Wrangler

[horatio54]

OK ..so we have narrowed it to Jeep Wrangler for a toad...I know nothing about them ..any suggestions ..things to avoid...I would prefer a moderately used one ..say anywhere from 1995 forward..any input appreciated

[horatio54]

OK ..so we have narrowed it to Jeep Wrangler for a toad...I know nothing about them ..any suggestions ..things to avoid...I would prefer a moderately used one ..say anywhere from 1995 forward..any input appreciated

[horatio54]

we will be towing four down with supplemental braking (SMI)

[SargeW]

Horatio,

I've owned 5 all together. The last 2 have been toads. The previous was a 01' Sport. I have always owned manuals. I think it gives you a much wider power band and overall more fun to drive, but that is my .02 cents.

Some things to look for? Here are some suggestions. The lower the miles the better. Get on your knees and look under the chassis. Look for frame scrapes or damage. It will give you a clue as to how it was treated. If it in an older Jeep, check the back of the valve cover for leaks. Some years had habitual leaks back there. Go to www.jeepforum.com and do some reading. You will get a real flavor for the the different models and their reliability.

Don't buy one that has been excessively modified unless you are really good at troubleshooting mechanical issues. Sometimes owners build in one problem on top of another with their modifications.

All in all I think the Wranger is the perfect Toad. We love it and it gives us another dimension in our travels. We love to go off road exploring and seeing things that you can't see from the road.

Good luck, there are tons of them out there.

Sarge

[Vette Racer]

I would highly recommend a 97 or above as that's when they went to the new suspension. I have enjoyed my 97 for the last 11 years but have been thinking about a new one, we'll have to see where that goes.

[wilanddij]

You probably can't go wrong with a TJ model (97-06). TJ's were produced only with 4WD and transfer cases that be manually shifted to neutral. This makes all the running gear behind the transmission free wheeling and easy to tow.

Just remember to put the tranny in a gear (or Park) and turn the key one click toward "start" to unlock the steering wheel. Oh, and make sure the parking brake is off before heading down the road. You can't see smoke in your black&white rear view camera.

[DavidC1225]

We tow an '05 Wrangler and we are very pleased with it. It has an automatic transmission with a manual shift transfer case, and towing couldn't be easier. The only drawback to having a Wrangler is that storage space is limited when shopping, etc.

[Grumpy Dave]

We towed a 2000 Wrangler Sport-straight 6 cyl with the 5 spd manual and loved it...Bad knees pushed us into a 2005 Liberty Limited automatic v6. It tows every bit as well with a nicer interior etc etc etc.

[bandmbrown]

lease a new one. cost should be about 250 a month for 12,000 miles. towing does not register miles. so you got no out of pocket expense and are always covered by warranty.
get the blue ox tow kit that does not alter the vehicle for installation...just don't cut and reinstall the under pan.