I'm looking to buy my first gladiator. Help!

[Bandit’s Lair]

I wish I could option a Sport S max tow with a rear locker, or a Willys with 4.10's! I'm sorta fed up with Jeep right now. There's some weird stuff coming out of Toledo that isn't on the spec sheets, so it's either extremely poor quality control, or they're just saying, "F*ck it - send it, as is, and sell it! Someone will buy it". Sad thing is, they're not wrong, but I'm not going to be one of those people. I'm seriously considering reversing course and waiting for the Ranger Tremor.

Get the Sport S and do it yourself. Or have a shop do it. You’ll come out on the back end with a product far superior to what Jeep would have included at a price point that is comparable. Most of the aftermarket stuff is easier to work on or fix as well. This is all my opinion but having owned a Rubicon and now a Sport S, I’ll take the Sport S all day every day and twice on Sunday if I can select the parts I want on it.

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[WambliSka]

My 2026 sport S, handles suprisingly well on the highway and isnt terrible on these La swamp highways. Honestly bought the S because of price and a good test drive. Love the powered windows, i went to the dealer very sceptical of the Jeep because long ago experiences.
Yes i wish i could have bought more options but the S is fine for me?

The Sport S is a GREAT value for the money in the Jeep lineup. It does have a very good highway ride and it's a quite capable off-road vehicle when called upon. I believe in most cases they are all a Jeep owner needs, especially a new one, until they figure out exactly where their outdoors adventures are going to take them. If you find it does everything you need, WIN!!!

But if your road is headed to places where your trim package has REAL limitations (not the ones imagined by many) you can do the $$$ math of what targeted upgrades are needed, the real cost cost (both parts and labor), sacrificed offline time while the upgrades are done by you or others, the price of YOUR TIME and your measure of patience for waiting (where my math goes to Hell because I have ZERO ).

I think realistically most folks could comfortably stay in this vehicle for a lifetime of use but others will find it easier, cheaper and more expedient to go to the dealer and get another Jeep trim that meets their needs, whatever they are. None of those forks on the road are bad, they all lead to happy Jeep ownership and close to zero aggravation.

 

[WambliSka]

Get the Sport S and do it yourself. Or have a shop do it. You’ll come out on the back end with a product far superior to what Jeep would have included at a price point that is comparable. Most of the aftermarket stuff is easier to work on or fix as well. This is all my opinion but having owned a Rubicon and now a Sport S, I’ll take the Sport S all day every day and twice on Sunday if I can select the parts I want on it.

A rather realistic assessment/option that only suffers from the assumption that everyone has the time, equipment, money and capabilities to do these upgrades in the future. I have found that most folks, while willing, don't posses the rest of the requirements.

I collect guns and I buy a lot of used guns because there is very little in the new gun world that has any attraction to me anymore because I have more than enough "black guns" to outfit my whole family. When I want to buy a new (to me) gun my first question is, "Has it been modified in any way from factory configuration?". If the answer is yes it's a HARD PASS for me unless it comes with a detailed bill of work from a VERY reputable gunsmith I'm personally aquatinted with. I'm a rather capable gunsmith myself and I'm tired of fixing other people's kitchen counter gunsmithing jobs.

Same when I buy Used Jeep (my second and third one). They were 100% factory and I quickly passed on hundreds of shady tree mechanic examples. But hey, I'm just one guy and I can only speak to the way I think.

 

[bluemoon110]

Definitely.

I actually drove the Mojave and a Willys - but ordered the Sport S Max Tow without driving one (because it was rare and nobody had one on the lot).

The Mojave was probably the best ride but I really didn't want anything with special shocks. I know they can be rebuilt, etc - but I wanted reasonable cost shocks that can be replaced on short notice if necessary, and the Mojave with different size bolts, etc went against that.

I test drove a Sport S with Max Tow, but ordered a 2022 Sport S without Max Tow. At the time, the cost was only about $1,700 more. I regretted the choice all that evening, so the next day I drove back to the dealer and asked if I could add the MT package. They said no, but you can order another one with Max Tow, and when they arrive, you can take the one you want. So I took the Max tow because of the added features. I don't do rock crawling, so I don't need the un-locker, but I can add it if I think I ever need to.

