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Jeep questions

2K views 20 replies 12 participants last post by  Flcruzr 
#1 ·
Hello, I am in the market for a new Jeep unlimited and seeking feedback. I have two small children (1yr old and 3yr old). I have had an infatuation with jeeps for a long time and now having the unlimited option makes it more appealing.
1- how is the interior noise level?
2- is there enough trunk space to fit kids stuff, ex strollers, groceries, toys.
3- is the ride very bouncy, heard it could be a bit rough?

My wife has the family car (CadillacSRX suv) so kids rarely drive with me however I do need to have comparable transportation for them.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
 
#6 ·
Kids love Jeep Wranglers.

With a 1 and 3 year old you'll appreciate the top down to drown out the "interior noise".

If it feels rough upgrade to an old Man Emu 2" lift with soft spring rate, nitrogen charged shocks, 33" tires aired down to 25 psi and a 300 lb steel bumper with winch.

It'll ride like a Cadillac and look like a tank.
 
#7 ·
Kids love Jeep Wranglers. With a 1 and 3 year old you'll appreciate the top down to drown out the "interior noise". If it feels rough upgrade to an old Man Emu 2" lift with soft spring rate, nitrogen charged shocks, 33" tires aired down to 25 psi and a 300 lb steel bumper with winch. It'll ride like a Cadillac and look like a tank.
Let the build begin.

2" Old man EMU or AEV 2.5" or 3.5" lift and you'll find the wifey asking for the keys to your Jeep.
 
#11 ·
I had the same situation, two young kids and a BMW convertible. My wife said why don't we get a Jeep, and I never looked back. Unlimited has plenty of room, new JK ride is great, and you get to be part of a great community!

I'm on my second JK, just picked up a 15 sport, and I'll always have a Jeep. Kids love it, wife loves it, you'll love it
 
#13 ·
Thanks Red, glad to hear from similar families, as I mentioned in my original post my wife has the "main" family vehicle so mine is for fun and I think a JK should do just fine, plus I have been a fan for a long time and my three year old girl keeps saying she "loves a jeep for daddy" :) next month I will start shopping for one!
 
#12 ·
If you can't find one to rent for the weekend, nice dealers will let you take one for an extended test drive. They have a form you have to fill out and they'll collect your DL and insurance info, but I've done this twice so far with two different dealers. They let me take the vehicles for the afternoon to make sure I liked them, made sure things would fit, etc. It was also free, just had to return it with gas.

As long as you're serious and don't come across as someone that just wants a joy ride then they should have no problem letting you do that.

Good luck and enjoy! :)
 
#14 ·
I'm in a similar boat. Replacing my old XJ and preparing to order a JKU. We have a 2 y/o and another on the way. Wife drives an Accord.

I took an overnight test drive, loaded in some carseats, and we loved it. Of course, for me the ride wasn't too different from my XJ.

Question: is it okay to ride with top down and babies in car seats? Haven't researched this. We will be getting a sun shade.
 
#16 ·
Just traded a Patriot for the Wrangler Unlimited and have driven quite a variety of cars in the past few years. I also have a 2 year old (and am expecting another soon), who rides with me on a daily basis.

1. The interior noise level with the hard top isn't too bad. Sure there is a little bit of wind noise, but at highway speed, it has similar noise to a fill size pickup (Silverado, F150, etc) and actually seems a little quieter to me than the Patriot I had. To me, it seems noticeably quieter compared to small, 2-door coupes (Civic, Scion tC, etc) just because the tires aren't as loud and you're not as close to the road. If you get bigger tires at some point, you should expect more tire noise.

You can also cut down the noise a little bit with one of the headliner kits (search the forum, there are a few threads). I haven't done that yet because the noise isn't bad enough to make me want to.

2. The trunk space is adequate. There is quite a bit more cargo space in the JKU than in the patriot and is probably similar to my wife's Malibu or any other full/midsize size sedan. Definitely less than a Tahoe/Expedition, but enough to carry a full stroller and good deal of groceries at the same time. I imagine it would be similar, if slightly smaller, than your wife's Cadillac.

3. The ride to me is fine. More in line with a full size pickup than a coupe, sedan, or crossover, but that is to be expected. Is it excessively bouncy or harsh? I don't think so; you'll feel potholes and bumps in the road, but its not going to throw you or your passengers out of their seats. The roads around here aren't exactly great, and big potholes don't feel great, but its not substantially worse in a Patriot than any other vehicle I have driven recently.

My 2 year old actually loves going over bumps in the Wrangler and says "more please" every time we hit a decent one that lifts you up a little bit, which he never did in the Patriot or my wife's car.

If you go into the JKU expecting it to be a little noisier and a little bumpier, you'll be fine. It won't ride as nicely as your wife's Cadillac, will be a little louder, and won't have as many of the creature comforts, so if you're okay with that then you'll love the Jeep. On the other hand, if you expect it to be like an SRX, Grand Cherokee, Acadia, etc then you may be disappointed.

In my opinion, that's part of the fun of a Wrangler - its not as refined as some cars on the road, but its a hell of a lot more fun.
 
#20 ·
This is great info, I am indeed looking for a fun and cool looking ride so I have no doubt that the jeep is the way to go for me, plus since my 3 yr old lil girl got a Barbie jeep power wheels from santa, I'm jealous she has one and I don't! Lol, plus know she says she wants daddy to get a black jeep :)

Thank you for all of your jeep experiences.
 
#18 ·
haha, your wife's Main vehicle might get replaced, as ours did when I picked up my JKU in September. We've always rented Jeeps out in Hawaii and anywhere else where it was an option, so we knew we'd love it. Test drove a couple anyway to be sure.

1) I have the premium soft top only, no issue with noise. We've been on a couple highway road trips and after the first my wife mentioned she thought it would've been louder.
2) Plenty of space is probably subject to what kind of "packer" you are. I tend to overpack but still find enough space in the rear of the JKU. To give you an idea, you can put a pack-and-play longways (front to back) and still shut the tailgate. I did purchase the hitch receiver from quadratec so when we hit the beach with both kids next year we plan on using one of those hitch platforms for the coolers/chairs/etc.
3) Again subject to opinion but I like the ride. Coming from a '06 Tacoma/'05 Altima is not luxury by any means, so if anything my commute is better. I do have the Willys upgraded suspension so maybe that helps? My wife drives a '11 Edge and it is less bouncy, but not as fun.

Good Luck!! and make sure to take your time, order if you have to. The wait is rough but its kinda like thinking about Christmas in November as a kid....takes forever while you're waiting but when you look back it was really just a blink of an eye.

I have a daughter that just turned 2, and another on the way in March. My girl always asks to ride in "Daddy's Jeep" (note she doesn't call it a car, future jeeper indeed). Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of opportunities to get the top off with her so that test will be for the Spring.
 
#21 ·
Thanks for explaining the trunk space, it should be plenty. I currently have an 07' CRV so should be similar space. I'm sure my lil girl will also want to ride in the jeep, she seems to like them and always notices them on the road. So I guess I need to get one just to make her happy, lol.
 
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