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Car and Driver has posted a 10,000 mile update to their long term Gladiator review. Pretty negative

4xjeepr

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Just eclipsed 12k coming into work last night. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Gladiator!! Yes it's a brick on wheels, cross winds push it, mileage, knew that going in as well. If I wanted quiet, I would have gotten a GC, not a on and off road capable vehicle that I can remove top, doors and lower the windshield (for local, low speed trips). I'd hate to spoil it for car and driver but, once all doors and top comes off, its gonna be noisy and they will notice the wind alot more. I have loved all my jeeps over the years (CJ, YJ, LJ, LJR, & now JT)even with the noise, repairs, issues, they are still the coolest vehicles. Maybe C&D should talk to actual owners, not wanna be's. Of course this is only my opinion. Btw, manual owner here too.
 

MCATDT

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Nothing in that article that we don't already know. As Jeep enthusiasts we accept that the capability of the vehicle overshadows the daily driver based feedback of the article. Jeeps do what they do very well but that does come with some compromises. I'll take the off road, doors off, roof off side of the equation every time. I predominantly get 2 comments when I'm driving in my Gladiator...."Love your Jeep" and "Do you go offload." Thanks and yes!!!! So far not a single question about 0-60 or cabin noise :)
 

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Firestarter

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"One-hundred-percent throttle is needed to merge, to climb, to pass, to get anywhere." My JTR will do over 90mph easily without hitting full throttle. I don't know what parachute they are towing around, but mine averages about 20mpg running 75mph according to my 700 mile trip to Death Valley and accelerates effortlessly. Is it fast? hell no, but it's ridiculous to assert it necessitating full throttle to merge, pass, or to generally get around.

My 2nd to last car was a 330whp 350wtq protuned WRX... after my wife got a CX5 with 180? hp I realized I hardly floor her car. So I sold it and bought a Civic Si with 200bhp and hardly ever floored it. So I'm quite happy with the penta-power and it gets better gas mileage than my Tacoma and STi did. While the WRX got 19mpg, it required premium so my 17+ is quite similar in cost.

I'd love to see this idiot drive my old 98 12v Cummins when it was stock with a 215hp pump. That thing was SLOOOOW and iirc the governor springs would defuel it right before 80mph.
 

Dqban

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its not that good a review....

they had 1 major issue, the transmission and there was literally a fix/recall in place for it. THEIR dealer didn't have the parts or tools. To be fair, they incurred these overheating damages after "testing" the jeep and thrashing it. The damage they describe is consistent with this.

Everything else they bitch about is true of every jeep since the dawn of jeep....bad aero, noisy, bad gas millage....inherent compromises if you want it to be shaped like a jeep. The low towing is a Mojave thing only.


The one thing I sorta agree with is the engine. I do think it is better paired with the automatic, but this size vehicle really needs at least 320HP and comparable torque for the gas model.....the current HP is OK for around town stuff but just barely has enough to make a pass at highway speeds.
 

Moe_Fugga

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The only thing I agree with in the review is the steering issues. It didnā€™t bother me at first, but after 10K miles itā€™s starting to wear on my patience. I had a 2-door JK and it didnā€™t wander or have as much play in the steering as the JT. It was horrific on our last 8hr trip to FL. I could barely keep the MF in my lane when a stout crosswind would blow or another larger vehicle would pass us. I was getting passed all the time too. I donā€™t get in a hurry and run about 70. There were assholes in pickups and large SUVs running 90 past me that nearly pushed me out of my lane when they would go by. Shit was a nightmare.

Nothing else bothers me about the Gladiator.
 

Blade1668

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And did anyone expect different from car & driver? Really. It's not one of their favorites so.
 

Florida Mojave

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In the C&D article comments there is talk about other known models at same/like value; take the doors and roof off of one of those and tell me how it "feels"....enough said.
 

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Sparty

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The only thing I agree with in the review is the steering issues. It didnā€™t bother me at first, but after 10K miles itā€™s starting to wear on my patience. I had a 2-door JK and it didnā€™t wander or have as much play in the steering as the JT. It was horrific on our last 8hr trip to FL. I could barely keep the MF in my lane when a stout crosswind would blow or another larger vehicle would pass us. I was getting passed all the time too. I donā€™t get in a hurry and run about 70. There were assholes in pickups and large SUVs running 90 past me that nearly pushed me out of my lane when they would go by. Shit was a nightmare.

Nothing else bothers me about the Gladiator.
Does your have the aluminum steering box? I had mine upgraded last week and it is a absolute night and day difference
 

Trippin01

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City drivers, doing a review for an out of town truck. Most unfortunate.
I'm happy and have had no problems at all, mostly trails and towing, just shy of 20,000 miles. But I don't city drive, no reason to buy an off road truck and bitch about how it doesn't handle like a sports car.

I also believe that an Off Road Magazine would give a kinder more relevant review. C&D aren't the experts on off road vehicles by any means. See you on the trails.

Just my opinion....
 
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Moe_Fugga

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Does your have the aluminum steering box? I had mine upgraded last week and it is a absolute night and day difference
I do. I have been hesitant making the swap due to all of the issues people post about after having it done. Iā€™m probably going to suck it up and take it in though. I guess I canā€™t complain if I donā€™t take the steps to try and fix it.
 

Sparty

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I do. I have been hesitant making the swap due to all of the issues people post about after having it done. Iā€™m probably going to suck it up and take it in though. I guess I canā€™t complain if I donā€™t take the steps to try and fix it.
Do you have a Cliff's Notes version on the problems after the change? I did a quick search and didn't see anything. I've been absent from the forum for about 6mos.
 

robinja

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Hmmm... you've got multiple drivers at C&D ragging on a Mojave (built for sand) in freezing Michigan conditions... just look at all the pictures they've posted over the last 10,000 miles...they are beating the crap out of that JT! On top of that, they have a manual transmission which had a recall (ref comment about ragging on)... seriously, how many of you have let other people drive your manual car/truck/suv and watch them stall or trash on the clutch? Look, It's a first year production vehicle with a few relatively minor issues that are being resolved quickly and that's the underlying story. In the end, C&D is offering an unfair opinion of a vehicle that for the vast majority is issue free and a lot more fun than an over rated Toyota. C&Ds article was a good reminder why I no longer have a subscription to them - they offer far to many biased opinions.
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