FREE 1 to 3-Day Delivery on Orders $119+ Details
XT Staff
/ Oct 10 2024
Are you interested in a Jeep Wrangler, or any other Jeep model for that matter? If so, then you’ve probably looked into the configurator and price lists and because of the high prices, you’ve also browsed through used cars. Very likely, even the prices of used cars took you by surprise, as they’re still quite high. Why are Jeeps so expensive and why do they hold their resale value so well? We’ll look into that here.
Naturally, one of the Jeep’s main selling factors is the offroading capabilities, which are beyond what the majority of other manufacturers can offer. Some of the most important features of Jeep Wranglers, Gladiators, and other models are listed below.
While not best for comfort and long road trips, solid axles are an immense advantage when it comes to driving in tough terrain. First, they’re more durable than independent suspensions found on vehicles intended for standard use – this comes from their simplicity and the fact that they have fewer moving parts. Second, independent suspension systems may have trouble keeping proper alignment settings when exposed to drives in harsh terrains.
Compared to the competition, Jeeps have a much higher ground clearance, which makes conquering terrain even easier. This is one of the key features for any offroader, as with a lower ground clearance you risk damaging the undercarriage, or simply not being able to continue your journey in harder terrain.
Jeep has developed the Command-Trac and Rock-Trac four-wheel-drive systems, which use computers and sensors for real-time calculations of current conditions and determine how to distribute power between all four wheels. They do so hundreds of times every second. Also, the 4x4 system has dedicated settings for various conditions, such as driving on snow, ice, sand, or mud. Such a system is much more advanced than what you can experience from other manufacturers.
Jeeps have high-positioned air intakes, water-tight door seals, and a sealed electrical system, which means that a Jeep Wrangler, for example, can drive up to 30 inches deep in water. Of course, this is a very helpful feature when it comes to extreme offroading conditions.
These features are either not available on rivaling models, or they’re not that advanced. The precise engineering that Jeep employs to perfect these features is what has a large impact on the high prices of Jeep vehicles.
This area is not so specific to Jeeps, as other manufacturers offer similar comfort and safety features. Nonetheless, they are a reason for the high production and retail costs. With that said, it is a little unusual to have a proper offroader packed with some of the latest tech and benefit from blind-spot monitoring, navigation with real-time traffic updates, cooled leather seats, rear cross-path detection, premium audio, and much more.
Over the decades of the existence of Jeep vehicles, it's been proven that Jeep equals quality. This goes all the way to the original Jeep Willys, which was widely used in WW2 and saw extensive use even decades later, while still working without issues. The same applies to all generations of later Wranglers, Gladiators, and most other models. This is all a result of careful testing during the development phase of each model. Crash tests, durability testing in extreme environments, extensive testing of materials for their durability – all of these contribute to the superb quality that Jeep is known for. Of course, there are also stringent quality checks performed on each produced unit before it leaves the factory, the so-called End-of-Line Testing.
Branding is a big part of Jeep. Not only does Jeep do a great job at marketing and promoting the qualities of the vehicles they offer but they have also made their vehicles personality statements and almost fashion accessories. They simply look great and have an amazing and welcoming community. If you’re an aspiring Jeeper, look up Jeep Ducking, and you’ll understand why the Jeep community is one of the best car communities out there.
In short, Jeeps are so expensive because of many factors combined: proven quality, robustness, heritage, demand, features, and design. All of these factors contribute to the high prices of Jeeps and given the high demand that there is for them, it seems like the premium price is justified. At ExtremeTerrain, we can confirm this. Through our own experience and customer feedback, Jeeps prove to be extremely capable and reliable offroaders. If you’re already an owner of a Jeep or are looking to buy one and customize it to your taste, take a look at what we offer and you can find a variety of cool upgrades from rims, running boards, over soft tops, and skid plates to lift kits.