SE's vs. anything else

[StG58]

I had an epiphany today about my SE, and SE's in general.

I've never heard a Rubicon or Sport driver say "I wish I'd bought an SE!". The reverse is true.

Sometimes I get frustrated, especially after looking at all the cool builds here, knowing that to do the same thing to my SE would just kill it. Bragging rights and SE's don't go together well. I get frustrated sometimes when I go to shop for specialty parts, like tummy tucks. "...except for the 2.5 Engine". Orphaned at 19.

Then I think about all the places we've been together. Being small, light and nimble makes a huge difference. We've never been seriously stuck. I've done an oil change (four quarts and a filter) with change out of the change jar, and recycled in a gallon milk jug. Done a tune-up for not much more, including plug wires. The difference between 31" tires and 33" tires lets me buy with cash. It also greatly simplifies suspension design.

We go as fast on the freeway as we want, even up hills. We do just fine around town. Gears would be nice, but it's totally livable for the time being. She'll never need a Dana 44, the 35 and alloy axle shafts borders on over kill. The brakes work great and last a long, long time.

The SE is so simple, with no options, that nothing ever seems to break. Get in, twist the key, and away we go. As reliable as the day is long.

Still, no one ever hears "I wish I'd bought an SE!". Hmmm.

 

[Chris]

My advice to you? Just buy the Rubicon and get it over with already :risas3:

You'd have the lockers, the axles, and more power. I think that inevitably it's your destiny

 

[StG58]

My advice to you? Just buy the Rubicon and get it over with already :risas3:

You'd have the lockers, the axles, and more power. I think that inevitably it's your destiny

Lol, no. I get it Chris, I really do. BUT, then I lose all the advantages of the SE. All the wanted mods and all the angst comes from comparing the SE and it's build with all the great builds on here. Like I've said, my SE does great for me. With a few minor and correctable problems. It's only when I start comparing, then I get jelouse of all the cool Jeep jewelry on other peoples rigs. It's like having a rather plain but wonderful wife, but seeing your buddy with his latest high end girl friend. Sounds like a good idea until you think it through.

I'll stick with my SE (the rather plain wife) thank you...

 

[Artemis]

Lol, no. I get it Chris, I really do. BUT, then I lose all the advantages of the SE. All the wanted mods and all the angst comes from comparing the SE and it's build with all the great builds on here. Like I've said, my SE does great for me. With a few minor and correctable problems. It's only when I start comparing, then I get jelouse of all the cool Jeep jewelry on other peoples rigs. It's like having a rather plain but wonderful wife, but seeing your buddy with his latest high end girl friend. Sounds like a good idea until you think it through.

I'll stick with my SE (the rather plain wife) thank you...

And a stock Jeep (minus the 4x2s) from the factory is more capable of taking you pretty much anywhere. And those "high end girlfriends" are really just high maintenance.

 

[Rob5589]

You can do 33's on the SE with proper gearing. Going to 35's means more serious upgrades, SE or Rubicon. Spend the money on aluminum armor to save weight.
I get ya on the limited options. Believe me, it's actually worse with the 2.4. Honestly, if you look at many of the builds, you won't see many of them actually wheeling. Some people just want the cool stuff but don't need it.

 

[StG58]

You can do 33's on the SE with proper gearing. Going to 35's means more serious upgrades, SE or Rubicon. Spend the money on aluminum armor to save weight.
I get ya on the limited options. Believe me, it's actually worse with the 2.4. Honestly, if you look at many of the builds, you won't see many of them actually wheeling. Some people just want the cool stuff but don't need it.

Right!? I wheel the crap outta' mine. Three weeks and I'm still digging dust and dirt out from the last adventure...

Hadn't thought about the 2.4.

 

[glwood]

My first TJ back in 1997 was an SE. That's all they had for sale for months, and I couldn't wait for the Sports to show up to get my first TJ fix. That thing was relatively just as capable off road as any Jeep I've had since. I swallowed the 4.0L koolaid, and sold it six months later, after not being able to keep up on the highways up in Colorado all that well. To be honest, though, when I got a Sport, it wasn't monumentally better on the highway, and none of the 4.0L engine TJs I have had since, including my currently owned Rubicon, impressed me with their highway get up and go.

To be honest, I often think about selling the Rubi and going back to a bare bones SE, stock, on 30" tires at best. It always is in my mind that the SE is so much more refined, powerful, and capable than the WWII Jeeps originally built, but is the closest thing to those in the TJ line. Sort of like what a Jeep was originally intended to be.

I actually think it would be refreshing to not have all the doodads - LSD, locking diffs, Dana 44 axles, big a$$ed tires & lifts, and just drive the Jeep around town, know that it has it's limitations on the highway, and enjoy it off road from time to time. An SE would fit the bill for that admirably.

