GRANITE CRYSTAL JT Gladiator Club

[Mightytalldude]

This is exactly what I'm planning on doing once my GCM MT arrives, and that's a beautiful ride There's a few Rubicon take offs around the Denver area, just don't want to spend the money from the down payment of my JT on that, I have a temporary cheap driver that'll fund the wheels once sold. I have a few decals to add too.

JL Rubicon take offs make a HUGE difference on my Sport S MT. Love the look. Stock height, for now. Will probably do a 1.5" level kit to start until 35's in the future.

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[testthecoals]

Took exactly 7 weeks from order date until delivery date. Didn’t get body matching fenders or top, wonder if it would have taken a lot longer if I had. Couldn’t be happier. Was concerned of stance and possibly wanting to go bigger tires or lift, however in person I think the stance is perfect. I’m not touching it.

 

[WildJD]

Picking my GC Rubicon (non-LE) up today. VIN: ######ll132793. My nearly 30 year wait for Jeep truck is almost over!!! Just thought I would give you guys my timeline and wish all of you a speedy deliver of your JT.

6/13 - Dealer ordered
6/17 - VIN issued
6/19- Dealer notified D status
7/9 - Dealer notified D1 status with estimated ship date of 7/25
8/15 - Dealer notified F status
8/17 - Dealer notified G status
8/19 - Dealer notified JB status
8/26 - Dealer notified KZS status
8/27 - Dealer notified that JT was loaded on transport truck at 12:23 p.m.
8/27 - Dealer notifed that JT was at dealership at 7:22 p.m.

Note: I live about 5 hours from Toledo, but thought for sure I could possibly be a few weeks from my JT arriving at the dealership going to other places before it arrived home. I was really surprised when he texted me the same night it was on the truck that it arrived on the lot.

Additional note: I know some things seem to have been slowing production on some JTs and I'll briefly mention what I do have and what I did not order that may have been causing some of your delays. I did get the spray-in bedliner. Steel bumper and headliners were not available at the time of my order. I did not get matching fenders or hard top. I did not get the soft top. I did get most everything else (no smokers group and unfortunaley I did not get the accessory switches...).

Thank you to everyone who has posted, kept a positive attitude during this process, and I sincerely can't wait to see more JTs on the road. I have to take a break from this forum which has been an obsession of mine for the last few months. You all have been great. Hit me up if you need any additional info about my order, I'll check in every once in a while but I gotta' spend some time behind the wheel!!!!

Post pics when you can... congrats!;{

 

[jjarrell13us]

Post pics when you can... congrats!;{

Thanks @WildJD !

Here are some pics (you caught me at a good time).

I added a hood chip/bug guard (probably useless but I like the look). Changed out the antenna. I also removed the Gladiator and Rubicon decals. Wasn't feeling the decals at all (personal preference).

Hope you all are behind the wheel soon. Looking forward to what you all do with yours. I'm probably a few months (if Santa thinks I was good) from getting much more mod-wise so I'll be running stock for a bit.

Let me know if you want specific pics or additional info.

 

[chrcal14]

Thanks @WildJD !

Here are some pics (you caught me at a good time).

I added a hood chip/bug guard (probably useless but I like the look). Changed out the antenna. I also removed the Gladiator and Rubicon decals. Wasn't feeling the decals at all (personal preference).

Hope you all are behind the wheel soon. Looking forward to what you all do with yours. I'm probably a few months (if Santa thinks I was good) from getting much more mod-wise so I'll be running stock for a bit.

Let me know if you want specific pics or additional info.

Looks clean debadged. Cool stuff.

 

[WildJD]

Love that color! Thanks for the pics! After you drive it stock awhile, post a review! (Some of us might still be waiting!) ;{

 

[Skyler7381]

Love that color! Thanks for the pics! After you drive it stock awhile, post a review! (Some of us might still be waiting!) ;{

have you got a ship date yet? mine was yesterday and today they said it was still jb

 

[1UPPER]

I got my renderings this week of my GCMLE showing my orange powder coated rims. This waiting game is the hardest part.

