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Coming from a Toyota, What do I need to know

3K views 38 replies 17 participants last post by  Heckapunchez 
#1 ·
Howdy from Texas,

I'm potentially looking at getting a JK in the next few years simply because my Toyota 4Runner isn't 4WD. (Its only a little frustrating... ok its really frustrating)

I have been pricing 2 Doors, 4 Doors, Looking at mods, insurance rates, etc.

I ask those with a 2012 or newer with the 3.6L V6 a few questions.

1. Is it powerful enough to drive everyday? I drive my grandpas 2002 TJ with 8,000 miles now and again and even the 4.0L struggles with 33's and a 5 speed. (Needs a re-gear bad)

2. Reliability: Coming from a Toyota its essentially bomb proof, but I want to know what the reliability figures are for the 3.6L. Also what are some small nuisances that are associated with the JK?

3. 2 door or 4 door: I might only be able to afford a 2 door so I want to ask how livable the 2 door is? I've seen that you get some decent space without the back seat but I like the longer wheel-base of the 4 doors and the larger cargo capacity with it.

Any suggestions, comments, and any input would be greatly appreciated!
 
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#2 ·
1) the 3.6 pentastar is a beast.
2) reliability is fine (if you have any mechanical abilities, otherwise dealer trips in the first 3 years)
3) thats personal choice - i wanted a 4 door because i wanted space and ability for passengers (yes at the same time). if you can afford it and have kids or like to camp with kids, id get the 4 door. call me crazy :p
EDIT: some ppl make what they need fit in the back of the 2 door, but also keep in mind that people just take that back seat out entirely.
 
#3 ·
Awesome, thanks for the input. The 4.0L V6 in the 4runner is been around FOREVER and its annoying that Toyota hasn't done a powertrain swap in 10+ years!!! I think HP and Toque go to the 3.6L so thats a plus. Mine also has a 4 speed auto so the 5 speed is somewhat of an upgrade.

I'm single, no girl friend (For now), and no kids planned for the next 10 years-ish? (I'm 17) So 2 door is totally do-able with a back seat delete.

I would love a 4 door for an overland type Jeep so cargo capacity is a big plus with that.
 
#4 ·
Own a 2 door and Wife has a 4 door. While the back seat in the 4 door is not that big and not that comfortable for adults it works great for kids and hauling stuff and has a nicer ride on trips. You will overlook any of the shortfalls of a JK after driving one. Reliability is on par with most any new vehicle on the road today.The 3.6 is very peppy for what a Jk is a box on wheels that pushes air like a bus.
 
#5 · (Edited)
1.) Yes I drive a 2012 with 3.21 and 35's, in hill country it kinda sucks but my everyday commute to work its fine

2.)the 3.6 is a very reliable engine with room to grow or change in the future. ie turbo and such. Nuisances its going to leak, some how somewhere it will happen, it made for it so no big deal, and the aftermarket and mod world will consume your life and wallet lol

3.) I went with the 4-door for the space as well, down side you have to do everything slightly bigger to get what the two door can with less. Probably have less concern on engine power with a 2-door, but camping alone is the only way I would have bought the 2-door. In other words when my kids leave i'll buy a 2-door.

On a side note Jeep is the right choice IMO

EDIT: the jeep will leak water, not the motor lol what part of texas?
 
#9 ·
1.) Yes I drive a 2012 with 3.21 and 35's, in hill country it kinda sucks but my everyday commute to work its fine

2.)the 3.6 is a very reliable engine with room to grow or change in the future. ie turbo and such. Nuisances its going to leak, some how somewhere it will happen, it made for it so no big deal, and the aftermarket and mod world will consume your life and wallet lol

3.) I went with the 4-door for the space as well, down side you have to do everything slightly bigger to get what the two door can with less. Probably have less concern on engine power with a 2-door, but camping alone is the only way I would have bought the 2-door. In other words when my kids leave i'll buy a 2-door.

On a side note Jeep is the right choice IMO
Yea funny thing... I installed a Baja Rack on my Toyota and about 7 months after, I noticed the truck carpet had really bad water damage from the roof leaking. :atomic:

Yea so leaks i'm used to and can fix with some silicone.
 
#6 ·
you just gotta decide what you want. go to the dealer and drive both. if you take out the back seat, youll have plenty of room

btw, get 3.73 gears when/if you buy
 
#7 ·
17, God bless you (my youngest is 18) I have owned 3X as many Toyotas as you are old FJ's, 4Runners, Taco's, and the list goes on sometimes 10-12 of each one.
I like Toyotas.
I traded my 12 4runner Limited AWD on this Wrangler.

Great vehicles. The Jeep is way more fun and very reliable. Get what you can afford when you can and Don't over-mod it.
 