When I got that first TJ SE, my first stop home on the way from picking it up was to put the next bigger size tire than it came with on, and that's all I ever did to it. It went to Colorado and back multiple times in the six months I owned it, and did fine...

 

[StG58]

Here's a little thought experiment.

15 years from now, ECM's are unobtainable. What do you do? With an SE, you get an early XJ intake manifold from a junk yard and slap a Webber carb on it. Replace the fuel pump with an outside the tank electric. Get a vacuum advance mechanical distributor. Presto-chango, you're on the road again, with very slightly less HP and torque. VDO even makes a replacement gauge panel and a set of gauges for that. The whole deal is less than about $2,000, all in. I wonder if you can do that with the 4.0 and an automatic?

Edited to add: You need an alternator as well. Still under two grand total.

 

[bobthetj03]

And, there's enough room in the engine bay to take a nap!

 

[Rob5589]

I have no issues wheeling mine. Trails, little bit of Rubicon, crawling up atv trails, etc. I don't even think 15 years down the road because I really doubt I will still own it. As much as I like it, I'd sell it today if I had the money for a LJ. Could really use the extra room when out with the fam.

 

[jjvw]

I have a Rubicon. In a perfect world I would start my build with a Sport, 3 speed auto, and a Rubicon transfer case. Is that backwards enough?

 

[Chris]

BUT, then I lose all the advantages of the SE.

What advantages would those be?

 

[Chris]

I have a Rubicon. In a perfect world I would start my build with a Sport, 3 speed auto, and a Rubicon transfer case. Is that backwards enough?

About the only nice thing about the 42RLE is that you can get a RubiCrawler as oppose to trying to fit in an Atlas 4-speed.

 

[RussTJ]

As an SE owner, I honestly never said that I wanted to buy an SE. However, I did recently say that I'm glad I didn't buy a Sahara. A month ago I was on autotrader and there was a beautiful Burgundy Sahara for sale. One owner private sale, all stock, low miles, clean, etc. and I started scheming to get it. What I figured out after daydreaming for a while was that I'd have to take a loan to buy the Sahara and get rid of my CRV with it's loan. I'd be driving the Sahara every day and I put on 20k miles per year. Speaking for myself only, I think if I drove it every day then the enjoyment I get from planning and completing my projects would lessen. I don't think I'd be as excited about getting out for the evening drive or working on it each weekend. Some of the thrill would be gone for me. Side by side, no one would pick my SE over that Sahara, but it works for me and that's good enough.

 

[Stox5225]

Well said!!!!!!!! My ‘97 is a fuckin’ tank!!! I’ve abused that engine more times than I probably should have and with the 410 gears that came in it (when I bought it from a dealership in ‘06 anyway), it runs 33s perfectly fine! I’ve received many shocked faces after putting her through her paces on the trail. As well as you, I love my 4 banger lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Squatch]

It always is in my mind that the SE is so much more refined, powerful, and capable than the WWII Jeeps originally built, but is the closest thing to those in the TJ line. Sort of like what a Jeep was originally intended to be.

I have often thought about this very issue. The first Jeeps were some variety of four banger, so the SE (four cylinder version) is truly closer to their heritage than any of the 4.0 powered ones are. :thumbsup: Also, the idea of just running a bone stock TJ is appealing at times, especially when considering a second vehicle for my wife. Maybe an SE would be the answer.

 

[StG58]

What advantages would those be?

Here the advantages that I perceive Chris:
Lighter weight
Simpler, fewer moving parts to go south
Slightly lower maintenance costs
Lower purchase price
Usually lower miles and less abuse
No need for brake upgrades usually
EMP resistant (can't find the documentation on that one any longer)
Used parts are cheap and everywhere
Happily burns anything that looks and smells like gas

Gas mileage is a wash

Those are my perceptions.

 

[StG58]

I have often thought about this very issue. The first Jeeps were some variety of four banger, so the SE (four cylinder version) is truly closer to their heritage than any of the 4.0 powered ones are. :thumbsup: Also, the idea of just running a bone stock TJ is appealing at times, especially when considering a second vehicle for my wife. Maybe an SE would be the answer.

It's as close to the "Jeep in a box" as you can get, with a much better suspension and drive train. If you think the Dana 35 is weak...the original CJ axles are downright fragile.

 

[Chris]

I have often thought about this very issue. The first Jeeps were some variety of four banger, so the SE (four cylinder version) is truly closer to their heritage than any of the 4.0 powered ones are. :thumbsup: Also, the idea of just running a bone stock TJ is appealing at times, especially when considering a second vehicle for my wife. Maybe an SE would be the answer.

Yeah, but you can’t resist that AMC derived 4.0!

 

[AndyG]

If you can't be with the one you love ,love the one your with .