Thoughts coming from a full size pickup to a Gladiator?

[biodiesel]

There's no way that the Gladiator could replace our 1/2-ton trucks, but we do a lot of towing. If money is tight, it's best to keep what you have and pay it off. I love the Gladiator as a small work truck, though.

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[ChrisNLA]

Oh, what sort of mileage do you have on your F150? Just curious.

My co-worker has a 2014 with the 5.0L.

It has 350,000 miles on it. Original engine, original transmission. Neither has been opened up. He still uses it to take his boat to the lake an hour and a half away.

Yours may have more life left than you think

 

[Stan H]

One of my current vehicles is a 2017 F-150 regular cab. I am thinking about trading it in for a crew cab pickup with lower mileage, but I am in the early stages of a new business and don’t want to spend the extra money right now to get another F—150. There is a dealer near me with a 2023 Rubicon that has 9k miles on it. If I traded in my F-150, I would owe about 8 grand. Financially it makes sense. I want to hear opinions on what it’s like to go from a full size pickup to a Gladiator. I take the ATVs and SXS to different trails, I pull a Ranger Bass Boat, and I occasionally use my truck to trailer other things. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

You lost me at F-150 rest looked like Egyptian hyrogliphics.
Go Jeep or Go Home.

 

[OCJosh]

I just switched this weekend out of a 21 Ram 1500 to my Mojave. I wrestled with this for a bit over a year. The Ram had more space, could tow more, could carry more, was more comfortable and more powerful but in the end, the Gladiator is just a different type of vehicle altogether. I thought I would tow more, hence the Ram but in the end, I just towed one time and the rest of the time I was using it to commute. If you aren't gonna tow, I say go with the Gladiator. I never understood (but had an inkling) about why people liked Jeeps until I got one...now I am not sure I could go back.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I have a Jeep because of the places I want to go. I have a Gladiator because it rides nicer than a Wrangler. I don't have a Bronco because my wife hated the interior.

Unlike my peers at work or wifes peers at work who have Jeeps to wave at each other and go to Jeeps and Java and never go offroad because they "don't want to tear it up"

It's a huge compromise as a commuter vehicle, just for style lol, I'd never buy any body on frame 4x4 for daily work and literally intend to never take it offroad, but I'm in the minority by far.

There are few vehicles I can drive 400 miles to the UP, spend 4 days off road in the snow and mud and never see another person, while comfy on my heated seat and satellite radio, and drive back home

But, objectively, it's not a great truck or commuter vehicle lol.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

I have a Gladiator and an F150. The F150 is my daily commuter because it's much better at that. The Gladiator is the go-to on weekends because it's more fun. If I had to ditch one, I guess it would have to be the Gladiator.

 

[Stan H]

I have a Gladiator and an F150. The F150 is my daily commuter because it's much better at that. The Gladiator is the go-to on weekends because it's more fun. If I had to ditch one, I guess it would have to be the Gladiator.

( loud bass drum ) Duh da dum say it isnt true , Et Tu Brute !!

 

[Jerhemi]

I left my 5.0L 2017 F150 for the Gladiator.

F150 - Better towing, more comfortable, better on gas, super quiet, more box space.

Gladiator - Fun

These trucks (to me) are nowhere near comparable. If you want a fun vehicle you can do some truck stuff in, the Gladiator works. However, every time I pull my boat or take a LONG drive, I miss the F150.

 

[Dummy SALAPA]

Like others here I went from a full size truck a Ram 1500 to my Mojave. No regrets because I love the Mojave so much! No more "Cadillac" ride and yes not as much space. I tow a small Teardrop but really cant tell the difference between the Ram and the Mojave when it comes to towing other then a little less torque but not enough to complain about. To me the ride is the best part of the Gladiator Mojave, it feels like a traditional Jeep but just not as bumpy. I love it its perfect. As for space, yeah sometimes its a bit of a drag, but I kind of got used to the smaller size and parking is so easy. I dont miss my Ram.

 

[Stan H]

I left my 5.0L 2017 F150 for the Gladiator.

F150 - Better towing, more comfortable, better on gas, super quiet, more box space.

Gladiator - Fun

These trucks (to me) are nowhere near comparable. If you want a fun vehicle you can do some truck stuff in, the Gladiator works. However, every time I pull my boat or take a LONG drive, I miss the F150.

