Dealer installed Cruise Control - never works & went to them about it several times.
Does okay.
Comes stock with 30" Goodyear Wrangler tires.
Won't do much in 4-wheel high, must use 4-wheel low.
Cheap plastic interior.
Could use a turbo or V8. Sure don't get much for $22,000. Should have bought a 4WD pickup.
Manual says to change oil & filter every 7,500 miles (that's their way of making the running costs lower on the window sticker) but if you want it to last I would do it every 3,000 miles tops (ecspecially when you 4-wheel a lot).
I read your post and only have one point of contention. The curb weight of a Jeep Wrangler is around 3200lbs for the decked out model. The only other 4 wheel drive vehicle in its class that even gets close to that are the Toyota Tacoma's (3600lbs). I test drove a Toyota Tacoma and it's a 190 hp V6 engine. It doesn't even get close to producing the same torque at the same RPM. Considering the V6 should be able to "rev" faster to its desired RPM, it does not.
A full size truck like you suggested would put it well into the 4500lb weight classes. Try "off-roading" with one of these vehicles just one time, and you will quickly realize why they are for "dog and pony shows only". The only thing that keeps the 190 horse Wranglers from being a street rod is the gearing. They put out an incredible amount of torque and horsepower for such a light frame.
The Jeep was designed to be simple, rugged military hardware, not a freeway cruiser. If you want the best of creature comforts, don't buy a Jeep, if you want a serious designed for off pavement driving machine, then buy a Jeep.
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