I'm a fast car enthusiast and I bought a new Jeep

"William Byrd" (thedriver) 02/18/2015 at 12:44 • Filed to: None

14

47

Now let me tell you why, as I think it's an interesting look into need vs. want . If you are reading this, you probably like fast cars. Or Miatas. Just kidding, don't want to get off on the wrong foot with the reader. I recently decided it was time to trade in the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . I can already feel the ire, "you traded a FoST for a damn SUV?" Stay with me here.

Continue Reading Below or !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (opens in new tab):

The purchase came at at time where we needed to save some money. My ex-Wife is an awful person, and after spending the equivalent of a new BMW M3 in legal fees, I still wasn't able to get the time I wanted with my two older kids. But that's a story for a different blog. So away via trade went both a 2009 Chevrolet Suburban LTZ and a 2003 Ford Mustang GT convertible, both of which we owed money on. Payments shrunk and I had a fun new, economical'ish, commuter car to play with. And RFD had a new long-term test car.

Fast forward nine months and I'm tired. Maybe it's because I'm old (38) and can't take the punishment of a daily driver with a stiff suspension and a 6spd. Maybe it was trying to shoehorn a big-for-his-size newborn into a postage slot rear opening between his Recaro seat and the door opening. Maybe it was trying to drive through DC dodging potholes and praying it wouldn't snow because my FWD car sucks when it gets slippery out. Regardless of what combination of those things came into play, I decided it was time for a change.

Admittedly, I love car shopping. It's fun and I don't mind it one bit. The thrill of building the criteria, narrowing down the list to what I want, and then searching for the perfect vehicle is great. I can take or leave the dealership experience, but it doesn't bother me and I'm pretty good at haggling. No haggle pricing my ass . So what were the criteria? Well that gets me to need vs. want.

What do I want? Something attractive, fast, a bit ostentatious and loud. A modern day Shelby GT500 or GT350, maybe a Corvette ZO6. What do I need? Something reliable that can carry a family (Wife, 3 kids, 2 dogs, and all the crap that goes with them), and will brave bad weather without issue. Sort of sounds like a minivan.

Obviously there is a happy medium to be found somewhere in between. Regardless, it had to be attractive, much like real live human relationships, you want to find yourself looking over your shoulder at your car when you are walking away. The "look back" test is something we use at RFD in any vehicle review. Do you like what you see when you look back or do you not bother looking after a while? I look back over my shoulder at my Wife, but the car, sometimes.

Continue Reading Below or !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (opens in new tab):

So I headed to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to start looking at options. I started with broad search terms like "all 4-doors (sedan, wagon, and SUV) around $30,000, with 50,000 miles or less, that are 3 years old or less", etc. I don't have time to spend with my daily driver in the shop, so I limited the mileage and year search and the price point is the price point, it is what it is. I didn't want to pay a lot more than I was for the Focus, but was willing to bump up a bit. So since the broad search didn't work, I found myself going automaker-by-automaker and researching various models. As with any large purchase, I didn't want to miss anything that could be a contender. Here are some that made the initial list:

Audi !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! S4 - I've had some bad VW-Audi Group experiences, but the S4 is a nice car. Didn't really matter though, for 2-3 year old models, pretty much anything starting with "S" or "RS" was out of the price range.

BMW !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! 535i (sedan or wagon) – A real contender, I love the twin turbo engine, it has a lot of potential. Plus I liked the size of the 5-series and that it was available as a wagon. Unfortunately there weren't many interesting candidates in the model years I was interested in. For the price point, you'll get a 2011 or older, or something a little newer with higher mileage. I briefly considered a V10 M5 but shuddered in fear at the potential for costly repairs. Oh and as much as I wanted one, the M3 sedan is just too small unfortunately.

Cadillac CTS-V (sedan or wagon) – I really want a CTS-V. Badly. But I prefer the 2009 and newer which are holding their value pretty well and were not realistic in this scenario.

