friendly vehicles out there, for significantly less money. Jeeps are not practical for most US drivers but US drivers for half a century have said "fuck practicality" and that is why it sells today, because even if you are a hypocrite owner that believes fossil fuels are destroying the planet, you still want what you want.

You should at least think about suburu, which has excellent awd systems and gets better gas mileage. If you really cared about the environment you wouldn't own a wrangler or gladiator in my opinion.

y wife has a Subaru Forester, it is awesome on gas, awesome in the snow, carries paddle boards and bikes just fine. My jeep is an old Willy's. I really wanted a diesel Gladiator to tow our camper but after hearing about the over heating and limping issues I changed my mind. Wife initially wanted a Wrangler, as much as I love Jeeps I told her she would hate the gas mileage and the ride. She use to get car sick in my old YJ. Still love Jeeps, just not as daily drivers.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Wife initially wanted a Wrangler, as much as I love Jeeps I told her she would hate the gas mileage and the ride

The ride is fine, my wife even comments on the good ride and she's used to nice riding cars and her Grand Cherokees.
My JT is our daily driver (she likes riding in it so much) and her Wrangler is her own Jeep for her excursions shopping or to quilt retreats and so on.
The ride is superior to what it was even a few years ago. They've had to make changes to sell to a broader audience. If my brother's wife, who is one of those "elitists" can drive a Wrangler as her business vehicle, it can't be too bad. she's always had to have the best of the best and nothing less.

 

[Jeephead]

I looked at F-150's, Tacomas, Rangers, and Colorados before buying a Gladiator. Most/all were more practical as "trucks" and got better fuel mileage, at least on paper, but all bored me to tears. The Gladiator was the one I enjoyed driving, quirks and all.

Have to admit, fun trumps practical. I would not want to get rid of my full size PU for a Gladiator. Would rather add a Gladiator to the mix but hard to justify the added insurance, reg and payments for a vehicle that will get used even less than the truck gets used. Plus I like to keep my vehicles in the garage so someone's vehicle will have to sit outside.? "Sorry honey" ain't gunna go over well.

 

[Jeephead]

The ride is fine, my wife even comments on the good ride and she's used to nice riding cars and her Grand Cherokees.
My JT is our daily driver (she likes riding in it so much) and her Wrangler is her own Jeep for her excursions shopping or to quilt retreats and so on.
The ride is superior to what it was even a few years ago. They've had to make changes to sell to a broader audience. If my brother's wife, who is one of those "elitists" can drive a Wrangler as her business vehicle, it can't be too bad. she's always had to have the best of the best and nothing less.

Yeah we had taken a 4 door for a spin. Seemed to handle nice. Just did not know if was that "New" car feeling that was masking the old YJ handling.

 

[Jeephead]

Funny, I was talking with son his mother bought some land near me. If you was to assume from speech and his attire first thought would be of low IQ / intelligence and mental facilities. If someone was to have conversation with him for awhile. To find out his former employment he was making over 91K running a traveling construction crew. The old saying "Don't judge a book by the cover" is clearly true.

On the MPG'S about spot on of what I got towing my utility trailer and 4wheeler from N. AL to E. KY a week or so back. 13-14 MPG's
My LJ got better than that with 4.0 6 speed on 32 A.T. or 31 M.Ts.

On Jeep sales slump maybe some places or not to the numbers of the JT launch sales or plandemic situation. I do think sales are or will make a down turn in some areas and ways. I will stop on that subject.....

LOL...you forgot Tundra towing....10 mpg all day with 5.7. Yeah good times ?
Still love my Tundra. I am a sucker for a gas sucker hahahha.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yeah we had taken a 4 door for a spin. Seemed to handle nice. Just did not know if was that "New" car feeling that was masking the old YJ handling.

Like almost any car or truck - the ride will vary. A Wrangler Sahara will "ride better" than a Rubicon. For a Gladiator, an Overland will ride better than most of the others because that's what it's geared to.
The 4 door will absolutely ride better with the longer wheelbase.
Ironically the JLU wheelbase is a touch longer than a Grand Cherokee.

