Unlimited Sales Off

[rich]

Hi Folks,
Stopped in to my dealer this morning and ran into my salesperson and I got to be speaking with him and he advised me that Jeep Wrangler Unlimited sales have really dropped off. He said people are going after the swb wranglers bigtime, however. He said that a lot of the reason is the "look", not so much the price. Thats the second person in a month that has advised me that they would not buy an unlimited because of the look of the vehicle. He also said that people are not purchasing the 4cyl wranglers. Instead they want the 4.0 in the swb wrangler. Has anyone else ever complained about the look of our unlimiteds. The only real noticible differece to me is when your looking at the car from the side. From the front or the back it looks just like a swb wrangler to me. there was 8 unlimiteds on his lot and 2 swb wranglers. (One real nice rubikon and an se). Saw a Khaki colored unlimited there. very nice. First time i saw a khacki colored one up close. Do you guys ever hear people complain about the wrangler unlimiteds look? Ill say this, the unlimited drives like a cadillac compared to the swb wrangler. your thoughts?
Rich

[letskick23]

My brother has a swb. He said he hated the unlimiteds. He drove mine right after i bought it and liked the way it handled. I don't know if it changed his opinion of them any but it might have gave him a tad bit more respect for them..Besides who can argue with the extra room and better ride. I don't think the people at work even realize it is the lwb..

[tag]

I couldn't care less about what other people think of my Unlimited. I bought an Unlimited because that was what I wanted. If they don't like it on them.

[salyers890]

it's the back window of the HT and the early ST. . . I agree that when I saw them at first, I thought it looked a little funky, but now It's grown on me. I am at a point where I like the look of the LJ better, ESP with the top down. the angled sport bar is so much cooler looking.

granted, with the windows out the softtop looks kind of like a safari wagon or something, but it's fine with me. as previously stated, I got what I wanted - and you really can't argue with the ride quality + cargo/towing capacity.

maybe the reason SWB's are flying out of the stealership is because of the price tag. people think that if they get a vehicle with a base price of 18 with 6k worth of options it's better than a base price of 23 with 2k of options - even though they both have the same stuff. even if that were the case, I'd bet on the trend going the opposite way with that particular dealership as an exception. People who do the research and test drive both understand each vehicle's shortcomings, and if you did your homework and looked at enough jeeps the LWB loses it's funny-looking-ness.

personally, at this point - I think with the soft top window update, the LJ's look a lot cooler than the SWB's.

[Mars]

Wrangler sales in total are off something like 18% from this point last year, so it's not all on the Unlimited.

Don't worry about what others think. I think many others here would agree this is the best Jeep since the Scrambler. Popularity ain't an automotive feature I care about.

[moneypit]

When I bought mine in October of 04 many people asked what it was. They had never seen a stretched out Wrangler. I went to a Jeep Toys for Tots in December and several SWB Jeep guys came over to look. Some said they would have to get use to it. Others loved the extra room. So to each his own. From the side with the soft top up, I have heard some say it looks like a conestoga wagon. I think lifting it and adding larger tires helps the stretched out look disappear some. It seems that the Unlimited is more popular with a slightly older group. The kids want the SWB. It would be interesting to add an age thread a see how old we all are. At some point comfort and useability become more important.

[scrambler81]

Seems to me that you've been obsessing about the looks of the Unlimited since you bought it. What did you think you were buying? No Jeep has ever won a beauty pageant, and I doubt one ever will. It was designed to perform a function, and I think mine performs it very well. With two little kids, there was no way I was ever going to buy a standard Wrangler. As a bonus, I think the long ones look good. As a matter of fact, someday I hope to get a CJ6 so I can complete my set.
BTW - Why do you care if the sales have slowed? You already have yours. Anyway, maybe it has nothing to do with looks. It's been well documented that Jeep is releasing a 4 door Wrangler in 2006. Maybe the folks that need the extra space are waiting to see what the new model looks like, before they spend their money on the old model. At the same time, the folks that always wanted a standard Wrangler will buy now before the new models come out, because they don't want the bigger model or the V6. Just an alternate theory.