Chevrolet SS – For this to be a real solid contender, someone would have had to buy a new one and trade it in or sell it. Unfortunately this hasn't happened often, and I didn't find many on the used market near DC.

Dodge !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Charger/Chrysler 300C SRT-8 – There is something cool about these big Mopars. And, as you'll see, I ended up with something similar, but in SUV form. Unfortunately, getting a hold of the SRT model proved a bit difficult in the price/year range for this purchase. Still a solid contender.

Jeep !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Wrangler Unlimited – Certainly the most dissimilar option on the list, but the 4-door Jeep is a great vehicle. We owned one in 2012 and many times I have regretted trading it in. However, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! are awful and kind of scary. Like doors opening, passengers injured, scary. 5-star it's not. Which is too bad because they are a lot of fun, I just don't want to load up a bunch of kids in one.

Jeep !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Grand Cherokee – This initially made the list for the SRT version. But a quick search proved that only something circa 2007 or older is reasonable around this price point. But while I'm on these Jeep dealer sites looking at Wranglers, let's check out the new and slightly used options. Hey, nice. More on that later.

Lexus !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! IS-F – A cool car to be sure, but they are holding North of $30K pretty well and after owning a 2009 IS250 I can already tell you, the back seat is tiny. Next.

Mercedes Benz E55/E63 AMG (sedan or wagon) – A beast of a car, but for $30K, you're looking too far back in the lineage for me. No warranty, no thanks.

Tesla !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Model S – Sorry, just dreaming, but I did search for used ones. No dice.

Toyota !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! 4-Runner – Well if I'm considering Jeeps, why not the 4-Runner? Oh, the interior. That's awful. Next. The FJ Cruiser got a quick look as well, but they only seem to sell them in cartoon-like colors.

On a lark, I probably went through just about every other manufacturer out there looking at used Jaguars and other cars I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. So that's the list folks, which one would you have chosen? Here's my choice, and why.

I present to you, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! :

So why, with all those enthusiast models on there, did I get a damn Jeep SUV? Some of it was the aforementioned need . Most of the sedans I looked at were either too small or wouldn't stand up to winter driving that well. I love me some RWD, but it normally sucks in the snow (I know, snow tires, blah blah). Not that I'm in the snow belt or anything (is that a thing?) but I need to be able to get to work when it's messy out. I really liked the Wrangler, as did my Wife, and it was the leading contender at one point. But once I sifted through the crash testing data, I decided to take it off the list.

What came next was just a quick analysis of what we liked about the Wrangler. Rugged, not that expensive (unless you option it up to $50K, which you can), room inside for people and stuff, and a certain cool factor (it drives over shit). It was as simple as "oh, hey this Grand Cherokee is around the same price and does a lot of the same stuff" and it went from there. It's got more room than any of the other options, looks fantastic (dare I say one of the best looking SUVs on the road), comes with a very upscale interior, and can haul all our stuff through any weather conditions. Not bad Jeep, not bad. It feels like a Range Rover at half the price. It was actually cheaper than the 3 year old RR Sport I owned and *knock on wood* more reliable.

As for for this specific model, I'll admit it was aesthetic. I wanted black wheels, this had black wheels. I wanted leather, this came with leather (plus cool suede inserts, even better). I wanted to take off all the chrome trim on the Limited we test drove and spray them black, well Jeep already did that for us. So it's an SRT-like look, at less than half the price. Cool.

So that's that. I'm a fast car enthusiast and I bought a new Jeep. Just like the title said. The Jeep will be joining the RFD Garage, hauling our camera gear and likely chasing down some fast cars at VIR. So stay tuned for some driving impressions and overall long-term review. Oh, and leave a comment to tell me why the new Jeep rocks, or why I suck and should have chosen a 30 year old Caprice wagon or a Miata. Always happy to hear from the readers! Details on the new Jeep below.

