This is the third of a three-part report. Also see the first and second parts.
It wouldn't be a rental car report if I didn't complain about something.
- The soft top is too cumbersome to work well in most places. It's fine on Hawai'i (and probably most parts of the southwest US) where you can leave the rear windows off for long periods of time, but even with them removed, it still takes 60+ seconds to raise or lower the top. In contrast, I can change the top in the Porsche in about 30 seconds and it feels like an eternity. Adding the rear windows to the Jeep easily doubles the work required. it just don't see this as feasible anyplace where you would have to leave the windows on every time you park the car.
- 4th is geared really tall. Like, SVX, 240-mph-at-the-redline tall. 4th at 60mph only turns 1500rpm at the engine. This is less than useful—especially on an island with a maximum speed limit of 50mph. Kauai is sortof like Canada that way.
- The steering. Read the other posts on the Jeep if you missed that part the first time through.
- Broken switchwork. The emergency brake light wouldn't turn off, and the driver's side power door lock didn't work. I expect a little more from a car with only 6000 miles on it1 even if it's a rental.
But that's about it. Amazing car for this island, but I'd probably never buy one anywhere with fewer unpaved roads or if the weather wasn't so fantastic.
1 We dropped the car off with exactly 6,666 miles on the clock.
They have made taking off and putting back on the soft tops - way easier. Before you had to actually remove the whole thing!
And back when I was a kid, we had to turn our cars into soft-tops ourselves with can openers and leather straps!
--D
The last 2 (3?) years of the TJ had 6-speeds in the manual, instead of the 5 speeds of prior years. I think the automatics went from 4 to 5 at the same time, and should be pretty reasonable. Anyway, the 6-speed I have is pretty well geared, but it'd be nice if 4th 5th and 6th were just a tiny bit taller for better MPG on the freeway. 1st is nice and low, where it should be, especially when 4L is needed because it does (and was planned for) hill climbing with your feet working the clutch and brake without the gas pedal.
I'm perpetually annoyed by automakers who treat 6th as an excuse to space the gears closer. I realize customers buy because of the speed at which you can row through the gears—but give me a properly tall 6th, dammit!
--D