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Photoman
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: New Zealand
Vehicle(s): 280GE, ML500, 280SE 3.5
| Jeep Wrangler vs G
I had a look at the 'all new' Jeep Wrangler 5 door today. Looked ok I guess - except we get some really ugly bummer option down here in NZ.
Anyway, what I was wondering is if anyone here has driven one off-road and how do they compare to the G Wagon. |
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Brent
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: SW Colorado USA
Vehicle(s): '13 Wolfsburg GTI
Posts: 1754
| RE: Jeep Wrangler vs G
My wife drives a 2007 Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited (what a mouthful!). We took it to Moab shortly after she got it. With the lockers and front swaybar disconnect it truely is a capable and comfortable machine off road. That is something I wouldn't have said about the last generation of Jeep. They were capable but I wouldn't consider them good riding off road.
I took it on Fins N Things, Hells Revenge, and Poison Spider Mesa. It performed flawlessly and tackled everything I threw at it. The last obstacle on Hells Revenge is a nasty double bump climb with an off camber finish. We let some Land Cruisers go ahead of us. They bumped and squealed, ground bumpers into the rock and after more than one attempt each, they made it over. The Rubi, totally stock, crawled up and over without even a tire chirp. Some of this was the driver of course 
Of course that is a $30k Jeep. That kind of money buys a decent older 463 or a 460 and money to build it up and pay for a few trips to Moab. It is no G IMO but off-road wise it does very very well in Rubicon form. It also rides and drives nicely on the road if a bit underpowered. It also has a warranty and can be serviced easily locally. Having a four door soft top is pretty cool too. |
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hus55
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: north cyprus,lapta.
Vehicle(s): 300GDS, G300 LONG,300GDT CLK55 AMG CAB.
Posts: 2230
| Re: Jeep Wrangler vs G
well spoken brent!
i guess we sometimes forget that nothing compares to the G.... |
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Skyline
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Jeep Wrangler vs G
Asking such a Question is a Sin!
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Brent
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: SW Colorado USA
Vehicle(s): '13 Wolfsburg GTI
Posts: 1754
| RE: Jeep Wrangler vs G
Time will tell how they hold up. Is the Jeep going to be anywhere near as durable in the long haul as my 280? Not a chance. Will it look as nice as my 20 yr old 280 when it is 20 yrs old? Highly unlikely.
I do think it is a legitimate question though. We all can get caught up in the tremendous capabilities of our G's, myself included. I once considered the G the ultimate in off-road capability, then I took the UNIMOG to Moab, no contest, the atomic tractor shames the G in sheer climbing capability. I think that once you add lockers to any somewhat capable off-roader the playing field is quickly leveled as far as who can go where. The sheer wieght of the G actually becomes a bit of a handicap in extreme off-roading. On the contrary, all that extra wieght goes into making the G extremely durable over the long haul.
I think there is a place for both. I would never buy the Jeep with the expectation that it would last 20+ years without needing to be comprehensively rebuilt. By the same token, I have learned the painfully expensive lesson (more than once) that short term G ownership generally doesn't work out too well financially. For someone that only intends to keep the vehicle for a couple years, or for the term of the note, I think the Jeep, in Rubicon form, is a very attractive option, hence the purchase. The ubundant aftermarket for the Jeep is also an attractive feature for those wishing to actually USE their off-road vehicle.
Would I consider it a replacement for a G? NEVER  |
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4x4abc
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
Vehicle(s): 02 G500
| Re: Jeep Wrangler vs G
asking questions is never a sin!
Asking about differences between G and Jeep Rubicon is OK. There are some.
Also, we don't have to be afraid to be compared. |
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Bruce
Veteran
Date registered: May 2006
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Vehicle(s): 230GE, 300TD, 200D
Posts: 191
| Re: Jeep Wrangler vs G
First, let me say that I dont own a Jeep, only the G, but a buddy has one of the first generation Rubicons. As Brent said, it is quite an off-road capable vehicle "right out of the box". It does not feel as solid as the G, but it IS lighter so that's to be expected. I do envy the 4:1 transfer case in the Rubicon. The stock crawl ratio in my G leaves a little to be desired.
