Nissan Xterra vs. Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

[longtallsally]

Originally Posted by GP640

...It won't be too happy doing that very often either. The handling with 2000lbs behind it
isn't stellar.
Noisy too. I know "it's a jeep" but for what they ask for them, they could insulate the hard top.

WRONG! I've towed our ~2500 lb (empty), 3500 lb GVWR pop up for around 1k miles thus far. I don't even know it's there. I get up to 70 darn quick and with the trailer brakes, stop the same as unloaded. I drove up Monitor pass like total juvenile and was dumbfounded how everything cornered. AND for last weeks' camping trip, we got 18 mpg (admittedly going around 55 as per the limit in CA). AND did the Rubicon a few weeks prior with only minor modifications.

We paid $35k for ours and have another $3k in modifications (winch, armor, and VERY mild lift with stock tires). Shop around, and that is a darn competitive price for an SUV that will annihilate any other machine off road (save an H1).





I can't speak to reliability as I've only got 13k on it thus far, but I'm pretty ecstatic with it.

I also disagree with resale value stuff. Jeeps have high resale because of the name and as off roaders. Also, I think modified Jeeps are worth LESS as it means the vehicle was used as it was designed: beat up.

But the real conversation IMO is on how this is an apples to oranges comparison. The JK has no real peer any longer with the exception of a G Wagen in that no one offers solid front and rear axles. That makes a huge difference in drivability.

However, I think the Jeep makes a darn nice car. It has all the creature comforts like AC and power everything and remote entry and GPS and bluetooth and cruise and such. I actually think it's quite quiet as well. But I'm a bad example as I came from a heavily modifed YJ and was 2 wheels only for a few years, so any cage is going to be comfy and quiet to me.

Now I love my Jeep and will probably keep it for many years regardless of reliability, but if it was my wife and we already had a hard core off road machine, I'd get the more comfy and easier to drive SUV.