Deciding between 392 and the BRaptor

[Hayabusa]

by the way, interesting story on our Suzuki....inhereted from my wife's aunt. who's in the Automotive Hall of Fame as well as the Sebring HOF, and and actually have an article written on our Suzuki in the Wall Street Journal.. She also wrote for Autoweek for many years with a pic next to her Sidekick in her bio. https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-retired-racer8217s-sidekick-1383092615 . Never be embarrased on what you drive.

I always enjoyed reading articles authored by Denise McCluggage. The musings she shared were so engaging. A life lived fully and spent pursuing her passion. To have rubbed elbows with legends like Stirling Moss, Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby (to name a few that come to mind) as she grew her career during a much different time in our history...

Very cool that you have the Suzuki. I hope you were able to hear her stories first hand while she was with us. Thank you for sharing!

 

[Sulley]

I see this discussion has turned into a “392 versus Bronco” when it was originally designed as a “392 versus Bronco Raptor” thread. How about sticking to that? There’s no doubt that there’s no comparison between the 392 and the Bronco and many might agree that there’s no comparison between the 392 and the Bronco Raptor. Rubicon versus Bronco Wildtrack, would be a fair comparison.

The Raptor is just a wider, douchier version of the Bronco. There’s no real improvement in the comparison. If anything, most Bronco owners prefer a Wildtrak or a Badlands over the cRaptor.

 

[Sulley]

FWIW now that my Jeep is days away, I’ve listed my Badlands for sale. Not a Raptor, but with the Fox 2.5 Elite DSC and Camburg arms, it drives like one. CL post for anyone interested:

2022 Ford Bronco Badlands Sasquatch/Lux/2.7/Dual OE Tops/Extras -...

2022 Ford Bronco Badlands, Cactus Gray. This truck has a lot of extras that are basically un-obtainium right now: - Sasquatch Package - Luxury Package - Dual OE Tops (Purchased OE hard top...

maine.craigslist.org

 

[sleepy floyd]

Thanks so much, we have so many memories including my kids getting to spend quite a bit of time with her and attending the Santa Fe Concorso where they honored her memory.

 

[Sulley]

I chose… wisely.

 

[onfire392]

View attachment 24176View attachment 24177View attachment 24178I chose… wisely.

Well that’s just Uber COOL ! Even a winch !

I would love to know the measurements from the ground , through the center of the wheel cap to the bottom of the fender flare extension for the front and rear tires since you have a winch. That will show if Jeep did their job on the stronger front springs that’s advertised. Please post the measurements up when you get a chance.

 

[YukonCornelius]

I chose… wisely

You most certainly did!

 

[sleepy floyd]

View attachment 24176View attachment 24177View attachment 24178I chose… wisely.

Is that Earl? My daughter is dead-set on Anvil, but sometimes hard to tell the difference in pics at least. Also curious if anyone was considering the 4xe. I know not everyone believes in an electric Jeep, but the power and torque numbers are actually pretty darn impressive. Of course, it's also creeping towards 392 territory in price...

 

[onfire392]

Is that Earl? My daughter is dead-set on Anvil, but sometimes hard to tell the difference in pics at least. Also curious if anyone was considering the 4xe. I know not everyone believes in an electric Jeep, but the power and torque numbers are actually pretty darn impressive. Of course, it's also creeping towards 392 territory in price...

I would buy the 4 turbo over the EV. EV power boost is very short. Measurable, but short. The complexity is not worth it for me. Hard choice between V6 and T4

 

[ZR2to392]

Is that Earl? My daughter is dead-set on Anvil, but sometimes hard to tell the difference in pics at least. Also curious if anyone was considering the 4xe. I know not everyone believes in an electric Jeep, but the power and torque numbers are actually pretty darn impressive. Of course, it's also creeping towards 392 territory in price...

I have a 22 Rubicon 4XE. It's quick, like shockingly so. I have a 10 mile commute, so I haven't filled up since I went on a road trip at the end of May. There may still be a partial tax incentive that reduces the price, and ordering from a power broker should net you some % off MSRP or Invoice.

All that said, I'm OCD and because of that I fixate on the MPG screen. This makes me drive the 4XE like a granny, even though it has the power I don't use it because I want to MPG hack. It feels restricting, so I am trading it on my 392 when it arrives later this year. We've put 17k miles on it and taken it off-road twice, without issue.

