How I justified buying my Gladiator. How about you?

[G8R]

My first vehicle out of high school was a CJ5 with a V8. I ran that thing into its grave in the mid 80s. I have had many vehicles since including a Subaru hatchback (actually that was one hell of an off road rig with 4x4 low range-it actually did some things my CJ failed at doing), Ranger, Mitsubishi Sport, 89 Cherokee Sport, F150, Ram 1500, 2013 Taco Turd (but great resale), and for the last 10 years my second place favorite vehicle with an 09 Power Wagon which I bought new. I have about 170,000 miles on it and it is still doing well. It has been an awesome off road monster. But it has failed me in some critical times recently. For the last 25 years I have envisioned the equivalent of a Gladiator as my ideal all time vehicle with small profile, rubicon capabilities and a truck bed to haul my crap. I had considered used Scramblers but I am a lazy vehicle mechanic so that option was out. I recently needed to take a road trip with "The Boss" and she said she refused to get stranded in the PW and that it was time for me to get a new vehicle (note that I had just done the same to her a year before when she replaced her Forester with a Pilot). One week later I drove a white JT home. Now I have to sell the Power Wagon.

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[AJ-MJ]

I think my wife got the hint when I marked the LA Auto show on the calendar.

 

[Pierced_hammer]

Nice! To be honest I would have purchased the RAM 1500 Rebel if it fit in my garage. Incredible truck for the money. I have no regrets though. The JT is everything I hoped it would be, and it fits snugly in the garage

As soon as my dealer gets the Sport S in with a soft top, ill be trading my Rebel for it. Love the rebel and power of the hemi but really want the removable top and doors. The wifey drives bad ass JKU and I want a jeep but also need a truck!

 

[Trauma PA]

I have had an itch to get a new toy and was looking at buying a rather expensive sports car about a month ago and keeping my 2015 Wrangler as a daily driver. But I love my JK. My wife and I have driven it from Florida to California and from Florida to Colorado. Then I test drove a JT and loved it. The JT can make such a good daily driver and cool overland rig. And I'll save a ton over buying the other choice. Just waiting for Gator.

Keeping the JK too?

 

[ZEN357]

But payments come every month!

Yes, but you may die tomorrow and it's only money. Enjoy life!

 

[Ichthus]

Years ago, this girl at church hosted a large group event at her parent’s house...on the wall was a picture of her in front of a 1970 Plum Crazy Dodge Challenger R/T Convertible, numbers matching big block 383. Seeing me lookin at the picture, she said, “That’s the car I learned to drive manual in...it’s out in the garage. My dad’s pride and joy”

Needless to say, I’d found my wife. She’d been raised at car shows and swap meets...THIS would be a woman that would understand a husband who needed a “car parts” column in the household budget.

At the time she drove an 02 Jeep Liberty. As a wedding gift/graduation gift (Purdue), her dad gave her an 08 JKU Sahara. I drove the Liberty for about 6 months, then bought a 97 TJ. 6 months after that we traded both on an 08 JK. When rumors hit that Jeep was going to release a Panther Pink JK in 13 or 14, i preemptively traded her JKU for a 13 Gecko JKU. A surprise pregnancy lead me to trade my JK for a 14 JKU...ordered with half doors. When she traded her Jeep for a minivan a couple years ago, we started saving for my next Jeep....hoping they’d FINALLY release a truck.

While There are other trucks, Gators, and tractors for heavy work at the Farm, we really need a truck for all the projects that our older house on a wooded lot in the suburbs brings with it. My wife is a budget hawk, we don’t like financing things that don’t appreciate in value, but I’ve had all the freedom I want with this truck purchase. She simply thanked me for not spending the $60k on an LE. Now, however, a minor fender bender in her van, and she’s angry at the thing...so I find myself shopping for a cheap, early JK for her...

 

[Bobh62000]

I justified as...

I want Jeep
I need Truck

New Jeep Truck? Yes Please. (this was like 3 years ago, still feel the same way)

That was me. Lol

 

[ThomFoolery]

I’ve been keeping track of this thing since it was announced. Almost obsessively. I’ve owned 2 CJs, 2 Wranglers, and a Commander. This was an easy decision and my wife didn’t blink an eye cause she knew it’d make me very happy and that our kids would love it!

 

[Rummie]

Keeping the JK too?

Yes. One of my sons has his eye on it. He is only 14 so won't be able to drive it for a while yet.

 

[JT614]

When rumors hit that Jeep was going to release a Panther Pink JK in 13 or 14

Love your story! Sounds like you have an awesome wife! This Jeep came to mind in our post. I spied this in Vegas last year

 

[Pion]

A couple summers ago the kids started driving and we bought a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk so we could do the hand-me-down of the sedan to the wife and the van to the kids. I had the sedan for 4 years and didn't really have any issues in the winter (Montana). I have snow tires put on in the winder and summer tires for when it gets warmer. Anyway, last fall we were driving and saw a color of Jeep that I said I would have gotten if it would have been available when we got our Cherokee. The wife said - well you can get that and I'll take the Cherokee. That opened the door for negotiation. Six months later and the LE is on its way.

 

[Elanachan]

I justified as...

I want Jeep
I need Truck

New Jeep Truck? Yes Please. (this was like 3 years ago, still feel the same way)

This, but in my case I was specifically hoping for something based on the wrangler. I was actually hoping the forward control concept from a few years ago would be put into production:

The gladiator might be longer, but there's more room for passengers, an acceptable tradeoff in my eyes. I do still like the cab-over design for visibility, and it shows out of the box thinking. That grill was designed for the patriot, yet it's a completely different look, using the JKU frame!

 

[ebru]

Wanted a AEV brut bad I rode in a friends and fell in love but refused to pay 100k for one. And when news stuck of the gladiator coming out and I think I read enough articles and talked about it enough that finally my wife told me to go buy one and shut up... I haven’t looked back I parked my track hawk in the garage and have a new love!

 

[Godfadr]

My Gladiator purchase was YEARS in the making! All I've own are Jeeps. Started with a 1996 Cherokee Sport, then onto Grand Cherokee's, three in total. I used my Grand Cherokees for hauling most everything. Once I stuffed 33 bags of mulch in one! The guys at Home Depot thought I was nuts, but to each his own! Here's a short video I made justifying that I needed the Gladiator. I guess it worked too, and I couldn't be happier! What worked for you?

Ummmmm, my JL needed an oil change?

 

[Lou3.6]

Ummmmm, my JL needed an oil change?

Speaker Fees must be phenomenal ? Me . . . one day I just looked in the bathroom mirror after one of these moments, , and asked myself, "Lou . . . what's it gonna be, yes or no ?" Apparently (so far) yes was the reply and so the Quest Continues (Gator Waiting) .

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