Packages & Options

• Engine: 3.6L V6 24V VVT

• Transmission: 8-Speed Automatic

• Wheels: 20" x 8.0" Gloss Black Aluminum

• Tires: P265/50R20 BSW AS

Altitude Package

• Black Headlamp Bezels

• Black Suede Seats w/Black Stitching

• Body Color Claddings

• Body Color Fascias

• Body Color Grille w/Platinum Accent

• Body Color Shark Fin Antenna

• Dual Bright Exhaust Tips

• Gloss Black Fascia Applique

• Jeep Black Gloss Badging

• Neutral Gray Satin Gloss Tail Lamp

• Power 4-Way Driver Lumbar Adjust

• Power 8-Way Driver/Manual Passenger Seat

• Rear View Auto Dim Mirror w/Microphone

• Security & Convenience Group

• SIRIUSXM Satellite Radio

• Radio: Uconnect 8.4A AM/FM/SXM/BT

• 9 Amplified Speakers w/Subwoofer

• Uconnect Access

• 115V Auxiliary Power Outlet

• Cargo Compartment Cover

• Heated Front Seats

• Heated Steering Wheel

• Power Sunroof

• Power Liftgate

• Remote Start System

• Security Alarm

• Universal Garage Door Opener

• ParkView Rear Back-Up Camera

• ParkSense Rear Park Assist System

• Security & Convenience Group

• 50 State Emissions

For Sweden > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 12:47

5

Needs more SRT Grand Cherokee

William Byrd > For Sweden 02/18/2015 at 12:48

4

Needed twice as much monies.

Tipo Stradale Fever > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 12:50

6

Congrats on the Jeep man! Also;

"My ex-Wife is an awful person, and after spending the equivalent of a new BMW M3 in legal fees, I still wasn't able to get the time I wanted with my two older kids. "

AM3R shamefully returns > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 12:52

0

was the 4Runner interior really that bad?

RightFootDown > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 12:56

1

How about some SRT wheels with summer tires for the warm season? Eh, eh??

William Byrd > AM3R shamefully returns 02/18/2015 at 12:56

0

Surprisingly, yes. And I've never been an "interior" guy. The plastics felt cheap, the audio system looked something out of Crutchfield circa 1998, the seats weren't comfortable, and for they money they wanted it just didn't feel right. Which is too bad, I liked the exterior, off-road abilities, etc. Sitting in a recent JGC didn't help, Jeep has miraculously built a Range Rover-esque SUV for less than half the price. The materials are nice and feel very solid, it has leather/suede on the seats, and the damn steering wheel is heated!

William Byrd > RightFootDown 02/18/2015 at 12:56

2

Don't let my Wife read this.

(I'll check eBay)

William Byrd > Tipo Stradale Fever 02/18/2015 at 12:57

1

Thanks X2! :)

For Sweden > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 12:57

11

Do what everyone else does and buy more money

William Byrd > For Sweden 02/18/2015 at 13:00

0

I asked, they wouldn't finance for 144 months. Plus Automatch would yell at me. Or is it Tavarish? I forget.

Nothing > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 13:05

1

Congrats, I can relate. I'm the old guy with an ST, but went for the ST1 because I figured the base seats for a 6'4" 230lb guy would be a better fit long term. The ride isn't too jarring, especially since my commute is from my bedroom to the office, so being a cheap to own little car, the ST stays.

To settle the desire for something a little more plush and larger, we also have a 2014 GC Overland. Nice comfy vehicle, although very chrome-ified. I even pulled the snow tires off the ST because it makes much more sense to take the Jeep when the weather calls for it (snow, heck, even if it's just cold). We get enough 50+ days during the winter months that the ST is still drivable with the F1s.

Congrats on the new ride. Ours has been trouble free for the 14 months we've had it.

E92M3 > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 13:08

0

Hey you didn't tell us how much you paid for it.

William Byrd > Nothing 02/18/2015 at 13:09

0

Hmm, that's weird! Glad the JGC is working out well. I looked at few used ones and the 14+ is the way to go. Better interior bits and the new transmission.

