Consumer Reports LOL

[Badunit]

I quit looking at CR vehicle ratings years ago when I was in the market for a new truck and was trying to do some research. The more car-like a vehicle was, the more glowing the review and the higher the scores. Every real truck got lower ratings for being "truck like". All the things I wanted were the same things they complained about. They've also always been very anti-Mopar. Maybe this is deserved, maybe not, but I hear about a lot of failures of other brands, many of which are more serious and/or costly than those of mopar products. It appears that CR's rating system counts a broken trim clip the same as a blown engine: both count as a failure.

Sponsored

 

[gonemad]

Many years ago when I changed jobs and had to give up new company cars I got to drive for free for ten years, I consulted CR to help me with my car buying decision. I did that for maybe two purchases in a row. I was disappointed with both vehicles, and reached a conclusion.

Buy what you like and that works for you, that makes you turn around and look at it because they will all disappoint you at some point, but if you like it, it won’t bother you so much.

 

[Dilly’S Willy]

I know Stellantis makes some crap 4cyl engines, but I’ll die on the hill that Jeep’s overall poor rating is due to 2 things:

First is that the cheaper models are bought by people who just flat out don’t care about maintenance, or can’t afford it.

Secondly, that Wranglers are overwhelmingly owned by younger people who don’t know enough about proper maintenance, or are just too “immature” to keep up with it. They’ll do mods and rag the hell out of them off-road, and then continuously go 2-3K past oil changes.

Just about every person I know who has owned a Wrangler or Gladiator, that is above the age of like 30 and is on top of maintenance, has ran them for 150K miles or more before trading in for a new one, with very minor issues - most of which are normal wear and tear stuff anyway.

This sounds like Subaru owners in the last decade, same mentality on maintenance and modding without care then complaining how it blew up. Had to remove myself from the scene as people went from being content with a $15k build to be done right, now expecting that same build for under $5k OTD and still whining the whole time how they could have done it cheaper.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Jeep have plenty of problems that aren’t maintenance or mod related. Do we need to list them?

 

[jebiruph]

Toyota is actually #5.
1. Subaru
2. BMW
3. Porsche
4. Honda
5. Toyota
Member surveys are used for ratings and CR members are frequently disappointed with their Wrangler/Gladiator purchases.

 

[whysoserious]

Many years ago when I changed jobs and had to give up new company cars I got to drive for free for ten years, I consulted CR to help me with my car buying decision. I did that for maybe two purchases in a row. I was disappointed with both vehicles, and reached a conclusion.

Buy what you like and that works for you, that makes you turn around and look at it because they will all disappoint you at some point, but if you like it, it won’t bother you so much.

That last sentence... we talkin' cars or relationships?

 

[gonemad]

That last sentence... we talkin' cars or relationships?

Yes.

 

[antihero23]

And the Gladiator isn't even really a very good "truck". Yeah you can throw a few things back there, but nothing serious. I mean, it's damn near a compact truck. Mid-size, at best. So besides being clunky and inefficient, it's not a great work vehicle.

For me, that's why I love them. They're unique and cool and they do Jeep things. That's the draw, right? A pickup truck that can actually truly do Jeep things. I love being able to strip it down and still haul shit in the back to the beach or whatever.

 

[SummertimeCarl]

And the Gladiator isn't even really a very good "truck". Yeah you can throw a few things back there, but nothing serious. I mean, it's damn near a compact truck. Mid-size, at best. So besides being clunky and inefficient, it's not a great work vehicle.

Don't undersell the Gladiator, it's objectively the highest rated mid size truck for "truck stuff" stats aside from maybe bed dimensions. If you compared it to "compact" trucks such as Ford Maverick, older S10's, you'll find the Gladiator is (literally) in a completely different class.

 

[antihero23]

Don't undersell the Gladiator, it's objectively the highest rated mid size truck for "truck stuff" stats aside from maybe bed dimensions. If you compared it to "compact" trucks such as Ford Maverick, older S10's, you'll find the Gladiator is (literally) in a completely different class.

Okay cool so it's the "best" out of other similar shitty trucks.

I'm not knocking the JT - I love them.

My point was more like even with all their flaws, Gladiators are a ton of fun and really cool.

 

[MPMB]

Member surveys are used for ratings and CR members are frequently disappointed with their Wrangler/Gladiator purchases.

And we need to see the profile of who CR members/subscribers are.

Methinks it's pretty damn close to

The people who have *just* enough disposable income to require a subscription to CR to make sure they spend that disposable income responsibly, but not enough to have *F-You* money to really dispose that disposable income irresponsibly.

Back in the '90s my sister drove a Wrangler and was not a fan of it. Too noisy, too much rattle. They aren't her speed. Went with Honda sedans. Then the family Expedition. Then moved to BMW for the next ~20 years.

So that's what's great about the free market. We're free to choose whatever vehicle we fancy.

The one vehicle I do wish I didn't miss out on was the Chevy SS. Close-out pricing when they ceased production was <$38k. Unfortunately, we just bought a house and my contract job got re-org'd out. So yeah, fun times.

 

[biodiesel]

Don't undersell the Gladiator, it's objectively the highest rated mid size truck for "truck stuff" stats aside from maybe bed dimensions.

Today's midsize trucks have similar towing and payload capacities as the half ton trucks of the 1990s and early 2000s.

 

[MPMB]

Today's midsize trucks have similar towing and payload capacities as the half ton trucks of the 1990s and early 2000s.

Considering a half-ton truck is determined by it's payload, mid-size trucks are half-ton trucks.

If it wouldn't throw people into a hissy fit, a re-classification would be in order.

New, for 2027, the Gladiator 1500!

 

[BallsDeep]

This sounds like Subaru owners in the last decade, same mentality on maintenance and modding without care then complaining how it blew up. Had to remove myself from the scene as people went from being content with a $15k build to be done right, now expecting that same build for under $5k OTD and still whining the whole time how they could have done it cheaper.

Exactly! I’ve said before on Reddit that Subaru WRX owners are like the Insane Clown Posse fans of the car world. They act stupid, and no one likes them

 

[biodiesel]

Exactly! I’ve said before on Reddit that Subaru WRX owners are like the Insane Clown Posse fans of the car world. They act stupid, and no one likes them

And for some reason, they all seem to have an Obama, Hillary, or Biden sticker on the back. I've never seen a Trump sticker on a Subaru, lol.

Sponsored