Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392

keg97 wrote

5 Jeeps? You're one of those guys! Years? Colors? What's been your favorite?

I had a brand new blue pearl manual '95 (yeah I know square headlights) that I begged my parents to let me buy in college from good ole Flemington Jeep/Eagle. I rolled that thing doing stupid college kid driving inside of a month and I was back in my '86 toyota camry before my parents could choke me. I've yearned for one since but with 3 kids, driving 40K/year, etc., it hasn't been in the cards. The 392 just keeps calling my name. I've started looking preowned to curb the fussing from the wife who will surely balk at a 80-100k sticker for a "toy".

It is amazing how all the 392 reviews are all so positive. It's almost the big engine calms down the typical negative jeep driving experience.

I guess I am!
I've have a TJ, a 2009 JK, and now three JLs. The 4xe was the worst. I think the auto industry as a whole really suffered in quality trying to comply with the EV mandate. The best so far is my new 2026 Rubicon. By far the best built and best quality. I know sounds nuts but I had no qualms diving in and removing interior panels to run wires for cams and radar detectors, aux lights.. but the newest ones are different. Theres little gaps and space between the sections to even get the thinnest of panel remover tools in without scratching. There's no creaks or water leaks from the interior either. Ride is still Jeep, but its light years from the JK.
That 392 sounds evil with a good cat back. My suggestion is dont buy one new. The depreciation will kill you. Get one gently used. You'll save yourself a good amount.

A friend has one (392l and I drove it again this weekend.

On paper it sounds like a horrible idea. Pos construction, pos reliability, pos ride... but like dating a stripper, it is an insanely fun experience. Your parents tell you it's a bad idea, your friends tell you it's going to be a disaster, but God damn, it's fun!!

It is massively, stupidly fun. Incredible engine and exhaust note. Rides surprisingly well. If you have a pulse, it's hard to not have a giant grin on your face after driving it

Do they honk when you lock the doors like other Chrysler products?

RM7 wrote

Do they honk when you lock the doors like other Chrysler products?

You can shut it off.

SYT_Shadow wrote

A friend has one and I drove it again this weekend.

On paper it sounds like a horrible idea. Pos construction, pos reliability, pos ride... but like dating a stripper, it is an insanely fun experience. Your parents tell you it's a bad idea, your friends tell you it's going to be a disaster, but God damn, it's fun!!

It is massively, stupidly fun. Incredible engine and exhaust note. Rides surprisingly well. If you have a pulse, it's hard to not have a giant grin on your face after driving it

You must be talking about the 392! Yes- many of the reviews said the same thing. Maybe they need to do another round of reviews to see if the stripper comparison is a good one. IE- it's fun at first but you get left with a "gift" after the fun runs out.

JerseyM3 wrote

I guess I am!
I've have a TJ, a 2009 JK, and now three JLs. The 4xe was the worst. I think the auto industry as a whole really suffered in quality trying to comply with the EV mandate. The best so far is my new 2026 Rubicon. By far the best built and best quality. I know sounds nuts but I had no qualms diving in and removing interior panels to run wires for cams and radar detectors, aux lights.. but the newest ones are different. Theres little gaps and space between the sections to even get the thinnest of panel remover tools in without scratching. There's no creaks or water leaks from the interior either. Ride is still Jeep, but its light years from the JK.
That 392 sounds evil with a good cat back. My suggestion is dont buy one new. The depreciation will kill you. Get one gently used. You'll save yourself a good amount.

Yeah- you're definitely a Jeep guy for sure!

Have you had the sky top yet? Wasn't a fan at all. My plan was to put a soft top on it and literally only drive it when the weather is nice. Otherwise it sits in the garage. But the skytop is making some sense to me since you can take out the rear quarter windows.

I'm definitely rationalizing the preowned 392 more and more. Need to find a one owner with the OCI's done in a color I like. I really want a red one but would go that bright blue one too. I don't want black or dark grey at all. I'd consider the Sting Grey/Earl Grey and maybe a white one.

keg97 wrote

You must be talking about the 392! Yes- many of the reviews said the same thing. Maybe they need to do another round of reviews to see if the stripper comparison is a good one. IE- it's fun at first but you get left with a "gift" after the fun runs out.

Not only 392s are fun Mine is 3.6 but it's manual and it's one of the most fun vehicles I've ever driven It's unreliable as hell, and in my case it needed a new engine at 85kmiles, but hell it's worth the efforts for me

PS: was reading that Hemi in 392s are the most reliables engines among all others

keg97 wrote

You must be talking about the 392! Yes- many of the reviews said the same thing. Maybe they need to do another round of reviews to see if the stripper comparison is a good one. IE- it's fun at first but you get left with a "gift" after the fun runs out.

