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I got a Wrangler as a rental about 5 years ago. It was probably the single best city driving vehicle I'd ever experienced. It was like driving a forklift at low speeds. Super maneuverable, you can pretend curbs don't exist, and it's fun in the way that driving a moving van or a bulldozer is kind of fun. But then I took it on the highway in the mountains and was convinced that it was a death trap. They suck ten kinds of balls on the highway. Really. Perhaps the four door would be better than the two door I drove, but the combination of a short wheelbase, super heavy front and rear axles, and elevated ride height made it feel like I was driving one of these:
I am not at all surprised that people roll them so regularly. I am a capable driver and can steer my way out of a bad spot, but I'm pretty sure I'd roll it if a deer ran out in front of me. If you can keep it under 50, they're fun. If not, they're pretty crumby. At least, they were in 2012.
So...yeah resurrecting a dead thread but I was toying with my Cars.com app and looking at Wranglers as I continue to ponder what I want next. I saw an article I think was on Automotive News or some site like that a few weeks ago that said dealers now had about a 4-6 months supply sitting on their lots and the factory was still cranking the out as fast as they could.
I am in a metro area with a couple million people, but it is not as big a car market as some in California or Chicago or where ever, but when I look at some random car model on the app, a fairly common car may say that there are 75-150 within a 75 mile range of me at any given time. Maybe more than that if it is some super common high volume full size pickup or something like that. I did a search for NEW 2018-19 Wrangler unlimited four doors only and it came back with 420 matches. There were another couple hundred two door models.
The metro dealers here are all trying to do this non-negotiable fixed price and have this oligopoly where they all mark their cars $1500-$2000 off sticker and tell you to get lost if you want to deal, and then proceed to try to screw you on your trade. One family franchise says in their ads this pricing is "Because we all know dealer margins are razor thin anyway." Yet these family dealers own multi-million dollar mansions and invest in professional sports teams from these razor thin margins. Anywho, the dealers outside of our metro that would ask you to drive 50 miles to shop and most people won't do, are offering up to $6-7k markdowns on new Wrangler four doors. Which is about where I thought prices should have been in the first place because I am cheap. I was looking at this only after watching a TFLTruck Youtube video about a guy who said he could not get a deal anywhere in Colorado so he went to Idaho and got $8k off sticker on a 2-door Rubicon. A fairly well equipped $48,000 Sahara looks a whole lot better at $41,500.
There has to be some decent hidden factory incentives right now.
Dennis Dillion Jeep or Dave Smith both in Idaho have great deals. I personally have bought from Dave Smith and saved $14 k or so I want to say on a Denali. That town is small but the dealer pretty much bought every small building and parking lot they could find to stock cars. 1000's upon 1000's of trucks and cars everywhere. Its a sight to be seen. I happen to drive to the place and they were a bit taken off guard that I stopped by not knowing what I wanted. They had a call center of sales people just selling automobiles. I just looked at Dillion Jeep and seems they have a 19 rubicon unlimited with a sticker of $47xxx for $41k and as low as $39k(maybe more incentives). They typically sell under invoice plus rebates. Check them both out for most any domestic autos.
As a long time Jeep Wrangler Unlimited owner, I would highly recommend the vehicle. Just as long as you know what you're getting into. Also, don't bother buying a Sahara. I would either get the Sport or the Rubicon. The Sahara is pointless since it's just a few more electronics and stickers. There is no mechanical substance over a Sport.
So...yeah resurrecting a dead thread but I was toying with my Cars.com app and looking at Wranglers as I continue to ponder what I want next. I saw an article I think was on Automotive News or some site like that a few weeks ago that said dealers now had about a 4-6 months supply sitting on their lots and the factory was still cranking the out as fast as they could.
I am in a metro area with a couple million people, but it is not as big a car market as some in California or Chicago or where ever, but when I look at some random car model on the app, a fairly common car may say that there are 75-150 within a 75 mile range of me at any given time. Maybe more than that if it is some super common high volume full size pickup or something like that. I did a search for NEW 2018-19 Wrangler unlimited four doors only and it came back with 420 matches. There were another couple hundred two door models.
The metro dealers here are all trying to do this non-negotiable fixed price and have this oligopoly where they all mark their cars $1500-$2000 off sticker and tell you to get lost if you want to deal, and then proceed to try to screw you on your trade. One family franchise says in their ads this pricing is "Because we all know dealer margins are razor thin anyway." Yet these family dealers own multi-million dollar mansions and invest in professional sports teams from these razor thin margins. Anywho, the dealers outside of our metro that would ask you to drive 50 miles to shop and most people won't do, are offering up to $6-7k markdowns on new Wrangler four doors. Which is about where I thought prices should have been in the first place because I am cheap. I was looking at this only after watching a TFLTruck Youtube video about a guy who said he could not get a deal anywhere in Colorado so he went to Idaho and got $8k off sticker on a 2-door Rubicon. A fairly well equipped $48,000 Sahara looks a whole lot better at $41,500.
There has to be some decent hidden factory incentives right now.
It's funny you talk about having to go out of town to get a good deal; the largest Subaru dealership in the North-Northeast is in Northumberland PA, a town you'd miss if you sneezed, go look it up on a map.
Traveling for a deal is a no brainer for me and for many others. Large AAA markets have price premiums because they can, and in this day and age, I don't expect a deal in my local city, but they are easy to find at an hour or two drive. I'll test drive locally, ask for a deal, but with a popular vehicle like a Jeep, there are tons of deals, especially if you're willing to buy off the lot.
$8k off is awesome!! i got $3500ish off of my JL unlimited Sahara back in April 2018 soon after they were released.
I have 19k miles on mine. gets a solid 16ish MPG rolling on 37's. no mechanical issues at all.
Post pics once you get it!
Well I am leaning towards getting more serious. I really like Sahara's because I think all the body colored fenders and and custom cloth/leather look real nice. But I kind of like the idea of having a plastic fendered car that I don't have to give a crap if it gets scuffed up. I take meticulous care of my cars and freak out over little scratches and scuffs. It would be nice to have a vehicle I can just shrug it off with. I am going to plow snow with it, pull some trailers, get through blizzards, and maybe find some friends who want to take a trip west and try some trails because they have jeeps too.
I price out a build I like, 4-door sport S with cold weather pack, auto, hard top, and trailer package and get about $41,500. I think if I liked the test drive and could get decent offer for my trade, AND get them to walk back $5k off sticker I'd sign right now. But I will have to feel them out and see what they want to offer. Just don't have time to look for a while. This next week is supposed to be brutal cold. High of negative 5 for next Wednesday. Not great test driving weather.
I do think it would be fun if I get no joy out here, to fly out to Idaho for a super deal and drive it home over the rockies. That would be plan b. Still semi interested in a Colorado as an alternative but for what I want, they price out pretty close to each other but the Jeep seems way cooler.
11-30-2017, 03:43 PM
