Test Drove One Tonight

[battallion14]

Before I say anything I want to point out that I have been very supportive of the new JK Wrangler. Tonight I was disappointed however. We checked out and test drove a new '07 Sahara Unlimited with a hard top. First the good:

The removable panels for the hard top were really easy to remove aside from the bolt the salesman crossthreaded. I like the longer beefier boxed control arms. There is a ton of room in the back of that thing. It rides great. Leg room was pretty decent in the 2nd row of seats.

Now the bad:

The extra width is hardly noticeable in the seats. I feel like you sit much higher up (my head was almost able to touch where the hard top panel would be). You sit way too close to the steering wheel and dash. The seats don't go back very far. The 3.8L is a dog. It felt very anemic under acceleration. There is more plastic in a single JK than all of Hollywood combined. I thought the visibility behind you and to the side was poor.

I give DCX an E for effort. :(

[2k2wranglerx]

it takes a while to learn how to drive it. at first the 3.8 feels like it's got no guts. I was so used to shifting at like 1500 rpm in my TJ. can't do that in the JK. BUT, once you learn how to drive it, it's plenty. Also, the long throw gas pedal makes it seem even slower.

as far as wider . . . . .that'sthe biggest thing i noticed! i'm 6'3" 250 and it made a HUGE difference for me. Plus i have way more leg room than my TJ.

as far as seat height. did you lower the seat? they ARE height adjustable. at least my X has a height adjustment. that would make a huge difference. i'm a big guy and i think there' splenty of head room.

[battallion14]

it takes a while to learn how to drive it. at first the 3.8 feels like it's got no guts. I was so used to shifting at like 1500 rpm in my TJ. can't do that in the JK. BUT, once you learn how to drive it, it's plenty. Also, the long throw gas pedal makes it seem even slower.

The Sahara Unlimited we drove was an automatic. When I mashed the pedal to the floor it didn't do much. At all.


as far as wider . . . . .that'sthe biggest thing i noticed! i'm 6'3" 250 and it made a HUGE difference for me. Plus i have way more leg room than my TJ.

I drove the TJ down there and I have to disagree with you. I don't think it is wider in the seating area. There might be more room in between the seats (console) but it actually felt more cramped to me than my TJ. To be fair I hopped out of the TJ and into the JK and then back into the TJ again so it wasn't like I drove home in our other car and then climbed into the TJ.


as far as seat height. did you lower the seat? they ARE height adjustable. at least my X has a height adjustment. that would make a huge difference. i'm a big guy and i think there' splenty of head room.

That might have made a difference in how I felt about the passenger compartment roominess. Our salesman didn't know a whole lot about anything on the vehicle but he did think my wallet was overflowing. I didn't even notice if there was a seat adjustment. When they call about having a Rubi Unlimited in stock I will have to check it out.

[Piginajeep]

its the gearing. The stock gearing 3:21....

Its a $50 option for 4:10's

They do feel bigger to me on the inside, seats felt good too.

Its all a matter of personal tastes.

[JeepTales]

I sat in a 2007 with Robert Horry...

He is tall; but with the seat cranked all the way down he fit.

Are you sure the seat was cranked down?

[battallion14]

I sat in a 2007 with Robert Horry...

He is tall; but with the seat cranked all the way down he fit.

Are you sure the seat was cranked down?

No, I don't think it was Greg. The salesman I had couldn't hold a candle to you. I had to remove the hard top panels because he couldn't figure it out and cross threaded the bolt that runs through the soundbar area. I also had to figure out how to turn on the lights. etc, etc, etc. I am sure he had just as little clue about the seat height as I did. I did ask him if he had ever taken any Jeep offroad and he gave me a "What would I want to do that for?" look. I made sure to tell him my wife was more qualified than he was to drive the JK off the curb when we were taking it out and then pointed back at my Heep and told him at least she has wheeled one. I don't think he appreciated that.

[JeepTales]

No, I don't think it was Greg. The salesman I had couldn't hold a candle to you. I had to remove the hard top panels because he couldn't figure it out and cross threaded the bolt that runs through the soundbar area. I also had to figure out how to turn on the lights. etc, etc, etc. I am sure he had just as little clue about the seat height as I did. I did ask him if he had ever taken any Jeep offroad and he gave me a "What would I want to do that for?" look. I made sure to tell him my wife was more qualified than he was to drive the JK off the curb when we were taking it out and then pointed back at my Heep and told him at least she has wheeled one. I don't think he appreciated that.

We can't all be animals!:damnmate: