Buy 2003 or 2006

[Barry Lampke]

Thanks - looking at a 2011 Wrangler Unlimited also and I have had four already. Is the Jeep Tax you speak of relates to repairs, upgrades, or both?

 

[Squirrelmaster]

I replaced a 2013 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon with the GX, primarily because I had another kid and needed a third row, but while I lost some capability in off-roading, living with the GX day-to-day is far, far more enjoyable. Before now, I used to think of the “Jeep tax” as just costs of upgrading and parts - my old 2007 Rubicon shared its abysmal 3.8L V6 with the minivans, but that didn’t make the parts any cheaper, and the upgrades for any Jeep, be it TJ, JK, JL, CJ, whatever, are high because they can be because people will pay it.

After spending the last six years 7+ hours away from any good off-roading, I realized an additional tax the Jeep incurred was general fatigue in driving to those off-roading areas (mostly Colorado). All the things that made me love it off-road and gave it character and charm also made it unruly on the highway, and made it so that my family only wanted to ride in it for short, in-city trips. Now in the GX, I can make those same drives in comfort, and my family as actually willing to join me in my off-road adventures, which was the whole point in getting the Unlimited and the GX.

Sure, I still miss my Jeeps, especially the lockers and disconnecting sway bars, but I can add most of those features to the GX while maintaining all the comfort that can’t really be added to the Jeep.

 

[Barry Lampke]

I replaced a 2013 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon with the GX, primarily because I had another kid and needed a third row, but while I lost some capability in off-roading, living with the GX day-to-day is far, far more enjoyable. Before now, I used to think of the “Jeep tax” as just costs of upgrading and parts - my old 2007 Rubicon shared its abysmal 3.8L V6 with the minivans, but that didn’t make the parts any cheaper, and the upgrades for any Jeep, be it TJ, JK, JL, CJ, whatever, are high because they can be because people will pay it.

After spending the last six years 7+ hours away from any good off-roading, I realized an additional tax the Jeep incurred was general fatigue in driving to those off-roading areas (mostly Colorado). All the things that made me love it off-road and gave it character and charm also made it unruly on the highway, and made it so that my family only wanted to ride in it for short, in-city trips. Now in the GX, I can make those same drives in comfort, and my family as actually willing to join me in my off-road adventures, which was the whole point in getting the Unlimited and the GX.

Sure, I still miss my Jeeps, especially the lockers and disconnecting sway bars, but I can add most of those features to the GX while maintaining all the comfort that can’t really be added to the Jeep.

I hear you on the anemic 3.8. I had a 2011 with the new dashboard but it still had the old motor. I am trying to scrape together enough money to go to 2012 or newer. I am also comparing the reliability and cost of repairs of a 2011 Sahara with 132K with a 2006 GX with 175K. I do love the freedom top compared to the tiny sunroof!

 

[Squirrelmaster]

With the 2007-2011 JK, my biggest concern once you eclipse 100,000 miles is the 42RLE automatic transmission, as they were not very reliable when new, but are on borrowed time past 75K. The other is the high oil consumption on that 3.8L V6. My 2007 drank about 1/2 quart every 3,000 miles at 25,000 miles, which FCA said was normal, and I had friends whose Jeeps were downing more than twice that by the 75,000 mark. In contrast, the 3.6L in my 2013 seemed to consume zero oil at 25,000 miles, (though I’ve heard that I may have simply been lucky there), and the W5A580 automatic is light years better than the 42RLE (though I rocked the manual) in longevity and capability.

With all that said, if you look at the build quality, fit and finish, and reliability of my Jeeps at a few years old and 25,000 miles and my GX at fifteen years old and 100,000 miles, the GX is better. The materials have worn better, fewer things have broken, aside from the infamous dash cracks and the transfer case leak, and on the road it doesn’t have that “marbles in a can” sound that is a Jeep trademark. The Jeeps had electrical issues galore (fortunately, I’m an electrical engineer), poor craftsmanship issues - chafing brake lines, misaligned weather seals, interior trim parts installed incorrectly, etc. - and a host of other issues I ignored because I loved driving the thing(s) in the mountains so much.

I don’t love the GX off-road as much as the Jeeps, but it sure is nice doing a 2,800 mile off-roading trip through Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho like I did a few months back without having to plot out where all the nearest towns with auto parts stores are (I still did because I wanted to, not because I had to). My non-Jeep, and non-car-enthusiast, friends all loved to have me around because I always had tools, fluids, and a code reader on me at all times. I pretended it stemmed from my Boy Scouts upbringing, which is partially true, not from the sheer number of times a Chrysler product has left me stranded for no apparent reason. I miss the Jeeps, but not the hassles.

 

[Barry Lampke]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Any reason you chose the GX instead of an LX?

 

[Squirrelmaster]

Pretty simple - my wife thinks the LX is too big, so GX it was. I do have a big soft spot for the 100-series, but unfortunately my wife does not. Ultimately, I’d love a LX470, but I want in addition to, not in replacement of, my GX.

 

[Barry Lampke]

The LX is definitely almost Tahoe size GX is a nice size to maneuver. The RX is not even an option!