Half Doors vs Full Doors on an SE?

TWallRudy

TWallRudy

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Nov 26, 2018
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Location
Orange County California
hi all,

I'm doing to this forum and in the process of buying my first jeep. One candidate is a 2001 SE that has half doors, but since i live in a urban area in Orange County California i would feel a bit safer getting some full doors but i worry that is just adding extra weight i might need in the future for passengers/gear i might also carry.
 
I'd reconsider that SE and look for a Sport with the 4.0L engine instead. Unless that SE would be solely used offroad, where it works fine, you'd soon hate the 2.5 when on the SoCal highways and freeways... especially when heading out to the deserts & mountains where that four-banger will plant your Jeep in the slow-lane and even then you'll have trouble keeping up.

Nope the 2.5 does not get appreciably better fuel economy either since you have to keep your foot planted in the gas to stay up with traffic or make it up any of the many grades in SoCal where you I both live.
 
X1 on what Jerry said!

Stay away from the 4 bangers. 4.0 and full doors! You can always find cheap half doors but not the other way around.
 
I’d say to look for a Jeep with full doors. It’ll give you some peace of mind as far as safety goes. In addition, you can take the doors off for the day if you’d like and put them back on when you’re done. The weight of the full doors wouldn’t be an issue. Good luck.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
I'd reconsider that SE and look for a Sport with the 4.0L engine instead. Unless that SE would be solely used offroad, where it works fine, you'd soon hate the 2.5 when on the SoCal highways and freeways... especially when heading out to the deserts & mountains where that four-banger will plant your Jeep in the slow-lane and even then you'll have trouble keeping up.

Nope the 2.5 does not get appreciably better fuel economy either since you have to keep your foot planted in the gas to stay up with traffic or make it up any of the many grades in SoCal where you I both live.
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my plan for it was daily commute a couple of miles to work/school during the week ( no highway just streets) and occasional day trip to the mountains for some fishing/ hunting no serious off road stuff
 
TWallRudy said:
my plan for it was daily commute a couple of miles to work/school during the week ( no highway just streets) and occasional day trip to the mountains for some fishing/ hunting no serious off road stuff
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What we plan and what we end up doing are two different things! You are going to end up on a highway wether you plan or not and that is when we say... "Told you so..." Cheers ;)
 
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I dunno why you're so stuck on getting the SE which is underpowered. The cost difference between it and the Sport with the 4.0L is minimal, if any in reality, not to mention there are more used Sports out there than SEs.
 
Factory full doors then a set of full soft doors will give you all the options.
 
Or (eventually) do BOTH! Mine came w/full doors; I bought a mint set of half doors with the correct door panel color, stripped 'em to bare shells, had 'em painted, and even got the locks keyed alike. Now I just gotta get offa my azz and reassemble 'em instead of hanging around HERE, LOL!
 
I'd take full doors personally. The only way I would want half doors is if I had a set of full doors in my garage as well.

This is just my personal opinion.

You are right though... you do want to watch the weight with an SE model. But I don't think full doors weigh enough extra to hurt you.
 
I would go full doors if you also have the hardtop otherwise not much more security. Full doors don’t weigh that much and only take minutes to remove or put on. Half doors aren’t that expensive if you want them later.
 
I have half doors, It is fun to throw them in the back and take off. I would rather have full doors though.

I also have a SE, Jerry is right it is extremely underpowered. It off roads great but I am maxing out at 70 mph on level ground pedal to the metal
 
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echoing what others have been saying about the 2.5 vs 4.0. Well worth the extra few Benjamin's to get a 4.0, especially if a DD vehicle.

Do yourself a favor and get what you want the first time around. I went cheap. Mine is a bare-bones Sport model, no A/C, tape deck, came with a Dana 35, etc. For example, If I wanted to install A/C, it is much more money and effort now to install A/C than it would have been to just buy a rig with A/C. Same goes in several other departments. For just a few hundred more, you likely will be able to get a more desirable rig that better fits your needs.
 
Boba Fart said:
I have half doors, It is fun to throw them in the back and take off. I would rather have full doors though.

I also have a SE, Jerry is right it is extremely underpowered. It off roads great but I am maxing out at 70 mph on level ground pedal to the metal
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I feel the same way. I own a 2.5 and highways aren't the peachiest. None the less I love my baby, half doors off whenever I feel like toss em in the back and roll.

Also soft top isn't that loud as everyone makes it out to be you'll get used to it and still are able to have conversation.
Buuuuut the lack of power issue stands I do catch my self wishing I bought a 4.0L when I had the chance. 4 people in the Jeep in the mountains is a snail race as best. To each his own.
Good luck!
 
Don't forget that there are SEs with 4.0 as well (as is the case with my '06).

For the doors though, while I think half doors look great, I really like full doors the best. In all honesty, I've never ridden in a Jeep with half doors, but I'd think the lower height just wouldn't be as comfortable for resting your arm on the window.
 
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