 

[jctnt1]

Woot! woot! now in JB status.
finish build around 3:30pm today

 

[Mkcagle]

Got the call at 1630, Gladiator was here, prepped and ready to go, come and get it. Granite Sport S w/max tow. More to follow.

 

[robey13]

Thanks @WildJD !

Here are some pics (you caught me at a good time).

I added a hood chip/bug guard (probably useless but I like the look). Changed out the antenna. I also removed the Gladiator and Rubicon decals. Wasn't feeling the decals at all (personal preference).

Hope you all are behind the wheel soon. Looking forward to what you all do with yours. I'm probably a few months (if Santa thinks I was good) from getting much more mod-wise so I'll be running stock for a bit.

Let me know if you want specific pics or additional info.

Looks absolutely awesome! Can I ask which hood guard that is? I love the look of it!

 

[jjarrell13us]

Looks absolutely awesome! Can I ask which hood guard that is? I love the look of it!

Available on Amazon:
Bushwacker 14093 Black Hood Stone Guard for 2018-2019 Jeep Wrangler JL

 

[jjarrell13us]

Love that color! Thanks for the pics! After you drive it stock awhile, post a review! (Some of us might still be waiting!) ;{

Alright. Had just over a week with my GC Rubicon JT. As requested, here is a bit of a review.

I got lucky (especially compared to a lot of you still waiting) and my JT arrived the Thursday before the long Labor Day weekend. Between work and other obligations, I barely put any miles on it until Saturday. But, with a free Saturday and a new Tool album (13 years of waiting for the Tool album and 20+ years hoping Jeep would put out a truck made it a pretty big week for me) I was ready to ride.

Curious about pics? You can find my JT in this post.

Curious about order to delivery and accessories? You can find it here.

So, a little background in what I have been driving and why I desperately wanted a Gladiator.

My old man had an 83 Scrambler when I was a kid. I never forgot that Scrambler and it set me on the path of loving Jeeps the rest of my life. Took a while before I could afford one (tons of shit box Honda Accords throughout the years...), but in 2011 I bought a Silver JK without any mods, accessories (roll up windows!). In 2015, I went with an Anvil (blue/gray) Jeep Willies JK. Loved both of these Jeeps (still have the '15 but gave it to my daughter who turned 16 in January), but as the family life started to grow, my need for something with a little more room was becoming pretty apparent. The combination of 4-wheel capability and taking the top and doors off has never lost it's appeal for me.

Why I bought the Gladiator.

It's a Jeep...with a truck bed...That really should be enough for most of us, but I thought I would also tell you why I went with a Rubicon versus other trim levels.

1) This is the vehicle I have wanted for over 20 years - Go big, no regrets.
2) While I don't do a ton of off-roading, I do make frequent trips to the WV mountains and certain fishing/camping spots are a bit more inaccessible than others.
3) This Rubicon is also my daily driver. I live on an unpaved road in WV (hills, hills and more hills with mud). When storms come and the trees come down, my 'holler community' has an un-written social norm that you grab your chainsaw, and cut or pull the trees off the road for access with your neighbors and for your neighbors who can't do it themselves. Flooding is common in certain areas and getting through some standing/slow-moving water sure doesn't hurt. The logs from fallen trees are often cut up and used for firewood (which a few of us fellas in the holler take to some of the older folks for the winter) making the truck bed perfect.
4) I do occasionally tow an R-Pod on longer camping trips. Fits nicely into the Rubicon's towing capabilities.
5) See #1

The Drive and Impressions.

The weather was perfect on Saturday for my first long drive. 81 F and sunny with a slight wind, and the humidity had finally reached a manageable, don't-sweat-out-of-every-pore-you-have level. I popped the two freedom panels off, plugged my iPhone in for Apple Carplay and turned on the 87-minute long Tool album "Fear Inoculum" (fantastic album with the exception of a couple of tracks and the Alpine stereo banged it out) for an extended drive and listen.

