Gladiator is Tops in 2023 Initial Quality Study for Midsize Trucks (JD Power)

[Hdog911]

Exactly. I love my JT but! Other than it being a ton of fun, looks amazing with all the mods I’ve done. I’ll never buy another one. I miss having a motor that’s got actual balls. I miss a truck than can actually tow a trailer with more than 200 pounds on it and not have to shift it manually so I can go higher than 4th gear. I miss being able to pass someone with an on coming car just 200 yards in the oncoming lane. Yeah I miss my V8’s. ?

Stage 1 or stage 2 Diesel is around 550ft*lbs. of torque and 300hp. I'm on 37x13.5 Toyos M/T + beadlocks and no regear. It's still a quick scooting son of a gun from a stop. If the engine ever goes out of warranty, for whatever reason, V8 swap it then. I floor it all the time because its so fun from a stop seeing this thing move faster than stock even when lifted and on big heavy wheels.

Last weekend at the coast, the low end torque made easy work of the narrow sandy trials:

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[guarnibl]

Stage 1 or stage 2 Diesel is around 550ft*lbs. of torque and 300hp. I'm on 37x13.5 Toyos M/T + beadlocks and no regear. It's still a quick scooting son of a gun from a stop. If the engine ever goes out of warranty, for whatever reason, V8 swap it then. I floor it all the time because its so fun from a stop seeing this thing move faster than stock even when lifted and on big heavy wheels.

Last weekend at the coast, the low end torque made easy work of the narrow sandy trials:

Honestly — if my 3.0 went I’d put another 3.0 in it, though likely with some ahem, modifications. I would not take a v8 over the diesel. I do own a 392 (and other v8 wranglers) and like it but the JT is perfection with the ecodiesel.

 

[Hdog911]

Honestly — if my 3.0 went I’d put another 3.0 in it, though likely with some ahem, modifications. I would not take a v8 over the diesel. I do own a 392 (and other v8 wranglers) and like it but the JT is perfection with the ecodiesel.

What sort of mods? I need something to drool over.

The lowend torque and fuel economy on the diesel make it awesome, but I could use like another 100hp.

 

[BearFootSam]

The front door handle chrome wrap was coming off of both doors, dealer fixed it no questions asked. Otherwise I’m quite happy with the quality. Materials seem good and I like that there is metal in a lot of places where plastic is common.

After almost a year I still find little details that stand out as thoughtful design. All the gimmicky stuff like exposed hinges and hood latches is functional and rugged. Jeep really does well making these vehicles do what they look like they should do. It’s refreshing in contrast to the proliferation of appearance packages and trim pieces.

We’ve used ours hard, 17k miles and a lot of cargo and off road driving in 11 months yet aside from branch marks and dust in the interior it’s in great shape. Our VW, Subaru or Land Rover would have been worse for wear.

 

[guarnibl]

What sort of mods? I need something to drool over.

The lowend torque and fuel economy on the diesel make it awesome, but I could use like another 100hp.

There’s not a whole lot out there without getting into the entire emissions debate but I’ve heard positive things about banks, etc. I’ll leave it at that.

 

[ZoMojave]

It's JD Powers... bought and paid for.

Exactly. Means nothing.

Recently, investment guru Jim Cramer declared the J.D. Power quality survey “nonsense.”

Example: He cited brand loyalty acquired over a 12-year history of producing electric cars and claimed he’s never heard a negative comment about the Tesla ownership experience.
“I don’t know a soul who owns a Tesla who actually doesn’t think that it isn’t the greatest thing to ever happen.”

Although the survey procedures used by J.D. Power & Associates may be valid for collecting accurate data, the results lose credibility when the company sells the findings to automakers.
J.D. Power charges hundreds of thousands of dollars to auto manufacturers just for access to their survey results. They charge another huge fee for the right to mention their awards in advertisements. What’s more, a J.D. Power consulting entity offers an expensive service designed to aid carmakers make improvements to their models that should result in higher ratings.

It isn’t easy to believe J.D. Power can maintain impartiality toward an auto manufacturer that pays them to rate their vehicles.

Perhaps Tesla did not pay J.D. Power enough? Apparently, Stellantis did.

 

[Hootbro]

The front door handle chrome wrap was coming off of both doors, dealer fixed it no questions asked.

Unless I missed something, what "chrome wrap" are you talking about on the door handle? I do not recall any chrome handles on any model of the Gladiator that was factory.

 

[Hootbro]

Perhaps Tesla did not pay J.D. Power enough? Apparently, Stellantis did.

Yeah, Tesla does not give a crap or play with such things in the industry.

2023 was the first time J.D. Power actually listed Tesla on their dependability study but does not officially place them in the ranking structure because Tesla will not share ownership data for states that require permission from them by law. So basically J.D. Power has incomplete survey data for Tesla.

 

[BearFootSam]

Unless I missed something, what "chrome wrap" are you talking about on the door handle? I do not recall any chrome handles on any model of the Gladiator that was factory.

The interior door pulls are a chrome (bright) finish plastic.

 

[Hootbro]

The interior door pulls are a chrome (bright) finish plastic.

That makes sense now. Exterior comes to my mind when someone says door handle and does not differentiate.

 

[OrangeCJ]

I Love my Diesel Rubi too! Just wish I got to have it in my possession more. Dropped it at the shop again today... Day 39 in the shop if my math is correct, and it's 15th overall visit.

This will be the 4th time they are working on my rear diff locker... Turbo oil leak, messed up interior leather from the factory that had to be fixed by Katzkin locally. Bottoming out from the factory over speed bumps... and yesterday I found one of my Mopar Lift Fox shocks is blown. Current open issues include a sticking brake caliper that I have asked the dealer to look into twice now, they have not. A melted wiring harness. Oh yeah! I have an open safety recall for a fuel pump that could self destruct at any moment, with apparently no real fix in the pipeline.

Top initial quality? Maybe the 23's are better, but I could not rate my 21 as best in Quality.

Of the 39 days it has been in the shop I was able to get a loaner for 2, so in two years, a lot of time without a vehicle.

I love driving my JT, especially with the top back on a warm day, but when people ask, all I can says is it is just a Toy for grown ups.

Just my opinion. Hope it doesn't get anyone fired up.

 

[Geoarch]

I replaced my lifted 2020 rubicon with 23,000 miles on it with zero issues for a 2022 Mojave now has 15000 miles ….no issues so I agree with the build quality and I do take care of mine. Very impressed so far with the quality and I was a technician for Chrysler Jeep dodge dealers for 10 years and would not touch a Jeep back several years.

I had two previous Jeeps in the 60s and 70s, a "53 M38A1 that was unstoppable with the Buick V-6 I put in it, and a 73 CJ-5 I bought new for $3400.00! I wasn't impressed with the quality for decades, but love my JTR. Jeep really cleaned up their act. Now, however, they are pricing themselves out of the market with the TRDPros a lot cheaper. Oh well.

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