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Bare bones sport manual

Chestnut

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From my experience the base bare bones will hold resale better than optioned out higher trims. I bought a base GMC canyon drove it for 3 years and 45,000 miles and sold it for a loss of $1k.

Comparing a Mojave to a base sport is not a good comparison. There are a LOT of features in that $10k. Worth it is an entirely different question only you can answer. Resale on the Mojave will probably be really good as it fits more of an enthusiast niche.

Don't listen to people's comments on the manual, drive it yourself. I'm alone on this desert island but I have a manual because i can't stand geared automatic transmission they all suck (my opinion), I'd rather have a CVT or electric. The manual is nice, the clutch is not a traditional single plate clutch but issomething a bit different, can't remember the tech, It gives a very light clutch feel. I've towed and it does ok despite the stupid auto rags gripes. If you drive the truck more like a car it works great, just remember the power band is over 2,000 rpm get used to holding 1st and 2nd untill well in to the 3,000 rpm range or higher.
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Sammar

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From my experience the base bare bones will hold resale better than optioned out higher trims. I bought a base GMC canyon drove it for 3 years and 45,000 miles and sold it for a loss of $1k.

Comparing a Mojave to a base sport is not a good comparison. There are a LOT of features in that $10k. Worth it is an entirely different question only you can answer. Resale on the Mojave will probably be really good as it fits more of an enthusiast niche.

Don't listen to people's comments on the manual, drive it yourself. I'm alone on this desert island but I have a manual because i can't stand geared automatic transmission they all suck (my opinion), I'd rather have a CVT or electric. The manual is nice, the clutch is not a traditional single plate clutch but issomething a bit different, can't remember the tech, It gives a very light clutch feel. I've towed and it does ok despite the stupid auto rags gripes. If you drive the truck more like a car it works great, just remember the power band is over 2,000 rpm get used to holding 1st and 2nd untill well in to the 3,000 rpm range or higher.
Your recommendations about rpm and shift points is spot on for what I found in my '21 Willys 6 speed. Still getting use to the shift points and, inspite of driving a manual for most of my 52 years of life, I'm still working on getting smoother shifts.

Seems like 5th gear is only useful over 65mph, otherwise you will need to downshift for the slightest hills

Still, I love everything about the Gladiator (except I can't find a sarfi hat with Gladiator on it)!
 

badger719

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Yes - there was not one in stock though. If I custom order I might go that route.
One of my local dealers got 2 base Willys Sports in a few weeks ago. One black and one firecracker red. Most likely long gone but they looked like dealer lot orders which was kind of unusual. Auto, hardtop and tow package were the only options.

I want to say they listed at MSRP but this dealer chain is known for hitting people with fees when they walk in the door.
 

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JamesM

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Your recommendations about rpm and shift points is spot on for what I found in my '21 Willys 6 speed. Still getting use to the shift points and, inspite of driving a manual for most of my 52 years of life, I'm still working on getting smoother shifts.

Seems like 5th gear is only useful over 65mph, otherwise you will need to downshift for the slightest hills

Still, I love everything about the Gladiator (except I can't find a sarfi hat with Gladiator on it)!
I noticed the same thing when I test drove it. I did not know it is a different kind of clutch tech. It's not bad - just different.
 

jebiruph

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I like the sport so much I have both a JL Sport and a JT Sport, but I'll warn you that some with small children do not like how difficult it is to lock and unlock the doors. I almost never lock mine and no longer have small children at home, so it's not an issue for me
 

tikijimmy

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I looked at a Sport, but went with an Overland. Here's why:

1. Kids - I have a kid, so power windows are nice when the three year old is stuck in the car seat and wants the windows down.
2. Dog - I have a dog, and dogs+fabric seats = sadness. Leather cleans much easier (see also, kids!)
3. 8" CarPlay. This is all for me, but I like the looks of a bigger screen in the dash, and I don't even remember if I could upgrade the Sport to the large screen head unit.
4. 18" aluminum wheels. I like these better than the stock 17" steel on the Sport
5. Better/more OEM wiring. More USB sockets, 120v Outlet, etc. are really nice to have (for camping and kids!)

Yes, I could have done a lot of this aftermarket with seat covers, a new stereo/head unit, wheel/tire replacements, and some DIY wiring, but I would rather spend my time modding the "fun" stuff like my rack, roof tent, camping gear, bed drawers, etc.

The one option I regret not getting is the proximity key system. My Honda Ridgeline had this, and I thought it was something I could live without, but every time I walk to the truck carrying groceries, I regret it.
 