I've never had leather seats, or much in the ways of any accessories or upgrades on my vehicles for that matter. The seats were comfortable, I had plenty of room (I'm 6'2" and about 215 lbs.). I first hit the Interstate to get an impression of how the steering handled at upper speeds. I managed to hit 93, no drifting on the steering (as i have seen mentioned elsewhere but did not experience test driving an Overland and another Rubicon). The Gladiator passed well and had great pick up getting into traffic. I spent about 20 miles on the Interstate averaging around 75 mph, and thought I may have been experiencing the inner fender starting to rub, so I turned down the stereo for a listen - turns out it was just Tool making a little vibration in the floorboard (Again...great album...).

I took an exit and did a little two-lane highway driving before hitting some curvy back roads on my way to a state park. The JT handled well, and took the curves with confidence. I'll admit, I do miss the tight turning of a two-door Jeep at times, but I'm living with it...Stopped in a parking lot at the state park to check on the inner fenders, was immediately approached by two guys with tons of questions about the JT (they are still really rare around here) - one took the time to climb underneath while the other asked me to pop the hood...Be ready for questions...

Back home I went. Total trip was about 100 miles on the Interstate, 2-lane highway, suburban neighborhoods, windy state park access roads, etc. I tried to hit a little of everything.

Overall Impressions

1. A much smoother more comfortable ride then the JKs, as expected.
2. Gas mileage averaged about 15 on this trip. I still didn't break 200 miles before I got home so that may increase. I wanted to hit as much variable speeds and conditions that the Tool album would allow.
3. All the gadgets and electronics are amazing and I am really glad I went with the upgraded stereo. The electronics were a big concern for me (I don't want to have to worry about that stuff getting outdated, etc. but I am all in now...). Having to drop a few hundred bucks back when I was broke as hell to fix an electronic window in an 8 year old Accord can have that lasting effect...
4. I love this truck. I've used it already to pull trees out of a neighbors yard and after cutting them up, hauling them away in the bed to another neighbor for him to make firewood. There's room to throw a tent, cooler, fishing gear and to take my two Boxers (two big hairy paws up from them, too).
5) I haven't towed the R-Pod yet, but I don't see this thing having any troubles with it. Long weekend coming up in September - look out trout...
6) It's an attention-getter until they roll out and sell a few more. This is the one kind of negative for me right now as i am pretty shy and prefer non-flashy clothes, vehicles, etc. I even took the Rubicon and Gladiator stickers off my JT (I know...blasphemy...).
7) It's a Jeep AND it's a truck!!!

Questions - hit me up.

Can't wait to see more of you out there.

 

[WildJD]

Alright. Had just over a week with my GC Rubicon JT. As requested, here is a bit of a review.

I got lucky (especially compared to a lot of you still waiting) and my JT arrived the Thursday before the long Labor Day weekend. Between work and other obligations, I barely put any miles on it until Saturday. But, with a free Saturday and a new Tool album (13 years of waiting for the Tool album and 20+ years hoping Jeep would put out a truck made it a pretty big week for me) I was ready to ride.

Curious about pics? You can find my JT in this post.

Curious about order to delivery and accessories? You can find it here.

So, a little background in what I have been driving and why I desperately wanted a Gladiator.

My old man had an 83 Scrambler when I was a kid. I never forgot that Scrambler and it set me on the path of loving Jeeps the rest of my life. Took a while before I could afford one (tons of shit box Honda Accords throughout the years...), but in 2011 I bought a Silver JK without any mods, accessories (roll up windows!). In 2015, I went with an Anvil (blue/gray) Jeep Willies JK. Loved both of these Jeeps (still have the '15 but gave it to my daughter who turned 16 in January), but as the family life started to grow, my need for something with a little more room was becoming pretty apparent. The combination of 4-wheel capability and taking the top and doors off has never lost it's appeal for me.

Why I bought the Gladiator.

It's a Jeep...with a truck bed...That really should be enough for most of us, but I thought I would also tell you why I went with a Rubicon versus other trim levels.

