Want a Wrangler Unlimited

Quasi Missus and I decided that a Wrangler Unlimited was just the ticket for tomfoolery in our hectic lives. Tanner is on the cusp of Drivers Education and we will be lugging Jerome or Trevor around for 6 more years so we appreciate the rear doors. We have friends that run in a local trail club and have enjoyed riding along at events. We want to buy a newer but not brand new vehicle. Until Tanner is driving I will continue to commute in the Cruze and Kelly will drive the Focus and the Jeep will be used for family of 5 commuting.

At the local FCA dealer there is one of the obnoxious Cybergreen 2016 Sport soft tops with aftermarket 20" black wheels and aggressive tires added on and 10k miles. I start looking at it and there's a $28k tag in the window and a notice that this vehicle was a buy back by FCA due to a roof leak.

I swing by the Credit Union to confirn funds and financing then I go in and talk to the salesman. I know that $28k is fair but I'm not paying tag for a car that has a buyback on the CarFax and is about to hit its 25% depreciation year. Its 3 years old and had a leak. I offered $25250. The dealer said "No. We are an internet dealer."

Nothing more. So I walked. I don't need the truck, I like the truck. What struck me as hilarious is that he assumed that every other dealer in the US is NOT an internet dealer now. I'll go back Monday with the same offer.

I had a similar experience when I was truck shopping.      Emailed on one listed from a dealership on Fleabay.

The response?  Pretty much the same as you.    Sorry, Internet sales price - can't budge.        This was on a one-year-old truck that had been in an accident damaging the bed (Replaced).

They emailed me a month later asking if I was still interested, for a higher price.   wtf...

In reply to QuasiMofo :

There’s not much depreciation on Jeeps, especially Unlimited models. That price actually seems pretty low. When SWMBO show some interest in them a year or so ago, I ran the numbers and leasing a new one seemed to be the way to go. 

When shopping for a Dodge, a few years ago, and discussing dealer trading, the sales manager declined to help get what I wanted from an out of state dealer, because, "they'll want a Wrangler Unlimited, and I can sell those all day long for sticker." 

So, there's that, plus the Jeep tax. 

I'm really just more shocked that someone comes in $2500 lower staring they are already approved and your hard work is done, counter the offer. I can go the full price but won't with that attitude 

Don't go back on Monday, go back on Wednesday, comment that it's still there and make the same offer. 

In reply to captdownshift :

LOL "hey, have you been having trouble with your internet?"

Dealers... A few months ago I called the local Ford dealer to make a nudge offer on a used Explorer we test drove the week before. Guy tells me “it sold the afternoon you drove it.”  I said “that’s funny, because I’m parked in your lot, about 20 yards from it.” Then I waved goodbye to him. He called every day for the next week. 

Jeeps don't seem to depreciate like other vehicles. I would just buy a new one. 

ManhattanM (fka NY535iManual) said:

Dealers... A few months ago I called the local Ford dealer to make a nudge offer on a used Explorer we test drove the week before. Guy tells me “it sold the afternoon you drove it.”  I said “that’s funny, because I’m parked in your lot, about 20 yards from it.” Then I waved goodbye to him. He called every day for the next week. 

Funny story. I can easily see that happening, but I don't understand the motivation for the salesman. 

NoMini said:

When shopping for a Dodge, a few years ago, and discussing dealer trading, the sales manager declined to help get what I wanted from an out of state dealer, because, "they'll want a Wrangler Unlimited, and I can sell those all day long for sticker." 

So, there's that, plus the Jeep tax. 

That is correct for the dealer to say. Hell its actually honest from them.

Floating Doc said:

ManhattanM (fka NY535iManual) said:

Dealers... A few months ago I called the local Ford dealer to make a nudge offer on a used Explorer we test drove the week before. Guy tells me “it sold the afternoon you drove it.”  I said “that’s funny, because I’m parked in your lot, about 20 yards from it.” Then I waved goodbye to him. He called every day for the next week. 

Funny story. I can easily see that happening, but I don't understand the motivation for the salesman. 

Probably the dickbag salesman was going to go “see?  You have I move quick, stuff sells fast, look what happens when you wait!”

QuasiMofo said:

this vehicle was a buy back by FCA due to a roof leak.

