4th gen vs 5th gen vs Jeep - Help Needed

[rkwfxd]

That's kind of the point of this thread. I'll send him a link to it as a guest, he can let her read the viewpoints of other people, look at some of the resources quoted here and then perhaps make a more informed and less emotional decision. I'm the gearhead in our social circle so am sometimes considered an authority and, sometimes wives tend to listen to outside opinions more than their husbands if they think their husband is predisposed to think a certain way. She will buy what she wants - doesn't need anyone's permission, has plenty of her own money but she also asked me for my opinion which is what got her interested in a 4R but then she talked to one actual owner and completely changed her opinion. I'm thinking that one opinion may have been skewed and that people here, even though also skewed, can compare generations since many have owned more than one and there are also a lot of former Jeep owners here as well.

Just leads me right back to my original question. Why do you even care? She asked and you gave her your opinion.

How much research are you going to provide her with? How many road tests? How many links to Youtube videos? How many threads?

And why? Why do you care so much about what vehicle your buddy's wife gets?

I just don't get it. But good luck with it anyway.

 

[JSparky]

Whatever you recommend, heavily heavily push for a certified pre owned Jeep, their resale is nothing like 4Runner’s.

Re cargo capacity, it isn’t just the footprint, it’s that interior sport cage that really hampers the Jeep. What’s a small difference on paper makes a big difference when it comes to bulky items like boxes and dog crates, etc.

A wrangler has its own allure though, so I get it. End of the day you gotta be happy with what you drive (if given the choice).

There’s a bunch of threads on this already, and a few on the expo forums too I believe. Common debate stateside. New Defender and Bronco will be coming out end of next year supposedly so if she can wait she may have more options to entertain.

 

[BrianATL]

I am trying to do a good friend a favor and talk his wife out of a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and into a 4Runner (at his request). I raved to her about my 4th gen, trouble free, very off road capable, retaining value, etc.. Referred her to the reliability tables for Jeep vs Toyota. It is mainly going to be used for off road geo-caching so no real rock climbing just some mild off road usage in the mountains and deserts of AZ.

Problem I just ran into is that I had her convinced the 4Runner wasn't huge (one of her concerns) and was very comfortable on the road. She turns around and talks to someone she knows who has a 5th gen and had previously owned a 4th gen. She told my friends wife she would kill to have the 4th gen back, hates the 5th gen - too big, terrible highway ride, worse fuel economy. I have a hard time believing any of that, sounds more like buyers remorse than a real problem with the vehicle. Anyway, now she's back onto the Jeep and my friend wants me to get some real input from this community about real world use of the 5th gen.

FWIW, my friend actually drives a 1977 Landcruiser in immaculate condition, converted to a 350 Chevy small block so he knows off roading and wheeling and just hates Jeeps. He's also smart enough to keep his wife happy at all costs so he has to win this "argument" with diplomacy and facts.

I can't image a Wrangler being more comfortable on the road. My 2019 4R TRD Off-Road Premium rides great on the highway. No complaints at all.

 

[Swipter]

Boy, that video link was an eye opener. That would be enough to turn me off jeep. I did go to buy a wrangler 1 year before the 4runner. I could not get comfortable in any of them and some sat differently.

 

[billnourse]

I went from a Rubicon to an Off Road Premium with no regrets. I have a friend with a Rubicon that is considering a move to Toyota after riding in mine.

As far as size goes, the the TRD is roomier, but if you check stats, it has a bit shorter wheel base and tighter turning radius than a 4 door Rubicon. Of course with the 4 Runner you will need a mild lift to get approach and departure angles the same as the Jeep. Actual ground clearance is about the same. But a Rubicon costs enough more than a Off Road that you can afford that upgrade.

One of the real shortcomings of the Rubicon if you actually go off road with it is the dirt factor. I am a photographer and after each excursion we did on dirt roads I had an hour's worth of cleaning of photography equipment. The dust just seeps in from every seam. Not the case with the 4 Runner.

The 4 Runner is smoother riding, handles better and will go anywhere the Rubicon will.

The only real advantage of the Rubicon would be if you had a motor home and wanted something for a tow vehicle. Jeep works, Toyota does not.

Bill

 

[mteolus]

Rubicon is easier to mod if you go big. For instance with a 2 " lift you can put 38" tires.

Rubicon has front and rear lockers and has an automatic sway bar disconnect. In addition it has solid front and rear axles. It is really designed from the factory to be an off-road machine. 4-Runner is probably good enough for most people's off-roading adventures, but you can't say a 4Runner is as capable, it's not. I am not even sure the approach and departure angles can even match a stock Rubicon with a 3" lift. Rear departure is inhibited by the 4Runner's larger cargo area.

That being said, it is rough as hell and loud. Not for 99.9% of wives.

 

[kodos]

Our family has a 2018 (JK) Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport - which is my wife's. She has wanted a Jeep Wrangler from the time she could drive. I bought it instead of the JL, because she didn't care about the new JLs, to her the JK had everything she wanted, and we got it in a blue that they don't make in the JL that she loves. Plus, we pocketed what was almost a 10K difference by the time you took the incentives on the JK vs the JL!

We also have the 2018 SR5 4Runner (in my sig). The build quality between the two vehicles is night and day. The Jeep is just embarrassing from a build quality perspective. We had a Chrysler Minivan, and that had bad build quality, but still nothing like the Jeep's. Almost like a high school student "phoned in" the design of this thing. It is a real piece of garbage IMO. If I bought myself a Rubicon I would be livid given how expensive they are.

The 4Runner is light years ahead in build quality. It is reassuring.

