Can you talk me out of a Gladiator Please!

Lol I get 12 on a good tank and can only get to 250 miles…anything would be an improvement in that area.

 

Ooof. Yeah, I forget the 38 gallon tank didn't show up 'til 2016. Even then, 12 is painful.
I've been blessed to generally exceed EPA estimates in every vehicle I've had. Putting on bigger/heavier tires brought me to EPA numbers basically. The only good luck I have! Lol

 

Ok and I warned you... they are junk... they have lots of issues with suspension if you can believe it.
Do your DD and look at Jeep owners for more than two years.
The Gladiator is a rolling time bomb.

 

So you’re getting 14 lol I was getting 14 before 35’s and since then I’m 12-12.5

 

15 average. Highway I get 17-20 if I'm empty depending on wind. Per the computer, but I figure it's pretty accurate as the DTE matches known mileage trips really really close.

 

Wow I never got close to that on the highway, maybe 17 with a tailwind. But normal combined driving was never better than 14-14.5 and Louisiana is all flat and I don’t have a heavy foot. Anyway going to pick up a gladiator loaner tomorrow to try out a couple days and see it’s even an option.

 

But it’s a Jeep.

 

I think the phrase is “it’s a Jeep thing”

 

The previous gen is not the same as the 5.7...different motor...you are very fecitious lately...I hope things are ok?

 

Yep...the Gladiator Rubicon Diesel is badass! If you have the money. It's worth a try. YOLO!

 

JEEP= JUST EMPTY EVERY POCKET , as a past jeep owner I see the love for them in the department of off roading hard , but I got tired of having to work on mine , also the way they handle didn't suit me well. The thing with the CM is roll down all windows open sunroof enjoy the weather , when it rains flip switches an watch all the jeepers get rained on.

the gladiator is a sexy truck I wish I could of afforded a wrangler an brute kit back in the day but after going through life figured out the Tundra was my best future investment with now 110k on the clock I know I'll get another 350k before I need to rebuild the trans. more than I can say about what a 200k jeep will need.

 

Op, I probably can’t talk you out of one. I went wheeling with my buddys who has a gladiator and I can tell you 3 things he and I noticed.

1. I can probably fit more stuff in the cab than he can in his bed.
2. Tundra can go anywhere with the right mindset. (WTH is pin striping?) lol
3. Tundra is way more comfortable in almost all aspects.

Honestly the gladiator is a bad bitch. Perfectly capable truck. Personally I’ll take my SR5 crewmax over a gladiator 9.75/10 times.

 

Like I said, it's the only good luck I have.

Sweet on the loaner! Post up pics (Interior too) and let us know how it all feels!

 

Once you get the itch, only way to properly satisfy it is to buy one. It may or may not be all the bad everyone says but may still satisfy the itch.
I don’t see myself buying a Fiat.

 

Seems like a dumb move as the clutch riders will just ride it more.

 

CO - Worker buys a new Jeep every 2 years, 55k for a Wrangler, NO F'in way. Its a highway queen, and way over priced !

 

This wouldn’t be my strategy weather I like the gladiator or not but with the way wranglers hold their value you’re friend is probable only paying a few thousand a year to constantly be in the newest wrangler and it’s always under warranty. So it’s not the financial burden you’re thinking it is.

 

Think I read something about cruising around with the family in the Gladiator all opened up. Okay, maybe good IF only you are on the road. All too often someone is texting, drunk, etc. while driving, they cause unfortunate bad accidents. Personally had my hand on the exterior door frame once during an accident caused by a drunk driving left of center over a blind hill. No way I could have seen it coming, but I did learn that it is best to keep you and your passengers surrounded with some form of protection to help avoid injury. If you love your family, don't live in fear, but beware.

 

Maybe so.

 

So, you desire a convertible? Here's what you do... when the weather is good and you can round up the family, go to the airport and rent a convertible for the day.

When I go to the Big Island, I rent a convertible...love it. I've thought about renting one where I live on a nice weekend for some cruising. All the fun of owning one, without the seasonal use and depreciation!

 

There are tons of Gladiators in my neck of the woods in SoCal. Never seen one with mud on it though. They all look shiny and clean with their 37's and 30 year old blondes driving them to Stater Bros without a scratch on them.

 

I considered this as well, but none of the rental places around me offer anything with 5 seats. They're all mustangs, vettes, or camaros which are 2 or 4 seaters.

 

My wife goes blonde sometimes... so maybe I'd fit right in?

 

It actually sounds like you have a good situation for buying a Gladiator in that you run minimal miles and don't really offload much. If you really see the "roof off" travel thing as an amazing family memory... just do it! While I just got out of a Fiat Corp vehicle my wife had because the quarterly sensor issues and BS craftsmanship repairs totally sucked, she really like the car and its features while she had it. It also held its value enough that I didn't take a bath when I sold it. Life is short and almost everyone has a tight budget but it sounds like you really like the thought of this vehicle so lean on your wife's opinion. The plus in this equation is that you are going to get paid well for your Tundra. Some guy will buy it that truly appreciates the opportunity.
FWIW, four of my neighbors have 4-door Wranglers. Three of them constantly have the doors off and often times the roof off too and they (and kids) love it! None of them do any offloading so I don't know how they hold up to that, but I can tell you that the one that is lifted with 35's looks badass. Good Luck with your decision!

 

I can tell you the wife is and has been all in on the jeep probably pushing harder than me. To your point of the Tundra value you are 100% correct. The dealer has already offered me more than what I paid for it 3 1/2 years ago.

 

So this is the loaner, I just got it home and it’s definitely not the trim I would get but I took this pic before I headed home I’ll get a couple interior shots tomorrow but my initial thoughts are 1)it rides about as well as my leveled tundra on 35’s with bilstein 5100’s and 2)it’s not as noisy as everybody made them out to be. Noisier than the tundra yes but definitely not bothersome at all.
A couple negatives 1) I think the wife is going to have trouble siting in front of the baby’s car seat 2) I’ve come to love the tundras puddle lights to help out on approach at night especially since switching to vleds and the Jeep has NONE. Anyway big decision ahead in the next few days.

 

as far as the car seat goes , if the any is still rear facing it’s only a matter of time before they are forward facing. I think there’s enough room for a forward facing seat and even me at 6’ to be back as far as I like and my kids to be in there comfortably. Trust me I looked at this aspect as well

 

You have 3 kids in back seat , kids won’t enjoy room in gladiator. It will be a tight fit.

We have Jeep Wrangler, all our family trips it’s either tundra or 4 runner, kids don’t want to sit back in Jeep Wrangler.

 

What’s the payload on that ?

 

OP- Get the Jeep, sell me your RW wheels!