I am thinking about ordering a 2008 jeep wrangler X/S.
I have the following questions:
1. manual transmission or auto ? (leaning manual)
2. 3.2 or 3.73 rear axle ?
3. I am planning on getting the soft top. Half doors or
full doors ?
4. Or should I get both tops ? That hard top looks
very heavy. The soft top is surprisingly quiet compared
to the hard top (plus I hear that the hard top leaks).

I wish I could get a diesel motor like in Europe. That
would be too cool ! I am in Texas and plan on using the
Jeep as a convertible.

Thanks,
Lynn

 

My wife has an '07, my mom has a new '08.
I can answer some of those questions.

1. Manual, great on long trips, will wear you out around town, constantly
rowing through the gears. It seems to be a very good manual transmission
though. There is little difference in fuel mileage between the two
transmission models, my wifes manual is getting 25hwy with 9k miles on it,
and my moms auto is getting 22.5 with less than 1500, it's sure to improve
to about 24 or 25 once broken in. Manual or auto would be a personal
preference. I prefer the Auto so I don't spill my Mt. Dew.

2. 3.73 rear end.

3. Full doors.

4. It's a two-person job to take off the hard top. It isn't heavy, it's
bulky. If you get the two top option, you will have to remove the soft top
or lose some of the space in the rear while using the hard top. The soft top
is very, very quiet compared to years past. There are no leaks to report
with either of the hard tops on the two Jeeps I'm reporting on.

Last, there are no incentives to buy a Wrangler right now, it's a sellers
market, and they don't offer much on a trade in. Just some FYI.

Spdloader


"Lynn McGuire" <lmc@winsim.com> wrote in message
news:13q4j3534pv29be@news.supernews.com...
>I am thinking about ordering a 2008 jeep wrangler X/S.
> I have the following questions:
> 1. manual transmission or auto ? (leaning manual)
> 2. 3.2 or 3.73 rear axle ?
> 3. I am planning on getting the soft top. Half doors or
> full doors ?
> 4. Or should I get both tops ? That hard top looks
> very heavy. The soft top is surprisingly quiet compared
> to the hard top (plus I hear that the hard top leaks).
>
> I wish I could get a diesel motor like in Europe. That
> would be too cool ! I am in Texas and plan on using the
> Jeep as a convertible.
>
> Thanks,
> Lynn

 

> 3. Full doors.

Why, because of the glass windows ?

> 4. It's a two-person job to take off the hard top. It isn't heavy, it's
> bulky. If you get the two top option, you will have to remove the soft top
> or lose some of the space in the rear while using the hard top. The soft top
> is very, very quiet compared to years past. There are no leaks to report
> with either of the hard tops on the two Jeeps I'm reporting on.

The sales guy drives a 4 door rubicon. He said that it
leaked a little until he retightened the top.

> Last, there are no incentives to buy a Wrangler right now, it's a sellers
> market, and they don't offer much on a trade in. Just some FYI.

My local dealer offered $100 over invoice to order one today
here in Houston.

Thanks,
Lynn

 

> Why, because of the glass windows ?
>

Yes, if you're going soft top or hard, glass doors will adapt to both, but
half doors only adapt to the soft top. The hard doors offer better security,
and safety.

> The sales guy drives a 4 door rubicon. He said that it
> leaked a little until he retightened the top.

I'm only commenting on what I have experience with.

> My local dealer offered $100 over invoice to order one today
> here in Houston.

That's not an incentive. Dealers have an invoice that will show you whatever
they want to show. By incentives I mean there are no factory cash back, no
low, low percent financing. These things all vary by market, though.

Also, be wary of the extra "fluff" sticker. The one that shows the dealer
installed options, like the clear coat treatment. They charge upwards of
$800, but it is an overpriced wax job. It costs the dealer $35.


Spdloader

 

"Lynn McGuire" <lmc@winsim.com> wrote in message
news:13q4r8va4tlgd41@news.supernews.com...
>> 3. Full doors.
>
> Why, because of the glass windows ?
>
>> 4. It's a two-person job to take off the hard top. It isn't heavy, it's
>> bulky. If you get the two top option, you will have to remove the soft
>> top or lose some of the space in the rear while using the hard top. The
>> soft top is very, very quiet compared to years past. There are no leaks
>> to report with either of the hard tops on the two Jeeps I'm reporting on.
>
> The sales guy drives a 4 door rubicon. He said that it
> leaked a little until he retightened the top.
>
>> Last, there are no incentives to buy a Wrangler right now, it's a sellers
>> market, and they don't offer much on a trade in. Just some FYI.
>
> My local dealer offered $100 over invoice to order one today
> here in Houston.
>
> Thanks,
> Lynn

We have an '07 with a six speed. I tend to agree that the transmission is
just a matter of preference, the mileage is about the same with either. The
one thing we regret not getting on ours was the Sunrider soft top. We have
the standard soft top. The Sunrider will fold the front half of the top
back like a giant sunroof opening up with no need to zip out the side and
back windows. Boy, I wish we had that one option. I like full doors
because you can roll the windows down instead of having to take them out
like on the half doors or fumble with a zipper. In nice weather you have to
take the doors off anyway : )

Les
'07 Wrangler X 2 door six speed

 

"Les" <wiedrick@twcny.rr.com> wrote

We have an '07 with a six speed. I tend to agree that the transmission is
just a matter of preference, the mileage is about the same with either. The
one thing we regret not getting on ours was the Sunrider soft top. We have
the standard soft top. The Sunrider will fold the front half of the top
back like a giant sunroof opening up with no need to zip out the side and
back windows. Boy, I wish we had that one option. I like full doors
because you can roll the windows down instead of having to take them out
like on the half doors or fumble with a zipper. In nice weather you have to
take the doors off anyway : )

Les
'07 Wrangler X 2 door six speed
--------------------

I have an 06 Rubicon with an auto tranny. Not an X series.

For offroad I prefer the automatic. Of course your choice may differ.
Hell, in traffic I like the auto better too.

I did get the dual top option with mine and have the sunrider top. It's
wonderful!
I can just pop it open any ol time and have the joy of it being open without
having to take the whole top down. Though, once I get that top down all the
way, it stays there quite awhile :)

I also have full doors for the same reason that Les does. You can just roll
the window down, no zipper to fool with. The full doors don't really
interfere with anything as far as visibility as far as I can tell.
I WOULD like to get a set of half doors though for running topless... just
because. Maybe a set of tubular doors.

Kate
2O|||||||O6 Rubicon
With some fun stuff on it.

 

In article <CzOoj.63129$Mu4.60779@bignews7.bellsouth.net>,
Kate <svtkate@behindyourears.selby.ws> wrote:
#
#I also have full doors for the same reason that Les does. You can just roll
#the window down, no zipper to fool with. The full doors don't really
#interfere with anything as far as visibility as far as I can tell.
#I WOULD like to get a set of half doors though for running topless... just
#because. Maybe a set of tubular doors.
#

I owned a soft top with the half doors in the past and I like full doors
a lot more. With the top half gone, you might has well have no door on
at all, as what's left is too low to put your arm on.

It might have been nicer if I had something like this:
http://www.jeep-parts-online.com/sto..._doorARtop.jpg
But no way for $500.00...

/herb