Im assuming it has the hard top.  There were always more complaints on those than the soft tops.  Partly due to the multipiece design, partly due to the customer base that bought them.  Usually a soft top customer knows what they are buying.  Ive seen buy backs on these for the following reasons-

1. Technician skill level in installing the seals and adjusting the panel gaps.

2. Customer induced damage by hanging and sitting on the roof causing things to be tweaked enough the seals are less effective

3. Customer expectations are not aligned with the reality of owning a multi piece roof.  This was always the biggest issue.  You bought a vehicle that everything removes from.  Concessions are made in the design to allow this to happen.  Care has to be taken when removing and installing the pieces.  I have never seen a convertible car or a Jeep that was 100% water tight in all conditions. (Before somebody chimes in, yes, I know your convertible Tuna Slapper GT doesn't leak but it is the exception. )

Many customers are buying Unlimiteds with G-Wagen expectations for NVH.  I gave up keeping track of the tire noise complaints from the Rubicons.  We also got lots of complaints about the skyslider in the Liberty.  You have a 4 foot hole above your head with a canvas tarp over it.  It isn't going to be as quiet as your Lexus was.  

In reply to logdog :

My boss has a Wrangler Unlimited that he traded his Touareg for.  Frankly, no matter which top is on it, the WU leaks a lot less than the Volkswagen did.

Purely from a noise and ride quality standpoint, I have no idea how people tolerate Wranglers as suburban dailies, and I drive a loud Miata with barely-padded racing buckets and stiff suspension.  It seems horrid to drive on-road, and he never takes it off-road.  But that's why they make both Wranglers and Miatas.  He loves the thing.

Try cars.com lookin at new old stock for any distance and then call their internet sales manager.  It's cheap to ship cars.

T.J. said:

Jeeps don't seem to depreciate like other vehicles. I would just buy a new one. 

Agreed,  we bought our 2012 new after trying to shop used.  I was shocked at the lack of depreciation for models a few years old.

Same experience here - my wife wants a Wrangler Unlimited as her next vehicle and unless I can find one with the exact extras we'd want, we're better off buying new.

That said, I noticed that when shopping via the Penfed/TrueCar car buying service, there were some discounts to be had from local dealers.

Duke said:

In reply to logdog :

 

Purely from a noise and ride quality standpoint, I have no idea how people tolerate Wranglers as suburban dailies, and I drive a loud Miata with barely-padded racing buckets and stiff suspension.  It seems horrid to drive on-road, and he never takes it off-road.  But that's why they make both Wranglers and Miatas.  He loves the thing.

I've had 2 so far as rentals for a little over a week both times. I didnt think the noise was so bad but i agree on the ride quality, it was very jarring over average sized bumps/potholes, almost like there wasn't enough up-travel in the factory set up, i'd imagine a 2-3" lift would help make a difference. On larger bumps/holes it felt like it would slightly kick to the side just enough to notice.

I can say they do pretty decent in soft sand with stock rental tires on them, up until the Canadian Mounties informed me that I was in an ATV/dirtbike park and couldn't offroad there anymore...

I took it through an automatic carwash before returning it which got the mud/dirt off the top side but the underside of that jeep was still caked when i took it back, gotta love rental cars

In reply to edizzle89:

Yeah, I had a Wrangler Unlimited for a week's rental on vacation once.  It wasn't bad - and of course it justifies itself as soon as you spend any time off the pavement - but I sure wouldn't pay a premium for one unless I planned to use it that way regularly.

QFT 

There’s not much depreciation on Jeeps, especially Unlimited models.

Itsajeepthingrollmeoversoicanunderstanditforyou

 If you'd like another option, there's another 2016 Cybergreen JKU with a thousand less miles for $42K down the road from that one...

I'd also wait until the new bronco comes out before getting a Wrangler unlimited. It'll do a number on their monthly units sold and deals will be had. 

In reply to captdownshift :

I doubt it, but the Bronco is still 2 years away from production. Just like it was 2 years ago, IIRC.

Around here used wranglers cost more than new because they all have big useless aftermarket wheels and random mall crawler gear. 

I drove one of the new 2018 wrangler unlimiteds. It drove worse than my 97 grand Cherokee and cost 50k. No thanks.

Buy a G wagon with 100k miles on it. Drive it for 50k and sell it for a couple grand less. Rinse and repeat. Talk about resale value!

My experience mirrors Cotton's. Why pay $18k for a 2007 when I could buy a brand new 2012 for $22k? So that's what I did.

Also, as a soft top Wrangler owner, a water leak isn't a fault, its a feature! 

I just turned 41k miles on my Wrangler today. I have been sorta kinda tossing the idea around of trading it in on a 4wd pickup. But, I have put so much blood, sweat and tears (aka money) into this damn Jeep that it really has become mine. I still wanna regear it and put a rack and RTT on. THEN it will be what I wanted it to be in 2012.

Until the Jeep pickups come out