Worst on Consumer Reports

[gladnewb]

I was a Jeep hater for YEARS! I never saw the appeal, need, desire, or understood why it is so inefficient. Then the JT came out, SOLD! Now I'm not going to sit hear and blow sunshine up any ones arse, but I love my JT! I mean as a bit sad as it sounds I do get a nice smile and joy out of owning and driving it. I've been a truck guy most of my life, if it doesn't have a bed on it you can count me out. I use a truck bed almost daily. Yes the bed is small, not much interior space, drinks gas like my dad drinks beer (to damn much). It's been recalled (steer box), had to replace the primary, secondary battery a sensor (covered by warranty) due to the the auto stop/start not working. I know many of you hate it, but I saw a 2mpg difference without it. I need all I can get! I find the paint a bit weak in spots, metal body especially the tailgate very weak as I get dents from the littlest thing. I thought this was suppose to be a bit more rugged, no? With all I've mentioned I LOVE MY JT, I MEAN I LOVE IT! Will I get an all electric version when it comes out? YES! That's what I'm after, but until then I will drive and keep this as long as I can. I'm even looking at at buying an older two door JK for trips in town and errands. Yes, I now get it, all of it!

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[OHJeeper]

Rover says "hold my beer". The Gladiator is a Cadillac in comparison.

LOVE that Rover. Would love to rebuild an old one. Crazy that even junkers are going for the same as a new JT... maybe someday the fad will die. Same with old broncos for that matter....

 

[dcmdon]

I agree with what most of you have said. I just bought a Jeep. I voted with my wallet.

But wouldn't it be great if it had Camry reliability and Lexus/Genesis/Volvo quality service?

None of those improvements would take away from the "Jeepiness".

It IS unreasonable to complain about wind noise and step in height because those are both a function of other design compromises that makes a Jeep a Jeep.

But good dealers with good service departments and better reliability would be really nice. These 2 things were what made me hesitate on my Gladiator.

So far so good. My power steering that shuts off when I floor it in the cold hasn't come back and I won't bring it up when I bring it in for a Jeep wave tire rotation. I can manage it and hopefully the TSB for the Wrangler on this issue will trickle down to the Gladiator and I won't have to fight with the dealer.

Don't get me wrong. Not all Jeep dealers are bad. But based on this forum and the the many reviews I've read, Jeep service departments get high marks much less often than other "Luxury" brands that sell vehicles that cost nowhere near what a Gladiator costs. I also listened to the service writer at a Jeep dealer near me recommend a $400 brake fluid flush to a customer with a 30,000 mile Grand Cherokee. What's next pushing fuel injector cleaning every 20k??

 

[Geoarch]

Obligatory "CR rates the Ridgeline as the best mid-size pickup" and that's really all I need to have zero respect regarding their opinion on anything automotive.

And before someone comes in to defend, It's the perfect truck for people who need a car with a bed but that doesn't make it a great truck.

Also the Ridgeline is a frameless vehicle like the old VW bugs, and no trans case. Take that rock crawling!

 

[khoeysr]

Let's go Gladiators

 

[JAVYPRO]

I commuted and wheeled a Suzuki Samurai for 4 years while in college, and never had any issues!

Pssssttt the same was said about the Gen I Mitsubishi Montero I have two, 1988 SWB (sort wheel base) 4cyl with 500k miles and a 1990 LWB V6 (long wheel base) with 325k miles. They are built like tanks and are unbreakable.I have had the 1988 to places hard to believe, they are awesomely well built boxed frame, factory LSD, 462 gears, 9.5” difs and many others. I got my JTR but keeping my Montero.

Javy

 

[f33d]

eh I’ve had many jeeps. They leak, they creak and ride like shit but nothing will give me as much joy as driving on a nice night with the tinted windows up and the top back. It’s kinda like a reboot you so to computers but for my mental health. The hell with what anyone says. If they did not contribute any funds to this vehicle I can care less what they have to say

 

[dcmdon]

Also the Ridgeline is a frameless vehicle like the old VW bugs, and no trans case. Take that rock crawling!

And that's exactly the point. For a non-enthusiast who needs to haul some crap once in a while the Ridgeline IS THE BETTER CHOICE.

A Unit body
1) weighs less
2) is stiffer
3) rides better

Its also got limitations off road.

Engineering is about managing compromises.

The Ridgeline is a pickup truck with all its engineering compromises skewed towards on-road performance and every day convenience. Its an appliance. Like a blender.

The Gladiator is a pickup truck with many of its engineering compromises skewed towards off-road
performance, with little consideration to wind noise, fuel economy, ride comfort.

And in the middle are trucks like the Tacoma, Colorado, and Ranger.

Different trucks for different wants. (almost nobody NEEDS a Gladiator)

 

[dcmdon]

Pssssttt the same was said about the Gen I Mitsubishi Montero I have two, 1988 SWB (sort wheel base) 4cyl with 500k miles and a 1990 LWB V6 (long wheel base) with 325k miles. They are built like tanks and are unbreakable.I have had the 1988 to places hard to believe, they are awesomely well built boxed frame, factory LSD, 462 gears, 9.5” difs and many others. I got my JTR but keeping my Montero.

Javy

I owned a blue 1990 4 door from 1994 to 2010. I loved that rig. I sold it to a friend who used it around his farm and eventually sold it. I only ever really wheeled it on the beach but it did great there. I had 32s on it.

4200 lbs and 135 hp. It was slow.

 

[Oilburner]

 

[Challenger85]

Lol a Honda. ? There was a point when I was 27, I bought a Toyota Corolla. I actually had to just Google the model name because they’re that forgettable. Anyways I thought, “oh joy! Gas mileage!!!” I had it for maybe a year and I slapped myself across the f’ing face and asked myself wtf I was doing driving that. I went out and bought a 2013 Camaro, than a 2017 Camaro, 2019 Challenger Scat Pack and now a 2021 Gladiator Mojave.

life’s too short to drive a car that damn boring. F that.

 

[jac04]

LOVE that Rover. Would love to rebuild an old one.

Do it! Old Land Rovers are like big model kits. Awesome restoration projects, lots of fun. I've restored several of them. You just start with a new galvanized chassis and go from there...

 

[NachoRuby]

Also the Ridgeline is a frameless vehicle like the old VW bugs, and no trans case. Take that rock crawling!

Old bugs aren't frameless. Or do you mean "new beetles"? Old bugs are a pan/frame bolted to a body. It's a platform chassis. The Ridgeline is unibody. Old bugs are also pretty good at rock crawling/offroading, with a lift and tires. They are, after all, the original dune buggies, and people have been building Baja buggies for decades.

 

[ScottDB]

Its because consumer reports is (supposedly) basing it on objective ratings alone. On the road the wrangler/gladiator with SFA, big off road tires, fiberglass/canvas tops, slow performance, and middling to poor MPG arent going to rate very highly if you are comparing it to other on-road focused vehicles. Its going to be louder, slower, worse driving, poorer braking/turning/acceleration than road focused trucks/suvs for sure so it will pretty much always be at the bottom if thats what you measure it by.

It will always be near the top though in satisfaciton because most people buying jeeps realize all these short comings and are buying it inspite of its on road performance because these compromises make it more fun, more capable, and a lifestyle vehicle.

Nailed it.

 

[Tuggernuts]

Rover says "hold my beer". The Gladiator is a Cadillac in comparison.

Hahaha! That Rover has soul for days!

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