 

[Setec641A]

I know exactly WHY we can't get a Sport S with a locker, or a Willys with 4.10's...it's exactly why you think - it will cut into the Rubi sales, BIG time. The issue I'm having is that I found a Shadow Ops that was optioned exactly as I wanted, but when I got to the dealer website, it had a soft top. I contacted the dealer, and said, "What gives"? The dealer said that the factory accidentally sent it with a soft top and that it has the dual top group. The Monroney sticker did not reflect this and I challenged him on it. He said, "Oh, um... let me go check on that". That was obviously BS, since they had more than one in that configuration, and I found a handful on other dealers' sites as well. The stickers were changed, as well to reflect no hard top, and the price was reduced. The SO package clearly states that a Body Color 3-Piece Freedom Top is INCLUDED. I also saw a bunch of Mojave's that were shipped with the White Cap package, but I went back and looked at the Build It page, and wasn't available on the Mojave, but it may be now. Jeep just recently added Goldilocks to the options, so the website was updated. I realize it's not Jeep's fault that I have a very specific option list, but it's just frustrating when I find something I want, only for it to be misrepresented. At the end of the day, I'm just being a whiny little b!tch, and throwing a temper tantrum. I WANT A NEW TOY, DAMMIT!

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

I know exactly WHY we can't get a Sport S with a locker, or a Willys with 4.10's...it's exactly why you think - it will cut into the Rubi sales, BIG time. The issue I'm having is that I found a Shadow Ops that was optioned exactly as I wanted, but when I got to the dealer website, it had a soft top. I contacted the dealer, and said, "What gives"? The dealer said that the factory accidentally sent it with a soft top and that it has the dual top group. The Monroney sticker did not reflect this and I challenged him on it. He said, "Oh, um... let me go check on that". That was obviously BS, since they had more than one in that configuration, and I found a handful on other dealers' sites as well. The stickers were changed, as well to reflect no hard top, and the price was reduced. The SO package clearly states that a Body Color 3-Piece Freedom Top is INCLUDED. I also saw a bunch of Mojave's that were shipped with the White Cap package, but I went back and looked at the Build It page, and wasn't available on the Mojave, but it may be now. Jeep just recently added Goldilocks to the options, so the website was updated. I realize it's not Jeep's fault that I have a very specific option list, but it's just frustrating when I find something I want, only for it to be misrepresented. At the end of the day, I'm just being a whiny little b!tch, and throwing a temper tantrum. I WANT A NEW TOY, DAMMIT!

If you’re going to be spending $60k+ on a new toy, whine all you want!!!!

 

[WambliSka]

If you’re going to be spending $60k+ on a new toy, whine all you want!!!!

Yep, I'm still waiting for these idiots to add a Wildpeak 35" option on the trims that will benefit from them!!!

 

[WambliSka]

BTW cause I’m bored, I went searching for the “plenty of documentation” about the Mojave suspension being crap. Outside of the typical mostly internet BS posted by a bunch of male Karens and pimply face 13 year olds flexing “knowledge” they got off YouTube and some video game while living in their mom’s basement. I did find pissed off bitching in forums and Reddit about stuff folks say they broke without proof or mentioning how they busted it (like jumped your Jeep 20 feet through the air every Saturday and it’s the shocks fault they failed prematurely). I found nothing from credible sources.

BTW Fox states clearly their shocks should be re-built after 50-60k miles of hard use.

What I did find was:
https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2020-jeep-gladiator-mojave-first-drive-review

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2024-jeep-gladiator-mojave-first-test-review

And hundreds of other great reviews. And here’s some info from Fox themselves on shock development and testing.

https://ridefox.com/blogs/stories/tune-is-the-key-to-a-well-rounded-shock-package

Soooooooooo do your own research and choose who to believe. Tommy next door’s third cousins once removed, or actual experts.

 

[JmattNYC]

Im an outlier im sure, but i dont mind the boring dome steel hood that they have right now. At least it wont corrode like the aluminum sport hoods

I hear you and i am a all steel guy myself. In truth all 3 gladiators I've own and 1 JLU(all sports hoods) never ever had issues with paint bubbles or corrosion. But i get it trust me.

 

[JmattNYC]

I wish I could option a Sport S max tow with a rear locker, or a Willys with 4.10's! I'm sorta fed up with Jeep right now. There's some weird stuff coming out of Toledo that isn't on the spec sheets, so it's either extremely poor quality control, or they're just saying, "F*ck it - send it, as is, and sell it! Someone will buy it". Sad thing is, they're not wrong, but I'm not going to be one of those people. I'm seriously considering reversing course and waiting for the Ranger Tremor.