[nwquadriders]

scrambler81 said:

Seems to me that you've been obsessing about the looks of the Unlimited since you bought it. What did you think you were buying? No Jeep has ever won a beauty pageant, and I doubt one ever will. It was designed to perform a function, and I think mine performs it very well. With two little kids, there was no way I was ever going to buy a standard Wrangler. As a bonus, I think the long ones look good. As a matter of fact, someday I hope to get a CJ6 so I can complete my set.
BTW - Why do you care if the sales have slowed? You already have yours. Anyway, maybe it has nothing to do with looks. It's been well documented that Jeep is releasing a 4 door Wrangler in 2006. Maybe the folks that need the extra space are waiting to see what the new model looks like, before they spend their money on the old model. At the same time, the folks that always wanted a standard Wrangler will buy now before the new models come out, because they don't want the bigger model or the V6. Just an alternate theory.

Yep...what he said. It's your rig, you bought it hopefully because you liked it. Stop worrying about what other folks think and enjoy what you've got.

[tex]

My Jeep suits my needs and I like it. I would be driving a Honda Element right now if they hadn't made the LJ. I need the room for my tools.

[rich]

Guys, i not obsessing about it. I just found it was interesting to hear from a dealership thats all. Im happy with mine. Why are you guys constantly busting my chops. All I did was give feedback from what I heard.
I get my unlimited back today. Geez, it seems that a lot of you dont want me here by somne of the comments that you make. I dont underastand why some of you post smart ass remarks back to me. Whats your problem?
Rich

[rich]

It just seems I am consistantly being slammed by some people on this board and I dont understand why?
This is supposed to be a cool place to come to about our jeeps, not a place to come to to get slammed etc.
One member here even said its time to raise the BS flag when my jeep got backed into a few weeks ago.
I thought that was an inappropriate comment and took offense to that and some of the other comments that have been directed to some of my postings.
I just dont understand it. Who's dog did I kick?
Rich..

[nfunlimited]

I had a few friends tell me that they did not really like the look of the LJ until I added the 31's and the 2" BB. I also had another friend with a swb rubicon tell me he prefers the look of the LJ when the tire size is over 33's. He said it was because the swb jeeps look like a jeep body on a fullsize truck when the lift and tires are large.

The LJ looks much more in proportion when lifted. IMO.


Rich. I don't think everyone is trying to slam you....its just that when we hear that people don't like our vehicles, its a bit uposetting. I for one do not liek my Jeep being compared to a wagon.

I don't think they are blamming you, but maybe I am wrong.

[scrambler81]

Damn! Ain't we sensitive? Nobody said anything about wanting you to leave. On one of your earliest posts on here, you went on about the Unlimited not being as "sporty" looking as the standard Wrangler, and I said then that Jeeps aren't sporty. You have continued to hit on that topic ever since. It almost seems like you want someone to tell you to get something else. Hell, last month you talked about trading your Jeep for a 4 cylinder Wrangler! I've just never seen a guy worry so much about how his Jeep looks, or what other people think of it. It's YOUR Jeep - either enjoy it, or sell it. Quit worrying about everybody else.

[huskerjoe]

The best way to convert the SWB Jeepers is to pop open the tail gate, they see that space and are instantly jealous!! Lets be honest, 99% of all Jeeps out there could be considered daily drivers, which means we take them to the grocery store, we run to the hardware store, we even {gasp!} go to the mall, that extra 10 inches allows me to bring home packages without having to displace the kids in the backseat or break my back trying to get a bunch of groceries bags out and past the front seats. Besides, what I tell everyone is from the drivers seat it looks the same as any other TJ, and since I can't see it from the side while I'm driving it doesn't matter to me! If others don't like the looks who cares, no one has offfered to make any of my payments!!!!

[treeofliberty]

Scrambler is right Rich, you have been in a state of lament for some time now. And heck, this is the last place I would expect to read several postings about my baby being ugly. I'm still reeling from the fact that my frame bends like playdough. ;D

Again Rich, you are getting "sales information" from somebody who stands to profit from your misery. I'd sooner believe a bum under a bridge.

As I've said before, the stock LJ looked a little quirky to me at first, but now I think the SWB Wrangler looks a little, well, short. And I've run with the big dogs on the trails, easing over obstacles they had trouble with. I can assure you it's not driver skill. The Unlimited is the next step in the Wrangler's evolution. Otherwise, why would all the manufacturers make Unlimited their show rig? Check out these pictures from SEMA 2005:

www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=207323


Notice how many are Unlimiteds. Tell your sales guy to get bent, and never to speak another word in your general direction. Anybody who would play on your emotions to make a buck is not to be trusted, ever.