1) This is the vehicle I have wanted for over 20 years - Go big, no regrets.
2) While I don't do a ton of off-roading, I do make frequent trips to the WV mountains and certain fishing/camping spots are a bit more inaccessible than others.
3) This Rubicon is also my daily driver. I live on an unpaved road in WV (hills, hills and more hills with mud). When storms come and the trees come down, my 'holler community' has an un-written social norm that you grab your chainsaw, and cut or pull the trees off the road for access with your neighbors and for your neighbors who can't do it themselves. Flooding is common in certain areas and getting through some standing/slow-moving water sure doesn't hurt. The logs from fallen trees are often cut up and used for firewood (which a few of us fellas in the holler take to some of the older folks for the winter) making the truck bed perfect.
4) I do occasionally tow an R-Pod on longer camping trips. Fits nicely into the Rubicon's towing capabilities.
5) See #1

The Drive and Impressions.

The weather was perfect on Saturday for my first long drive. 81 F and sunny with a slight wind, and the humidity had finally reached a manageable, don't-sweat-out-of-every-pore-you-have level. I popped the two freedom panels off, plugged my iPhone in for Apple Carplay and turned on the 87-minute long Tool album "Fear Inoculum" (fantastic album with the exception of a couple of tracks and the Alpine stereo banged it out) for an extended drive and listen.

I've never had leather seats, or much in the ways of any accessories or upgrades on my vehicles for that matter. The seats were comfortable, I had plenty of room (I'm 6'2" and about 215 lbs.). I first hit the Interstate to get an impression of how the steering handled at upper speeds. I managed to hit 93, no drifting on the steering (as i have seen mentioned elsewhere but did not experience test driving an Overland and another Rubicon). The Gladiator passed well and had great pick up getting into traffic. I spent about 20 miles on the Interstate averaging around 75 mph, and thought I may have been experiencing the inner fender starting to rub, so I turned down the stereo for a listen - turns out it was just Tool making a little vibration in the floorboard (Again...great album...).

I took an exit and did a little two-lane highway driving before hitting some curvy back roads on my way to a state park. The JT handled well, and took the curves with confidence. I'll admit, I do miss the tight turning of a two-door Jeep at times, but I'm living with it...Stopped in a parking lot at the state park to check on the inner fenders, was immediately approached by two guys with tons of questions about the JT (they are still really rare around here) - one took the time to climb underneath while the other asked me to pop the hood...Be ready for questions...

Back home I went. Total trip was about 100 miles on the Interstate, 2-lane highway, suburban neighborhoods, windy state park access roads, etc. I tried to hit a little of everything.

Overall Impressions

1. A much smoother more comfortable ride then the JKs, as expected.
2. Gas mileage averaged about 15 on this trip. I still didn't break 200 miles before I got home so that may increase. I wanted to hit as much variable speeds and conditions that the Tool album would allow.
3. All the gadgets and electronics are amazing and I am really glad I went with the upgraded stereo. The electronics were a big concern for me (I don't want to have to worry about that stuff getting outdated, etc. but I am all in now...). Having to drop a few hundred bucks back when I was broke as hell to fix an electronic window in an 8 year old Accord can have that lasting effect...
4. I love this truck. I've used it already to pull trees out of a neighbors yard and after cutting them up, hauling them away in the bed to another neighbor for him to make firewood. There's room to throw a tent, cooler, fishing gear and to take my two Boxers (two big hairy paws up from them, too).
5) I haven't towed the R-Pod yet, but I don't see this thing having any troubles with it. Long weekend coming up in September - look out trout...
6) It's an attention-getter until they roll out and sell a few more. This is the one kind of negative for me right now as i am pretty shy and prefer non-flashy clothes, vehicles, etc. I even took the Rubicon and Gladiator stickers off my JT (I know...blasphemy...).
7) It's a Jeep AND it's a truck!!!

Questions - hit me up.

Can't wait to see more of you out there.

Thanks for your wonderful (and comprehensive review), just what I needed to bolster my spirits, as I am, indeed, still waiting in JBS!
The only thing I’ve ever had a longer wait for, than this JTLE, is Death.
(At this point, I’m just really hoping I get the former before the latter!) ;{

 

[Rebel JT]

So...someone close to toledo should be picking up the first of the "Special ordered" Granite launch editions today. Mine is at railyard in North Platte, Neb.

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