Here they come round the turn its neck and neck look out they are making a break for the finish line ..it's close...and there’s your triple crown winner Fun for the Win !! Yeah Baby !!

 

[JTGuy]

I like my Gladiator but it could never replace my Ram 2500 4x4 diesel. I have even thought about just using it for over landing and ditch the JT. It's better in so many ways. But not as good for real 4x4 trails. It has a full Thuren soft ride suspension .

 

[chr15m]

There's no way that the Gladiator could replace our 1/2-ton trucks, but we do a lot of towing. If money is tight, it's best to keep what you have and pay it off. I love the Gladiator as a small work truck, though.

My constant battle having owned a few 1/2 tons, camping with gear and kayaks, the dogs, the wife, payload becomes very evident. My way out thru Portland traffic to the mountain can get dicey with the psychos on the road.

The JT is easily in my top 2 for most enjoyable vehicles I've ever owned, only bested by my old S2000.

It may be my final attempt at a midsize truck though, I dont wheel like I did in my 20s and Im okay with that. Payload and cabin space will always be a factor for me. I'd make the jump to fullsize again today if it werent for the fact I've let "fun " vehicles go before and I always miss them.

Someday though..

For now I'll keep smiling.

 

[jpmzville]

Left my 23 Ram 1500 behind for a 2025 Mojave this year.

Though neither was/is my daily driver, the Ram is a better truck in every conceivable way, except for driving dynamics. I’ve had a 2018 F150 Platinum and the same holds true. The JTM is louder, slower, less roomy, tows less, hauls less and does all of this with worse MPG than the Hemi RAM (or Ecoboost).

I do tow regularly, and if we didn’t also own a diesel Tahoe I probably wouldn’t have made the switch. The JTM does NOT tow well.

That said, I’ve owned > 50 vehicles, this is my first “real” Jeep and I couldn’t love it more. It’s terrible but fantastic and unparalleled.

 

[chr15m]

Left my 23 Ram 1500 behind for a 2025 Mojave this year.

Though neither was/is my daily driver, the Ram is a better truck in every conceivable way, except for driving dynamics. I’ve had a 2018 F150 Platinum and the same holds true. The JTM is louder, slower, less roomy, tows less, hauls less and does all of this with worse MPG than the Hemi RAM (or Ecoboost).

I do tow regularly, and if we didn’t also own a diesel Tahoe I probably wouldn’t have made the switch. The JTM does NOT tow well.

That said, I’ve owned > 50 vehicles, this is my first “real” Jeep and I couldn’t love it more. It’s terrible but fantastic and unparalleled.

Yeah, that. 100%

 

[Swegian]

Left my cherished 2013 Ram Sport 1500 @160k fully referbished by my dealer (they loved that) for my 21 Jlu Rubicon Wrangler with the works. I went down to buy diesel Gladiator. Came home with a 1 touch top all the trimmings.

So 3 months ago, 21 Snazz berry 3.0 Diesel Rubicon jt w/16k miles, joined the family.

Had a bunch of 1/2-3/4 -ton pu's, from all big 3. 1974-2021, Inherited a 91 f250 long bed 2wd 7.3 (IH) diesel and will never let it go for real towing.

But why did I want a Gladiator? Cause I had a CJ8 Scrambler and had to let it go after 3 years due to a wife's bad auto accident. (I loved that darn useless pretend truck, it was just so much fun.)

I'm headed to Moab day after tomorrow towing a utility box trailer with all our camping gear. It should be well less than 3k.

I had my 33' Falkins t01 with 60k left over from my 21 JLU that has new 4AT 35". With the 35' dropped my 21 Jlu diesel from 27-29 highway down to 25+ all around.

My JT arrived with 35" nitro 20" grapplers. put the smaller tires on to pull the trailer to Moab and gained back about 2 mpg. 35" Grapple 18-21, now 21-25 with the stock 33"

I miss the adjustable seats with the cooling fan in my Sport 1500. But that's about it. Not that I didn't love my Ram.

But I've just seen a top for the Gladiator that retracts just like the "one touch" but goes all the way back fully exposing the passenger compartment.

In a few years that will be my goal. Right now just trying to earn the money to pay back the cards for the trip to Moab starting tomorrow. Our first time and very excited.

It's a 3 jeep family trip hooking up with the Lady Jeepers from Georga. Wife's 2020 JLU 2.0 Bikini Blue, our kids in the 21 3.0 rubi, and the new to us JT rubi. May the fun begin!

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