 

[Sulley]

Is that Earl? My daughter is dead-set on Anvil, but sometimes hard to tell the difference in pics at least. Also curious if anyone was considering the 4xe. I know not everyone believes in an electric Jeep, but the power and torque numbers are actually pretty darn impressive. Of course, it's also creeping towards 392 territory in price...

It's Earl. I did get to see Anvil the other day. It's much darker, and not my favorite. The Earl looks blue or sometimes gray; I've found it only looks mostly green in photos when it looks gray IRL.

 

[Sulley]

I would buy the 4 turbo over the EV. EV power boost is very short. Measurable, but short. The complexity is not worth it for me. Hard choice between V6 and T4

Every time I start this one up, I'm glad I went with the V8.

 

[7.62x392]

Is that Earl? My daughter is dead-set on Anvil, but sometimes hard to tell the difference in pics at least. Also curious if anyone was considering the 4xe. I know not everyone believes in an electric Jeep, but the power and torque numbers are actually pretty darn impressive. Of course, it's also creeping towards 392 territory in price...

For what it’s worth, and I know anecdotal, but out of the three people I know personally who have bought a 4xe - one did a dealer buyback, one is in process of going through lemon law, and the third seems very happy with it. The two with issues both related to the hybrid system.

The one who did the buyback, the dealer had his Jeep for 3 months only to basiacally say they couldn’t fix it so offered him the buyback and he ended up trading for V6 rubicon. The one going through lemon law has had his 4xe in the shop half a dozen of times for the same issue, and even had his entire hybrid system replaced only to have the issue come back.

It seemed that one of the biggest problems that these two encountered is that the dealers do not yet know how to diagnose and fix the problems with these 4xe electrical systems. Their service technicians are trained mechanics, not electricians. Dealers really need to rethink their service networks as more EVs roll out.

Personally I wouldn’t trust anything hybrid or electric coming out of stellantis. Their vehicles (Jeep included) have been known to be plagued with electrical issues, and I just don’t trust the 4xe reliability. I’ve heard too many horror stories and all of the 4xes on the road are less than 5 years old. Really makes me question the longevity of these vehicles. If I was going electric I’d go with Tesla or Toyota. My brother in law’s Prius is still going strong at 225k miles with the original battery. I’d stick with the tried and true hemi if purchasing a raw vehicle like a Wrangler.

 

[sleepy floyd]

I have a 22 Rubicon 4XE. It's quick, like shockingly so. I have a 10 mile commute, so I haven't filled up since I went on a road trip at the end of May. There may still be a partial tax incentive that reduces the price, and ordering from a power broker should net you some % off MSRP or Invoice.

All that said, I'm OCD and because of that I fixate on the MPG screen. This makes me drive the 4XE like a granny, even though it has the power I don't use it because I want to MPG hack. It feels restricting, so I am trading it on my 392 when it arrives later this year. We've put 17k miles on it and taken it off-road twice, without issue.

I leased a ford fusion plug-in hybrid when they were still somewhat new (can't rememember the exact year)...but yes, same here, totally fixated on the mpg to where I drove like a total granny all the time and tried to maximize regenerative breaking. Definitely takes some of the fun out of driving for sure.

 

[caraholic]

Is that Earl? My daughter is dead-set on Anvil, but sometimes hard to tell the difference in pics at least. Also curious if anyone was considering the 4xe. I know not everyone believes in an electric Jeep, but the power and torque numbers are actually pretty darn impressive. Of course, it's also creeping towards 392 territory in price...

Had a 4XE and a 392 at the same time for 6 months. The 4XE is nice but it’s not a 392 by any means. Always regretted taking the 4XE in lieu of the 392. Just sold the 4XE recently and got a full electric. These hybrids are just a complicated stop gap. It was great if you just drive 20 miles a day as you never have to fill up with gas. This was very convenient and so nice to drive in all electric. I hated when the 4CYL kicked in it sounds like a rattle box and the delay between electric and gas is way to long. They could have made this way more seem less. If you want a 392 get a 392. Don’t look at just the hp and torque figures as they don’t tell you the whole story. If you are just looking for a short term Jeep and you have a short commute the 4XE is a great pick.

