New Jeep Cherokee is kicking ass

[Rupert]

Eh, there is nothing fun about driving an understeering fwd alfa either.

Driving in the wrangler is fun, top off, open view, much like an MGB was slow as shit but still fun to drive. Not everything has to hit apexes at ludicrous speed to be fun.

My former MGB with 50 year old tech was way more fun and way better to drive than a Wrangler with (apparently) modern tech. You also overstate the understeer in my former 164, but that doesn't actually matter, given the level of refinement in every additional metric compared to a Wrangler.

[Rupert]

OK, in its price range what else holds a candle to the JK?

Nothing, but it's irrelevant. There is almost no practical need for that level of ability, especially for 9/10ths of the people that buy them.

[Raza]

Aussies seem to think its awesome.



Probably has something to do with keeping the dingos out of the tent.

Australians ride kangaroos to barbecues and then eat them.  Not that I can blame them, kangaroo is delicious.  But still, Australians are not the best metric to use. 

[MX793]

Nothing, but it's irrelevant. There is almost no practical need for that level of ability, especially for 9/10ths of the people that buy them.

One could say the same of any specialized vehicle, particularly high performance cars.  Big difference being that the Wrangler is much more affordable than the majority of ultra high performance cars, so you see more of them.

[AutobahnSHO]

The Aztek, like everything GM of that era, was a shitbox.  A horribly designed car put together by the lowest common denominator of employable people. 

And they're still selling it, as a Buick.

As for the new Cherokee, it looks like a spaceage Kia.  I kinda dig it but then think "Lame!"

[MX793]

And they're still selling it, as a Buick.

As for the new Cherokee, it looks like a spaceage Kia.  I kinda dig it but then think "Lame!"

They're still selling the Rendezvous?

[veeman]

Unlike the harleys that just make noise the iconic, the mustang and wrangler are actually good vehicles for their niche.

As for the psychobabble about socially acceptable-fight club nonsense, should I take that to mean that buying a VW beetle is just a socially acceptable way for a domesticated husband to compensate in light of wanting to live an alternative lifestyle?

The VW manual transmission beetle was very much the same kind of purchase for me as a Mustang or Wrangler would be for some middle aged guys in a minor mid life crises.  The current generation isn't really feminine looking and in black, it doesn't look feminine at all.  It's basically IMHO a very very cool looking cheap compact whose saving grace is the turbo TDI engine and 6 speed manual transmission. 

[Soup DeVille]

The VW manual transmission beetle was very much the same kind of purchase for me as a Mustang or Wrangler would be for some middle aged guys in a minor mid life crises.  The current generation isn't really feminine looking and in black, it doesn't look feminine at all.  It's basically IMHO a very very cool looking cheap compact whose saving grace is the turbo TDI engine and 6 speed manual transmission. 

As far as mid life crises go man, that's pretty lame.

It would be in your best interest to have another one.

[veeman]

It would have been better served by buying a Wrangler or Mustang?

[veeman]

Someone suggested I should do blow off a hookers titties.  Who says I haven't. 

[12,000 RPM]

One could say the same of any specialized vehicle, particularly high performance cars.  Big difference being that the Wrangler is much more affordable than the majority of ultra high performance cars, so you see more of them.

High performance cars' abilities add to road driving though, for the most part. My Z is no Miata, but 6/10ths in it is about 11/10ths in my wife's Rabbit. Meanwhile 6/10ths in my wife's Rabbit is probably 12/10ths in a Wrangler. For wat, exactly. If you really want to go offroad, why do it in a brand new $30K something or other, when u can get literally the same car for 1/8th-1/10th the price and not have to worry about warranties etc. Excess is excess I guess, but buying a vehicle that compromises on road performance for off road prowess to be driven primarily off road seems a lil silly to me.

[AutobahnSHO]

buying a vehicle that compromises on road performance for off road prowess to be driven primarily off road seems a lil silly to me.

not to me, unless you meant the opposite

[Rupert]

One could say the same of any specialized vehicle, particularly high performance cars.  Big difference being that the Wrangler is much more affordable than the majority of ultra high performance cars, so you see more of them.

That's fair. I don't advocate for high power cars, either. However, even a high power car is fun to drive around at legal-ish speeds well below its maximum performance. A Wrangler drives like shit at all times. (And we're talking about cars a human can buy, not $300k supercars).

