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Questions regarding the Gladiator

Mac Attack

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My 6’3” 17 year old fits back there just fine. Even with my seat all the way back.
Is that because he is conditioned to not complain due to the back-hand slap; because he likes pain and discomfort or because he actually likes it?
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BowlofSoup

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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.
Yeah that 3rd gear is deceivingly long. Not bad though, just have to get used to not shifting to 4th while driving around town.

As long as the jeep comes in stick, I'm going stick.
 

Tornado_6

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I don't have a tonneau cover, but a car top carrier (which I already had) fit nicely atop some 2x4 rails attached to homemade trail rails. It kept luggage dry for 3 of us on our holiday road trip.

Jeep Gladiator Questions regarding the Gladiator JT w cartop carrier
 

NachoRuby

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I like some of the others would really recommend testing a couple out. Even though I love mine and this is my 4th, they are not for everyone. My last jeep a JL was a manual transmission and I really didn't like it. It has an awful rev hang, the clutch is way too soft, and just overall feel not good. I have driven quite a few clutched vehicles. In the mountains it was terrible as I had to keep in 4 low most of the time. I really like ths auto. Just drive one and see how you like it, if it works for you then itll be great.
On all but a JT Mojave, 4 low tops out at 30mph! Your transfer case and engine would be screaming. But seriously, wondering if something was wrong with your JL, because that's definitely not normal. I wouldn't attempt it unless I wanted to break stuff. The mountains here are not tall but they are steep. Can't say I've experienced that, or that I'd attempt it. Something would break. On the highway, usually 4th or 5th to go up a mountain, depending on how steep. Maybe 3rd if I need to scoot.
 

BowlofSoup

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I like some of the others would really recommend testing a couple out. Even though I love mine and this is my 4th, they are not for everyone. My last jeep a JL was a manual transmission and I really didn't like it. It has an awful rev hang, the clutch is way too soft, and just overall feel not good. I have driven quite a few clutched vehicles. In the mountains it was terrible as I had to keep in 4 low most of the time. I really like ths auto. Just drive one and see how you like it, if it works for you then itll be great.
That seems strange. How slow were you going that you could keep it in 4 low? Were you crawling up?
 

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Fouts

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You can run up to 6th gear in 4 low not that I did or would want to. Where I wheel you go from steep rocky, muddy, or snowy climbs to flat sections where a little speed is nice. When trying to run in the slower speeds or crawling 4 high too high. 4 low fine for crawling but not great at speed. Constantly switching from low to high no fun. The clutch has no feel and the engines is quiet so you have to constantly keep it revved. I get the die hard manual transmission guys, I was one. Those that say it is great are not really being honest with themselves.
 

NachoRuby

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I I get the die hard manual transmission guys, I was one. Those that say it is great are not really being honest with themselves.
Absolutely incorrect. Just because you didn't like it doesn't mean everyone else is wrong. Your experience is not mine. I'm being 100% honest when I say I love the transmission. This is not my first manual either. I've had a Challenger R/T, a WRX, two STis, a 1973 VW bug (still have it), a BRZ, a Rabbit, a Jetta GLI, a bunch of 90s and early 2000s civics, a Compass, a TJ, a JK, a Dart, a Fiesta ST, and now the JT. I love every minute of it, being honest. If you didn't like yours, that's fine, but no one is lying to themselves because they do.

My only real complaint is (was) that the clutch is a little soft, but the shifter is absolutely great. The clutch feels good now at 16000 miles though. The soft pedal feel actually make it less taxing in traffic and off road, so it's a tradeoff there between pedal feel and lifting weights with one leg. It just took a couple of drives to get used to. But really, the same as anything different. Now when I drive my wife's JK, it feels firm haha, but I get used to it after a mile or two.

I'm not diehard manual to the point that everyone else is wrong. I get that some (most) folks will buy the auto and that's ok. I'm sure it's a great choice. But I really do like the manual. Based on the manual threads, it seems like most people with one really enjoy it. Ditto for the automatic. Of course some don't/didn't like the MT, and that's fine too. But I don't think everyone is lying to themselves by liking the 6 speed. I think it's a good fun time, all the time.
 
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AJsJT702

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Thank you for all of your responses. Really appreciate the time you guys took
to help me out.
 

NC_Overland

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My back seat is way bigger than my canyon or frontier. The ride is better also. My only complaint is the wind noise. It’s bad on the interstate and it makes my Bluetooth useless.