 

[sleepy floyd]

So, I actually test drove a '22 392 today, rare occassion to have one within a 5 minute drive from my house:

Used 2022 Jeep Wrangler for Sale in Walnut Creek, CA | VIN: 1C4JJXSJ4NW100929

Explore the used 2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 4x4 at Mercedes-Benz of Walnut Creek in Walnut Creek, CA. VIN: 1C4JJXSJ4NW100929

www.mbofwalnutcreek.com

It's a '22 with very low mileage, but only a few $k less than ordering a new '24 from Granger. Truthfully a bit torn after driving it. It's definitely a beast that brought a big smile to my face with every push on the pedal (I had to let the Mercedes sales guy know it was a v8 btw lol). Drove to the test drive (with my daughter), in my '22 M4 with red interior ...part of me feels like it's worthwhile to spend the extra ~$20k or so as I'll be happier in the long run, but truthfully the M4 scratches the performance itch as I can hit 120mph with barely a notice (until I eventually get pulled over and arrested of course)! That and I'm just back from running a few errands in my '15 Rubicon and still get a smile every time I take it out. First world problems I suppose, but it is definitely a beast!

 

[sleepy floyd]

Just one more thing to add....the 392 felt a lot more "floaty" to me than my '15 (which I just installed fox shocks on a few weeks ago). I'm sure that's because it's a lot more off-road capable with much more supsension travel, but it did make me a bit more hesitant heading around a curved highway on-ramp the first time. I put 285/70/17''s on the current ride a few months back and could definitely tell it gave me a higher ride, with the 392 still feeling much higher. The 392 I believe runs on 315's. Lastly, I know there has been a number of posts that the Bronco is roomier, but one of the reasons I'm leaning towards the Jeep is that I don't want or need bigger or roomier.

I tend to take my time to think through all the positives & negatives before making a purchase, so just sharing my (very longwinded) experience so far. Greatly appreciate all the feedback and input.

 

[sleepy floyd]

For what it’s worth, and I know anecdotal, but out of the three people I know personally who have bought a 4xe - one did a dealer buyback, one is in process of going through lemon law, and the third seems very happy with it. The two with issues both related to the hybrid system.

The one who did the buyback, the dealer had his Jeep for 3 months only to basiacally say they couldn’t fix it so offered him the buyback and he ended up trading for V6 rubicon. The one going through lemon law has had his 4xe in the shop half a dozen of times for the same issue, and even had his entire hybrid system replaced only to have the issue come back.

It seemed that one of the biggest problems that these two encountered is that the dealers do not yet know how to diagnose and fix the problems with these 4xe electrical systems. Their service technicians are trained mechanics, not electricians. Dealers really need to rethink their service networks as more EVs roll out.

Personally I wouldn’t trust anything hybrid or electric coming out of stellantis. Their vehicles (Jeep included) have been known to be plagued with electrical issues, and I just don’t trust the 4xe reliability. I’ve heard too many horror stories and all of the 4xes on the road are less than 5 years old. Really makes me question the longevity of these vehicles. If I was going electric I’d go with Tesla or Toyota. My brother in law’s Prius is still going strong at 225k miles with the original battery. I’d stick with the tried and true hemi if purchasing a raw vehicle like a Wrangler.

Great feedback, thank you. I honestly didn't realize that the 4xe wasn't a turbo, just a 4-banger with the extra electricity for launch torque with a limited range. I've already crossed it off the list, am pretty much considering the 6 versus the 8 at this point.

 

[sleepy floyd]

I always enjoyed reading articles authored by Denise McCluggage. The musings she shared were so engaging. A life lived fully and spent pursuing her passion. To have rubbed elbows with legends like Stirling Moss, Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby (to name a few that come to mind) as she grew her career during a much different time in our history...

Very cool that you have the Suzuki. I hope you were able to hear her stories first hand while she was with us. Thank you for sharing!

Appreciate your kind comments, took a few pics including one with the kids and one personally signed by Sir Stirling Moss. The red ferrari is likely worth $20mm plus today, she unfortunately sold it early in her racing career, and we got the Suzuki lol! Off topic I know, but cars are in the bloodline!

 

[JESM]

View attachment 24176View attachment 24177View attachment 24178I chose… wisely.

Congrats!! That is a beautiful 392! Earl looks great...are you planning any mods on it?