I am Considering a JK Wrangler

[Rickman]

Hi Paul-JK
Thanks for the info, that's exactly the sort of stuff I needed to know. There is just myself & my wife so when we head off, the back seat are always down for extra space, & I have gotten used to taking a lot less stuff on our trips as most of it would hardly get used & just adds extra weight. I suppose i have learnt over the years that major mods on 4x4's can create major ongoing problems & reliability issues, so these days I don't over modify my 4x4's to maintain reliability. A standard lift & some good tyres are the basics. It's a gamble though, but with most so called 4x4's going soft these days, the JK is one of only a handful of true 4x4's. God knows I would never buy a Defender after owning a Discovery, & a 78 series Landcruiser is just too expensive.

Rick

[Paul-JK]

I thought stock tyres and suspension were woeful so upgrading is a no brainer.
If you get the JKU then you need a lift as the break over angle is terrible, less so with the JK.
A modest 2-2.5" lift and 33's will see you get most places you want to go, won't cost the earth and won't be detrimental to reliability (assuming you buy scent parts). You will probably find it rides better after fitting the lift.
For 2 people the JKU has more than enough space to tour, though my girlfriend always managed to fill every available space in ours. I'm sure you'd get away with the JK as well if you can pack well and as long as you pulled the back seats out. The JKU will be more comfortable for touring though due to the longer wheelbase.
For me the key to happy JK ownership is going into it with a good idea what to expect. In todays world of low profile rubber band tyres, full time 4WD sports cars that handle like they're on rails with super high output engines and every conceivable gadget the JK is a dinosaur. With average handling, average fuel economy, average ergonomics, relatively low output engines, the turning circle of a barge and an extras list that wouldn't even fill the back of a postage stamp (mine doesn't even have electric mirrors!), they are very much last century. Buy one expecting that and you'll be fine. Buy one without considering these things and there's a good chance you'll hate it. I like the fact that it is utilitarian but you've only got to read most of the motoring journo write ups to realise that a lot of others don't. Of course all of these points mean nothing once you get it off road and start having some fun.

[wranglertj]

Horror stories are normally dribbled by patrol or cruiser owners that have no idea and they believe no other 4x4 exists. Your mods u indicated will get you most places as they are very capable straight out of the box. I have a jku rubicon and been problem free since new for last 8 years. Everything has their issues but treat them right and good chance u will have a harmonious relationship.

[YamahaDOC]

I spent some time test driving a diesel JK and ended up with the 3.6 and have not looked back. I too had the same concerns as you but ours has been totally reliable and I've never loved driving a 4b as much as this one. For us there is nothing else that suits, I'd say leave your worries behind and buy one!

The only downside we encountered is the expensive roof rack we needed for the oz tent, and the fact it now won't go under many underground car parks.

[Snort]

I went from a petrol manual GQ to a petrol auto jku and the jku is like a commodore compared to the patrol. The jku is more comfortable and more economical. I was tossing up weather to get petrol or diesel and for me it just wasn't viable to get the diesel. When I was buying the diesel was a six month wait and was also 6k more. I don't drive enough k's to warrant the diesel. Mine is 14 months old and only done 16k. So far it has been trouble free and I love it.
By the way the current one does have electric mirrors.......that also have demisters!

[Yom]

Be hard for it to be as predictably unpredictable as the Disco 2. Have fun!