I love mine as a daily driver. Like others have said, tonneau cover. Also, the bed extender works great when folded in to keep stuff from flying around everywhere.
 

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My back seat is way bigger than my canyon or frontier. The ride is better also. My only complaint is the wind noise. It’s bad on the interstate and it makes my Bluetooth useless.

I love mine as a daily driver. Like others have said, tonneau cover. Also, the bed extender works great when folded in to keep stuff from flying around everywhere.
I have the factory soft/roll-up tonneau cover. Never been wet in the back of the truck unless it's due to snow coming in around the TAIL GATE. A tail gate seal would solve that. I've driven through two hellish wind storms (look up Iowa wind storms of the last 2 years) and driving rain and all and haven't had water in the back.
I also use mine as a daily driver - didn't start out that way, I bought it as a TRUCK as that's what it was to me. I ended up loving it so much my wife's 2021 WK2 she bought in October of 2020 has a whopping 4800 miles on it - it sits, we take my truck. My wife has driven it from Fort Wayne back to Des Moines and from Colorado Springs back to Des Moines and likes driving it (save for the manual seat adjustments - she's handicapped and can't adjust the seat once in the truck)
It's comfortable, nice on long drives.
The wind noise to me means there's no use putting in a multi-thousand dollar sound system as it's useless on the highway.
My son and his wife both commented that the back seat on the Gladiator had more leg room and was better sitting than my Silverado was.
 

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NC_Overland

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I have the factory soft/roll-up tonneau cover. Never been wet in the back of the truck unless it's due to snow coming in around the TAIL GATE. A tail gate seal would solve that. I've driven through two hellish wind storms (look up Iowa wind storms of the last 2 years) and driving rain and all and haven't had water in the back.
I also use mine as a daily driver - didn't start out that way, I bought it as a TRUCK as that's what it was to me. I ended up loving it so much my wife's 2021 WK2 she bought in October of 2020 has a whopping 4800 miles on it - it sits, we take my truck. My wife has driven it from Fort Wayne back to Des Moines and from Colorado Springs back to Des Moines and likes driving it (save for the manual seat adjustments - she's handicapped and can't adjust the seat once in the truck)
It's comfortable, nice on long drives.
The wind noise to me means there's no use putting in a multi-thousand dollar sound system as it's useless on the highway.
My son and his wife both commented that the back seat on the Gladiator had more leg room and was better sitting than my Silverado was.
My wind noise is bad. It’s worse than my JKU Rubicon with M/Ts. It’s every bit as loud as the soft top models I’ve driven. One day I’ll figure out where it’s coming from because @JeepCares has been useless. It’s been to the dealership several times. I need my alpine system to be able to hear it on the hwy.
 

Challenger85

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I have Mojave, Auto 4X4 and AT’s. Great truck, awesome handling, great in snow. Won’t regret it.
 

Gvsukids

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DD? Yes. I like many others drive our Gladiator everyday. Here's one such example, https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/100000-mile-gladiator-owner-review/.

My wind noise is bad. It’s worse than my JKU Rubicon with M/Ts. It’s every bit as loud as the soft top models I’ve driven. One day I’ll figure out where it’s coming from because @JeepCares has been useless. It’s been to the dealership several times. I need my alpine system to be able to hear it on the hwy.
Can you post a video? Is it from a seam where something is not tight enough, or needing sound proofing material in the cabin?
 

dcmdon

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There hasn't been much discussion of the Selec-trac. IMHO, if you live in a snowy area for $600 its a no-brainer.

Yeah, yeah, you can shift back and forth, but why would you. AWD is where its at on the road.
Where I go in the winter you can have roads in the shade that are covered all winter, then you come around a corner and its dry pavement in the sun.

I'm still astonished that in NH and MA
dealers don't stock jeeps with it.
 
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ShadowsPapa

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There hasn't been much discussion of the Selec-trac. IMHO, if you live in a snowy area for $600 its a no-brainer.

Yeah, yeah, you can shift back and forth, but why would you. AWD is where its at on the road.
Where I go in the winter you can have roads in the shade that are covered all winter, then you come around a corner and its dry pavement in the sun.

I'm still astonished that in NH and MA
dealers don't stock jeeps with it.
Just guessing here - they likely "stock" what they can sell to a walk-in customer who is just browsing, iffy as to whether they'd actually buy that day, and stay under some magic monthly payment.
If I were buying today - and they didn't have one with it, I'd tell them they either get me one or I'll order one with.
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