Am I crazy for thinking I want a Gladiator?

[Minty JL]

Maybe is has to do with being in my 40s now....IDK. I still like to go fast, I guess I've grown up and have worked to hard to get where I'm at to do something dumb for a few seconds of entertainment.......plus the more HP you have, the more you break shit

But cruising top and door less takes me back to my young Army days in Hawaii rolling a M998 HMMV .......so fun and not a care in the work.

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[AstroZombie]

NOPE!!!

 

[TeddyKGB]

From a 370z, to a 1290 Super Duke, then a 19 Golf R… I love the Gladiator more than any of those machines. Don’t get me wrong, I especially miss the Golf R, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat. There’s just something about having a do it all vehicle that trumps the speed. That being said, another bike is in the near future.

 

[KX L]

To give you some back story I have always been more of a performance car guy. I've always liked having a lot of horses and always wanted more. I work hard to keep my cars spotless and car show ready. Over the last couple years I guess you could say I've matured and I have less desire to go fast. I have a Charger Scat Pack that I love but have found myself driving it less and less since I got my Maverick last year. It was my first truck(I know its no technically a truck) and I like not having to worry about scrapping or freaking out over any little rock chip or scratch because I tell myself its just a truck and and it should have some signs of being used for truck things.

Last year I took my wifes car in for some work at the dealership and they had a Gladiator Rubicon on the lot. Just killing time while they worked on her car I took it for a test drive. It had the 3 piece hard top so I took the front panels off and took it for a little cruise. I absolutely loved it almost in a it drives so bad its fun kind of way. It was a lot slower than the Maverick and was like snail compared to the Charger but I didn't care. Just driving it normally was a fun time.

Since then, I haven't been able to get the Gladiator out of my mind. When I take the Charger out for a drive and get stuck behind traffic and can never send it it feels like a wasted drive to me and I'm thinking if I was cruising in a Gladiator with the roof off I would just be enjoying the drive regardless of speed.

I'm worried though that if I go through with it I will regret it once the novelty wears off and Ill always kick myself for getting rid of the Charger. I have thought keeping the Maverick as a daily and getting a 2 door wrangler as a fun toy but I am over the time and money spent on maintaining 2 cars, (3 really since I handle all the maintenance of my wife's car)

Has anyone here been in the same shoes as me and swapped a fast car for a Gladiator? Any regrets? I don't really see myself doing anything extreme off road so i think as cool as the Rubicon and Mojave are, they would be wasted money for me. I'm strongly considering an Overland or a Max Tow to get the Rubicon gearing.

What do you all think? Is the gladiator for me or is this just a case of the grass always being greener?

Same same for me. I absolutely love having the Gladiator Mojave. Do not get the Rubicon unless you plan on doing a lot of rock crawling. The Mojave has the best ride and is fast [very relatively speaking] and stable on the trails and highway.

I spent over 30 years in the Marine Corps and guys often asked me why I only had motorcycles and muscle cars when it was obvious a truck better suited the lifestyle. "That's because you guys all have trucks and let me borrow them for house chores or you let me ride with you on our way to the field."

Meds I have to be on since retirement cause severe motion sickness at speed even when I'm driving. Not near as bad on a bike though thank God.

I was doing a drive high end cars track day outside Vegas and felt like shit driving really fast in Maseratis, Aston Martins, and Ferrari F40. Poor instructor kept telling me to speed up even after I told him I was getting nauseous. I ignored him and only punched it for the straights. The Ferrari was last and when I told him it didn't seem any faster punching it than the Aston he pushed a button right as I hit the gas coming onto the longest straight---holy bat shit the acceleration G's felt the same as the F-15 I went for a ride in. as we went from 70 to 154 MPH before I had to brake. The heavy duty counter braking with opposite G's and then keeping it on the track around all the curves did it---I had to stop and open the door to puke.

Definitely embarrassing---but I'm used to and comfortable with that.

 

[BUZZHEAD]

Like others have stated its a jeep thing.
In the 60s - 70s always had a muscle car.
Mellowed out in the 80s - 90s always had a two door wrangler rubi. Now the gladiator til the end .
I am in my mid 60s, yes I am crazy but damn I cannot stop looking at the gladiator every time I park her.
Your choice,make your self happy.

 

[Mflowers11]

Trade in the Maverick for the Gladiator and sell the Charger if the novelty doesn’t wear off. My wife drove a BMW X6 with the Twin Turbo V8 with AWD for a while. I LOVED the speed but would rather drive the JT 8 out of ten times. The freedom and feel of knowing I can take the top off and go anywhere and not worrying about curb rash or door dings etc... It has officially become our daily driver around town. She knows whatever she decides to buy on a given Saturday around town can get throw it in back and get it home without picking up a trailer. Just always keep a couple spare tie downs under the seat!

 

[AstroZombie]

mine is plenty fast and with the borla and no resonators its pretty badass. Well i thought it was. Wife hated it so i added a resonator. Its a lot more enjoyable but still rumbly. Crappy MPG but i dont care its fun AF!!

 

[Dog Dad]

To give you some back story I have always been more of a performance car guy. I've always liked having a lot of horses and always wanted more. I work hard to keep my cars spotless and car show ready. Over the last couple years I guess you could say I've matured and I have less desire to go fast. I have a Charger Scat Pack that I love but have found myself driving it less and less since I got my Maverick last year. It was my first truck(I know its no technically a truck) and I like not having to worry about scrapping or freaking out over any little rock chip or scratch because I tell myself its just a truck and and it should have some signs of being used for truck things.

