What are the WK2 like to work on?

[Gav]

I'm considering selling my WH crd and upgrading to the WK2. Have they improved access to things like starter motors etc? I'm in the process of changing the starter on my WH and I'm not impressed. It would be hard to do in the middle of nowhere with limited tools.

[Bomber]

So far mine's been really easy. Drop it off in the morning, get picked up and chauffeured back for it's return in the afternoon . Hardest part was the $1400 "major service" at 40,000kms.

Seriously, the days of the bush mechanic are just about over for any car, not just the Jeeps. Nothing will be "simple" any more.

[adamt]

In general I find my 2012 GC not to bad, I do all my own servicing as well as
front springs and rear airbags. There is no doubt something could be difficult in remote areas but I would think no more than any other new vehicle.

Cheers

[layback40]

Originally Posted by Gav

I'm considering selling my WH crd and upgrading to the WK2. Have they improved access to things like starter motors etc? I'm in the process of changing the starter on my WH and I'm not impressed. It would be hard to do in the middle of nowhere with limited tools.

Any diesel jeep will be hard to work on. the engine is purchased as a complete unit by jeep & the jeep built around it. Most important would be the ability to tow start. This is not always possible with an auto & some get damaged if towed any distance. If it tow starts, the starter is just an accessory, can get by without it. I have driven long distances with a dead starter, even re-fueled.
What is more important are things like fuel filter access for changing & having some sort of water separation (&/or alarm) on the filter.
If some one is the sort of person who doesnt lift the bonnet & just gets the dealer to do everything, clearly not you Gav, best they drive a pirus & stick to the black top. It gets very annoying when you continually find people stuck in the middle of the bush who hardly know how to change a tyre ! Even worse when there is a group of them that know all the specs & BS, yet the only tools are the ones doing the driving.
I got fed up with group organized trips when I continually found people with 4WD's going that had issues & appeared to be hoping some one on the trip would know how to fix it.
Do yourself a favor Gav, go to a dealer in suitable clothes & climb under the jeep you are interested in. Have a good look at things like the starter & see how hard it is to get at.
Check the location of the filters etc for ease of access, If you can access a workshop manual, have a read of removal of some key bits, it some times gives a hint to how difficult it will be to work on.

[Clarky]

I believe if you pull the plastic inner guard liner off you can get to the starter quite easy. I have never changed my starter but removing the inner guard isn't hard.

[55zed]

re your starter, here is extract from WK2 manual

[chris0375]

Originally Posted by layback40

I got fed up with group organized trips when I continually found people with 4WD's going that had issues & appeared to be hoping some one on the trip would know how to fix it.

Lol yeah that is so true. Always the ones most likely to break stuff that don't carry anything in the way of tools too.

Try changing a starter on a land cruiser. I believe that's just about impossible outside of a workshop.

For an example of bad Jeep design look at the location of crd jk diesel filter.

Realistically any modern diesel is going to be difficult to repair on the side of the road.