Absolutely the 392

I've driven the normal ones and the 392 really makes the whole experience

vt100 wrote

Not only 392s are fun Mine is 3.6 but it's manual and it's one of the most fun vehicles I've ever driven It's unreliable as hell, and in my case it needed a new engine at 85kmiles, but hell it's worth the efforts for me

PS: was reading that Hemi in 392s are the most reliables engines among all others

A manual JL is great I'm sure. None of the other 4 drivers (wife and 3 kids) in my house have touched a stick in their lifetime so that's a no go.

I had the 3.6 in a rental a few weeks ago and it's fine. But I'm just spoiled by power and feel I'd be upgrading into a 392 before long. What went wrong in yours? I've just read the Hemi just needs short OCI's and good oil. Otherwise, it's pretty bulletproof.

keg97 wrote

A manual JL is great I'm sure. None of the other 4 drivers (wife and 3 kids) in my house have touched a stick in their lifetime so that's a no go.

My wife doesn't like driving manuals either But somehow I managed to convert my kids into manual diehards

keg97 wrote

What went wrong in yours?

Head gasket leaked on the passenger side. The driver side was also done at about 65kmiles by a dealer, but that was with the previous owner. I suspect the engine got overheated slightly some time in the past.
I started taking apart the engine preparing for the gasket change, but once I removed valve covers it was obvious 2 camshafts were scored beyond repair.
And looking at the amount of sealant the dealer' mechanic put there when doing the previous head gasket it was also clear that small pieces of silicon were spread all around the engine.
Considering all these it was just $1k more expensive to get a brand new long block from Mopar than try to repair and clean up the old engine

keg97 wrote

I've just read the Hemi just needs short OCI's and good oil. Otherwise, it's pretty bulletproof.

Yeah, pretty much what I read I well. It was tempting to do a Hemi swap on mine, but it's California I'm in, so would be a bit more headache to deal with registration. Besides I was not sure the stock manual gearbox and clutch would survive long enough when paired with Hemi

Sry, no disrespect...jus seems many willingly line-up for unsat products & experiences - - 'no pain - no gain'?!? aka masochism

I find it had to believe folks luv, trip-over themselves, and are enamored with 'ancient', mediocre, unreliable, sub-optimal vehicles

Have mad fun, go fast/ kick-a$$ with a proven off-road & daily driver

> >Raptors

Sorry smokinjoe64! But my Z4M is better than both your E92 M3 and your Raptor combined!

Now, does it prove anything?!

vt100 wrote

Sorry smokinjoe64! But my Z4M is better than both your E92 M3 and your Raptor combined!

Now, does it prove anything?!

Observations, opinions...not intended to "prove anything"
That said, Z4M is a cute car 😂

RM7 wrote

Do they honk when you lock the doors like other Chrysler products?

JerseyM3 wrote

You can shut it off.

Activates windshield washer...? 😜

smokinjoe64 wrote

Sry, no disrespect...jus seems many willingly line-up for unsat products & experiences - - 'no pain - no gain'?!? aka masochism

I find it had to believe folks luv, trip-over themselves, and are enamored with 'ancient', mediocre, unreliable, sub-optimal vehicles

Have mad fun, go fast/ kick-a$$ with a proven off-road & daily driver

> >Raptors

The irony of talking about mediocre & unreliable vehicles & then clamoring over a Ford

FWIW - I've owned 6 Wranglers starting with a '94 Sahara, '98 Sport, '15 JKU Black Bear Edition, '16 JKU Backcountry Edition, '03 X, and just picked up a '25 Sport for my son a couple weeks ago.

The only issues I had with any of them: shifter literally came off in my hand on our '15 (6-spd manual) at 2,500 mi. Turned out we were one of the first that generated a TSB for a bushing replacement (you're welcome) where the shifter connected to the transmission.

The back window on our '16 hard top exploded twice. First time, Jeep replaced it under warranty. 2nd time they said too bad. I think the front passenger side bolt hole was just off-center enough on the frame that when we bolted the top down after it had been off all Summer, it torqued the top & when we started to drive the window exploded. Both times happened in our garage. Boy it was fun trying to vacuum up all those little pebbles of glass.

My son's '03 had cracked exhaust manifolds at 155k mi, and now may need either a new head and/or new pistons. Trying to dignose, repair & will sell. Still runs but is burning some oil & ticking (165k mi).

No "death wobble" on any of them, no mechanical issues on the '94 when I had it, the '98, '16. The '15 was totaled at 4 months. The '16 had 62k mi on it when I sold it in 2022 for $4k less than I paid for it brand new.

The '25 is nice, even for a basic Sport. Has the 2.0T, which is fine for my son as a HS senior & when he's off to college next year. Nice interior, just added an oem Mopar twill soft top - which operates way better than any of the previous soft tops. Has the hard top as well.

The standard halogen headlights are still the worst headlights on the planet, so I'll be swapping them out. Wranglers have their issues, but they also make like 200k of them a year, so obviously it's going to appear like more.