 

[bleda2002]

...Wife initially wanted a Wrangler, as much as I love Jeeps I told her she would hate the gas mileage and the ride. She use to get car sick in my old YJ. Still love Jeeps, just not as daily drivers.

The whole "rides horrible" is such a misconception at this point. You can't compare a leaf sprung super short wheel base to a coil sprung midsize SUV and think just because they're both "jeeps" they're comparable. You can't even compare the 2dr jl ride to the 4door since the wheel base makes such a huge difference.

On road wife's Sahara rides better than her Acura MDX did. More compliant suspension just eats up pavement imperfections that would have the stiffer Acura rattle and bounce.

Now steering is a whole different animal, the jeep definitely wanders more than ifs but again it's massively overblown by people thinking these are 20 year old jeeps.

 

[DoctorDecoy]

A result of inflation + supply and demand

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Now steering is a whole different animal, the jeep definitely wanders more than ifs but again it's massively overblown by people thinking these are 20 year old jeeps.

Generally due to the steering type more than the suspension. On the highway, there should be no difference since the suspension isn't really moving much at all.
It's all steering linkage and recirculating ball steering sector compared to a tight ratio rack and pinion steering.
I think the Grand Cherokee steering is waay too sensitive. Move that wheel a bit, like a big sneeze and the vehicle jerks with you. But in the JT it's a slower, smoother steering.

IFS steers better through heavy bumps and dips and washboards and such because the springs can keep the tires on the ground and the pivot of the inner tie rod matches that of the control arms.
As our front axle moves up and down, depending on the end, it shifts left or right, impacting the steering.

 

[gladicanuck]

don't post links behind a paywall unless you're willing to copy and paste the content here for all to see with the link only serving as a citation

paywall free: https://archive.is/0KHAz

 

[jaydubs]

It seems to be a Stellantis thing as a whole. While I haven't seen any raw numbers I do see lot after lot filled with Jeeps, Rams and Dodges that aren't selling. Having bought a couple new RAM 1500s over the last few years it's crazy how the MSRP has jumped up. Even with great discounts off of MSRP the inflated MSRP makes these trucks out of reach.

As for higher interest rates, I'm hoping that isn't moving the needle that much? In the past I've done the whole finance at a low rate and invest the rest where there is a return in the delta. With rates now, not as much advantage in financing.

 

[Hootbro]

It seems to be a Stellantis thing as a whole. While I haven't seen any raw numbers I do see lot after lot filled with Jeeps, Rams and Dodges that aren't selling. Having bought a couple new RAM 1500s over the last few years it's crazy how the MSRP has jumped up. Even with great discounts off of MSRP the inflated MSRP makes these trucks out of reach.

As for higher interest rates, I'm hoping that isn't moving the needle that much? In the past I've done the whole finance at a low rate and invest the rest where there is a return in the delta. With rates now, not as much advantage in financing.

Yeah, I cannot rationalize the new normal now for what they are trying to sell for at MSRP today for RAM 1500's when it basically is the same price I was paying for a RAM 2500 with a Cummins 3 years ago.

I think all the manufactures went beyond normal inflation and padded a little extra "Greedflation" and now the rubber band effect has snapped back on them and they are choking on inventory.

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

Yeah, I cannot rationalize the new normal now for what they are trying to sell for at MSRP today for RAM 1500's when it basically is the same price I was paying for a RAM 2500 with a Cummins 3 years ago.

I think all the manufactures went beyond normal inflation and padded a little extra "Greedflation" and now the rubber band effect has snapped back on them and they are choking on inventory.

This all day long. 2-3 weeks back I was on the hunt for another ecodiesel Jeep (quickly found out that there was an all stop to new inventory diesel sales ). Anyways- every salesman had the same schpeel- interest rates and over paid on trade ins are killing them now…. Weird.

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