First car, thinking of a wrangler?

Question

OK, i'm turning 16 in 6 momnths, so i'm starting to look at cars. I always liked the warnglers, and live in a place where that would be perfect, because near NY, we get snow and heat, so the removable rookf/doors would be awsome, but the 4x4 for the snow would be great too. i have about 10 grand of my own money, and my parents said they will match whatever i pay for a car-so half. now has anyone had any expirience with wranglers, and if so do you think it would be a good first car for a nice used one? i know how to drive, i have been driving since forever, and i doubt i'm going to beat it up because i do have driving expirience, but i ahve afew questions:
-how bad is the insurance on these for a new driver?
-how bad are they on gas?
-would it be able to tow a large trailer with 2-3 quads(2 light sport machines,one big utility)
-soft or hard top? i live in a seasonal place, so the weather really changes.
-maintenance issues/consistent problems?
-anything else i should know about?

Answer 1

Buy an unlimited. A little longer wheel base...handles better. My 1st car was a CJ-7 Jeep and I still have it (18 years). I have a 2005 Unlimited Rubicon and love it. Get a manual transmission (more power) with a hard top. Soft tops rip easy and are easier to brake into. Gas mileage is about 18mpg. If you are towing with it, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TRAILER BRAKES. I almost rolled mine because the trailer was too heavy and pushed me sideways through an intersection. No maintenance issues so far. As far as insurance, go on line and get quotes. 4X4s are more to insure.

Answer 2

Insurance depends on record and level of coverage. PL/PD Public Libility and Property damage is cheaper than full boat. Also higher deductabales are good for keeping premium down.

17 MPG with a soft foot mixed city/highway. I get 320miles out of a 19 Gal tank and don't have an empty tank at fill up.

2000 LBS max tow - this is for the short TJ unlimiteds have more capacity because of the longer Wheel Base

Hard top to start and then buy a Bikini or Islander top. I Bought mine with the duel top and I quit useing the soft top all together. There is also a product by Viking that looks cool that is a frameless softtop. Bestop has a sunrider top that you can flip back the part over the front seats without taking down the whole top.

I have a 1998 TJ Sahara I-6 4.0L and I have had very few problems with it. I had a bad sparkplug wire covered under warenty and a bum alternator in 2002. Other than Oil, tires and fuel I have had no real mantinance issues. I did bend my rear axel off road but that was user error. If off highway is your thing be sure to get the Dana 44 rear end not the 35.

Mantinance is streight forward but upgrades are where all your money can go. Lift kits, biger tires and wheels, lockers, etc etc etc. They are great if you are responsable enough to know your limits as a driver and are defensive. They are great rigs but the is not alot of forgivness to mistakes.

Get the I-6 4.0L - the 4 banger is a dog.

Answer 3

I'm glad to hear your looking into owning a Jeep. I own A 96 Grand Cherokee, but previously owned an 89 Wrangler. Be sure you get the 4.0L inline 6 engine, don't get a 4 cylinder.

Reliability wise they're quite reliable granted the previous owner if buying used took care of it, (i.e. regular oil/filter changes, maintenance etc.). My 89 Jeep Wrangler had 215,000 miles on it when I sold it a year and a half ago, and my 96 grand cherokee currently has 193,000 miles on it and still runs great.

As for the 4WD, yes its awsome, whether you live in an area that gets snow or not, its pointless owning a 2WD Jeep.

Get a wrangler with a hard-top, they fit better and seal better than the soft tops do, and you won't freeze to death in the winter with the hard top.

You would be surprised at the insurance on one, its not too bad, just depends on your area, your driving record, if you get the same insurance as your parents you might qualify for multiple vehicle discounts, if you have good grades in school you will also get a discount.

Fuel mileage wise, it depends on how you drive, if you take off, and avoid sudden speed changes mileage will vary from 18-26mpg, depending on conditions.

The Jeep Wrangler with the 4.0L inline 6 engine, properly equipped can tow up to 5,000 pounds. How large is the trailer you plan on towing? I've towed a 24 foot flatbed car hauler with my Jeep Grand Cherokee without problems, so figure on not exceeding a 20' utility trailer.

Just please be careful driving a Jeep, don't take corners as if your driving a sports car, slow down in bad weather, only use 4WD when absolutely necessary, and wave to other Jeep drivers.

Good luck on your purchase, if you have further questions email me at [e-mail]

Answer 4

If you get the Wrangler, make sure the insurance is in your parents names, this makes it less expensive. Wranglers are great vehicles and are very reliable. Just make sure you get a 6 cylinder, as the 4 cylinders have been known to have problems. It depends on how you drive to determine gas mileage, but the average is about 13-19 mpg. Not sure about towing a trailer of a heavy load. If not properly handled when pulling a heavy trailer, you could flip the Jeep. It is your decision to choose between the soft top or hard top, whatever your preference is. Soft tops are great and are easy to get off and on, but are loud when traveling. Hard tops, however, are harder to get on and off, unless you have a hoist of some sort, or at least two people to get it off, and they make traveling a little quieter. I have "2" 2000 Jeep Wrangler Saharas, and haven't had any major problems with them since I purchased them. Just make sure you have it serviced regularly and take care of it and it should last you quite a while. Also, Wranglers can be hard to handle with high winds, as with any other SUVs, just don't jerk the wheel or you could easily cause the Jeep to flip. Just use common sense when driving. They are great off road vehicles and will do just about anything if put to the test. You will enjoy it!!!

Answer 5

They are excellent vehicles,I have 3 of them.They are all soft tops and have never been broke into,but I do remove the radio.I have pulled a pop-up camper with one and you get a lot of sway with the short wheelbase.If your going to do a lot of towing get the longer wheelbase unlimited and only get the 6cyl.

Answer 6

WRANGLERS RULE!!!!! If your going to buy one, Get a 2002 or newer TJ. Coil over suspension is the S@#$! Ive had 2 wranglers The one I have now is an 05 RUBICON...I will never be without a Wrangler....