#8 ·
1. Is it powerful enough to drive everyday? I drive my grandpas 2002 TJ with 8,000 miles now and again and even the 4.0L struggles with 33's and a 5 speed. (Needs a re-gear bad)

2. Reliability: Coming from a Toyota its essentially bomb proof, but I want to know what the reliability figures are for the 3.6L. Also what are some small nuisances that are associated with the JK?

3. 2 door or 4 door: I might only be able to afford a 2 door so I want to ask how livable the 2 door is? I've seen that you get some decent space without the back seat but I like the longer wheel-base of the 4 doors and the larger cargo capacity with it.

Any suggestions, comments, and any input would be greatly appreciated!
1. Yes. The 3.6 has 285 HP. Our two door has plenty of get up and go.

2. Depends who you ask. Having owned a couple of older Toyota's that ran and ran with mostly just oil changes I would say that Jeep's are not in the same class as far as reliability. We only have about 22,000 miles on ours so far and the only issue to date was the 10 year coolant went slimey and needed to be replaced. They are pretty new still but there are head issues on the 2012's and early 2013's, early failure of water pumps and other issues documented so far.

3. We love our two door but there is also only two of us. Our backseat is in and usually folded up for cargo space but I do need to haul extra passengers on occasion. It is a bit of a PITA to get in and out of the back even more so for older passengers but it works for our needs. I have not driven a four door but I have read on here that it has better road manners although I do not find the road manners on our two door bad at all. We have taken it on several road trips already.
 
#35 ·
1. Yes. The 3.6 has 285 HP. Our two door has plenty of get up and go.

2. Depends who you ask. Having owned a couple of older Toyota's that ran and ran with mostly just oil changes I would say that Jeep's are not in the same class as far as reliability. We only have about 22,000 miles on ours so far and the only issue to date was the 10 year coolant went slimey and needed to be replaced. They are pretty new still but there are head issues on the 2012's and early 2013's, early failure of water pumps and other issues documented so far.

3. We love our two door but there is also only two of us. Our backseat is in and usually folded up for cargo space but I do need to haul extra passengers on occasion. It is a bit of a PITA to get in and out of the back even more so for older passengers but it works for our needs. I have not driven a four door but I have read on here that it has better road manners although I do not find the road manners on our two door bad at all. We have taken it on several road trips already.
I replaced my water pump 3 times in less than a year on my '13 so on the 4th time I replaced my '13 with a '15 Rubicon.
 
#12 ·
I have a 2-door. Like you, I do not have kids and just drive the occasional friend around. If you aren't driving 3-4 people there's plenty of storage space for my needs. When you are hauling 3-4 people storage gets tight. Depends on what you are hauling and with how many people. The back seats fold up and allow a good enough storage space. I usually don't haul a lot of stuff but I have hauled stuff to camp for a week. It fit fine, but that's just my personal opinion. We also have a 4-runner, the 4-runner is a lot bigger from a drivers perspective. Lots of blind spots and just feels big when I drive it, but that's just because I'm used to whipping the little 2-door around. My jeep is my main car, I have a 4.0 v6. It's a little sluggish but it's plenty strong enough.
 
#14 ·
If you can go to dallas for a jeep you should be able to check out terrel, east of dallas on 80 or I-20. Theres a jeep Dealer there goes off of quantity sells 300+ cars a month so you can get a steal.
 
#17 ·
woa woa woa. conservatives?! lets not pull in politics lol. just kidding :p
also, before you buy, make sure you plow the forum here to find what others in your area paid, how much they negotiated, and financing. also check true car for exactly what you want and see. NEVER EVER EVER pay MSRP or hell, even invoice. shoot for at least 3% below invoice and see where you go :)
 
#18 ·
LOL. Trying to talk Jeep, not politics! :funnypost:

I wouldn't buy a new Jeep, even though they hold their own in re-sale its not something I would go with. Definitely would go used route.

Definitely would negotiate on price, I wouldn't want to be cornered by the dealership on it.
 
#22 · (Edited)
To the OP - the only advise I can give, based on my observation of Toyota owners in general:

You need to go into owning a Jeep with an open mind: unlike Toyotas, Jeeps are NOT about reliability for the sake of reliability. "Quality" takes a completely different meaning on the trail than in the mall. You will likely need to make some concessions in order to get legendary capability, have the ability to enjoy the outdoors, have some fun, and live with Wrangler's iconic looks.

The only thing we ask: if you decide to leave Toyota for Jeep, please, please, please, we do NOT want to hear how the power windows in your Toyota worked one gazillion times before they stopped; instead, appreciate the new opportunities a Jeep brings.

Good luck,

Aldo
 
#23 ·
To the OP - the only advise I can give, based on my observation of Toyota owners in general:

You need to go into owning a Jeep with an open mind: unlike Toyotas, Jeeps are NOT about reliability for the sake of reliability. "Quality" takes a completely different meaning on the trail than in the mall. You will likely need to make some concessions in order to get legendary capability, have the ability to enjoy the outdoors, have some fun, and live with Wrangler's iconic looks.

