The Used Car Market in 2021 (Jeep Wranglers)

So, I can't talk my wife out of getting a Jeep Wrangler (A vehicle I suspect will wear off very quickly and she won't want), and have come to realize that the used market for them is even more off its rocker than other used cars. $30,000 for a 10-year-old Wrangler with 80k on it? Are you kidding me? People have an awfully big opinion of a vehicle that's still carrying around 30-year-old technology that the engineering has been paid for ages ago.

It probably doesn't help that I will not entertain anything older than 2012 (Engine reasons) or anything that has been modified already or has big stupid tires on it. This thing needs to serve as her daily driver, and she would contaminate the driver seat and never drive it again if she ever ran up against any form of the Jeep Death Wobble, nor am I replacing a $1200 set of tires.

I'm really just venting about the used car market continuing to be insane.
How and where with the car be driven?
Maybe she would like a new bronco. Or a restored Bronco. Or a HMMWV
She would be "The bad &^$" in that!

GM missed the retro styling boat with the new Blazer.

These Jeeps are every where - like Iphones.

Ask her: Does she want to be like everyone else?

Or show her this movie:
 
i just want to make sure i understand something. this thread is about a man whose wife wants to buy a wrangler, and he wants to her to get a honda pilot instead? is that correct? also, could someone please tell me what planet i am currently on?
 
i just want to make sure i understand something. this thread is about a man whose wife wants to buy a wrangler, and he wants to her to get a honda pilot instead? is that correct? also, could someone please tell me what planet i am currently on?
Exactly what are you getting at... the saying about "a happy wife, a happy life", maybe? ;)
 
That’s one thing I will never understand about wranglers. These things are almost everywhere, yet the used values are marginally lower than new. I was bidding on one with some rocker damage, missing hard top. Retail value 34k. Bid 31k and they countered me with 33k. It’s like why? The missing roof is $1500 plus I still got to repair the rocker and the interior is probably soaked from rain/snow. How can I turn profit?

That being said the new Wranglers easily push low 40k msrp so 30k for a older one sounds about right. But I’ve noticed with the JLs the used pricing is much more realistic compared to JKs a few years ago.

idk how long your wife plans on keeping it but it might be worth to lease one. They have sub $300/mo lease deals on them.
 
Wranglers are one of very few truly distinctive cars left....good off road, open top, 2 or 4 doors, pickup, what's not to like? It is what the Defender was in its home markets. The ride and driving may be a bit crude by current standards but so what? Nothing in its price range compares... My TJ was slow, cramped and noisy and I absolutely loved it. I just drove a newer one, it was better but not a lot.

And I will give Jeep credit for managing to own the cool high school/college girl crowd w/ the Wranglers I can think of 5 just in our circle.... Means I will be looking for one in ~1 yr :D


As for the video, that is why you have a rollover cage.
 
i just want to make sure i understand something. this thread is about a man whose wife wants to buy a wrangler, and he wants to her to get a honda pilot instead? is that correct? also, could someone please tell me what planet i am currently on?

I would love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation!
 
About what it would have went for in 2004 with the same miles, I'd want at least 3 Cavaliers for that money :)
I think that's around what my mom paid for her 89 when it was brand new. That car got junked in 2004, my dad had it after they got divorced, it had almost 200k on it I think and the paint was peeling and it was probably rusting out and everything was starting to go wrong at once.
 
i just want to make sure i understand something. this thread is about a man whose wife wants to buy a wrangler, and he wants to her to get a honda pilot instead? is that correct? also, could someone please tell me what planet i am currently on?

No, she wanted a pilot. Then she wanted a Wrangler. Somewhere in there was a Challenger as well and a new Bronco. With the kid now driving, she can reasonably get whatever she wants, although she's on a fairly strict budget (Champagne taste on a beer budget fits this perfectly). She's also not, how can I say this, very nice to her cars. I don't think it would matter if it was new, it's still going to end up with crap all in it and parked in spots where people will door ding the crap out of it. To her it is 'just a car' and resale value and keeping something 'nice' don't fit that line of thinking.
 
