It's surprising Jeep has kept the solid axles in the Wranglers when everyone else has went to IFS. Granted.. the solid axles are a big draw for the Wranglers.

I recently got to ride in a JK (albeit and older model), I liked it. They're available in Plum Crazy Purple with a manual transmission, there's one in the next town over at a dealer... had me drooling but, man.. way to expensive.

 

Biggest problem with a Jeep is its a Dodge with Fiat engineering. My company recently bought two Grand Cherokees for the owners to drive. Neither has been worth ****. One has constant electronic problems and has had the instrument cluster replaced twice with no improvement - it is 2 years old and only has 30K on it and with all the high tech gadgetry you still don't know how fast you are going or how much fuel is in the tank.


The other has been a complete disaster - that owner actually takes it off pavement and literally drives it on a gravel roads and into a few pastures - much more than this Jeep can handle. At 80K its had the rear axle replaced, the transfer case replaced twice and the check engine light is on permanently. As he said "If I took it to the shop every time the check engine light came on I'd never see it again". Its out of warranty and is about to be traded.


I had an 2006 Liberty - that thing cured me of ever wanting another Jeep that was built by Dodge. It never made it to 70K. It's "off road" capabilities (trail rated) were pathetic especially compared to son's 1990 Bronco. The only good thing about the Liberty was the neutral in its transfer case made it easy to tow.




I seriously doubt many new Wrangler owners know they have a solid front axle or realize why that might be a good thing.