The only thing we ask: if you decide to leave Toyota for Jeep, please, please, please, we do NOT want to hear how the power windows in your Toyota worked one gazillion times before they stopped; instead, appreciate the new opportunities a Jeep brings.

Good luck,

Aldo
:funnypost: Ha!
 
#24 ·
I was leaning towards a 4 door when I first considered a Jeep... But due to budget I ended up getting a two door. Honestly, I couldn't be happier! I ended up liking the 2 door more than the 4 door. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the look of the 4doors too, it just wasn't a good fit for me.

I have plenty of space in the cargo area and I've never had to take my backseat out. I just fold the seats anytime I have a large item. I transport my guitars and music equipment in the back all the time, and that stuff is really bulky. The only thing that could be better is the ability to seat 5 instead of 4... But honestly it hasn't gotten in the way too much so far.

So if you aren't planning on consistently having a full car then I would definitely consider a 2 door.
 
#26 ·
Have had many 4runners - Great vehicles. Never had a 2wd BUT living in N/E Pa Pocono Mountains - not sure there is such a thing :)

Don't be in a hurry to get rid of it. They go half a million miles regularly.
 
#33 ·
Depends on what Toyota you have but a 2wd is pretty limited of road and in bad weather where it snows or rains a lot. Is the Jeep going to have that 250K+ reliability- no, but will you keep it that long? What do you want to really do with the new Jeep? That is probably the question.

I have a 2005 V8 4Runner that is a lot quicker and smoother (especially now that I have 35s on the JKU) so we drive it most of the time since most of the trips (when not going off road) involve going up the mountain passes. It has 110K with zero issues and looks/drives amazingly new. The 4th Gen 4R is not as off road-capable with less clearance and IFS though does dirt roads and forest roads well and is more comfortable and quiet. The other Gens are more capable offroad but less road-worthy. The main reason I have hung on to it- it is paid off, the V8, and the reliability. All is has needed- front brakes and oil/fluid changes. I am thinking about trading it on Land Cruiser (just so I can sleep inside) but I gain little except for a little room and possibly some stock clearance. I don't think I gain that much sleeping room at all, so am holding off.

When offroading or doing unknown exploring, the JKU is it. If you want to take the top off, the JK is it. Just don't mod it too heavily- to many gremlins arise and too much money flows out. So if you have a 2WD and a non V8, the JK will be a nice upgrade in almost every sense. You may give up some reliability in the long run. A newer JK will be fine for a few years but don't expect them to generally hit 100K and keep on running without mechanical problems.
 
#34 ·
I'm on T4R as well. :drinks: We had a 2012 SR5 that we loved. My wife hated the manual transfer case though so we traded it for a Grand Cherokee with full time 4WD. Just recently I bought a Wrangler Unlimited for myself. The new 4Rs, short of the Limited are just too ugly to look at imo. I would check out the JGC as well in your search.

Anyway, onto your questions...

1. The pentastar is a nice engine. Paired with the 8 speed in the JGC its quite fast. The Wranglers have a stick option though and the 5 speed auto. At a minimum get 3.73 gears.

2. I'm not really expecting Toyota reliability, but haven't had any mechanical issues so far. The interior of the 4R feels very archaic though, so interior fit and finish with the JGC is much better than the 4R and on par with the JK. Also, the JK has extremely high residuals... surpassing even the 4R. So if you find that you don't like it after a year or two, you can likely break even.

3. I would get the 4 door unless you plan to find yourself in some wheeling situations where 2 doors is more practical. I say this because of the added utility and because the higher residuals pays for itself in the 4 door. It's really a preference though.

As far as driving goes, the 4R and JK feel very similar in terms of handling and acceleration. I missed rolling the back window down when we switched to the JGC, but taking the top and doors off of the JK is fantastic.

One major difference is the aftermarket support. There's not nearly as much stuff out for the 4R and all the stuff for the JK is overwhelming... you may be broke before you know it. :D

Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll try to help.
 
#38 ·
1. It's not a rocket ship, but with 33"s and 3.21 gears in flat-land (Florida), I'm fine with the performance.

2. It's probably the least reliable vehicle I've ever owned. Nothing major, but why does the rear main seal and inner axle seal go bad in less than 20,000 miles? Replaced the oil sensor, and it was delivered with a bad clutch sensor switch, now I've got a loose pulley somewhere- can't wait to take it in...again. It hasn't left me stranded and I don't feel it will do so, but quality control is pathetic. My Scion was 100,000 miles and never had an issue, I didn't make off the lot with my Jeep. That being said, I love my Jeep, just wished it wasn't a piece of crap.

3. Love my 2 door, but there is not much cargo space at all. Not an issue for me because it's just me and my daughter.
 
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