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

[Geoarch]

I definitely know what you mean. My first Jeep was a 1977 CJ7 with an 8in lift and 39" Gumbo Monster Mudders. Just to hear the radio I installed 10" speakers right behind the seats. Conversations were not to be had.

I remember those tires. My buddy had some. Bad in the rain though. He had a 74 CJ5 with the V8.

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[Jeepbreath]

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.

Probably a stupid question but I have a 2022 gladiator. Would I have the aluminum steering box? How would I know if I do have the aluminum steering box?

 

[seven30]

Man, you should have heard my old 53 M38A1 with the fiberglass top, or the 73 CJ-5. We really didn't have conversations in those vehicles. The Gladiator is silent compared to them. All my trucks have been manuals.

Ha my highschool friend had a 73 CJ-5. AMC 360 3speed on floor if I remember.
God that was a drafty noisy elemental beast. We loved it! Lots and lots of stories around that Jeep.

 

[dcmdon]

Probably a stupid question but I have a 2022 gladiator. Would I have the aluminum steering box? How would I know if I do have the aluminum steering box?

I've never looked for mine. Its a 2022. But what has been said here many times is that the aluminum one is silver/unpainted. The steel one is black.

Also, all 2022s should be steel since the change over was made about a year ago or more. But it never hurts to check, I guess.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Probably a stupid question but I have a 2022 gladiator. Would I have the aluminum steering box? How would I know if I do have the aluminum steering box?

They switched to the new number for the 2021 model year. Can't see 'em going backwards for the 2022 model year and then have to switch them all out.

Not all of the original steering gear actually caused problems. It was a fair number, but there are owners of the 2020 model year Gladiator that still have the original cast aluminum housing steering gear that are satisfied with how they steer.

 

[Geoarch]

Ha my highschool friend had a 73 CJ-5. AMC 360 3speed on floor if I remember.
God that was a drafty noisy elemental beast. We loved it! Lots and lots of stories around that Jeep.

Yeah, we went everywhere in So Cal and western AZ with those things. Short wheelbases have their advantages, but getting enough camping gear in them was a pain.

 

[2TH MVR]

tldr;
I love my JTRD. If I wanted to buy an appliance .... I would have bought the Honda Ridgeline.
I buy stuff that excites me. "Flawed" cars/trucks have personality. I want reliability, but I am totally fine with all the other "imperfections".

 

[rr11]

I had a 74 CJ5 V8 3 speed, I loved that truck, I was 22 and it and we were invincible. I have great memories of that truck, at 69 my opinion might change if I had to live with it as my only ride.

 

[4xjeepr]

I remember those tires. My buddy had some. Bad in the rain though. He had a 74 CJ5 with the V8.

They were bad in the rain. Mine was the V8 as well. I loved that CJ! Had it when I was serving in D.C. One trip back up, my drive shaft dropped out on I85. Didn't realize it until the next day when I tried to get to the cop shop. The front jumped into action flawlessly and I didn't even notice.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I admittedly didn’t go through 12 pages of this thread, but did read the c and d review. The reviewer reviewed it as a truck, not a modern version of a Comanche. Reviewing a manual Mohave poorly based on 0-60 and wind noise is simply dumb. It’s a Jeep. It has wind noise because that’s how Jeeps are shaped. And of course a 6 speed manual will be “less comfortable” to drive for long periods of time than an 8 auto. The gladiator doesn’t exist for the masses in the mid sized truck market. It exists because it’s awesome that there is a Jeep truck again.

 

[Geoarch]

There are other manual transmissions, same way the auto doesn't have the exact same manual transmission in diesel form... There are plenty that can handle the torque of the diesel. But it's just not worth it to sell 500 jeeps a year. Those other transmissions and clutches probably cost more too. Diminishing returns. But a nice Tremec TR6060 should do the trick very well

Interesting on the MTs. For Tacomas, the auto is such a POS, that MTs are a bit more popular. I'm going to find out soon, since I'm selling or trading my TRDPro MT for a Gladiator if they ever finish building it.

 

[willhonkforparts]

"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.

It needs more TORQUE, not HP. Have you driven an Ecodiesel JT? Only 260 hp, but 440 lb/ft. I have yet to wish for more HP after a couple months of ownership. I can't remember where I got this, but one of my favorite auto quotes is "people buy HP, but they drive torque".

 

[seven30]

It needs more TORQUE, not HP. Have you driven an Ecodiesel JT? Only 260 hp, but 440 lb/ft. I have yet to wish for more HP after a couple months of ownership. I can't remember where I got this, but one of my favorite auto quotes is "people buy HP, but they drive torque".

Yep owned several Mercedes and Peugeot turbo diesels from 80s. Its so pleasurable to feel the solid pull even at light throttle. The old 505 peugeot got 32 mpg no matter what I did. Ran out of fuel several times as it would go days in the city with low fuel light on and you would just sort of forget

 

[wanderer]

As I recall they couldn’t drive the jl back in 2018 in new zeland either. Nuff said

 

[Lost1wing]

If my wife was to give a 10000 mile review, Jeep would get a 9/10. Could have been better if parts were on hand and appointments weren't necessary for warranty work. She really loves the Jeep.

I would give it an 7/10. I am the one doing the foot work getting it to the dealer. I also think Jeep could do a better job training the dealer techs on how to do software updates (at least my dealer). I like the TJ better.

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