Patriot FDII vs 2012 Wrangler Unlimited

todde702 · Jun 17, 2011

MrMischief said:
I see plenty of Pinzys, unimogs, things like that. I saw one for sale on the side of the road going out for our wheeling trip Sunday that had a sign in the window going for $11k. Granted it's a 4x4, but still... It's right by my work and I'll pop by to get you some info if you'd like. It's a 4x4 model. Not as cool as the 6x6, but still a Pinzy

Oh that's ok MrMischief. I don't have the money now that I have the 'Riot (and I'm unemployed). I was just making a point as far as wants vs. needs!

can-am-pat · Jun 17, 2011

To the poster MrM: I believe your observation/argument for the Wrangler Unlimited is quite convincing. If you believe you can get similar fuel consumption(or close) to the FD11 Pat with the Wrangler, go for it. The $2000.00 premium paid now will probably come back to you in resale value. It all depends on what you need I guess.

MrMischief · Jun 17, 2011

todde702 said:
Oh that's ok MrMischief. I don't have the money now that I have the 'Riot (and I'm unemployed). I was just making a point as far as wants vs. needs!

To late. I went on my lunch. It's owned by cold war remarketing. http://www.coldwarremarketing.com/ $11k

http://www.coldwarremarketing.com/images/5752712.jpg

MechE · Jun 17, 2011

Not much has been said about the difference in ride quality between a patriot and a wrangler. I don't know what the unlimiteds are like but I test drove a standard 2 dr wrangler before buying the pat and it was unsettled and a pretty harsh ride all together on city streets. Now I realize that it's a jeep and not built for comfort really, but for someone who doesn't need a serious off road machine, a patriot will be much more comfortable for cruising around town, not to mention long trips. And soft tops can be a pita as well, from my experience...

Edit: I should add however, that I really wanted a wrangler when I got the pat. I hunt, fish, go off road, tow, etc, but I can get by with a 5 speed FD1 patriot for much less money and better fuel economy...

Double D · Jun 18, 2011

Whether the Patriot or the Wrangler is really a matter of personal choice. If I were 25 years younger I would probably say screw the fuel mileage and get the Wrangler. But my 50 something rear end is much happier with the mileage and comfort of the Patriot. I traded from a Cherokee to a Patriot and appreciate the increased mileage and ride comfort.

jloffermann · Jun 18, 2011

shoot! my 22 something rear end loves my patriot much more then the wrangler haha!! I love the wrangler but i get around 15mpg going downhill with the wind.... my patriot getting 24mpg average and just a little less capable.... it is what it is haha

TJ99er · Jun 18, 2011

jloffermann said:
shoot! my 22 something rear end loves my patriot much more then the wrangler haha!! I love the wrangler but i get around 15mpg going downhill with the wind.... my patriot getting 24mpg average and just a little less capable.... it is what it is haha

I get 18/19mpg combined with my TJ... And I drove a JK unlimited (my buddies) its quiter with a soft top then my TJ with a hard. Then again I ripped out all the carpeting and added a somewhat loud exhaust...

And ironically, alot of people that put larger engines in the TJs get better fuel economy... I have seen some guys with v8s that get mid/low 20s

todde702 · Jun 18, 2011

TJ99er said:
I get 18/19mpg combined with my TJ... And I drove a JK unlimited (my buddies) its quiter with a soft top then my TJ with a hard. Then again I ripped out all the carpeting and added a somewhat loud exhaust...

And ironically, alot of people that put larger engines in the TJs get better fuel economy... I have seen some guys with v8s that get mid/low 20s

I could see that. Even though it's a bigger engine, it pulls the vehicle with less effort. I always thought my Wife's GMC Sonoma would get better fuel economy with a 305 V8 then the 4.3 V6. The problem is recouping the expense in savings. Of course I'd love to throw a Cummings 3.9L 4BT Diesel in it too, see if it can't break 30mpg highway!