I could have survived the ST if I didn't drive 2-3 hours a day through DC.

William Byrd > E92M3 02/18/2015 at 13:10

0

Stay tuned to RFD . :)

/teaser

GeorgeyBoy > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 13:16

0

Nice, I persuaded my mom to buy one a couple years ago. It's a little too big for her but I enjoy driving it whenever I see her. The only thing that really bothered me was the 5 speed, I'm sure the 8 speed would make it sooo much better.

JEM > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 13:20

1

Fast forward nine months and I'm tired. Maybe it's because I'm old (38) and can't take the punishment of a daily driver with a stiff suspension and a 6spd.

Try being 40 and DD'ing a '96 Cherokee and riding a sport bike! :-)

I was actually going to suggest getting a bike for your speed thrills.

William Byrd > GeorgeyBoy 02/18/2015 at 13:23

0

Yeah, we looked at older (12/13) MYs but the 14+ has the 8spd which is pretty nice.

William Byrd > JEM 02/18/2015 at 13:24

1

Oof, I like going fast too much. Always figured a sport bike would kill me. haha

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 13:47

1

I have to ask, does the V6 ever feel underpowered in the Jeep? I've always assumed it was V8 or bust but the Pentastar is a really promising motor I've heard.

Nothing > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 13:51

1

Ours made enough of an impression on my brother-in-law, his family picked one up a few months after we bought ours. The certainly are nice vehicles.

vondon302 > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 13:54

0

I lost interest when you said my fwd car Sucks in the snow. My winter cars are a focus st and a p71. The focus took me to work in the worst single day snow fall in 20 years with snow tires it's a tank. The p71 on the other hand is horrible for traveling anywhere anytime but if you have a empty snow covered parking lot there's nothing better.

William Byrd > vondon302 02/18/2015 at 13:57

0

Then you missed the part where I said that I could spend $1000 on new tires and a set of wheels to mount them on. Or I could look at something different. I have no doubt a Focus ST on snow tires is good...in the snow.

William Byrd > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 02/18/2015 at 13:59

0

Nah, you only really need horsepower in an SUV like this when overtaking or merging and it's got enough to do both well and not feel anemic. And it's got enough torque to muscle through snow and rough terrain. Trust me, I'm a V8 or bust guy in general but I don't think the extra power would be worth the MPG trade-off. The V6 is already thirsty!

vondon302 > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 14:20

1

Your right my bad. Read before you post old Chinese saying. Enjoy the jeep er cherokee.

William Byrd > vondon302 02/18/2015 at 14:29

0

Thanks. I liked the Focus, but it came down to modify vs. trade and it didn't make sense to put money into a car I didn't plan to keep deep down.

AM3R shamefully returns > William Byrd 02/18/2015 at 17:42

0

ouch, I really like these. What trim level? I wish I could get an SR5 with all the off-road goodies but with the limited interior.

And I love the JGC. Interior on the overland is superb, I'm a huge fan.

William Byrd > AM3R shamefully returns 02/19/2015 at 09:28

1

That was a Limited unfortunately. Sat in a few at the DC auto show in various trim levels.

The TRD model is really cool, but I could only find it in orange and the interior was still pretty much the same.

The Overland is damn near Range Rover level. Like I said, I'm not really an interior guy, so I was pretty happy with the Altitude, which has most of the Limited features but on a Laredo.

AM3R shamefully returns > William Byrd 02/19/2015 at 15:01

1

I set out to check them out at the DC auto show too, but I got sidetracked and looked at a land cruiser instead... Love them!

The JGC is great, too bad no third row. I'm waiting on the Durango to get an interior like the jeep!

Dy-no-mite Jay > William Byrd 04/21/2015 at 20:06

1

I know this is an old article but how much did you spend? My wife likes GC’s

Roody > William Byrd 04/21/2015 at 21:18

1

Good choice, parents have a ‘14 Limited WK2, love just about everything about it. If I had to buy a vehicle tomorrow that I could own (or would want to own) for the rest of my life, all side-effects included (not one of those “theoretically you have infinite money” scenarios), the WK2 would be at the top of my list. Cheers!

