Yes, they have QC issues with them but on the other hand, I don't much care for Jeeps either and I bought a new CJ7 Levi's edition some years back. They are horrible on the e-way, all over the road in any sort of crosswind and I had ongoing transmission issues with mine the dealer could not fix. I finally traded it on on an Oldsmobile sedan of all things. Got tired of the crappy road manners, the terrible transmission that sounded like a meat grinder all the time but especially it's habit of switching ends on a rainy wet road and especially on a snow covered road, and always without warning, Just motoring along, minding my own business and suddenly it did the old switcheroo and in the winter, the heater could not keep up. When Amy and I went somewhere in the winter she always took a blanket with her to stay warm. What a crappy but expensive vehicle. Never again. Ok off the road, just ok. My 97 Ford F350 crew cab long bed with 33 x 10.5 Mickey Thompson off road rubber actually does better and it's an XLT so it's loaded too and I could haul a jeep in the bed and not even put it on the overloads.
Problem is, when I bought it 97 New I did a lot of suspension and drivetrain mods to it and while the drivetrain mods improved the engine and transmission 10 fold (I had Fords SVO in Dearborn do all the mods except the suspension which I did myself, it sits 6.5" over stock which puts the bottom of the door sill at knee height and at 73, I have one heck of a time getting in and out now. I do have steps on it but it's still a PITA to get into and out of and I cannot revert the suspension back to stock height (which was high to begin with) so now I'm driving a kids truck with a straight 6" exhaust pipe and a nose bleed suspension lift. Oh well, I'm adapting...
it is FUN to drive and the heavily modded 7.3 and transmission make for some very serious tire spin in 2wd. Ford dynoed it at 323 at the rear wheels locked in direct instead of OD. It has an extensively modified E4OD trans too and very little exhaust black smoke if I hammer on it, unlike the unpopular blowing smoke the new diesel crowd likes. Got Super U's in the driveline and a custom built aluminum drive shaft (3 piece). Just flat goes and pulls my Kauffman Gooseneck loaded like it wasn't even back there. Lockers front and rear, Detroit Tru-Track out back, ARB air locker in the front.
I usually have a 150 gallon diamond plate aluminum diesel tank in the back unless I have the truck camper in the bed and yes it has a rifle rack hanging over the back window and usually a rifle or two in it. Out here, where I live and farm, everyone has a gun in their vehicle anyway. Don't bother me at all, in fact I have a Michigan CCW and a Class 3 FFL license too. I like everything that goes bang. Bigger the bang, better I like it.