[SVT666]

What year Explorer? Sub-model and miles? Cost?

Mine is a piece, I want a newer one.

2007 XLT with 105,000 miles (originally from Seattle) It's in great condition and very clean, and the leather is in really great shape.  It doesn't look like it has that many miles.  It has new A/T tires, both Class 2 and Class 3 hitches, Pioneer touch screen double DIN head unit, Alpine 5 channel amp, Infiniti Kappa speakers, and two 10" Rockford Fosgate subs.

[Soup DeVille]

High performance cars' abilities add to road driving though, for the most part. My Z is no Miata, but 6/10ths in it is about 11/10ths in my wife's Rabbit. Meanwhile 6/10ths in my wife's Rabbit is probably 12/10ths in a Wrangler. For wat, exactly. If you really want to go offroad, why do it in a brand new $30K something or other, when u can get literally the same car for 1/8th-1/10th the price and not have to worry about warranties etc. Excess is excess I guess, but buying a vehicle that compromises on road performance for off road prowess to be driven primarily off road seems a lil silly to me.

You find a $3000 Wrangler and it'll have more problems on it than its worth.

The fact is that the Wrangler is still good enough on road to do what people who buy it want it to do, so any excess on road performance is more or less a moot point for them.

Besides the new ones aren't that bad.

[Rupert]

2007 XLT with 105,000 miles (originally from Seattle) It's in great condition and very clean, and the leather is in really great shape.  It doesn't look like it has that many miles.  It has new A/T tires, both Class 2 and Class 3 hitches, Pioneer touch screen double DIN head unit, Alpine 5 channel amp, Infiniti Kappa speakers, and two 10" Rockford Fosgate subs.

Not bad, not bad...

[SVT666]

Not bad, not bad...

I just got a new solenoid pack for the transmission so the tranny is good for another 100,000 trouble free miles, and the engine hasn't given me a lick of trouble in the 4.5 years I have owned it.

[Rupert]

SOHC V6?

[SVT666]

Yes.

[AutobahnSHO]

Just riding as passenger in a 10yr old Wrangler at 45mph I could tell it would suck to drive on the highway. Squirrelly like Georgia.

[12,000 RPM]

not to me, unless you meant the opposite

Yea I meant on road. Nobody here is going rock crawling. An Outback wagon would be a better choice.

[Rupert]

Squirrelly like Georgia.

[Rupert]

Yes.

Pretty much the same as the one my folks have. I like it a lot. Hypothetically, what might you want for it?

[SVT666]

Honestly, I'm not interested in selling it because I won't be able to get enough for it to buy a Wrangler.  Wrangler's hold their value ridiculously well.  I'm gonna drive it till it dies.

[Catman]

They do hold their value and one of the reasons I want one

[Rupert]

Honestly, I'm not interested in selling it because I won't be able to get enough for it to buy a Wrangler.  Wrangler's hold their value ridiculously well.  I'm gonna drive it till it dies.

Well, that's OK. I'm not interested in buying it, because if I'm spending that kind of cash on a car, it's going to be more interesting than an Explorer.

[Soup DeVille]

As far as I'm concerned, people who judge the owners of Wranglers or pickups on the basis of " they'll never really use that/ they would have been smarter to buy something else" are exactly as bad as old ladies in Buicks who waggle their fingers at "those darn teenage hot rodders," or smug limousine liberals who bemoan he "excessive consumption" of Corvette owners while on their way to their summer home.

If its not what you like, that's cool; buy what you like. Don't worry about me.

[Catman]

Took a Wrangler on a good test drive and it's a great vehicle but I couldn't help but think I would get really sick of it pretty quick.  Drove a Trailhawk too.  Great vehicle, only complaint is the storage is tight.

[SVT666]

Why would you get sick of it?

[Lebowski]

I know a few people with second/vacation homes that keep a wrangler there. I could see owning one in that role. It is a fun say beach car, can drive it top off, don't have to worry about sand and shit getting all over the interior etc.

I do think it would get old fast as a daily commuter.  I briefly considered it when I got the 4runner but dismissed it pretty quickly, didn't even test drive one.  I wanted something I could take on trips w/ longish highway drives and felt the lack of refinement would get old fast.