Newbie, ordering a minimal Sport

[Sal's Dad]

I LOVE this forum! Thank you all!

In the next couple days, I am ordering a Sport. Here in New England, I can find no evidence that dealers will go much below MSRP, but would welcome any anecdotes or advice on that! I am thinking about letting them offer a horrible financing deal, in exchange for a lower list, then paying it off ASAP... thoughts?

I do light construction and real estate, haul every kind of small boats (fun in the slippery intertidal zone, with no assistance on call); my wife is a landscape designer (mud), and we travel with dogs. So no heavy off-roading, but need a small 4x4 with real cargo capability and low reach-over into the bed. And neither the people nor the dogs are quite as young as once, so climbing way up into a cab is no fun

Our truck will be: Manual, soft-top, power nothing, limited slip, light trailer package, bedliner and floor mats. Color: EcoGreen (the landscaper said absolutely no military references!) minimal/no badging or decals.

Already daydreaming of customization - a back seat platform for the pups, cargo, and perhaps the occasional human. Cargo/ladder/boat racks (16' is common, sometimes masts to 25'). Front hitch, for moving trailers around the yard, (I love the front hitch on my Yaris Wooden running boards. Maybe a custom flatbed/stakeside.

One question I have is tires. Since we are looking for a low vehicle, I am thinking to order the all-terrain tires for winter use, and get a set of low-profile tires/wheels from TireRack for summer. I figure this could drop the vehicle by up to 2". Opinions?

Thanks!

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[DocMike]

Welcome!

Any time you change the tire diameter you are looking at adjusting shift points etc. If you plan to swap tires on the regular get a Tazer.

I would be cognizant of the scrub line when going to low profile tires. http://www.streetrod101.com/scrub-line.html

I have spent much time under my Jeep but have not thought about low pros. Be aware of making sure everything clears so you are safe. I would imagine you are fine, but then again...when you mod things....

 

[Shackleton]

I just want to see it with the wooden running boards and bed sides. Sounds pretty cook

 

[Orange01z28]

The truck will be really low with the stock all-terrains; stick with those and put on some side steps and you'll be golden

 

[XJADDICTION]

Couple things; do you just have to have a manual or would you consider auto?

The 8 speed auto can handle more load and is better in every way, less the pleasure of rowing through the gears. I had many manuals and most recently a manual on a Rubicon 2016 JKU. I loved it but then the JK had the crappy 5 speed auto so manual was only option at that time IMOP. The 8 speed ZF is incredible and well matched with the v-6, better power, better towing, better fuel mileage.

For your kayaks use a ladder rack set up, if you have a hard top (vs a soft top), get on FB marketplace and find Yakima gutter mounts with long load bars. I just use one with a cheap Chinese ladder rack on the bed someone gave to me.

Ladder racks are typically very tall and look awkward IMOP. The advantage of the Chinese rack is the ability to take the cross bars off and cut them down to match the height of the Yakima gutter mount attached to the hard top. I can slide the Yakima load bar forward to just behind the freedom panels for 16-20’ + (no problem with a mast) foot lumber, kayaks and my 7 foot Yakima skybox. I slide the Yakima load bar all the way back when I don’t need it which stops any noise from Yakima bar with freedom panels out.

Another thing to consider is the cold weather group as you live in the north east. You will have heated cloth seats and steering wheel which are awesome!

A tow package like Max Tow and I think standard tow package give you class 4 receiver hitch and heavy duty alternator and battery (again beneficial for your winters).

I can’t Say it enough...? (my friends here on the forum will agree that I am very vocal about the Max Tow package gladiator) the Max Tow is perfect for someone that wants a real mid sized half ton convertible truck. 1600lb bed capacity, 760 lbs of max tongue weight, and 7650 lbs of towing. You also have a rear view camera that has moving lines to back up for trailer hitch hook ups with a zoom feature to make trailer hook ups an easy one person job.

