Made a TERRIBLE Mistake...

[Intimidator333]

I hear you on the Chrysler having bad customer service. I have a Charger R/T and had Challenger fever most of this year. Went to test drive one and trade in my Charger. Salesman was cool but then worked with the manager to hook up financing and negotiate. He was a straight up dick. Very rude and basically he kept circling numbers around my head and no matter what it all ended up to him either trying to sell me the car for msrp which is way higher than the price they had on the window or really wasn't giving me the price they said they would for my trade. Same dealer also has a really lame service department. Getting my Camaro SS on Saturday. Can't wait. Love my Charger but always been a Chevy guy. I Know how you feel about having a non exciting car. After having a Monte SS and a Charger I can't stand to drive anything else. Another reason why I'm getting a Camaro. Charger has too many problems. Always taking it in and having to drive lame cars in the mean time.

[Bunker]

Originally Posted by Brandenburg

- Jeeps leak even though they cost $37k....and most people think that's just fine and dandy

Yeah they leak, ehhh it's a Jeep and I expected as much. After a while it didn't matter to me anyway, I had enough dents in the windshield frame that leaks were the least of my concerns :p

Seriously though, for what you spend it really should be a little better on the QC imo so I have to agree on that point.

Originally Posted by Brandenburg

- Jeep fans (most that I've encountered so far on forums) are arrogant and believe Jeep/Chrysler can do no wrong.

Your on the wrong forum. jkowners.com is the real deal forum. no sugar coating and pretty hardcore. I'm gonna say you probably were on the "other" JK forum with "wasteoflife" who has his hand out and gives favorable reviews to those that fill said hand.


I had a 2009 JK Unlimited Rubicon that I sank about $25K in mods (suspension, axles, wheels, tires, bumpers, fenders... list goes on and on) it was THE most fun on 4 wheels I've ever had but only when I went off road in the rocks or when I could run around with the top and doors off. I live about 6 hours away from the closest place to wheel so after a while the balance between what your spending and what your getting sways the other way.

I still miss the Jeep but at least I can put a smile on my face daily. Granted it's not as big of a smile, but as I mod my Camaro that smile does seem to be increasing

[n116ebo]

I was paying for my sons college one month at a time, he graduated in Dec.1999. Jan. 2000 I bought a new jeep wrangler sahara. I love to take the jeep when I am not in a hurry and may want to get off road sight seeing. Still have the jeep in great shape (36,000.) When the babies are grown and gone you can buy toys, pay them off, keep them and then buy another toy. One of the good things about getting older.

[VenomInside]

Ewww. Chrysler

[PQ]

Some of those bullets are stuff I've experienced with GM dealers too. But I agree about Chrysler vehicles.

I had a thread a while back about my experience with them.

I will never buy Chrysler just due to their parts and service practices.

[TSSUNAMI]

Now that the snow is flying, my DD is a 97 Jeep wrangler that I bought right after graduation. Down payment was a graduation present, I paid for the rest myself.

At first glance, a stock Jeep isn't a heart skipper. Trust me, the aftermarket for this vehicle is VAST. Grab a quadratec catalog, or go to one of the aformentioned jeep forums and see what you can do to that beast. Throw a 3" lift on it and some 33" tires. Some nice brush guards or rock crawler bumpers. Maybe a custom induction hood. Try to make the best of your situation.

Sorry for the loss of your Camaro. You got one once brother, you can get one again if the Jeep thing doesn't work out.


As for Jeep owners being douchey. I get a wave from every one I pass when I"m driving mine.

[cab2g]

I wish they had kept the Jeep Wrangler as an affordable small SUV for people who just wanted to hit the trails and have fun. But It's just as expensive as a Jeep Grand Cherokee now if you get a fully loaded one, and they're just so much bigger than they used to be. Grant it, I totally understand why they did what they did. The Jeep, with its box shape is iconic, however, it leads to terrible fuel economy and that alone makes the Jeep not an affordable vehicle for many, so why not add all sorts of bells and whistles and sell it upmarket. They did what they had to do to keep them selling.

I love wranglers, and I am sorry you had such a bad dealer experience. I'd truly try looking for dealer reviews online and check out their BBB complaint history. That should give you a better picture of what dealers can help and what dealers will just jerk you around.

