Cultural differences in owning a wrangler

[TNwrangler]

Looking to move from US to Oz in the next 3-4 months. In reading this forum, it seems like Australians don't like the wrangler nearly as much as Americans. Reliability used to be a major concern in the US but has been improved upon in a major way in the last decade.

Are jeeps imported to Oz built in a different facility with lower quality or is this a cultural thing? Are Americans more accepting of the flaws?
I am considering buying a new or slightly used unlimited when I relocate.

Wranglers are quite common in the US. Old and new. And yes they are ridiculously overpriced here due to their popularity.
Common Australian belief is don't use this unless you are off-roading multiple times a year.

I like fun cars and would be using this 99% of the time as a family hauler (1 4 yr old) and like this car as a convertible. Gas sucks but I won't be driving a ton (10k per year)

Thoughts on the cultural differences people have observed?

Anything I should plan on shipping over with in the cargo container or is everything cost the same in oz for mods?

[LeighP]

Toyotas have been well established here for years when Jeeps were in short supply due to importer issues......there is a strong following for the Japanese 4WDs generally.
Most uninformed comments on 4WD sites about Jeeps are based on hearsay generated by people who have never owned a Jeep and listen to other comments based on old experience with CJ and TJ Jeeps.

JK's sell quite well here, there are far more of them than any previous model Jeeps....you see them all the time. Some people have to wait months for ordered vehicles, so I guess you could say there is a solid demand for JKs.

2nd hand availability is good.

I wouldn't bother bringing a left hand drive JK here (unless your own vehicle means a lot to you - a lot of US style mods would not pass registration inspection here).....prices seem comparable and a right hand drive JK will be more enjoyable on our roads.
Welcome to Aus!

[TNwrangler]

You are correct about comparable pricing with Jeeps. It's one of the more affordable cars when comparing US to Au prices. Some car prices are a bit hard to swallow in Australia.
I was looking into a bumper or tire/wheel sets that may be more benificial to buy now and ship over. High performance tires are crazy expensive down there but off-road tires aren't too bad.
thanks for your input.

[chris0375]

10,000 km a year isn't much if you intend to see much of the country.

Australia is a big country and people need/want big cars with big payloads and good towing. Lots of older Jeeps are quite small compared to a land cruiser or a patrol.

Toyota dealerships are everywhere and parts availability is hugely better in more remote areas. Jeep in Australia still has a really bad reputation for expensive parts that aren't in stock.

In country areas every mechanic knows how to fix Toyotas and probably even has basic parts in stock. Good luck finding Jeep parts outside large towns.

American cars have been, let's face it, lacking in quality historically. Japanese vehicles have historically been much better built and more reliable. Maybe not the case anymore.

Ask anyone at any remote station and the only thing they will buy is 70 series and the occasional 100/105/200 series land cruisers. This wears off on everyone else to the point you almost aren't taken seriously if you don't drive a Toyota. I am not saying any of this is actually justified.

Buy a Jeep and enjoy it. Or take the opportunity to buy something you can't get in the USA.

And yeah realistically if you aren't actually using a jk offroad there are much more suitable vehicles available.

[wranglertj]

It's not so much they are not liked it's just a perception here as Toyota and Nissan owners are the norm and often bag jeep because that's what they have heard not what they know. I have had two jeeps over the last 13 years and both have been reliable if not far more so than my fellow Toyota and Nissan mates that I wheel with

[Cornelius]

Yip it is a cultural thing and a lot of the "hate" comes from being ignorant.

That said Chris is right, this is a huge country and if you are planning to venture into the great unknown you are going to be better off having a Toyota or Nissan of some sort. Out there in the middle of nowhere you will find parts for them if you need it.

So I own a TJ cause it's a fun car for the beach , for off-roading around Brisbane and for the occasional solo camping trip ........I also enjoy the topless aspect while commuting to work.

For the more serious long distance off-road traveling and family camping trips I have a Nissan Patrol. It's big , everything and everybody fits in comfortably.
If it is going to take a while to settle in once you get here , then get the Wrangler to start with and as you get more into wanting to explore and go further than just a few hours from where you are then you may be looking at getting something bigger and more suitable ..............and then you have the best of both worlds

[Cornelius]

And I have to add I have been pleasantly surprised how easy it is to source parts for the TJ. There is a huge Jeep fan base in Aus and you can get most any used part for most any Jeep. And if you are after new parts , easy done , either the old WWW or there are plenty of local suppliers that can help. And NO, Jeep parts are not more expensive than Toyota or Nissan ...........believe me. Another bonus is that most Jeeples seem to be more open minded and friendly and willing to help compared to the others. Maybe it's just that simple , good people drive Jeeps