Bruce |
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Frans
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Jeep Wrangler vs G
I don't know much about the technical specs and make-up of a Jeep, but noticed when looking at the front axle, that the CV on a Jeep is actualy a U-Joint like an Tractor and not a CV with boots and all. How does this style compair to the G's? And it looks like its easier and less technical to work on as well. |
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4x4abc
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
Vehicle(s): 02 G500
| RE: Jeep Wrangler vs G
yup, its easier to work on - you can change that U-joint in about 30 minutes. Breaks a lot. Even when handled with care. Good
business for aftermarket companies.
I had a Border Patrol client (yes, the government bought them Rubicons) a while ago. He broke the "ears" that hold the U-joint
in place. And he had treated the car like a newborn. He was very disappointed to say the least.
So, yes, the Rubicon can do pretty much everything a G can, but you better bring your tools (and plenty of parts).
I was preparing a list some years back about the things that break most often on certain 4x4 (like Toyota, Bronco, Jeeps etc),
wanted to give people an idea which parts to carry.
I asked owners on the trail and shops in the area. Got a good answer from one of the shop owners about the Jeep. "What breaks
most often? - Everything, except the windshield wiper!"
Funny, the windshield wiper is not the strongest part on the G. |
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qwerty
Member
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Norway
Vehicle(s): 99 G500 LWB, 88 300GD SWB automatic, 85 300GD STT
Posts: 26
| Re: Jeep Wrangler vs G
Harold: What does the list for the G contain, based on your experiences? |
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Photoman
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: New Zealand
Vehicle(s): 280GE, ML500, 280SE 3.5
| Re: Jeep Wrangler vs G
Thanks for the info. Great to hear from someone that has both. Can't beat that. The dealers keep telling me that the Jeep is way beter off road than the G. I go so sick of one of them who kept telling me, so I asked him how many armys use the Jeep.... that shut him up. I like the Jeep, and really like the idea of a ragtop. So I'd like to get one but I have a feeling I'd break it. Best wait till they are on the second had market ha ha ha.
I'd get a ragtop G but there is only one that I know of in NZ - and it's a G500 so it is way out of my budget. Tried to find one in Japan, but so far all I have found have been left hand drive...
Good to hear the Jeep is better than before though. |
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Photoman
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: New Zealand
Vehicle(s): 280GE, ML500, 280SE 3.5
| Re: Jeep Wrangler vs G
oh yes - they are closer to US$40k down here too - that's a lot of G |
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torfinn9990
Member
Date registered: May 2007
Location:
Vehicle(s): norwegian ex-mil 240GD, jeep cherokee, willys jeep
Posts: 15
| RE: Jeep Wrangler vs G
I have an 89 Jeep cherokee and and 82 x-mil 240GD. Both used as daily drivers. Both have new stock wintertires, 215/75-15 and 225/75-16. Where I live there is snow from oktober until april. Often I have to drive through 10 inches or more of snow from my house and up to the road. The jeep usually goes straight through on first try. THe g-wagen I often need 3-4 attempts. The jeep is a better performer in these conditions. It will go farther in deep snow than the g-wagen. The g-wagen is heavier and it will sink down through the snow and it tends to go its own ways. It is easier to steer the jeep, it feels like it more floats on top of the snow. The g sinks down through the snow and starts to spin, even with both locks it will not go as far as the jeep, in deep snow. This is my experiance.
Torfinn |
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Shebl
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Jeep Wrangler vs G
I have test driven the new 5 doors wrangler Sahara since in this part of the world the dealer doesn’t import the Rubicon .
The Sahara had a comfortable and silent ride on road .
Having a 4 door convertible is very impressive , also the vehicle is very practical if you have pets and love outdoors as it has enough space for luggage and the fabric of the seats is excellent no odor no stain and you can wash the interior and drain in at home .
It is a bit under powered especially that it doesn’t come in manual gear , they should have added a bit of horsepower to it .
It has good ground clearance and on the desert dunes it does well no chance of testing it on the rocks as they don’t exist here ;-) .
In the desert I think it will do better than the G , especially if the G is a 460 it would eb lacking the horsepower required in the desert .
I wish Mercedes had the same interest the Jeep is having to invest in an affordable offroader and let us have a stripped down affordable off-road oriented G.
Compared to the G , the jeep has now is now capable to go places I’ve been in my standard 26 years old 280 GE .
ReG ,
Shebl
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G wizz
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Uk
Vehicle(s): Dont own a G anymore, Too expensive!!!!
Posts: 686
| RE: Jeep Wrangler vs G
this vs that ?
 (A2C47D.jpg)
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 A2C47D.jpg (32KB - 0 downloads)
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