2003 Jeep Wrangler SE review from North America

I bought my Jeep last evening. Therefore, nothing has had time to break. (And I hope that it stays that way for a long time!)

The original owner failed to keep up with tire rotation. There were some stars in the windshield. The air filter was very, very dirty. There were a few chips in the paint from stones. There was a bit of rust (?) in each paint chip's exposed metal (I thought these things were really well rust-proofed!)

The dealer (Honda) put two new OEM tires on the rear. The stars were fixed as well as possible (one old one was only partially filled due to air or water in it. Air filter was replaced. I will do the paint work myself.

I am coming to this vehicle from a 1990 Volvo 740 with 250000+ miles on it. (I hope to get it up to 500000.) My wife's car is a 2001 Honda Accord Value Package (between the base DX and the nicer LX).

I have never owned a new (or even "nearly new") vehicle in my 39 years. This unusual vantage point will inform my review from top to bottom.

I purchased a 2003 Jeep Wrangler SE with low miles that looks very nice. It has some upgrades and aftermarket goodies, but it is still devoid of any security devices. It has dark, metallic green paint, chrome trim on the grille ribs, a very nice air conditioner, a good CD player/stereo with a removable face plate, and the premium aluminum wheels rather than one of the two steel choices. Also, it came with the soft top and half doors.

I intend to add (and you will need to consider this if you choose to buy one of these vehicles with a soft top) :

A hood lock (now)

A locking lug nut set (now)

An alarm (very soon)

An ignition kill switch (soon)

Jeep's optional "Add-a-Trunk" (later)

A hard top (much later)

5 BF Goodrich AT tires (someday)

Purchasing one of these can initiate a lifestyle change in the new owner; it is different.

Here is how I feel right now, after 200 miles of first-day, 2WD-only driving:

The first gear is great! The manual 5-speed box likes to shift at higher RPM's that my older 5-speed Accord. I stay in 4th for a longer time when getting up to highway speed. The shifting is crude-feeling compared to a more civilized sedan; it works well so far despite this. I am concerned about it, however, as I keep reading horror stories (mainly here, heh heh) about the 4 cyl 5-sp Jeep tranny. We shall see, and I will post updates here at each big mileage/service point.

Thus far, this thing has been a blast to drive! This morning I took off the windows and folded back the top. I removed the rear seat. I put in a good CD. I started driving. Two hundred plus miles later I am in my living room typing this; and I am still smiling.

The visibility is very good. While being up higher that a sedan, the upright seating position accentuates this. I am 6' 2", weigh 350 lbs (I know, I know...) and have short legs (31" inseam) with a long torso. With the seat all the way back and reclined just a bit, I fit quite well. But my large posterior causes me to sit slightly off-center as the driver's space is very narrow. This causes me tho have a problem using the cup holders, which are now under my right leg. Why D/C chose to put the cup holders so far off center is a mystery to me. But if I lost weight I do not thing that this would be an issue. My Jeep does not have tilt steering or cruise control. I really wish that it did. But it is so fun to drive that I will only miss these features when I drive on very long trips. The folks that gripe about the TJ's (Wrangler's) comfort and ride are either used to a land yacht or are chronic whiners. Mine is fine. A Jeep is not a "Cute-Ute". It is a genuine UTILITY TRUCK with lots of low-end torque and a spartan interior. And mine has pretty comfy seats/seating position and is pretty easy to get in to and out of. I will thing nothing of driving from Jackson to San Antonio in it other than the mileage, which is not too hot. I am getting about 21 thus far (which is good for a Jeep). I really need to finish off two or three tanks to get a better idea of my average MPG.

This TJ SE is ready to go off-road from the factory, but in a limited way. If you purchase one with the stock Goodyear Wrangler tires and want to go four-wheeling frequently, then you will want to add the tires that I listed above and research the topic on the Internet. I have learned a lot by doing this and will stay away from loose or wet sand until I upgrade my tires!

I am a professional symphony musician and was very pensive about the space and security in this vehicle. I have my Volvo, but intend to make the Jeep my main vehicle. Surprisingly, WITH THE REAR SEAT IN (folded down) I can fit BOTH of my tubas (each worth as much as the Jeep) in the rear. I will see how the stiffness of the ride jolts them around. If ANY damage occurs then my trusty Volvo will have to be my work car for rehearsals and performances; period. Also, with some adjustments to the seats, I can fit my upright bass, amplifier, bar stool, full size music stand, and other small equipment in this vehicle. It is very tight, but it does indeed fit. The bass is an old plywood Kay (for any of you bassists out there) and my combo amp is only middling in quality. I am not afraid of any damage occurring to this equipment due to the TJ ride. I have yet to try either the tuba or the bass load-outs

without the rear seat in place. There will be much more space, but absolutely no padding at all - it IS a steel floor after all. I might make a heavy duty floor pad for my instruments later is I really need the added space enough to remove the rear seat.

I love this vehicle and intend to take very good care of it. Even my wife loves it. It looks great and drives very well. I will come back here when I have anything to add. I hope it will all be good...

Good luck!