Questions regarding the Gladiator

[AJsJT702]

Automatic here. Towing numbers drop significantly going to a manual.

Thats ok. Not looking to tow anything. Just looking to off road a bit and go to to the snow.

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[NachoRuby]

I am also thinking about going manual. Do you guys have manuals? How is it?

I have the manual. I absolutely love it, unconditionally. There is no full-time 4WD auto option with the manual though (but it still has regular shift on-the-fly 4wd, of course). Great off road. Great on road. Towing is down to 4500 lbs, if that's a concern. Otherwise, if you want a manual, drive one first. Some don't like the soft clutch or the long 3rd gear. I personally find it to be the most enjoyable vehicle I've ever owned.

 

[darksidedesign]

I have the manual. I absolutely love it, unconditionally. No full time 4wd option with the manual though (but it still has regular 4wd). Also, towing is down to 4500 lbs, if that's a concern. Otherwise, if you want a manual, drive one first. Some don't like the soft clutch or the gearing. I personally find it to be the most enjoyable vehicle I've ever owned. Save the manuals haha!

I would have loved a manual myself. My first Jeep was a manual and that thing was so much fun to drive! I just knew there would be times I would need that extra towing capacity. That’s why I went with the automatic.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Did he mention… the doors come off!?!

And the top!

 

[sass JT]

1. Tonneau cover will help keep things dry. I just switch from a cheap soft tonneau cover to a hard tonneau And things have been way dryer but no truck is 100% waterproof. There’s no seals around the tailgate area so there’s always a possible leak.
2. as daily driver, the Mojave is probably the best out of the bunch due to it shock/suspension setup. Just a reminder is that these vehicles are solid axle( a big rarity these days) and totally drive differently and require a different set of maintenance that you have to keep up on. If you haven’t driven one, please do and drive it longer than an hour to get a feel for it.
3. room in the back is pretty decent, I hauled my sister (in front) and her two kids in car seats and we still had room to fold down the center armrests.

personally I have the auto. The 8 speed transmission is nice but a manual isn’t bad for what I hear.
And yes…. Go for the at tires if you can, the Falken wildpeaks are a 3 peak rated tire. I just swapped from nitto ridge grapplers to the Baja boss at’s and it’s night and day difference in snow performance.

good luck on your search and keep in touch if you do get a gladly .

-sass

 

[Mrbizkitt]

I have a tonneau cover as others have mentioned. The Mojave rides great for a daily. Today was the first day I was able to experience snow in it. Got between 12-15 inches and paired with the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT’s in 37’s it handled phenomenally! Rides way better than my JKU did. Extremely happy with it!

 

[WILDHOBO]

Is there ample room in the backseat for extra passengers?

Everything others said above is accurate. We have a rubicon and love it. Great in rain, snow, everything. We have a soft topper, providing dry storage and dog safety, and our back row has more leg room than our former Cherokee and grand Cherokee before that. We bought the rubicon for towing capacity and off-road use, but after having one, would likely never choose another trim. Mohave is great from what I know second hand, but in the mountains, rubi was a better fit for us. Lockers, off road plus, 4:1 low range, and sway bar disconnect are fantastic to have without adding them, for us. The nice thing about these is you can buy and tailor them to what you need. Just sharing ours. Have fun and welcome.

 

[AJsJT702]

Do either of yall take out clients in your rigs?

 

[paloaltan]

I am also thinking about going manual. Do you guys have manuals? How is it?

I went automatic b'c I needed better towing for my Airstream.

 

[Gvsukids]

I am also thinking about going manual. Do you guys have manuals? How is it?

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/6-speed-manual-regrets.37154/

 

[WILDHOBO]

Auto. While I love a manual, we needed the 7k towing capacity the auto rubicon has.

 

[Montana_Wildcat]

Dear Forum,

I am in the market for a new JT. Just had a couple of quick questions to ask:

1. What do you guys do when you have to pick up people from the airport and have luggage?
Or when there is inclement weather and you have to transport luggage? I have never driven
a pickup before but love the looks of the Gladiator (it also helps that its one of my favorite movies).

2. Is the Gladiator a good daily driver? Namely the Mojave trim?

3. Is the Mojave good in snow?

1. Tonneau cover. You can find as cheap as 175-200 on Amazon.
2. The Mojave is the best riding and handling Jeep Wrangler/Gladiator, hands-down.
3. Absolutely a beast in snow....and we have quite a bit here in Montana.

I love my 6-speed. Makes the driving much more enjoyable.. Keep in mind, it's still a truck, so it doesn't shift like a sports car...but for a truck, it's excellent.

 

[Echo 6]

Plenty of room in the back seat to pick people up. (We usually drive our friends around on date nights.) Biggest complaint we've had was the climb up into the vehicle from some of our older friends/family. Running boards or steps would help.

We have the roll-up cover from the dealership: Works great. If you need more space for bulky luggage, I've used a tarp held down with ratchet straps and/or a flexible cargo net. We drove through a massive thunderstorm this summer and everything stayed bone dry.

We've had some snow so far this winter in Minnesota, including one storm that dropped 18" overnight. I was out driving in the middle of it: Never seen so many Wranglers/Gladiators on the road in my life. And every Jeep driver was smiling....

It sounds like the Mojave is the way to go for smooth ride. We have a Rubi: Fun but bouncy.

 

[jeepin48]

OP have you ever had a Jeep (wrangler) in the past? I ask because many people dont know what they are getting into buying one. Jeeps are not comparable to many other vehicles for better and for worse. Better off road and performance on many levels but much worse if you are switching from a car or SUV. The Gladiator is rough compared to almost any other vehicle especially with AT or MT tires that the Mojave comes with. Many of the owners (namely new to wranglers) complain of the tops leaking and being noisy inside. The MPG is worse than other comparable vehicles because it is a freaking brick....... I am just saying don't buy a Gladiator just because it is cool. That will wear off and then we will have to read another post about " the last jeep Ill every own"
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/last-jeep-ill-ever-own.49175/

 

[Trippin01]

Mojave is a kick ass trim level, and I don't have one but would have loved it, if it would have been available at the time of my purchase. I can't help you on the rest. I have a "Disposable Daily Driver" that is much more conducive to my needs. I get 35-40 MPG with my DD, and a round trip commute of 40 miles. My JT is modified beyond daily driver comfort so, I just don't use it for that, no need to. I have picked my wife up at the airport twice with it, once in Montrose Colorado, to go wheeling in Ouray, and then back at home to pick her up on the return flight. I don't believe in Tonneau covers for pickups, as I've never been a city boy (nothing wrong with that tho) I've just lived in the Rocky's my whole life and throw crap in the bed all the time, and if you go fast enough, you won't get snow or rain on anything behind the cab, ha ha. I also keep mine parked in the garage, after installing an 8' garage door, it fits through now. Good luck and enjoy, and I'm looking forward to the trail pics come this summer!

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