Idk. She might stick with it. If the jeep is the right car, she’ll stay in it. I dont know why... while not a wrangler, i loved my zj. That thing had an allure. Some folks get them and the jeep bug bites and its a match.
True ... one of our engineers wife traded a nice Yukon for a Rubicon ... roof stays off half the year ... they have a GMC AT4 DMax for the 4 of them or to trailer the Jeep to the trails ...
Kinda like a Tesla ... depends on what else you own along side of it ...
 
What part of woman wants a Jeep, man wants a pseudo SUV thingie aren't you getting? ;)

Agree with the happy wife = happy life thing. LET. WIFE. PICK. HER. CAR.
HaHa … never forget the day I took my wife to look at Cadillac CUV’s and standing by one she points across at an H3 and says I want to look at those. We got an H3.
 
One thing I noticed....you can’t order these cheap! I’d want a 4 door Sport (don’t need the fancy stuff), but it has to be an automatic (so the wife could drive it) just adding that brought like 5k worth of stuff to go with it! I question why they even waste the time with lower trim levels then.....
 
Wranglers are one of very few truly distinctive cars left....good off road, open top, 2 or 4 doors, pickup, what's not to like? It is what the Defender was in its home markets. The ride and driving may be a bit crude by current standards but so what? Nothing in its price range compares... My TJ was slow, cramped and noisy and I absolutely loved it. I just drove a newer one, it was better but not a lot.

And I will give Jeep credit for managing to own the cool high school/college girl crowd w/ the Wranglers I can think of 5 just in our circle.... Means I will be looking for one in ~1 yr :D


As for the video, that is why you have a rollover cage.
Lawyers lapped up early Honda Pilot roll overs … IIHS proved the roof could not handle the weight before they upgraded.
Small offset has done poorly … newer you get that all goes away and top rated …
 
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These vehicles are one of the types you’re better off just buying new. And like others mentioned it should hold its value. I’ve always had a soft spot for the wranglers. I’ve gone off-roading with buddies 97.
 
Not if the market is WAY overpriced. anything over 30K is insane anyhow

You can get a New Forester well optioned for 24K. Warrantied or 5/60 powertrain,

30mpg is tolerable 20mpg is not.

I'd worry she is going Sarah Conner way off the Reservation.
A Girls version of a Corvette or Mustang.

You know what THAT means.
 
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I have daily driven my 02 since I bought it new. It has been on road trips but mostly local stuff. I really like it. It has been very dependable and has never let me down.

We now use the FJ for longer trips as it is more comfortable,has cruise control etc.

It's value is stupid high right now too.
 
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Not if the market is WAY overpriced. anything over 30K is insane anyhow

You can get a New Forester well optioned for 24K. Warrantied or 5/60 powertrain,

30mpg is tolerable 20mpg is not.

I'd worry she is going Sarah Conner way off the Reservation.
A Girls version of a Corvette or Mustang.

You know what THAT means.
Going from 20mpg to 30mpg would save you a whopping $45 a month. I saved more money than that by not eating out and getting coffee as often.
 
i just want to make sure i understand something. this thread is about a man whose wife wants to buy a wrangler, and he wants to her to get a honda pilot instead? is that correct? also, could someone please tell me what planet i am currently on?


Some of us women are very cool!
This woman in question, is one of them.
 
Not if the market is WAY overpriced. anything over 30K is insane anyhow

You can get a New Forester well optioned for 24K. Warrantied or 5/60 powertrain,

30mpg is tolerable 20mpg is not.

I'd worry she is going Sarah Conner way off the Reservation.
A Girls version of a Corvette or Mustang.

You know what THAT means.

A Forester? Really?
Why not just force her to drive a 20 year old Yaris that was rolled over in a ditch instead?
Let the Woman drive what she wants, not what someone else thinks she should, because their mindset is all women are stupid, and must listen to the man.
Boring!!!
 
Yes, we definitely shouldn't assume that a solid axle SUV isn't what she wants. I do think she needs to drive it first, but plenty of people do like daily driving vehicles like a Wrangler.

My parents have been married close to 50 years and whoever's turn it is to get a new vehicle picks what they want. Mom has a bright red Ranger 4.0, Dad has a tan Subaru.
 
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