To TJ or JK that is the question

[Dharmaroad]

OK,

I know this is a TJ forum but I would love to hear your feedback on JK vs TJ.


I am thinking about either purchasing a 2003-2006 TJ OR a 2013-2017JK Unlimited. I know these are different beasts both in cost and technology.

I love the idea of having a new vehicle but I was also told the the TJ is more bulletproof. Without all the technology on the TJ I will experience fewer issues and it's MUCH easier to repair.

What has your experience been with new model JK unlimited vs TJ?
For a family of three and as we have another family car, is a new JK Unlimited a sound choice?

BONUS Questions
I must ask the DD (daily driver) question: Do you use your Jeep as your daily drive and is a TJ or JK Unlimted better for this


Thanks so much

 

[CodaMan]

My 2 cents:

TJ & Cons (IMHO)

Pros:
- Is bullet proof
- The 4.0L engine
- Much easier to DIY repair and modify
- Tons of aftermarket parts
- Parts are cheaper
- Less electronics
- Short wheelbase
- Good DD

Cons:
- Gas milage
- OEM parts obsolescence is starting
- Not as comfortable as JK
- Creature features
- Interior Room

JKU Pros & Cons

Pros:
- Gas mileage
- Comfortable
- Stylish
- Creature comforts
- Interior Room
- Great DD

Cons:
- Unknown longevity
- Engine reliability
- Expensive parts
- DIY maintenance
- Too many electronics

I'm sure others will add to this list, but these were off the top of my head.

 

[CodaMan]

and welcome to the site

 

[StG58]

My 2 cents:

TJ & Cons (IMHO)

Pros:
- Is bullet proof
- The 4.0L engine
- Much easier to DIY repair and modify
- Tons of aftermarket parts
- Parts are cheaper
- Less electronics
- Short wheelbase
- Good DD

Cons:
- Gas milage
- OEM parts obsolescence is starting
- Not as comfortable as JK
- Creature features

JKU Pros & Cons

Pros:
- Gas mileage
- Comfortable
- Stylish
- Creature comforts

Cons:
- Unknown longevity
- Engine reliability
- Expensive parts
- DIY maintenance
- Too much electronics

I'm sure others will add to this list, but these were off the top of my head.

This, Plus:
If you off road in the bush / back country the TJ will go further because it's smaller. The TJ handles better in parking lots and traffic. TJ's don't mind getting wet and dirty. The wife's JKU is a wonderful long distance road trip Jeep, but we find that we use the TJ for everything else. I DD the TJ, she DD's the JKU. Neither one of us willingly swaps.

 

[JeepNWilly]

I found this JK Pros and Cons at another forum
Not sure how accurate number 4 Pros is though.
Number 2 in the cons is no longer an issue with newer 3.6.

Pros;
1) Wider, more comfortable cockpit.
2) Very easy to fit big tires with minimal lift. A 2.5" budget boost will get you on 35s. I had to do a 6" long arm to do that with my TJ.
3) Stronger frame than any jeep.
4) Bigger, better axles than other jeeps.
5) Lots of room in the trunk compared to TJs. I have a 40" tire in the back of my 2-door with room to spare.
6) No need for steering box skid, and factory skids will hold up to a lot of wheeling.
7) Comes from the factory with a high-output alternator.
8) Mirrors don't flop around and change every time you slam the doors.
9) You get e-lockers with the rubi, and Brake-Lock difs with the sport.
10) Much longer control arms from the factory than other jeeps, eliminating the need for long arms with most applications.
11) Short, swept-down hood gives the JK more visibility than other Jeeps.
12) Gas tank is no longer hanging off the ass of the Jeep.
13) JKs are easier to get into because you don't have to step over the tub like TJs.
14) Better storage in consoles, glove box, and rear floor compartment .

CONS;
1) Sheet Metal is much thinner than other Jeeps.
2) 3.8L engine is a little underpowered for the package.
3) Heavy, the heaviest wrangler ever.
4) Stupid, annoying electronic gizmos like TPMS and ESP that have to be disabled when you modify your Jeep. Easy to do though.
5) Automatics NEED an aftermarket auxiliary transmission cooler installed ASAP.
6) Factory u-joints have inferior half-clips that are prone to failure.
7) If you wheel hard, evap canister needs a skid installed or to be relocated.
8) Tail lights stick out the corner of the jeep, and are very prone to trail damage.
9) 5 on 5 lug pattern is not compatible with other Jeeps.
10) As with all Jeeps I have ever owned, the headlights suck.