Chestnut

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Your recommendations about rpm and shift points is spot on for what I found in my '21 Willys 6 speed. Still getting use to the shift points and, inspite of driving a manual for most of my 52 years of life, I'm still working on getting smoother shifts.
Through out most of my teenage years and early 20s i was always told by experienced drivers that "High revs kill engines". I've since learned that may have been the case in old engines but is not the case today. I came frome snappy 4cyl engines so the 3.6L is awesome. I have decent luck with 5th at 60+ but i live in flat land. I'll hit 6th over 65. What i have found is that between 4th 5th and 6th there doesn't seem to be much of a gas mileage impact.
 

KX L

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Order a base Mojave w the Manual from Gupton.

The $10k markup brings a whole lot of improvement in the suspension and keeps everything stock. My 2 cents.
 

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bkmarks

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I went manual base Rubicon. Rubicon over Sport S to get wide track Dana 44ā€™s, lockers and sway bar disconnect without having to upgrade.

EB51B368-3360-4745-ADD1-60A6AC4ED498.jpeg
 

be77solo

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I've got a Willys Sport, LOVE IT!! I don't need power locks/windows, easy enough to just adjust as needed. Hell, I don't even have doors on or a roof half the time anyway, so easier to remove without wires.

And don't let others sell the manual transmission short, just try it..... I bought my truck because it's a stick shift fun to drive convertible and the doors come off ha.... many miss this point. And yes, I do use the truck bed, so a Wrangler never was an option. I also often tow a 10' utility trailer for work weekly. Couldn't be happier!

Jeep Gladiator Bare bones sport manual ShadeideaShadesAmazon
 

sunrise089

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Base sport. Awesome choice, and I say that with a manual Gupton Mojave on order. My Mojave is lightly optioned, but it gave me two must-haves and two nice-to-haves:

*500lbs more legal towing capacity that will move the needle for what I plan to do with the truck.
*The stance I like while being compatible with the MaxCare unlimited miles warranty. You can MaxCare a Mopar lifted sport but only with a mileage limit and my wife despises ā€œletā€™s not take the Jeep because I donā€™t want to put too many miles on it.ā€
*Nice to have the 4.10 axle ratio with a manual.
*Nice to have because I could have gotten them aftermarket, the 8ā€ screen, Alpine stereo, and LED lighting.

Re: resale, nothing is going to stand with a base model. People, especially dealers, will claim theyā€™re unsellable, but theyā€™re actually like the cheapest house in a good neighborhood - in demand because they allow new entrants into the market who couldnā€™t otherwise afford it.

My JKU was a base sport with manual locks, etc. My sister ordered a Sahara a few months beforehand. Guess which did better on the resale side? Sure hers is worth a few grand more, but she spent $10k more up front so her cost of ownership was far higher.

Carvana, Vroom, and most dealers are gone to auction the car and price based on Manheim or similar industry values. Whether Manheim, NADA, KBB, or Edmunds all are going to show a Mojave worth more than a Sport, but once you account for the different front-end costs (and remember that also means greater interest paid and higher taxes) the lower end model almost always comes out ahead.

There are two reasons to buy a higher spec model: either youā€™ll get extra enjoyment from the ā€˜nicerā€™ model and benefit non-monetarily, or due to equipment or option pricing differences across the line the higher spec model ends up being effectively subsidized. For example I could get a Sport S (but again not a Sport) with my required options above, but after accounting for all the configuration changes Iā€™d make my price delta was $2k versus a Mojave and made the latter the right call for me.
 

Snatrog

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Yeah I would go Mojave if you can take the extra expense. My Mojave has just a few options, hard top auto trans and the extras it comes with as a Mojave. For the kind of driving I do as an archaeologist in California it is hard to beat. I looked at a Rubicon and have had a Rubicon JK Unlimited in the past, but if you are not rock crawling all the time (which a JT is not ideal for compared to the JL anyway) the reinforced frame etc on the Mojave really does set it apart. But you also loose a negligible amount of towing capacity with a Mojave. Idk man, its really all about what you can afford and how you want to build it out. Im sure you can aftermarket out a Sport to be just as beefed up as the Mojave.
 

ThatStinging_Jeep

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I almost went with a base jeep gladiator but I found out I couldn't get the max tow package with a diesel,cause all I wanted was the widetrac axles but and the diesel motor of course,but hey i still got a hell of a deal on my new Rubicon ecodiesel :D
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