[Iroc-z86]

oh how can i relate! a week before i bought my camaro i looked/test drove a 2011 COD edition wrangler. it was everything i wanted... so when it came to the haggling they didnt come down off the sticker price and just told me to go home so to speak... a week later i found the exact camaro i wanted and the dealer took 3k off the price.

i can totally relate with you on that, i was just lucky enough not to buy it! although i did have to give up my lifted cherokee for my camaro, but all in all it was a fair trade

good luck with your jeep ! they are pretty reliable, the pentastar is a BIG upgrade from that sorry excuse of a motor 3.7.

[BadAssBumbleBee]

Originally Posted by Iroc-z86

good luck with your jeep ! they are pretty reliable, the pentastar is a BIG upgrade from that sorry excuse of a motor 3.7.

Correction, that would be the POS 3.8L motor in the '07-'11 JK's

[Lauryn200]

Originally Posted by Brandenburg

Grrrrr....

That's right....I'm pretty sure I screwed up. I traded off my 2010 2SS for a 2012 Rubicon and for the first time ever in my life, I have major buyer's remorse but not necessarily for only the reasons you'd expect.

When I bought my 2SS a couple of years ago, I knew I loved the Camaro (I'd had two previous Camaros). At the time, I considered a Jeep as a way to stray into new territory to see if I would love driving really slow. I looked at both and finally (and with little or no hesitation) went with the Camaro. The Camaro was my first brand new car.

I friggin' loved the Camaro. I loved everything about it (except the insane amount of attention it provided me....I'm a fairly modest guy). I loved the way the car handled, I loved the look, I loved the mileage, and I loved the power.

There were, though, a couple of things that bummed me a little. In the two years of having the Camaro, I never once strayed onto gravel or onto rough roads....and I rarely took my best buddy with me (he sheds far too much). In the back of my mind I kept thinking that a Jeep would be more functional for my lifestyle.

Finally, I took the plunge and about three weeks ago I traded for a 2012 Rubicon Unlimited.

I think I made a mistake.

With a few exceptions, the Jeep was everything I imagined it'd be. It's a fairly solid, dependable vehicle. I add gas and it takes me places. However, my heart doesn't skip a beat when I look at it, walk to it, sit in it, think about it, or floor it. As an SUV, it's all utility and offers no excitement. The Camaro, on the other hand, felt like an extension of my personality made every trip to the store an exciting trip.

I will NEVER, EVER buy from Chrysler again...
There are other considerations which have also made the change less than pleasurable. Part of the reason for my *severe* case of buyer's remorse is terrible customer service from Chrysler corporate. I had some legitimate concerns and Chrysler was extremely rude to me (they even lied to me). They refused to address my issues. This isn't the forum to get into Chrysler customer service issues, but suffice to say that my first experience with them is grounds enough that I will never buy from them again.

In contrast, almost every interaction I've had with GM over the years has been very pleasurable and "more than fair." GM sales and service people have almost always gone out of their way to provide information and to help me. When I had a major issue, a regional manager became involved and shocked me with being a very agreeable and nice guy. I guess I just wrongly assumed every car company was like this. With Chrysler, I found it difficult finding someone who would even listen to an issue....much less someone with the power to actually address it.

I could continue this post by going into all kinds of other areas I've noticed, but I'll just bullet point some observations

Some of the things I've learned while changing from GM to Chrysler

- Chrysler seems to have the most poorly trained salesmen who simply don't know their products (rarely did I get that feel from GM).

- Chrysler stereos really, really, really suck (it makes me really appreciate the Camaro stereo)

- Jeeps leak even though they cost $37k....and most people think that's just fine and dandy

- Chrysler workmanship is subpar to GM. There's an obvious attention-to-detail missing in Chrysler products. There's a "cheap" vibe even to their pricey automobiles.

- Camaro fans and owners are friggin' awesome. They love their cars, love talking about their cars, and can be huge fan boys while still appreciating other cars.

- Jeep fans (most that I've encountered so far on forums) are arrogant and believe Jeep/Chrysler can do no wrong.

