[SAB0602]

Seems from the release of the Commander, Compass, and soon JK Wrangler that Jeep is shooting to appeal to the soccer mom, yuppie crowd rather than the gearhead Wrangler addicts. Yes, maybe the JK has alot more eye candy and some new features but it seems that it also has more un-functional, nicely shaped, plastic junk (Grill..ect) that blinds you from the cheaper guts. But at least when they created the TJ they kept in mind "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and didn't completely scrap the I-6. I believe that the 4.0 was a tried and true design and the V-6 maybe be the turn off to many Jeep enthusiests. I'm glad I desided to buy a TJ when I did . Good luck with your aluminum block V-6's out on the rocks future JoKe owners.

[cjwheeling]

Originally Posted by SAB0602

Seems from the release of the Commander, Compass, and soon JK Wrangler that Jeep is shooting to appeal to the soccer mom, yuppie crowd rather than the gearhead Wrangler addicts. Yes, maybe the JK has alot more eye candy and some new features but it seems that it also has more un-functional, nicely shaped, plastic junk (Grill..ect) that blinds you from the cheaper guts. But at least when they created the TJ they kept in mind "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and didn't completely scrap the I-6. I believe that the 4.0 was a tried and true design and the V-6 maybe be the turn off to many Jeep enthusiests. I'm glad I desided to buy a TJ when I did . Good luck with your aluminum block V-6's out on the rocks future JoKe owners.

Wow, what a H8r. Uh, good luck with your exhaust manifold and crappy mileage. I've had 6 4.0s, and while an adequate engine, it's far from perfect. 2 TJs, 1 LJ, 1XJ in my past, and they all had one thing in common, cracked exhaust manifold and horrible gas mileage. I don't think that anyone that I know has managed to hit their engine block on a rock, so aluminum vs cast iron is a ridiculous argument.

[IH8MUD]

Originally Posted by SAB0602

Seems from the release of the Commander, Compass, and soon JK Wrangler that Jeep is shooting to appeal to the soccer mom, yuppie crowd rather than the gearhead Wrangler addicts. Yes, maybe the JK has alot more eye candy and some new features but it seems that it also has more un-functional, nicely shaped, plastic junk (Grill..ect) that blinds you from the cheaper guts. But at least when they created the TJ they kept in mind "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and didn't completely scrap the I-6. I believe that the 4.0 was a tried and true design and the V-6 maybe be the turn off to many Jeep enthusiests. I'm glad I desided to buy a TJ when I did . Good luck with your aluminum block V-6's out on the rocks future JoKe owners.

I agree 100%, they are now joining the ranks of all the other SUV's.
The 4 door JK looks like the result of a Hummer H3 mating with a Volkswagen Thing.

[oddball]

I almost did not buy my 2006 TJ and was going to hold out for a 2007..wow I sure am happy that I did the Right Thing

[spididle121]

Perhaps by appealing to more people Jeep will manage not to go out of business the way GM is.... yuppie soccer mom cars sell a lot more then hardcore rock crawlers.

[RKBA]

The new Wrangler is a mixed bag, and I am reserving judgement until it's been on the road and trail for a while. The new engine concerns me; not because it is a V6 but because I think that it might not be the right "main" powerplant for an off-road vehicle of that weight and aerodynamics. Kaiser CJs and Jeepster Commandos with the Buick designed 225 V6 were competent performers for that era so a V6 isn't an anathema for a Jeep. The potential for a diesel powered Gladiator variant keeps me interested in the JK platform.

As for the rest of the Jeep line-up:

Now that IFS is the rule rather than the exception I don't really see what Jeep brings to the table that you can't get from any other manufacturer. While I am happy that Daimler Chrysler is able to make profits selling cars, I am sad that the (sometimes quirky) characteristics and capability that Jeep built a reputation on has given way to a cleverly marketed image slapped on ho-hum products.

[Roll-Bar]

I'm not a rock climber, sue me if you like. I'm going to get the JK because I'll be using it for the snow, beach and back roads... I like the new safety features like 4 wheel disk breaks, traction control etc. I will like the better gas milage...hell with BP shutting down the Alaska oil line it might be 4.00 a gallon next month. It will have more room and be quieter and the way the new hardtop opens up works well for me...

There is an a.ss for every seat, if you don't like it, don't buy it...some people here are like women buying a freaking dress :lol:

[Karamba]

Originally Posted by SAB0602

Seems from the release of the Commander, Compass, and soon JK Wrangler that Jeep is shooting to appeal to the soccer mom, yuppie crowd rather than the gearhead Wrangler addicts.

Oh, the luddites has descended upon this forum.

What a joke. JK is just a much better TJ. If you got you panties in a bunch because the grill is made from a material that does not dent or rust - you should be relaxing in the garage, fixing up your TJ, not typing hate mail over the Internet.

try someting constructive next time.

[cjwheeling]

Originally Posted by Karamba

Oh, the luddites has descended upon this forum.

What a joke. JK is just a much better TJ. If you got you panties in a bunch because the grill is made from a material that does not dent or rust - you should be relaxing in the garage, fixing up your TJ, not typing hate mail over the Internet.

try someting constructive next time.

The real question is whether the gearheads would rather be fixing a CJ or out wheeling in a newer more reliable Jeep? I've done both, look at my name, I've had 4 CJs, 2 TJs, 1 LJ, 1 XJ, 2FSJs, 2 YJs. I have car buying ADD, but I'll take new and improved (improved being the key word) over traditional and unreliable or dangerous!