MechE, the unlimited would ride a lot better then the 2dr Wrangler due to the longer wheelbase. And you're right, the regular Wrangler does feel a little unsettling and rough. The newest 2 door ones are way better due to increased track width and wheelbase length, but still a pretty bouncy ride.

HoosierMud · Jun 18, 2011

dixiedawg said:
Well, I needed the room inside, the mileage (It's my daily driver and I drive 100 miles a day for work) and the ability to get up my driveway, in all seasons.

The Patriot was the best fit for me.

You'll need to do your own evaluation based on your needs. Every month when you write the check for the vehicle, you are the one who needs to be happy with your decision.

Just as an example, I looked at the Liberty too, and it would have cost me about $2K more per year in gas, plus was a higher purchase price too.

I'm not sure the Wrangler, unless it has lockers front and rear, would do better getting up my driveway in winter. And I assume equipping it the way I would need would also affect the mileage. And I would need to be able to load in my dog box, and a big water container, and at least 3 big Rubbermaid containers, and more in the back.

If I remember correctly, the Wrangler Unlimited has more storage than the Ford Exploder and Hummer.

MechE · Jun 18, 2011

todde702 said:
MechE, the unlimited would ride a lot better then the 2dr Wrangler due to the longer wheelbase. And you're right, the regular Wrangler does feel a little unsettling and rough. The newest 2 door ones are way better due to increased track width and wheelbase length, but still a pretty bouncy ride.

I think the geometry of a CJ/TJ/JK as a whole lends itself to poor ride quality no matter what the suspension is set up like, although I'm sure the new coils and 5 links are better than the old leaf springs. But a vehicle that is short, thin, and tall, with solid axles, is inherently going to bounce around, no matter what. But I should drive a wrangler unlimited to see what the difference is... I'm going into town today, maybe I'll swing by the dealership.

TJ99er · Jun 18, 2011

MechE said:
But a vehicle that is short, thin, and tall, with solid axles, is inherently going to bounce around, no matter what.

This is where the catch-all phrase comes in so nicely... It's a Jeep thing...

I wouldnt have it any other way.

Its just part of its charm... And to note, the JK is far different then the CJ/YJ/TJ... its almost to refined for my taste...

kojack · Jun 19, 2011

To the poster regarding the unlimited being a hog on gas, nope, not true. My fdII got the same milage per liter as my jk does.

MrJeepR44 · Jun 19, 2011

I went the FDII route because I wanted something easy to drive and toss around town, comfortable for my wife on long road trips, yet capable enough to take on some moderate trails when I get a wild hair. I average 20+ mpg with almost all city miles... Driving a Wrangler would have gotten me 25% less fuel economy.

Plus I got my Patriot COMPLETELY LOADED (sans a potentially leaky sunroof) for $24,800... If I got a Wrangler I would have opted for a Rubicon which is $32k+

I thought about the Wrangler Unlimited a lot... But for my needs, the Patriot still won me over.

Tony1911 · Jun 19, 2011

TJ99er said:
And to note, the JK is far different then the CJ/YJ/TJ... its almost to refined for my taste...

I've only driven a JK Unlimited for a very short distance, but it did seem to me to have quite a bit "softer" suspension. What I mean is that it tended to tilt in curves much more than the almost sports-carish by comparison Patriot. Makes me wonder what the earlier Wrangler models or the CJ is like to drive...

Also, I remain officially annoyed by the prices you guys are quoting. In Finland you could get two or three Patriots for the same price as one JK Unlimited...

kojack · Jun 19, 2011

I got the unlimited sport for 30k. Traded my 2010 fd II. Got 14800 for it. Yeah I took a cornholein, but I have a bigger, way more capable rig. I'm not putting down the pat. I still recommend it to lots of people, but just not me.

steve0 · Jun 19, 2011

Hi,
$.02 worth from a 9-year TJ Wrangler owner, now Patriot FDII owner. Some reasons I chose a Patriot over a new Wrangler:

1. Okay, a TJ is not a current Wrangler by any means, but the cargo volume numbers on all Wranglers are deceptive in a way: a Wrangler 2 door is fine for carrying tall items -- perfect for dishwashers and Euro clothes washers, for example, but not so hot on length inside. I wanted to sleep in my Wrangler, so I'd remove all passenger seats, and I'd fit between the dash and tailgate on a platform I built, with only minimal scrunching. Thanks in part to the Patriot's shorter hood (transverse engine), I can sleep in the back. The spatial layout is that different. And still see out the back, BTW.