 

[Chris]

Word to the wise, don't buy a Jeep Wrangler as your "daily driver" if you have a decent sized family. We get by with out TJ and our two little girls just fine on long road trips, but I wouldn't want it to be my daily driver with all 4 of us.

Don't go thinking the JKU is any better either. We had a chance to use one for a week, and I was thinking those two extra doors would make a world of difference in getting the kids in-and-out of the back... Boy was I wrong. The leg room (and just the room in general) in the back of the JKU is not what I was thinking it was. It reminds me of my Cherokee XJ and how tiny and almost unusable the back seats were in that thing.

That's not to say it doesn't have more room than the 2 door JK, it's just not as comfortable as you would think.

I'm just not a fan of the JK look personally. I don't dislike them, I just think it doesn't have that classic "Jeep" look in my opinion.

 

[JeepNWilly]

I have owned my 2006 TJ since new and it has always been my daily driver and often used as vacation road trip vehicle to the mountains in the east and Outer Banks of North Carolina. It is still my daily driver and I would not change that for the world. We are also fortunate to own a 2014 JKU as a replacement to our old Suzuki XL7. The JKU has now become our road trip Jeep because well mine is modded quite a bit lol.

I have wheeled them both and wheeled with many friends who own JK's and JKU's. I personally love the classic look of the TJ.

To choose between one of the other would be really up to the potential owner. Both are easily modifiable both are very capable off road. both have pros an cons but at the end of the day both a Jeeps and both will get you where you want to go and on any trail you want to go.

 

[Squatch]

I love the idea of having a new vehicle but I was also told the TJ is more bulletproof. Without all the technology on the TJ I will experience fewer issues and it's MUCH easier to repair.

Didn't you kind of answer your own question here? Especially as you also stated that you already have another family car. Just my two cents worth, with change coming back...

 

[lovemachine]

I’ve been driving a TJ every day since 2005. Today, I have a soon to be 1 year old son, and another baby on the way.

The TJ sucks as a family vehicle. It’s simply a pain in the ass to get a car seat and a baby in there. And I haven’t even tried getting 2 babies in there yet.

By myself, hauling groceries is another pain in the ass. It sucks more when the wife is with me.

The TJ is a great weekend vehicle for the family. Something to do on the weekend for fun. It’s not a great family vehicle. At all.

The reason why I haven’t gotten rid of mine is:
I don’t want another car payment.
I don’t want to trade my TJ in for a JKU.
I want a truck, but not willing to pay a car payment.
I love my TJ.

 

[Chris]

I found this JK Pros and Cons at another forum
Not sure how accurate number 4 Pros is though.
Number 2 in the cons is no longer an issue with newer 3.6.

Pros;
1) Wider, more comfortable cockpit.
2) Very easy to fit big tires with minimal lift. A 2.5" budget boost will get you on 35s. I had to do a 6" long arm to do that with my TJ.
3) Stronger frame than any jeep.
4) Bigger, better axles than other jeeps.
5) Lots of room in the trunk compared to TJs. I have a 40" tire in the back of my 2-door with room to spare.
6) No need for steering box skid, and factory skids will hold up to a lot of wheeling.
7) Comes from the factory with a high-output alternator.
8) Mirrors don't flop around and change every time you slam the doors.
9) You get e-lockers with the rubi, and Brake-Lock difs with the sport.
10) Much longer control arms from the factory than other jeeps, eliminating the need for long arms with most applications.
11) Short, swept-down hood gives the JK more visibility than other Jeeps.
12) Gas tank is no longer hanging off the ass of the Jeep.
13) JKs are easier to get into because you don't have to step over the tub like TJs.
14) Better storage in consoles, glove box, and rear floor compartment .

