392 Gladiator V8 Hemi confirmed by Jeep CEO!

[ChrisNLA]

It are fun. Haven’t done any in years but used to a lot when I was in Japan. They had some great road courses on the mainland and a lot of great togue running down the mountain roads. Saw a lot of craziness but had a lot of fun too. I stick to my slow crawling these days but grateful I had the experience.

I loved all the wheeling I did in Moab and Arizona. My cup o tea. Not even worried about doing very difficult stuff - just love the slow meandering through the desert. I like it more than doing car / HPDE type stuff (though that was enjoyable).

Too bad I'm stuck in Louisiana. No wheeling and what little its around is mudholes.

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[ShadowsPapa]

I don't know if you've bombed across the desert, but in my experience 500hp in the dirt is way more exciting and fun than 500hp on the street or even strip. A light track car at that power level would be as much fun, but that's a different animal and far from cheap or practical. For a street/ strip car to be a much fun as the JT in the dirt with 500hp I'd need to be closer to 1,000hp personally. I still couldn't justify doing it when it's lower mileage. When it's pushing 100-150k miles and the trade in value is low anyway, a huge bump in power from a new engine and trans all under warranty is far cheaper than a new truck. At that point it would be well worth it to me, assuming a 400+hp version still isn't available from the factory. I don't have money to burn, but do well enough that we can make it work when it makes sense for our use. The JT has been THE work truck building our off grid property AND it's one of our hobby vehicles blasting across the desert, exploring old mines, camping, roadtripping, and wheeling. There's no other vehicle I'd even consider replacing it with for what we do, so why not give it the power that would make it more fun and more functional in all of those scenarios? I'm not saying the swap makes sense for everyone, or even that the JT needs it for my use, but it would be a better truck with it.

LOL - only a fraction of the country has any desert. You are a minority - a small one, and yet keep going back to that. You do what is fine for you - for many of us, it's a total waste and there are a lot of other really fun things to do. Most people don't have the vast disposable income you do with multiple properties miles apart either. Again, you are a niche case, a fraction of the total JT population.
Yes, for sure It makes sense for you - and pretty much you only. You've even admitted to the extreme income. But it just isn't the case for 99% of those here. You are a one-off.

Have you ever really drag raced? People have a blast running brackets at way under 1,000 HP. Again, you are into extremes and shouldn't even try to compare to the vast majority. Maybe you need to hang out with ordinary people? Learn how most of us live and have fun, outside of your bubble.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I loved all the wheeling I did in Moab and Arizona. My cup o tea. Not even worried about doing very difficult stuff - just love the slow meandering through the desert. I like it more than doing car / HPDE type stuff (though that was enjoyable).

Too bad I'm stuck in Louisiana. No wheeling and what little its around is mudholes.

Same here - most of us really go for the fun you describe. Pretty much no wheeling here, either.......... unless it's mudding by the river.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

I loved all the wheeling I did in Moab and Arizona. My cup o tea. Not even worried about doing very difficult stuff - just love the slow meandering through the desert. I like it more than doing car / HPDE type stuff (though that was enjoyable).

Too bad I'm stuck in Louisiana. No wheeling and what little its around is mudholes.

Yeah I mighta sunk a few 3 and 4 wheelers when I lived out there.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

I loved all the wheeling I did in Moab and Arizona. My cup o tea. Not even worried about doing very difficult stuff - just love the slow meandering through the desert. I like it more than doing car / HPDE type stuff (though that was enjoyable).

Too bad I'm stuck in Louisiana. No wheeling and what little its around is mudholes.

I gave up wheeling for boating many years ago.

I have a lot more fun on the water than in mudholes.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Yeah I mighta sunk a few 3 and 4 wheelers when I lived out there.

Back around 2008-2010 I had a Honda Rancher 4x4 on 29.5 Outlaws, relocated radiator, etc.

Eventually got tired of cleaning mud out the thing and sold it.

Mud parks are super common here. Probably have 2-3 in an hour radius you can take an ATV/UTV and thoroughly destroy it.

 

[ChrisNLA]

I gave up wheeling for boating many years ago.

I have a lot more fun on the water than in mudholes.

We are borrowing a boat right now and enjoy having it.

Been debating on what kind we would like to buy ourselves eventually. Louisiana of course is water territory and we are a 20 minute ride to a boat landing, that in turn is a 35 minute ride to Lake Ponchartrain. Lots of boating to do here...

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

We are borrowing a boat right now and enjoy having it.