Last year I took my wifes car in for some work at the dealership and they had a Gladiator Rubicon on the lot. Just killing time while they worked on her car I took it for a test drive. It had the 3 piece hard top so I took the front panels off and took it for a little cruise. I absolutely loved it almost in a it drives so bad its fun kind of way. It was a lot slower than the Maverick and was like snail compared to the Charger but I didn't care. Just driving it normally was a fun time.

Since then, I haven't been able to get the Gladiator out of my mind. When I take the Charger out for a drive and get stuck behind traffic and can never send it it feels like a wasted drive to me and I'm thinking if I was cruising in a Gladiator with the roof off I would just be enjoying the drive regardless of speed.

I'm worried though that if I go through with it I will regret it once the novelty wears off and Ill always kick myself for getting rid of the Charger. I have thought keeping the Maverick as a daily and getting a 2 door wrangler as a fun toy but I am over the time and money spent on maintaining 2 cars, (3 really since I handle all the maintenance of my wife's car)

Has anyone here been in the same shoes as me and swapped a fast car for a Gladiator? Any regrets? I don't really see myself doing anything extreme off road so i think as cool as the Rubicon and Mojave are, they would be wasted money for me. I'm strongly considering an Overland or a Max Tow to get the Rubicon gearing.

What do you all think? Is the gladiator for me or is this just a case of the grass always being greener?

To give you some back story I have always been more of a performance car guy. I've always liked having a lot of horses and always wanted more. I work hard to keep my cars spotless and car show ready. Over the last couple years I guess you could say I've matured and I have less desire to go fast. I have a Charger Scat Pack that I love but have found myself driving it less and less since I got my Maverick last year. It was my first truck(I know its no technically a truck) and I like not having to worry about scrapping or freaking out over any little rock chip or scratch because I tell myself its just a truck and and it should have some signs of being used for truck things.

Last year I took my wifes car in for some work at the dealership and they had a Gladiator Rubicon on the lot. Just killing time while they worked on her car I took it for a test drive. It had the 3 piece hard top so I took the front panels off and took it for a little cruise. I absolutely loved it almost in a it drives so bad its fun kind of way. It was a lot slower than the Maverick and was like snail compared to the Charger but I didn't care. Just driving it normally was a fun time.

Since then, I haven't been able to get the Gladiator out of my mind. When I take the Charger out for a drive and get stuck behind traffic and can never send it it feels like a wasted drive to me and I'm thinking if I was cruising in a Gladiator with the roof off I would just be enjoying the drive regardless of speed.

I'm worried though that if I go through with it I will regret it once the novelty wears off and Ill always kick myself for getting rid of the Charger. I have thought keeping the Maverick as a daily and getting a 2 door wrangler as a fun toy but I am over the time and money spent on maintaining 2 cars, (3 really since I handle all the maintenance of my wife's car)

Has anyone here been in the same shoes as me and swapped a fast car for a Gladiator? Any regrets? I don't really see myself doing anything extreme off road so i think as cool as the Rubicon and Mojave are, they would be wasted money for me. I'm strongly considering an Overland or a Max Tow to get the Rubicon gearing.

What do you all think? Is the gladiator for me or is this just a case of the grass always being greener?

I traded my 2021 Grand Cherokee for a 2023 Gladiator Overland,I love it!Also my wife has a 2021 Wrangler,she loves hers!

 

[geneinhouston]

Like others have stated its a jeep thing.
In the 60s - 70s always had a muscle car.
Mellowed out in the 80s - 90s always had a two door wrangler rubi. Now the gladiator til the end .
I am in my mid 60s, yes I am crazy but damn I cannot stop looking at the gladiator every time I park her.
Your choice,make your self happy.

same...i always just want to look back at it...truly an amazing beast of a vehicle...we are all lucky

 

[Milk Man]

Thank you all for the feedback. As much as I like the idea of keeping the Charger and trading the Mav in on a Gladiator it would make me spend more of my budget on cars than I would want to right now. I still might pull the trigger on a Gladiator and definitly will if something were to happen to either of my cars but for now my plan is to keep both and get a Wrangler later down then line when I can have a 3rd car in the fleet.

 

[ZoMojave]

You have made a wise decision sir!

 

[AstroZombie]

same...i always just want to look back at it...truly an amazing beast of a vehicle...we are all lucky

I have more pictures of my gladiator than i do of my kids now!!

 

[GOT FLOYD]

Gladiator, Gladiator, Gladiator. Trade in the Maverick and enjoy whatever you do! I will always remember the Maverick as a cousin to the Pinto..

 

[FloridaMan655321]

Same same for me. I absolutely love having the Gladiator Mojave. Do not get the Rubicon unless you plan on doing a lot of rock crawling. The Mojave has the best ride and is fast [very relatively speaking] and stable on the trails and highway.

The answer is always the Mojave

As others have said, the more into my 40s, the more I enjoy a nice cruise with the Gladiator. I also had sports cars throughout my late 20s and 30s. I still had a BMW M235i until this year, when I replaced it with a 1973 Ford F100.

Oh, I should note that the deeper into the 40s I get, the more I find Corvettes attractive......

 

[loganjeeps]

This 100%. For 5 years prior to the JT I was in a GTI. JT felt like driving a beat up old farm truck from the 70s.

1.5 years in on the JT and it's still absolutely a blast to drive not going anywhere fast and just enjoying the trip.

Right on. solid axle vehicles aren't meant to be self driving sports cars. They want you to pay attention to them and it's awesome

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