The PRICE of a Wrangler Over the Years

I just want to say that a couple weeks ago I had a nightmare that my LJ caught on fire in the garage and I couldn’t figure out how to work the fire extinguisher. Only thing is...I have a JK. But I think my dreams are trying to tell me something...get an LJ!
 
Chesty said:
I just want to say that a couple weeks ago I had a nightmare that my LJ caught on fire in the garage and I couldn’t figure out how to work the fire extinguisher. Only thing is...I have a JK. But I think my dreams are trying to tell me something...get an LJ!
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I've had similar dreams. What they are telling you is to become proficient with the fire extinguisher.
 
I bought my ‘08 JKU Rubicon almost fully loaded. Only option it didn’t have was the auto trans. MSRP was $33k IIRC. Fast forward 12 years later to 2020 and my Gladiator Rubicon’s MSRP was $63k IIRC. Only option it doesn’t have is dual tops (hard top only). It’s gotten crazy.
 
my JKU Rubicon in 2010 was listed for $36,365, I paid $32k ...it was a lot then for a Jeep
The 2018 JLU with fewer options, $47,525, paid $42,700 . Had I added everything similar to the JKU it would've been closer to $56k
The additional kicker on the JLU, I convinced myself that the HD components would save me at least 10K in suspension upgrades...
🤦‍♂️
 
This is a cool bit of history. I had to go back and look at what the Scramblers were listed for back in 85’.

a base CJ-8 went for $7,200. A loaded Laredo went for almost 17k. That was as much as a corvette off the lot in 85’. I wish I had the window sticker from mine to see what the MSRP was.
 
It's insane how quickly prices have gone up on wranglers, I think a lot had to do with the 4 door, making it more popular.

I remember during ownership of my YJ, and TJ you would hardly ever pass another, (at least where I lived) and mostly it seemed like they were classics.
 
19YJ94 said:
It's insane how quickly prices have gone up on wranglers, I think a lot had to do with the 4 door, making it more popular.

I remember during ownership of my YJ, and TJ you would hardly ever pass another, (at least where I lived) and mostly it seemed like they were classics.
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I totally agree the JK made the entire Jeep “scene” explode. They were and are everywhere now and driving up the prices on the old ones out of sense of nostalgia.
 
It really is crazy at how high the price of Jeeps and the wrangler especially over the years. Like others have stated I hope the bronco gives Jeep a little more competition to lower prices.
 
19YJ94 said:
It's insane how quickly prices have gone up on wranglers, I think a lot had to do with the 4 door, making it more popular.

I remember during ownership of my YJ, and TJ you would hardly ever pass another, (at least where I lived) and mostly it seemed like they were classics.
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It was 100% the JKU that changed everything. I have personally talked to countless people who've said that they've always loved Jeeps but could never get one being that it was too impractical. The JKU was the Wrangler that allowed them to get one. The TJ only sold about 800,000 units. The JK sold over 2 million.
 
JKRay said:
It really is crazy at how high the price of Jeeps and the wrangler especially over the years. Like others have stated I hope the bronco gives Jeep a little more competition to lower prices.
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The thing is, I think it's great that Jeep offers expensive packages and with all kinds of goodies. There is definitely a big market for it. I just wished they ALSO offered something a bit more entry level like they used to with the TJ SE. A lot of the guys with a lot of money to spend today, were the guys who didn't back in the day.
 
wayoflife said:
In lieu of Cindy and I buying a new 2-door Jeep Wrangler Sport, I decided to do some looking and thought it would be interesting to show what a Wrangler would have cost over they years. Of course, the first Wrangler was the YJ and back in 1987, the base price for one was just $8995. Of course, it came with half doors, a soft top and no AC.
View attachment 363624

When the TJ Wrangler was introduced in 1997, the base price for it was just $13,995. About $5,000 more than the YJ and again, that was with half doors, a soft top and no AC.
View attachment 363625

I couldn't find a good commercial showing how much a JK Wrangler cost back in 2007 but I can tell you that it was $18,675 for a base model 2-Door X and $22,410 for a 4-Door Unlimited. AC still wasn't a standard feature but full doors were and again, we were looking at just a $5,000 increase over the model before.

As much as I love Jeep Wranglers, I have to say that the price of them today is a bit obscene. Even back when Cindy and I were tight on cash, a Wrangler was still something that we saw as being attainable. Certainly, Jeep was always good about offering an entry level option that most could afford such as an SE with a 2.5L under the hood. Sure, I get there's inflation to take into consideration and I know that there's a big demand for them today but $30k for a base model 2-Door (more than $10k what a JK) is somewhat insulting especially for what little you get. I mean, we literally paid $29k for Moby back in 2007 and he was a fully loaded Rubicon Unlimited with dual tops. If we were in the same shoes today that we were in back when we got our first Jeep, I'm not sure we would have bought it. At least, I don't think we could have afforded it. And, I think that's a shame. Had we not gotten our first Jeep, I'm not sure we would have bought all the ones that came after it.
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This is why I still drive my Cherokee. I just can't stomach 50K for a car of any kind.
 
My 14 JKUR was 39k new and my JT Sport with the max tow package was 39k new. Both JLURs on the dealer lot had window stickers of 58k when I bought my JT.
 
it's only getting worse for price too. With the shortages , the dealers aren't moving on the prices at all. they are charging full pop. your don't like it move along some waiting will pay. it's nuts.
 
It’s crazy how much vehicles of all sorts cost. I really wanted a Rubicon, but unless I buy a used one, I’ll probably buy a Sport again.
 
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