I understand that budget constraints may keep you from upgrading package but I also understand the desire to keep it simple if thatbis your purchase reasoning. BUT, roll down windows and manual door locks are a pain in the ass. A lot of reaching over to unlock or roll windows down, so the Sport S package that has the power group, is worth the price. If you plan on any lighting accessories or air pumps etc order it with the accessories switch panel.

I have $500 total in my Jeep accessories, I paid $42G in October of 2019 for my Max Tow Sport S. You should be able to do better deal with incentives now. The Max Tow With it’s wide track axles, HD Dana 44’s and 4:10 gears is a hoss for a mid size pickup when towing. I know everyone hates on the stock wheels and small tires but they are awesome. Quiet, good fuel mileage, still good traction ( I am not out rock crawling) and you could grab a second set with wheels and TPMS for $2-300 bucks. People throw them away basically. Of course you could upgrade to Rubicon or Mojave takes offs with limited change in the Max Tow’s abilities.

My bed set up is DIY, and I love it, very useful. Only needs a drawer system I will build soon. Everything on the trunk locks with the tailgate power lock. I can carry 4 kayaks, or 2 kayaks with 4 bikes sideways on hard bed cover and Yakima skybox.

I have packed it and towed a single jet ski on a trailer 2000 miles round trip with 2 passengers and it was an easy drive. I avged 18mpg

PM me with questions

 

[Sal's Dad]

Thanks! A lot of good stuff to think about.

XJAddiction, your racks look pretty close to what I was thinking. On my last couple trucks (98 F150 5speed and 2006 Tundra double cab) I made my own quick and dirty racks with 1" steel conduit bent to fit the pockets, positioned just below the roofline, with cargo tilted up slightly to clear. Even then, the 6'+ span between racks was often too short for comfort. The Tundra has the roll-down rear window, so 16' kayaks just slide right in with no rack at all, and 20' rebar rests on the dashboard . Gonna miss that feature. I am thinking hitch exenders rear and/or front, not for carrying weight, but for stabilizing https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Cargo-Carrier/MaxxTow/MT70231.html. Or maybe some kind of bracket just behind the front fenders.

I've gotta have the stickshift, and I like things on the primitive side. If only they offered a 2-knob, 5-button preset option for the radio. And 8Track Seat heater and power jacks are easy adds later.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H3SWBVZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I hadn't consider the MaxTow package for bed payload. Sure would be nice to take 3/4 ton of materials. But then I would have to add a dump mechanism, no? I didn't see the payload documented, will check it out!

As to ground clearance, I won't do anything rash, this is not about looks. My wife likes being able to reach into the bed for her tools and supplies; maybe the flatbed lowered to frame height, with lower sides, would work even better.

 

[XJADDICTION]

The bedsides are short and reaching into bed is easy. I think even if you are less than 6’ tall that shouldn’t be a problem with the sport

 

[Sal's Dad]

The bedsides are short and reaching into bed is easy. I think even if you are less than 6’ tall that shouldn’t be a problem with the sport

We are talking 5'-4 here The Gladiator is MUCH lower than any other new 4x4 pickup, but that's not saying much!

And Payload? Looks like the current word is the Sport with stick is 1700 lbs. Me plus 3/4 ton!
https://www.jeep.com/gladiator/specs.html. A LOT less for models further up the food chain (1100 to 1200) though I don't see why that would be. And I don't see a breakout for the MaxTow package.

I'll be sure to get a photo on the scale, when picking up that first load of gravel.

 

[FutureOdin]

You should be able to get some off MSRP in New England, but I haven't heard/seen a dealer that will do the 7-8% off invoice as others would. Unless you're down for a flight and road trip!

 

[Sal's Dad]

Ordered the truck today - MSRP $36,935, Less $1,000 rebate, $1,600 "discount", plus $295 for them to do paperwork. Plus $2,300 to the Governor.

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