Your going to Ford because your un happy about Jeep quality ? Ford really lol Dear lord where have you been. Have you seen the garbage ford makes and BTW you will be waiting forever for the ranger tremor(FORD doesnt make alot of rangers for some strange reason)

 

[Stormtroopin]

BTW cause I’m bored, I went searching for the “plenty of documentation” about the Mojave suspension being crap. Outside of the typical mostly internet BS posted by a bunch of male Karens and pimply face 13 year olds flexing “knowledge” they got off YouTube and some video game while living in their mom’s basement. I did find pissed off bitching in forums and Reddit about stuff folks say they broke without proof or mentioning how they busted it (like jumped your Jeep 20 feet through the air every Saturday and it’s the shocks fault they failed prematurely). I found nothing from credible sources.

BTW Fox states clearly their shocks should be re-built after 50-60k miles of hard use.

What I did find was:
https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2020-jeep-gladiator-mojave-first-drive-review

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2024-jeep-gladiator-mojave-first-test-review

And hundreds of other great reviews. And here’s some info from Fox themselves on shock development and testing.

https://ridefox.com/blogs/stories/tune-is-the-key-to-a-well-rounded-shock-package

Soooooooooo do your own research and choose who to believe. Tommy next door’s third cousins once removed, or actual experts.

the Mojave package is awsome, shocks are amazing and hydro bumpstops in the front are great. I have two friends with raptors 1st and second gen that both thought I overpaid for a jeep with raptor quality’s when I could’ve just got a raptor for the same price. They quickly ate their words when we went to Joshua tree for a week and did some high speed(50 mph+) runs through the desert throughout the week. I very rarely see anyone crapping on the Mojave package in comments and I just think to myself they have never driven one or been in one on washboard roads/desert roads at a high rate of speed. They are not overrated and there are reasons why people buy a rubicon and turn it into a Mojavicon. The shocks are that main reason. The guy that thinks the fox shocks are overrated is clueless. However I will say if you are going to throw a 4 inch lift and big 40 inch tires don’t get a Mojave.

 

[Mike Kilo]

In the next few months I'm looking to get a new vehicle.

I love the Rubicon, but hate the tires...

I love the tires on the Willy's.. (Blacked out).

I'm looking for a hunting, fishing, campus vehicle..

Unlike both styles.. I'm not looking to rock crawl, just disappear in the mountain trails.

Rubicon??

Willy's??

My Jeep use case is exactly the same as yours. I bought a pre-owned but still under warranty 2023 Jeep Gladiator Overland. Open diffs. Soft shocks. No push-button lockers. No push-button swaybar disconnects. And I'm slowly and deliberately building it into the Jeep I want and need. My next major install will be a Detroit Truetrac LSD rear diff. Plus manual front swaybar quick-disconnects. Those upgrades plus decent A/T tires will be more than enough for mountain trails. And, frankly, better than lockers unless you're doing any extreme mudding or rock crawling; the Truetracs are also great for everyday driving in inclement weather.

 

[WambliSka]

the Mojave package is awsome, shocks are amazing and hydro bumpstops in the front are great. I have two friends with raptors 1st and second gen that both thought I overpaid for a jeep with raptor quality’s when I could’ve just got a raptor for the same price. They quickly ate their words when we went to Joshua tree for a week and did some high speed(50 mph+) runs through the desert throughout the week. I very rarely see anyone crapping on the Mojave package in comments and I just think to myself they have never driven one or been in one on washboard roads/desert roads at a high rate of speed. They are not overrated and there are reasons why people buy a rubicon and turn it into a Mojavicon. The shocks are that main reason. The guy that thinks the fox shocks are overrated is clueless. However I will say if you are going to throw a 4 inch lift and big 40 inch tires don’t get a Mojave.

Spot freakin’ on…

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Spot freakin’ on…

Yep. I’m aiMing for Mohabicon but starting with a Sport S. That way I know all the bits and pieces that will be on it. Be great once I get it done. Heck it’ll be great when I get it started!!!

 

[Setec641A]

Your going to Ford because your un happy about Jeep quality ? Ford really lol Dear lord where have you been. Have you seen the garbage ford makes and BTW you will be waiting forever for the ranger tremor(FORD doesnt make alot of rangers for some strange reason)

My current F150 has over 142,000 miles and runs like the day I took delivery of it. It had a wheel bearing replaced at 85,000 miles. That's it. It's proven itself to me. I would absolutely buy another 2.7L w/ the 10R80. It's one of the most reliable power trains on the market, currently. The Tremor has been confirmed for Fall of 2026.

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