[Karamba]

Originally Posted by cjwheeling

The real question is whether the gearheads would rather be fixing a CJ or out wheeling in a newer more reliable Jeep? I've done both, look at my name, I've had 4 CJs, 2 TJs, 1 LJ, 1 XJ, 2FSJs, 2 YJs. I have car buying ADD, but I'll take new and improved (improved being the key word) over traditional and unreliable or dangerous!

Ditto.

Other point is that is not just about wheeling. I go camping, climbing and mountain biking in the mountains. And I want to bring my kids with me. I need a safe, capable, practical and fun vehicle to go there - I have had a TJ when they came out, and it was too small and downright scary not to mention uncomfortable on highway.

LWB 4Dr Wrangler is made for folks like me, which is a good thing. I need my creature comforts, cause after I get there, I would not have any.

And haters can go and bang their heads on the wall. It looks very funny.

[RKBA]

Originally Posted by Karamba

What a joke. JK is just a much better TJ.

Perhaps.

There are some vehicles that get advanced straight out of the market and application that made them popular. The Toyota small truck comes to mind; new Tacomas are no longer simple, rugged and affordable little trucks. They are gadgety, bloated and a lousy value in the pickup market.

Jeeps in many ways are on that path. For a vehicle line that thrives on the image of being the pinnacle of off road capability there sure is a major shift away from actually having any. I bought a late 2004 WJ for the express reason that it represented the last of the comfortable AND capable SFA Jeeps. I have traditionally been a Jeep fan, but most of the current crop is no more compelling to me than a Durango, 4Runner or Rover.

Every generational advance of the SWB Jeep has had its share of naysayers, but to be honest the changes up to now have been incremental and a logical procession. This latest version just might be too far on the whiz-bang bandwagon to become a true enthusiast product.

Time will tell

[jhtolatc]

Originally Posted by Roll-Bar

I'm not a rock climber, sue me if you like. I'm going to get the JK because I'll be using it for the snow, beach and back roads... I like the new safety features like 4 wheel disk breaks, traction control etc. I will like the better gas milage...hell with BP shutting down the Alaska oil line it might be 4.00 a gallon next month. It will have more room and be quieter and the way the new hardtop opens up works well for me...

There is an a.ss for every seat, if you don't like it, don't buy it...some people here are like women buying a freaking dress :lol:

Ditto this. I don't wheel (yet...). I have to be able to get to work come hell or high water...so I want a go-anywhere 4x4. I also want a convertible. So instead of buying a worn-out, used, cheap vert to compliment my KJ, I'll instead get a new JK and kill two birds with one stone. For me JK >TJ because of the mileage, better ride and handling, safety features, and modular hard top. I do regret not considering a TJ when I bought my KJ, however...I've never used the increased cargo room of the KJ, and the KJ's mileage blows.

[103]

Why in the world make threads like this in the first place? We'll all be wheeling together soon. Sometimes change is bad, but we sure won't know until the Jeeps are actually being used. So simmer until then.

[Andrew F]

Originally Posted by Karamba

Ditto.

Other point is that is not just about wheeling. I go camping, climbing and mountain biking in the mountains. And I want to bring my kids with me. I need a safe, capable, practical and fun vehicle to go there - I have had a TJ when they came out, and it was too small and downright scary not to mention uncomfortable on highway.

LWB 4Dr Wrangler is made for folks like me, which is a good thing. I need my creature comforts, cause after I get there, I would not have any.

And haters can go and bang their heads on the wall. It looks very funny.

How do you know the JK is better than the TJ? Have you ever driven one? Have you even seen one? Have you driven a TJ? If you answered no to any of my last three questions, you can not say the JK is better than a TJ. And even if you have driven both an amount that allowed you to make an unbiased decision, you still can’t determine that without knowing how long the JK will last.

I am glad you are excited about getting your new JK. Getting a new vehicle is awesome. But none of your arguments, at least that I have read, address the issues discussed about the JK. All I have seen you say is that the JK is better than the TJ. Right now, I will admit that I myself can not determine which is better and that my decision would be biased as well. But I will also say that all of the “bashing” threads about the JK are legitimate concerns for a person who uses their JEEP to off-road. You are a great candidate for the new JK Unlimited. You want it for camping, climbing and mountain biking in the mountains. For most people on this forum, the fact that Jeep creates vehicles intended only for this purpose is ridiculous. It’s one thing to make the Liberty, new Cherokee, and the new street machines. But it is different when Jeep wants to adulterate the one vehicle that it uses as an icon. Time will tell how well the JK performs, but don’t use creature comforts as an argument on a strongly off-road based forum. Go hand out with the minivan guys for that.

[Karamba]

Originally Posted by Andrew F

How do you know the JK is better than the TJ? Have you ever driven one? Have you even seen one? Have you driven a TJ? If you answered no to any of my last three questions, you can not say the JK is better than a TJ.

How do I know? Very simple. Size - for the Unlimited 4dr. I do not need to poke around it to know how much size I do need. 4 Dr, LWB and traction control. Nuff of knowledge. Many things are close enough to TJ that I do know how functional (or not) they are. Owned one. And I am making a reasonable assumption that the off-road capability, in its Rubicon trim, will be there. Not needing a rock crawler, just something that will get me ther over really rotten roads. Used many different cars with my friends, with various level of success.

Yes, I will test drive it before buying, and listen for other comments...

The point is - the haters who started the thread prolly know even less then I do, but still write all that vitriolic nonsense.