Hey guys,
So...I know we are all very Toyota biased being that this is a Toyota forum, and of course most of us own one...but lets talk Jeeps.
I want to know why Wranglers get such a bad rap among the Toyota fans? I mean...my fiancee owns a Wrangler, a 5 spd at that (shes an amazing woman I know! ) and I must say I've been impressed with its reliability and performance over the last 50k miles shes had it. It has needed a new radiator and exhaust manifold but thats it. Everything else is just routine maintenance, and its driven mostly city miles. It has 94k miles on a 2000 4cyl engine.
Now, I must admit, the engine and overall integrity of the vehicle are not nearly as refined as my Toyota. It has its quarks and rattles, and is noisy (engine wise) but never the less continues to impress me with its continued reliablity and performance. Off-road it goes just about anywhere in stock form, and the 4wd system works nicely. The short wheelbase is probably a big factor in this department as it can fit in tight places easily. Not to mention...these things are a breeze to work on compared to my 4runner, and a blast to drive.
I love my 4runner as its been extremely reliable and is truly a better built rig. However, the fun to drive factor, ease of modification, and ability to work on easily has continued to have me second guessing my 4runner. Obviously, exchanging my 4runner for a Wrangler is my decision and I'm not looking for an answer to that.
I'm asking for your professional experiences with Wranglers and your overall opinion. I'm guessing all of you have had a lot of experience in the off-road community thus have had your share of toying with Wranglers.
I couldn't find a thread where this has been covered in a way that hasn't been flamed up...so again...an honest, professional review of your thoughts is appreciated.
And just for fun...here is some pics of her Jeep. She actually does take it off road. We put Good year silent armor tires on it...an excellent A/T tire by the way. The one where shes laughing she spit some mud up and hit her in the forehead (although hard to see)...lol...shes a weekend warrior and a princess during the week...hell of a mix I know.