CONS;
1) Sheet Metal is much thinner than other Jeeps.
2) 3.8L engine is a little underpowered for the package.
3) Heavy, the heaviest wrangler ever.
4) Stupid, annoying electronic gizmos like TPMS and ESP that have to be disabled when you modify your Jeep. Easy to do though.
5) Automatics NEED an aftermarket auxiliary transmission cooler installed ASAP.
6) Factory u-joints have inferior half-clips that are prone to failure.
7) If you wheel hard, evap canister needs a skid installed or to be relocated.
8) Tail lights stick out the corner of the jeep, and are very prone to trail damage.
9) 5 on 5 lug pattern is not compatible with other Jeeps.
10) As with all Jeeps I have ever owned, the headlights suck.

Don't forget the weeping radiator on the JKs. Seems like a lot of them have issues with the radiator leaking for whatever reason. Oh, and the hard tops are extremely prone to leaking as well. There's a whole recall about it, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. @StG58 might know more about it. I just know that I seem to read a lot about leaking hard tops on JKs for whatever reason.

 

[JeepNWilly]

Don't forget the weeping radiator on the JKs. Seems like a lot of them have issues with the radiator leaking for whatever reason. Oh, and the hard tops are extremely prone to leaking as well. There's a whole recall about it, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. @StG58 might know more about it. I just know that I seem to read a lot about leaking hard tops on JKs for whatever reason.

Haven't had any issues with the radiator but yes both hard top and soft top models leak. I do not own a hard top but our soft top does leak on the front passenger side.

 

[lovemachine]

TJ or JKU? I’d buy a Silverado instead!

 

[JeepNWilly]

To me the best thing to do is go out and test drive them both and see what makes you happy.

 

[Chris]

To me the best thing to do is go out and test drive them both and see what makes you happy.

Amen. That's going to be the only real way to determine what suits you best.

They both may be Jeep Wranglers, but they're completely different in almost every way.

 

[StG58]

Don't forget the weeping radiator on the JKs. Seems like a lot of them have issues with the radiator leaking for whatever reason. Oh, and the hard tops are extremely prone to leaking as well. There's a whole recall about it, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. @StG58 might know more about it. I just know that I seem to read a lot about leaking hard tops on JKs for whatever reason.

Our JKU pees on me regularly. It has for over a year. I don't think it likes me all that much sometimes.

There's been two Service Bulletins issued for the JKU tops. There's also a factory service kit to try and repair the leaks on the JKU. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. It's a top design issue. It's something to check before you buy one, especially if it has a soft top. Oh, both the wife and I have been working on fixing the issue since we bought the JKU over a year ago with only marginal results.It's going to need a new top to fix the leaks. Bestop is a good bet for a replacement, but only because they will work with you on warranty parts and repair tips.

 

[bobthetj03]

For a family rig, I think you'd be better off with a 4 runner or similar. A late model JKU is pretty close price wise. You take the top off a 4 runner very easily though.

 

[JeepNWilly]

In our case I do not believe it is the soft top rather the door surround and seals. Water gets in from the corner where the top meets the windshield and the door. it runs down the door seals and drips inside the JKU at the bottom of the door towards the front

 

[bobthetj03]

Buddy of mine has a 2012 JKU. He's been to the dealer a dozen times and several hundreds of dollars later to fix leaks in his hard top. That being said, my TJ hard top has leaked since the day I owned it. Very little in the rear corners of the back glass, but leaks non the less. My soft top is dry as a bone.

 

[JeepNWilly]

All Jeep tops leak just like the rear main seals leak on TJ's and older Jeeps. It is part of being a Jeep
If you are a true Jeeper those quirks won't bother you at all LOL.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

My personal opinion is if you like working on your own vehicles, the TJ is the way to go. The JK is FAR more car-like, computerized, and far more complex in pretty much everything possible. The JK's headlights are even controlled a computer bus, no simple circuits on a JK at all. I had a friend's new JK at my house to install rocker guards which I can install in 2 hours or less on a TJ. The JK's double-layer body makes it quieter inside but things that are simple bolt-on jobs on the TJ become far more complex. Her rocker guards were a nightmare due to the additional issues of requiring nutserts set into the tub's outer skin layer. No simple bolt-on like on a TJ. I didn't finish her rocker guards until the next day, that's when I stopped offering to help anyone with a JK unless it's maybe just a CB antenna problem.