Okay, all that said, my wife LOVES her Wrangler. You can take the top off. It has that unique Jeep look. It "feels" special in a way the 4Runner doesn't. It is not something you can quantify on paper. It is that "Jeep thing" that some people are into. I will admit, there's something really neat about it as a toy. But we are blessed to have three vehicles. I don't worry too much about it. We never take it on road trips (either the van or the 4Runner is what we take) or tow with it or anything else. It is her toy and her fun car. She deserves it for all she puts up with the rest of us.

I surprised her with it for her birthday (she had no idea). I had thought of getting her a 4Runner instead. I am glad I didn't. She sees the 4Runner as just transportation (she also doesn't care for the 4Runner seats, interestingly enough). I am very glad I got her the Jeep. I think any woman who has wanted a Jeep should own at least one. She may never want one again, but at least she had one. To a lot of people, a Jeep is just something special. A 4Runner is just yet another SUV.

Even if I think Jeeps are pieces of garbage from a build perspective.

 

[Thebeastlives]

I wonder how many of these arguments will be here next year when the Bronco arrives? Man I think I'm going to buy stock in a popcorn company. Outside of serious rock crawling which I rarely do anymore (boring as hell) my 4 runner offroads with all my Jeep bros and I always leave them in the dust to the trail and on the rutted up dirt roads leading to the serious trails. The Bronco will be the 4 runner equal on the hwy and with the big motor leave me in the desert moto that we ove to do. Hey but i will always arrive back home healthy and running. I bet the Jeep and Bronco won't be able to say that.

 

[RoamingScott]

Sold my '16 JK after 70k miles...all sorts of issues starting cropping up and it was obvious my wallet was going to be drained in short order (and it was mostly a commuter/mall crawler). It was also absolutely pathetic on the highway from a handling/noise situation.

The JL's have had all sorts of bizarre issues crop up, just look at Youtube for examples of issues and complaints.

I will agree that the 4R doesn't have that special "something" that a Wrangler has, no doubt...but it's clear that the 4R is built to last, and a much more complete package of a vehicle than the Wrangler will ever be.

Taking the top off? Did that maybe 3 times in 4 years...when you have a short garage and don't have an extra set of hands, the removable top goes from a cool feature to a rarely-used pain in the ass.

I'd rather have an older Wrangler I didn't feel bad about being the crap up on the trail than have to baby a modern Fiat product.

All that said...life's too short to not buy the things you want though...get a jeep, and if you love it, keep it till it dies. If you hate it, trade it in for a bronco once they get the kinks worked out of THAT platform =)

 

[GupsT4R]

Four of my friends wives have purchased 4 door Wranglers in the last two years. Two of my friends had me tell wives how much I liked my 4Runner for the same reason, they didn’t want a Wrangler. 10 years ago I rarely saw women who owned and drove Wranglers as daily drivers. Today Wranglers are the Hot vehicle for women in my area. They like to customize to add personal flair and they love to remove top and doors in warm weather. Non of my friends wives ever go off road and love their Jeeps. The fact that Wranglers now come in 4 doors have made the decision even easier for the ladies. All of the women I have mentioned have children. 1 lady said all of the ladies at her Cross Fit gym drive Wranglers and that is all she wanted.
Tell your buddy to let her get what she wants. If he talks her into a 4Runner and she doesn’t love it she will make him miserable. Just get on board and help her pick out a nice one.

I thought i lived in the Jeep Girl capital of the world.. i guess not.
When there's ladies cross fit and yoga at the gym i go to, the parking lot looks like a Jeep wrangler dealership.
Also good point about the miserable part, let her decide

 

[blackened_offroad]

is this entire forum a bunch of old, bored suburban dudes? yeesh.


also what's with all the necrobumps lately?

 

[00Sebby]

I pick out my vehicles and my wife picks out her vehicles. If she asks my opinion I will provide the goods & bads of each. In the end, she makes as much as I do, provides our health insurance, and much heftier contributions to our retirement than I am making, so it's her choice. Amazingly, every car she buys turns out to be great and she loves it until it truly has to go... maybe every 7-8 years. Her current orange '18 Crosstrek is a great little car, has tons of miles on it, no issues, and gets 36mpg.

I on the other hand, "know everything" about vehicles and yet rarely keep one to 5 years, then get something new, then regret the new thing, then try to go backwards, then repeat when something new comes along... In the past year I went from '10 TE, 20 JLUR, to 20 ORP and I'm still thinking on how to get a LC200 in the next couple of years.

 

[cb1111]

I pick out my vehicles and my wife picks out her vehicles. If she asks my opinion I will provide the goods & bads of each. In the end, she makes as much as I do, provides our health insurance, and much heftier contributions to our retirement than I am making, so it's her choice. Amazingly, every car she buys turns out to be great and she loves it until it truly has to go... maybe every 7-8 years. Her current orange '18 Crosstrek is a great little car, has tons of miles on it, no issues, and gets 36mpg.

I on the other hand, "know everything" about vehicles and yet rarely keep one to 5 years, then get something new, then regret the new thing, then try to go backwards, then repeat when something new comes along... In the past year I went from '10 TE, 20 JLUR, to 20 ORP and I'm still thinking on how to get a LC200 in the next couple of years.

Wait.... do I have a second logon here on the system? I could have written that post - except replace Crosstrek with Civic and mine with BMW, VW, Audi, Acura....

The only thing I insist on is proper winter tires...

 

[00Sebby]

Wait.... do I have a second logon here on the system? I could have written that post - except replace Crosstrek with Civic and mine with BMW, VW, Audi, Acura....

The only thing I insist on is proper winter tires...

You've been hacked. And this version of you lives in Tennessee so by the time I... I mean... you think winter tires are necessary, it's spring.

 

[cb1111]

You've been hacked. And this version of you lives in Tennessee so by the time I... I mean... you think winter tires are necessary, it's spring.

:wave: Hi, other self....