Jeeps are a great vehicle, they can take you off road or they can be driven in the city with no problem. They also come in a huge range of sizes to meet the needs of the driver. They can be a great family car if you choose a larger model or can be perfect or a single driver if you choose something smaller.
But are jeeps expensive to maintain?
With any vehicle, proper maintenance is a must, and making sure your Jeep is in good working order can truly help extend the life of your Jeep and make sure it performs well.
Do Jeeps Have a Lot of Problems?
Jeeps as a whole are a rather reliable brand of vehicle and are a great option if you do want something that can be both an off-road vehicle as well as a daily driver. The main issue with the Jeep brand is not with the entire range or with all the vehicles, but rather with two specific models, the Jeep Cherokee and the Jeep Compass.
In a survey that was conducted in 2019 Jeep ranked number 8 in terms of the least reliable car brands according to consumers, this is not too terrible considering there are seven other brands that rank higher in unreliability on the list.
It is worthwhile to note that many people do take their Jeep off-road or on trails and may not be treating it as gingerly as someone that only drives on paved roads to and from work. This may contribute to some of the issues that have been reported.
Jeep has been around for decades with the first Jeep rolling off the production line in 1941, it was called the Willys MB Jeep and it was used by the military. Jeep still makes military vehicles and still makes a ton of different military style vehicles that are up for consumer purchase.
Jeep, as a brand, has no more or no less trouble than other vehicle brands on the market and is a fairly reliable brand as far as vehicles go.
If you do get a Jeep that has issues, the key is to get them taken care of as soon as you notice them so that they do not cause further issues and so that you can get back on the road. I personally have not had a ton of issues with Jeep as a brand.
Are Jeep Wranglers Expensive to Maintain?
In a 2019 study conducted by repairpal it was found that the average cost to maintain a Jeep Wrangler is around $650 per year, this is not all that expensive in the grand scheme of things. Overall, a Jeep Wrangler is not going to break the bank when it comes to regular maintenance and regular maintenance is the main thing that prevents the need for major repair in the long run.
As mentioned earlier, regular driving is often not the cause of need for huge repairs, driving your Wrangler on trails that are bumpy, on courses that have water, and in conditions that are less than ideal may lead to some serious repair cost, especially if you are not all that experienced and you are not sure how to drive your Wrangler on this type of course.
Overall, a Jeep Wrangler is exceedingly average when it comes to overall maintenance costs and keeping it on the road and in good running condition each year.
Are Repairs on a Jeep Wrangler Expensive?
As with any vehicle, the severity of the repair and what you are having replaced or fixed does factor into the cost of the overall maintenance.
Jeep Wranglers are American made, they are made by Chrysler, which means that they can be worked on in just about any repair shop across the board. This also means that the cost is going to be less than a car that is not American made. Since Jeeps are American made, the cost of getting parts is going to be far less than it would be for something like a BMW or a Jaguar.
Jeep are also a mid-price vehicle, which means again, that parts are not going to be overly expensive. Jeep is also a very popular vehicle manufacturer and many drivers do customize their Jeeps and add parts and modifications to make them more custom meaning that there is a huge aftermarket for Jeep parts.
Aftermarket Jeep parts are easy to come by and they are inexpensive making repairs to a Jeep Wrangler exceedingly affordable and easy to get done. I find that using aftermarket parts cuts down on the overall cost of repairs and makes it much easier to personalize my Jeep and get repairs completed.
Are Jeep Wranglers High Maintenance?
Jeep Wranglers as a general rule are rather reliable and with proper routine care and care while driving, they are going to be reliable and they are going to get you to where you need to go.
Jeeps are one of the most reliable small SUV brands out there and they have earned that title over the years with vehicles that are easy to drive, easy to keep running and that seldom break down if they are treated right.
It is again helpful to note, that if you are subjecting your Jeep to less than average circumstances like off-road trails, your likelihood of repair and need for repair is going to be higher.
Personally, the biggest issues I have come across with the Jeep Wrangler is TIPM (totally integrated power module) failure. With newer Jeeps there are far more electronics to deal with than there are in older models. This module controls the fuel pump, power windows, headlights, radio and a ton more. The overall cost for this part is around $250 then more for labor.
Jeep Wrangler vs Jeep Grand Cherokee Maintenance
With this comparison the biggest thing to note is the size difference. The Grand Cherokee is much larger than a Wrangler and is more likely to be used as a family car and therefore is less likely to be used as an off-road toy or vehicle.
Both Wranglers and Cherokees are easy to maintain and are easy to get parts for in the aftermarket area. In terms of maintenance and repair, the older models of Jeeps or the models that have been part of the Jeep lineup the longest tend to have the least issues.
The Jeep Compass is one vehicle that has had the most issue of all the models that Jeep has come out with in past years. The Grand Cherokee and the Wrangler are both rather simple to maintain.
The most common repair issues with Jeep Wranglers are steering issues and problems with what drivers have dubbed, “the death wobble”. With a Grand Cherokee the most common repair that was reported was the drive belt tensioner which is a repair that is often needed from routine driving and wear and tear.
Both of these vehicles are reliable and are great for a huge range of different drivers. With the Wrangler, many repairs are going to be associated with how you drive and where you drive rather than with routine wear and tear. With the Grand Cherokee, most repairs have to do with the overall age of the vehicle and problems that come with simply driving the vehicle.
Wrap Up
No matter what Jeep or model car you ultimately choose, it all comes down to taking care of it. When issues arise, even if they seem small and unimportant, they should be taken are of as quickly as possible.
By taking care of repairs as they appear rather than waiting for them to snowball you can minimize repair and maintenance cost and keep your Jeep on the road. Taking the time to make necessary repairs as they appear is going to be more cost effective and is going to help you keep your Jeep in great shape.
Jeeps are not expensive to maintain with the average cost around $700 per year.
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