(I could add to this list forever)

A new automobile is a big purchase for me. I can't just swap cars frequently. Because of this, I'm afraid I'm stuck with the Rubicon for at least a couple of years until I'm no longer upside down on my payments. Maybe I can find another way out, I'm not sure. Had I been smart, I would've purchased an old, used Jeep for my gravel road/dog fun and kept my Camaro -- but I wasn't very smart

Soooo.....a word of warning to those who may also be looking for greener pastures -- they don't get much greener than the 5th gen Camaro. If you like your car but thinking of swapping, reconsider.

As soon as I can, I'll be moving back home to General Motors with my tail tucked between my legs. I made a mistake.

"It's A Jeep Thing you won't understand"

Wrangler's aren't for everyone and going from a *sports car* to a Jeep Wrangler......if it was the Grand Cherokee I think would have been a better fit.

1)JK's leak...they've been leaking since the new redesigned Wrangler deputed in 2007.They can't seem to fix it or do they want to.

2)Gremlins in the computer will be relentless.Causing your Jeep to go into limp mode or just cut off on you all together.

3)Those plastic bumpers and plastic fenders will fade and fade hideously if not garage or waxed.

4)Rust-look under the Jeep and check your muffler in a few weeks/months.Rust magnets!

5)Rides like a Jeep....not a car

I have an 06 last model TJ before the redesign,no issues and solid engine.
But,I bought mine 5 years ago for the winter in New York City.

Go to jeepforum.com
They will help if any issues arrive,apparently some of Chryslers mechanics are useless.

[Iroc-z86]

Originally Posted by BadAssBumbleBee

Correction, that would be the POS 3.8L motor in the '07-'11 JK's

couldnt remember if it was 3.7 or 3.8 either way its a POS. the gfs liberty has the 3.7.... what a dog. my old blazer 4.3 has more pep!


The 4.0l straight 6 is the best motor from jeep IMO. the low end torque is unmatched in a 6 cyl.

[leviticus88]

Uh, You expected a different result? Trading a Camaro for a Jeep?
They are the absolute opposite and are not to be compared.
I'm sorry this has happened but I think this is obvious.

As far as Chrysler salesman, 90% of ALL Brands car salesman have no idea what they are selling and FYI, they don't make a ton of money doing it either.

I say you should keep the jeep, Mod it and take it off road. Get it dirty and enjoy how rugged it is. It's a jeep!

If you want a Camaro, buy another and chaulk it up to lesson learned?

Wish you the best!

[2Fast4Mu]

Originally Posted by oyealiz

Geez....


Yeah, OP...what color did you get, etc?

It's black, softtop

Originally Posted by Intimidator333

I hear you on the Chrysler having bad customer service. I have a Charger R/T and had Challenger fever most of this year. Went to test drive one and trade in my Charger. Salesman was cool but then worked with the manager to hook up financing and negotiate. He was a straight up dick.

I just talked to a man earlier today who has had his Wrangler in the local shop for 43 days......for a leak! He's pretty upset that they're not doing much about it. I hope I don't find myself in his shoes.

Originally Posted by leviticus88

Uh, You expected a different result? Trading a Camaro for a Jeep?
They are the absolute opposite and are not to be compared.
I'm sorry this has happened but I think this is obvious.

As far as Chrysler salesman, 90% of ALL Brands car salesman have no idea what they are selling and FYI, they don't make a ton of money doing it either.

I say you should keep the jeep, Mod it and take it off road. Get it dirty and enjoy how rugged it is. It's a jeep!

If you want a Camaro, buy another and chaulk it up to lesson learned?

Wish you the best!

Of course I'm aware that they're opposites -- that's why I thought I'd try to be adventurous and try something new. Had Chrysler corporate not been a total prick during my first customer service issue, I might be a little more positive -- now I'm just a Chrysler hater

Yeah, I'll have fun in the Jeep. There will be new things I can do and it'll be nice this winter. And you're right, I'll just have to realize it's a lesson learned....the hard way. I'll be back in another Camaro before you know it. Are they still looking to redesign on the alpha body in a few years?

[BlueAngel]

Man that sucks, I was actually thinking about trading mine in but then the day I was going to buy a jeep liberty I realized how much my camaro meant to me. Hopefully you get what you really want eventually