Been debating on what kind we would like to buy ourselves eventually. Louisiana of course is water territory and we are a 20 minute ride to a boat landing, that in turn is a 35 minute ride to Lake Ponchartrain. Lots of boating to do here...

Tough to beat a pontoon boat for inland lakes. Especially the tritoons with big motors or twins.

Unless you're wanting to do some wakeboarding, surfing, tubing, etc. Pontoons don't work very well for tow sports because of the crappy wake.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Tough to beat a pontoon boat for inland lakes. Especially the tritoons with big motors or twins.

Unless you're wanting to do some wakeboarding, surfing, tubing, etc. Pontoons don't work very well for tow sports because of the crappy wake.

Guess we'll see. We are borrowing a 17' fiberglass center console skiff right now. We fish a little. Might run some crab traps or jug lines off of it. Once we go out more and know better how we want to use it.

We have been real busy last couple years and haven't settled into 'what kind of family' we are in terms of extra curricular activity. We are into a lot of things

Hard to use a boat enough to own one unless you live on the water.

 

[Zachanadandy]

LOL - only a fraction of the country has any desert. You are a minority - a small one, and yet keep going back to that. You do what is fine for you - for many of us, it's a total waste and there are a lot of other really fun things to do. Most people don't have the vast disposable income you do with multiple properties miles apart either. Again, you are a niche case, a fraction of the total JT population.
Yes, for sure It makes sense for you - and pretty much you only. You've even admitted to the extreme income. But it just isn't the case for 99% of those here. You are a one-off.

Have you ever really drag raced? People have a blast running brackets at way under 1,000 HP. Again, you are into extremes and shouldn't even try to compare to the vast majority. Maybe you need to hang out with ordinary people? Learn how most of us live and have fun, outside of your bubble.

I'm very open and up front about MY use and why things might vary from YOUR use and/or opinon on what is worth spending money on or not. My point was, for me (and likely several others) a 400+ hp truck makes sense and a 400hp car is damn near useless. Bracket racing can be fun, but as you said I am into extremes. A consistent 12s car and driver can win a lot of bracket races, but it's still boring to me compared to a 10s car. I don't have a lot of track experience but I have driven both. I'm not saying my way is better or you should change your hobbies, but for me (and likely the majority of Jeep owners given the opportunity) a 400hp JT is way more fun than a 400hp car even if you'd use both for their intended purpose. I can't get a car to our property period, so even if it was 1,000hp it would be too limited for me. We have done well via hard work and consistency, but I wouldn't call the disposable income vast. We have lived in the same modest 2 bed, 1 bath home for 23 years. We saved for years to buy the retirement property... and it was only $40k. Every remodel project aside from the roof and tile in our home has been done by us. Sweat equity. The cabin on the property was built by us with our own hands. Now that the cabin is done and the water system and shower are in and the solar and wiring are done the property is probably worth $150k, and we've only put $65k total into it. And countless hours and thousands of miles of driving to do it. No I'm not some silver spoon trust funder or finance guy. I've earned everything I've ever had via physical labor so don't expect me to apologize or feel bad for it. Some people just have bad luck, but the vast majority of Americans financial problem are self induced. The grass might be greener on the other side, but that might just be because the neighbor had consistently worked at it for decades?

 

[RubiNewbCB]

Re

I think this forum would be lost without your persistent supply of (sometimes unhinged) sarcasm. I'm totally here for it

The ole lady did give me the green light on 5.7L swapping the Gladiator once it's paid off.

I have no idea where I'd get $35K from - so I guess its irrelevant

Easier to buy a whole ass truck, lol.

Refinance the Gladiator for 8 more years! But add in TONs and suspension. Problem solved.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Tough to beat a pontoon boat for inland lakes. Especially the tritoons with big motors or twins.

Unless you're wanting to do some wakeboarding, surfing, tubing, etc. Pontoons don't work very well for tow sports because of the crappy wake.

I’ll whole heartedly second the pontoons!!! Best cruise you can get on the lakes. I’m well past my “sell by” for the wake boards and all that fancy high speed jazz. Give me a slow steady cruise and a Root Beer any day of the week.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Re

Refinance the Gladiator for 8 more years! But add in TONs and suspension. Problem solved.

Don't need either, but sure sounds fun.

Maybe one day when I'm rich and living out west

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Don't need either, but sure sounds fun.

Maybe one day when I'm rich and living out west

Just don’t go too far West or you won’t be rich for very long.

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