How to spend $33K, kill two days, drive 1200 miles through 7 states and average 17MPG...

[Gvsukids]

I just remember needing to turn up the fan to keep the cab warm when the ambient temps were in the teens. There's not much cab insulation in the Gladiator like there is in our Ram 1500s. It kept us plenty warm, but we had to keep the heater fan blowing hard to do so.

No problems using auto fan with a hard top.

but I guess I missed that there was a seat difference.

Bolster.

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[KX L]

Nice. 2-3k road trips are the norm for us. We did one large western national park loop in the Wife‘s JLU Sport pulling a tiny camper. I really disliked the seats in that one. I am 6’/180 and athletic, but the seats were not very comfortable. That almost prevented me from getting my Gladiator. The seats in my ‘06 Silverado were like roadtripping from the couch. Since picking up the Gladiator we have put a couple of days in on the highway. The power, leather seats are WAY better than the ‘21 Sport leather seats. I almost ordered some seat jackers, but I finally found the right seat settings. I only wish the jeeps had “memory“ seats. I cringe every time my wife moves the drivers seat.

Re your very last sentence.
Hence one [but by far the least important] of the reasons to buy a manual.....

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re your very last sentence.
Hence one [but by far the least important] of the reasons to buy a manual.....

LOL….don’t know about your wife, but mine was raised on manual transmissions. Her JLU is one of the few vehicles she has owned that has an auto. My last truck was a 5-speed and it made backing a travel trailer up an inclined driveway an interesting experience. That and the gear ratios are reasons I didn’t even consider a manual transmission for this purchase.

 

[IamPro2A]

LOL….don’t know about your wife, but mine was raised on manual transmissions. Her JLU is one of the few vehicles she has owned that has an auto. My last truck was a 5-speed and it made backing a travel trailer up an inclined driveway an interesting experience. That and the gear ratios are reasons I didn’t even consider a manual transmission for this purchase.

My wife just got her new JLU. It's only the second vehicle she's ever owned with an A/T. Her three prior Jeeps were all M/T. The *only* reason she got an automatic is because this winter has been brutal cold, and she wanted the remote start to warm things up. If Jeep would have used the technology already there to offer remote start in the manual trans (The computer already knows what gear the transmission is or is not in, and if the parking brake is applied or not) she would still have one.

 

[ArcticDreadnought]

Welcome to the party. May you name her in the spirit in which she was found.

 

[Eagle22]

Thanks-- Took a while but I certainly did.




Thanks Jack. I have enjoyed the time on the forum and now finally am officially in the club. I hope to run across you one day on Assateague and share some fish stories!




When I started the process a few years back I drove a Rubicon and Mojave back to back and between the bolstered seats and slightly less beat-the-snot-out-of-you transmission, it focused my attention solely on Mojave's. Being 6'1" and 200lbs with a couple bulging discs seat comfort is always a factor.

I really was impressed by the X's power leather seats but the extra $25K+ to get in the game when I really wanted a black top instead of body color was tough to swallow. I like the larger infotainment screen but that's not a must have. Wireless CarPlay would be nice though.

I didn't have wireless in my previous '21 Overland...I installed this and wireless worked great:

https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Car...B0CX91DM69&psc=1&ref_=pd_basp_d_rpt_ba_s_12_t

 

[Eagle22]

Thanks-- Took a while but I certainly did.




Thanks Jack. I have enjoyed the time on the forum and now finally am officially in the club. I hope to run across you one day on Assateague and share some fish stories!




When I started the process a few years back I drove a Rubicon and Mojave back to back and between the bolstered seats and slightly less beat-the-snot-out-of-you transmission, it focused my attention solely on Mojave's. Being 6'1" and 200lbs with a couple bulging discs seat comfort is always a factor.

I really was impressed by the X's power leather seats but the extra $25K+ to get in the game when I really wanted a black top instead of body color was tough to swallow. I like the larger infotainment screen but that's not a must have. Wireless CarPlay would be nice though.

IRT seats...My wife and I took an 8,000 mile road trip across the country last September. I have to say that the Mojave is the most comfortable vehicle I've travelled in, including two Mercedes I've owned.

We were going to take the trip in my '21 Overland, but I got a great deal on the Mojave just a month before the trip. No regrets at all...the Overland was very comfortable and road-worthy...but the Mojave far exceeds it!

Silver Lake Sand Dunes. Michigan:

 

[DirkG]

Congrats Steve.

How to describe Jeep fandom. Hmm. Steve joined the forum 4 years ago and now 4 years later finds his metal soulmate 1200 miles away. He makes the trek and shares his journey on a site with fellow loons.

Amen

 

[AustinLonghorn]

Congrats! Instantly recognized where your photo was taken in Spartanburg...

 

[biodiesel]

I will still be installing insulation in my hard top. I have noticed that in 12*F temps, it’s a little chilly. Probably due to the proximity to the glass.

