MonkeySkunks
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Nik
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2019
- Threads
- 19
- Messages
- 681
- Reaction score
- 1,112
- Location
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2021 JTR, 2016 Odyssey
- Thread starter
- #1
In advance, sorry. This is going to be a long pointless post.
Bear with me, this is an odd one and not one for an internet forum to answer but I'm interested to see the take on it from a group that either has a gladiator, is waiting impatiently on one or is just hooked on them and waiting for when they can order one. Not to mention, you guys/gals are the most sensible, dare I say intelligent, vehicle forum I've ever lurked on much less joined.
Current DD is a 2017 VW GTI Golf, manual transmission, lovingly named Lunchbox by my boys, that I owe about 9k on. It's absolutely perfect, like I've never even thought about anything I would consider modding on it, other than the fact it has no cargo capacity with a car seat strapped in preventing the seats from folding down. Original plan was to drive this until it's paid off which would be right around the time my oldest son was able to drive (Decent down payment financed for 72 months with minimal monthly payments) and it would become his car. It's pretty much mint with only 15k miles on it currently.
Then the Gladiator became an actual thing and everything flew out the window. Midsize truck that is the first thing to look like a truck for as long as I can remember, comes in orange, comes with MT, and the freakin' doors and roof come off. I've never had a chance to get into off-roading but if I had a Gladiator that would be the first thing I'd look into after reading the manual because... why the hell wouldn't you? A Jeep has always been impractical for me but toss a bed on the back of it and I can't stop thinking, reading, researching, and stealing test drives in it.
The flip side, 1st model year, FCA "personally perceived quality" (it's a jeep thing), I really don't like the MT for various reasons, the MT got hosed when it comes to tow capacity, currently no real incentives or deals to be had other than haggling. If I purchase an auto (AT) my son won't get a chance to learn to drive on an MT like he should and considering how rare they are it may not even be an option on the used market in a couple years.
The kicker that I didn't really think about until I had a few beers and my wife went to bed: For what I would be looking at in monthly payment increase for my beloved Punk'n JT Rubicon I could just pay off the car in 12 months which puts us at the end of the 1st model year of the Gladiator. I could toss the car in storage for the boy and still take it out when I actually wanted to drive. Losing the trade in looks like it would be about an additional $220/month on a 72 month note, excluding any offers they may have at that time, but I would have an extra car for when I roll the Gladiator or the windshield is busted out and wouldn't have the expense of a car for the boy eventually. It's a heavier note than I would like but free car.
Ugh, I think I may have just become a bonafide adult and it sucks.
I have a couple of questions that you can't answer but I'm looking for opinions:
1) Someone tell me that this makes sense and I shouldn't go order one tomorrow.
2) Can you still custom order that late in the model year?
3) Will Jeep make the Gladiator for at least 2 years and not F it up the second year?
4) Is Punk'n a standard color that won't disappear next year?
Yeah, sorry. Typing this out I know the correct path but I've always had issues with the correct path. Hitting the post thread button because it's just wasted time writing if I don't. Sorry for your time reading, I warned you at the beginning. Re-titling to why I can't order a gladiator. I'll go back to lurking.
Bear with me, this is an odd one and not one for an internet forum to answer but I'm interested to see the take on it from a group that either has a gladiator, is waiting impatiently on one or is just hooked on them and waiting for when they can order one. Not to mention, you guys/gals are the most sensible, dare I say intelligent, vehicle forum I've ever lurked on much less joined.
Current DD is a 2017 VW GTI Golf, manual transmission, lovingly named Lunchbox by my boys, that I owe about 9k on. It's absolutely perfect, like I've never even thought about anything I would consider modding on it, other than the fact it has no cargo capacity with a car seat strapped in preventing the seats from folding down. Original plan was to drive this until it's paid off which would be right around the time my oldest son was able to drive (Decent down payment financed for 72 months with minimal monthly payments) and it would become his car. It's pretty much mint with only 15k miles on it currently.
Then the Gladiator became an actual thing and everything flew out the window. Midsize truck that is the first thing to look like a truck for as long as I can remember, comes in orange, comes with MT, and the freakin' doors and roof come off. I've never had a chance to get into off-roading but if I had a Gladiator that would be the first thing I'd look into after reading the manual because... why the hell wouldn't you? A Jeep has always been impractical for me but toss a bed on the back of it and I can't stop thinking, reading, researching, and stealing test drives in it.
The flip side, 1st model year, FCA "personally perceived quality" (it's a jeep thing), I really don't like the MT for various reasons, the MT got hosed when it comes to tow capacity, currently no real incentives or deals to be had other than haggling. If I purchase an auto (AT) my son won't get a chance to learn to drive on an MT like he should and considering how rare they are it may not even be an option on the used market in a couple years.
The kicker that I didn't really think about until I had a few beers and my wife went to bed: For what I would be looking at in monthly payment increase for my beloved Punk'n JT Rubicon I could just pay off the car in 12 months which puts us at the end of the 1st model year of the Gladiator. I could toss the car in storage for the boy and still take it out when I actually wanted to drive. Losing the trade in looks like it would be about an additional $220/month on a 72 month note, excluding any offers they may have at that time, but I would have an extra car for when I roll the Gladiator or the windshield is busted out and wouldn't have the expense of a car for the boy eventually. It's a heavier note than I would like but free car.
Ugh, I think I may have just become a bonafide adult and it sucks.
I have a couple of questions that you can't answer but I'm looking for opinions:
1) Someone tell me that this makes sense and I shouldn't go order one tomorrow.
2) Can you still custom order that late in the model year?
3) Will Jeep make the Gladiator for at least 2 years and not F it up the second year?
4) Is Punk'n a standard color that won't disappear next year?
Yeah, sorry. Typing this out I know the correct path but I've always had issues with the correct path. Hitting the post thread button because it's just wasted time writing if I don't. Sorry for your time reading, I warned you at the beginning. Re-titling to why I can't order a gladiator. I'll go back to lurking.
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