CalzoneGolem > William Byrd 04/22/2015 at 06:38

0

I don’t need a fast car I need a comfy car and I approve of this choice.

William Byrd > Dy-no-mite Jay 04/22/2015 at 09:22

1

Mid $30s after rebates and such. Sticker was probably closer to $40K.

Alex B > William Byrd 04/22/2015 at 09:28

0

How is rear seat space?

indianamarathoner32 > William Byrd 04/22/2015 at 09:36

0

Just bought my wife a 2012 JGC. Its amazing how luxurious it feels and rides. For under $30k

William Byrd > Roody 04/22/2015 at 09:40

0

Thanks! And yep, I have to keep this one for awhile it does a LOT of stuff well. Comfortable, attractive, spacious, not terribly slow, and I did an emergency lane change yesterday to dodge a contractor’s ladder and it easily managed. Not quite as quick as my ST, but it does the job.

Roody > William Byrd 04/22/2015 at 09:54

1

Yup, and it’ll get you through every non-apocalyptic condition you throw at it

Andrew P. Collins > William Byrd 04/22/2015 at 10:18

1

Haha... I like the 4Runner interior. The tiny windshield feels so military. You’re spot-on about the crappy controls though, that’s a Toyota truck thing right now...

William Byrd > Roody 04/22/2015 at 10:47

0

Plus, in “Altitude” guise, it passes the “look back over your shoulder” test well. I look back occasionally, particularly depending on how the light hits the lines and go “damn that’s nice”. As a sports/muscle car guy, that means a lot. It’s no SRT, but it’s better than 1/2 as good, which is good since it was 1/2 the price. haha

William Byrd > Andrew P. Collins 04/22/2015 at 10:52

0

Good point, I liked the overall shape. It reminded me of something more special (well, like a Wrangler, haha) but the materials and colors they used, even in the Limited were not great. Too bad, b/c I generally like Toyotas.

Andrew P. Collins > William Byrd 04/22/2015 at 10:54

0

Eh I think you made the right choice FWIW. JGC is a really sexy SUV that’s pleasant to drive.

MIATAAAA > William Byrd 04/22/2015 at 10:59

1

And (low bar, though) it’s more reliable than a Range Rover.

William Byrd > Andrew P. Collins 04/22/2015 at 11:02

0

Coming from you, that’s a pretty solid endorsement! My Wife says I have to keep it for 4 years so I’m glad to hear that.

William Byrd > MIATAAAA 04/22/2015 at 11:02

1

True, that wasn’t hard. Even Chrysler figured it out. haha

Andrew P. Collins > William Byrd 04/22/2015 at 11:12

0

Chrysler has infotainment nailed and honestly that really scores big for Jeeps as far as I’m concerned. Also really like the styling of the JGC all around... only downside is it’s not as practical as a Subaru Outback ;)

Roody > William Byrd 04/22/2015 at 11:22

0

Haha I hear you. I fantasize over the SRT occasionally, and would consider buying one in a few years but they’re holding value quite well and new is starting to break into the low $70’s (ouch). There’s good aftermarket support for the non-SRT WK2’s though, just have to decide what you want to do with it. If yours is a camera lugger and will be used as a chase car, I’m sure you can find some suspension stuff for it.

William Byrd > Roody 04/22/2015 at 11:49

0

Yep, I had a $30’iskK budget and the best SRTs I could find were still pretty old and had some miles on them. Maybe I’ll just swap out the Altitude wheels for a set of SRT wheels.

Yep, it will likely spend some time on VIR and/or Summit Point this Spring/Summer covered in GoPros and getting passed by fast cars. So that’s a good point.

Roody > William Byrd 04/22/2015 at 13:18

0

They look pretty good with first-gen SRT Jeep wheels, too. Might be able to pick up a set of replicas or take-offs on one of the forums for fairly cheap.