The cab does struggle to retain heat when the temps drop below 20*F degrees, especially when going down the highway. We left the house at 3:00 AM, but the coldest temperatures in the high desert are usually around sunrise. By the time we got to the Continental Divide, I could feel the cab losing heat and getting colder. That's when I turned the fan to maximum to bring the cab temperature back up. We probably ran the Jeep for 4 hours like that.

The seat heaters are definitely a plus there.

For sure. They don't help my dogs, but they are nice for the humans!

I have also noticed that a little heat on the lower back can alleviate some of the discomfort of long days in the saddle.

The seat heaters are very impressive in our Rubicon. The steering wheel doesn't get as hot in the jeep as it does in our Ram, but it takes the chill off.

 

[BourbonRunner]

Congrats Steve.

How to describe Jeep fandom. Hmm. Steve joined the forum 4 years ago and now 4 years later finds his metal soulmate 1200 miles away. He makes the trek and shares his journey on a site with fellow loons.

Amen

This is a community of people that in spite of their differences- cultural, ethnic, regional, political, religious, what have you - unite under one common theme:

We're nuts.

 

[JCappy]

I finally found the one.

2022 Mojave with every option except leather and the body-colored roof and fenders. Found it in a Chevy dealer in Orlando Sunday. I negotiated the terms that day and flew down from Baltimore Wednesday and took it home. It had just under 30K on it when I drove it off the lot. I've been hunting for a 22-23 with SelecTrac and a trail cam for a few years now and had all but given up on finding one in the used market. I was in negotiations to buy a brand new Mojave X locally last month but couldn't come to terms with the dealer. I still prefer the black fenders/top over body colored so it worked out.

The previous owner added the bumper, sliders, winch, sprayed bedliner, marker lights, Sunrider, tonneau cover, some interior storage cubbies, a Bulletpoint mount and thankfully the start/stop bypass harness. Bought not built, sure, but that's exactly what I'd have done once I got my own so it's saving me a couple steps and several grand. I think it may have a spacer lift too, it seems higher than other Mojaves I've driven and there's little to no rake.

Day 1: FL-GA-SC. Stayed with my sis and her family outside Columbia and surprised the nieces and nephews.
Day 2: SC-NC-TN-VA-WV-MD

I hit 3 Buc-ee's, ate brisket, lots of jerky and a tanker truck full of coffee. I also managed to hit Asheville Vehicle Outfitters, The BMW Zentrum in Spartanburg, a rose grower in SC for my better half and didn't have any run ins with armed tax collectors on the highways. It was all highway driving for the most part. If I didn't have to get back to work tomorrow I'd have made it a longer run and hit some trails and the Blue Ridge Parkway but there's plenty of time for that in the future.

It's a Buc-ee's duck.

My two favorite types of money pits.

I neglected to reset the clock at the dealer and it was about 65-70 miles from Orlando to Daytona Beach at the first Bucc-ees and however many across town to get on the highway trying to find an auto-parts store for a fuse for my radar detector plug.

Congrats and welcome to the Mojave family. Love mine. Good lookin rig. Enjoy.

 

[NC_Overland]

From my understanding, the seats get more comfortable as you move up through the trim levels. Our Rubicon seats are comfortable, but I've heard others say that the Mojave seats are even better.

We live about 900 miles from my parents' house. We usually drive it straight through. At Christmas, we took the Gladiator for the first time. We both thought the seats were comfortable.

I just remember needing to turn up the fan to keep the cab warm when the ambient temps were in the teens. There's not much cab insulation in the Gladiator like there is in our Ram 1500s. It kept us plenty warm, but we had to keep the heater fan blowing hard to do so.

Also, there was a lot of wind on the way home, so we both agreed that the road/wind noise was a little daunting after 15 hours straight. I do like a quieter cab if I'm going to be in a vehicle for a long period of time.

I'm 6'1" and 195 lbs. (longer legs and shorter torso), so the Gladiator feels a little cramped for 15 hours of driving in terms of leg space. We decided that we wouldn't voluntarily take the Gladiator again on that long of a trip, but wouldn't mind doing so if we had to. Fortunately, we have two Ram 1500s that are spacious and very comfortable for those types of trips.

Overall, I'm impressed with the Gladiator. I also like the 26 - 27 mpg that I get when traveling.

Yeah my overland leather seats are very comfortable and I’ve driven it on several 10-12 hr rd trips and been comfortable. I’m also 6’1”, but tall torso short legged. I had to lower the seat with seat slammers, but I have more than enough leg room.

 

[NC_Overland]

No problems using auto fan with a hard top.

Yeah, mine never comes out of auto for heat or AC and I deal with weather from the low teens to high 90s.

 

[NotSo Bright White]

Full Panda (white Jeep, black top and fenders) proves you have great taste!
Congratulations as it looks awesome!

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