2. The new Wranglers are just so darned bulky for one person (me). 500 lbs. heavier than before, plus bigger in every dimension. It's a lot of years and a big change of philosophy since the small, lightweight Willyses of yore. I just can't justify it to myself, not being too keen on waste in design. If I had to transport a group overland, I'd see it differently.

3. Older and less nimble people can get in and out of a Patriot, while it retains good ground clearance and off-road ability. (My mom is 92, so it was time for me to get responsible).

4. I like ghost town prowling, trail exploring, etc. more than rock crawling for sport. My 4 cylinder TJ was always more than adequate, even when it was the weeniest of 190 jeeps at a Jeep Jamboree weekend. Even on Goler Pass in Death valley and a few other diff-slamming locales. Had a winch, but in 9 years I never used it to get out of a spot on the trail (used it to clear land, instead). Just about any basic 4WD Jeep is pretty amazing, really. I figure the Patriot will handle the job.

It's not perfect, of course, but it's still my rig of choice for now.

TJ99er · Jun 20, 2011

steve0 said:
2. The new Wranglers are just so darned bulky for one person (me). 500 lbs. heavier than before, plus bigger in every dimension. It's a lot of years and a big change of philosophy since the small, lightweight Willyses of yore. I just can't justify it to myself, not being too keen on waste in design. If I had to transport a group overland, I'd see it differently.

You can thank gov mandated safety regulations for that... Cars over the past decade or so have ballooned in weight and size.

Wooden Dog · Jun 20, 2011

Can't blame the government for that, if it was true, there would be no more small cars. Yet there are.
Things tend to get bigger because that's what people want.

TJ99er · Jun 21, 2011

Wooden Dog said:
Can't blame the government for that, if it was true, there would be no more small cars. Yet there are.
Things tend to get bigger because that's what people want.

you most certainly can... crash tests have become more and more stringent... With the added safety items like an increase in airbags and using more steal to protect the cockpit from rollovers and side impacts, the cars have become much heavier. Many automakers have been working on new applications for AL and CF to compensate for the weight gain. A car may grow in size, but even the older full sized sedans of the 90s didn't weigh in over 4000 lbs... some sedans now weight the same as old SUVs.

Small cars now adays also weight much more then previous years. I don't know why you think Size and Weight are comparable. An object can increase in mass, and stay the same size.

Example...
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/20/report-ford-targeting-up-to-700-pound-weight-loss-across-lineup/

Ford is looking to trim between 250 and 700 pounds from each of its vehicles by 2017 or 2018. That's an impressive total given the fact that added safety measures and more technology have contributed to the bloated scale-breakers we have today, and an aluminum hood or high strength steel can only make up some of that distance. Engineering Chief Derrick Kuzak tells TDB that "weight reduction starts with new platforms." That means aluminum and carbon fiber chassis components and lighter frames.

Wooden Dog · Jun 21, 2011

Size and weight are comparable. Sure, there are more stringent requirements fo safety these days, but does that account for how big everything is getting? Take the Nissan Xterra for example or the Toyota 4Runner. Compared to the original generation, todays versions are just plain bigger as well as heavier. The government didn't make them grow in size, did it? Same story for the Explorer, and many other vehicles.

Patriot FDII vs 2012 Wrangler Unlimited

todde702

can-am-pat

MrMischief

MechE

Double D

jloffermann

TJ99er

todde702

HoosierMud

MechE

TJ99er

kojack

MrJeepR44

Tony1911

kojack

steve0

TJ99er

Wooden Dog

TJ99er

Wooden Dog

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities