Built to Last: Unveiling the Mileage Lifespan of a Jeep Wrangler

Well-maintained Jeep Wranglers have historically been able to last up to about 400,000 miles before major repairs are required to stay on the road.

Although a 400,000-mile Jeep Wranger is possible, it is more realistic to expect a Jeep Wrangler to last between 200,000 and 300,000 miles in most cases.

The Jeep Wrangler is a 4x4 sport utility vehicle built to withstand off-road abuse, which helps increase its longevity.

Also, because of the hobbyist nature of the Wrangler, Jeep Wrangler owners will often go to great lengths to keep their "toy" in top running condition, thereby extending its life.

It's important to note that due to the Jeep Wrangler's use case, the Wrangler's longevity can also decrease if it is abused.

How Many Miles A Jeep Wrangler Will Last: Factors

Multiple factors determine how long a vehicle will last on the road. They include maintenance, insurance, reliability, and trade-in value.

Jeep Wrangler Maintenance and Upkeep Costs

Maintenance costs greatly influence how long a vehicle will last on the road.

If a vehicle is cheap to maintain, keeping the vehicle on the road will make more economic sense as it gets older.

According to yourmechanic.com, the Jeep Wrangler has an average annual maintenance cost of $462.

This compares well with the Jeep Grand Cherokee ($489) and Toyota Highlander ($540).

Perhaps another reason, especially true on older models, for the typical Jeep's relative longevity is the simplicity of its design. As a result, you find working on a Jeep Wrangler relatively enjoyable compared to other newer vehicles due to the space in the engine bay, around the tires, and underneath the vehicle.

There are a few things, in particular, to consider when it comes to maintaining a Jeep Wrangler to last.

Jeep Wrangler Top

Jeep Wrangler soft tops are prone to wear and tear, particularly in cold or harsh climates. If you live in a northern environment is desirable to use a hardtop during the winter months.

Suspension

The suspension system on a Jeep Wrangler can take a pounding if it's used in an offroad capacity. Luckily, many aftermarket suspension components are available to customize your Wrangler to your ideal ride.

Jeep Wrangler Engines

The Jeep Wrangler has come with various engines over the years, including the 4.0L on older Wrangles and, more recently, 3.6L. New to Jeep are hybrid engines that combine combustion with electric power.

The Wrangler engine is somewhat reliable, but problems can occur on a high mileage Jeep, such as a leaky head gasket.

Most Wrangler engines use a timing chain, so you most likely won't have to do timing belt changes depending on the model.

Jeep Wrangler Insurance Costs

Insurance costs can also influence how long a vehicle will be on the road.

Low insurance costs incentivize an owner to maintain and keep their vehicle on the road instead of paying higher prices on a newer vehicle.

According to www.quoteinspector.com, the Jeep Wrangler has an average annual insurance cost of $1256 (40-year-old male).

This is higher than the Jeep Grand Cherokee ($1414) and Toyota Highlander ($1410).

Jeep Wrangler Reliability / Complaints

According to carcomplaints.com, the three main complaints are:

• TIPM failure, 2012 Jeep Wrangler, Average cost to fix: $1300, average miles: 52,000 miles
• Death Wobble, 2007 Jeep Wrangler, average price to fix: $800, average miles: 73,000 miles
• Head Failure, 2012 Jeep Wrangler, average price to fix: $4,400, average miles: 38,000 miles

Carcomplaints.com ranks the 2012 Jeep Wrangler as the worst Wrangler overall for having electrical problems, high repair costs, and problems at lower mileage.

Jeep Wrangler Depreciation / Trade-In-Value

Cars that retain their value will often be kept on the road longer than cars that lose their value quickly and quickly be worth little.

Historically the Jeep Wrangler has had spectacular resale values. As a result, the Wrangler has won numerous awards from the Kelly Bluebook, including Models to Best Hold Its Value (1998, 1999, 2003, 2011, and 2012) and Best Resale Value Award (2009,2012 and 2013).

A well-maintained Jeep Wrangler is expected to depreciate 3% on average in its first five years.

This compares favorably to the Jeep Grand Cherokee (45%) and Jeep Renegade (40%).

How Long A Jeep Wrangler Lasts Versus Other Vehicles

As an experiment, we at AutoPadre decided to do a bit of a study.

We looked at the number of Jeep Wranglers available for sale on autotrader.com vs. the number of vehicles produced.

We only looked at vehicles between 10 and 20 years old.

We then compared the data with other makes and models in the table below.

Longevity Rate = The Number Of Vehicles Still Available For Sale / Vehicles Produced (2000-2012).

The longevity rate of the Jeep Wrangler compares very well to other vehicles.

Using sales data from autotrader.com and production data from carsalesbase.com, we can estimate how long Jeep Wranglers stay on the road versus other models.

Scroll down to find the bolded Jeep Wrangler % of vehicles for sale. The % = vehicles for sale/total produced.

A higher percentage for sale may indicate that more vehicles are still roadworthy and deemed saleable than another vehicle model with a lower percentage.

Longevity Comparison Table - Jeep Wrangler vs. Other Models

Make Model	Years Of Sales Data	Total Vehicles Produced	Vehicles For Sale (>200k miles)	% For Sale	Annual Maintenance Costs	Annual Insurance Costs
Toyota Tacoma	2000 to 2012	1,903,479	317	0.01665%	$626	$1338
Cadillac Escalade	2000 to 2012	353,524	52	0.01471%	$373	$1684
Toyota Highlander	2009 to 2012	285,943	40	0.01399%	$540	$1410
Ford Edge	2006 to 2010	450,309	50	0.01110%	$409	$1296
Subaru Outback	2000 to 2012	903,166	94	0.01041%	$515	$1378
Honda Accord	2000 to 2012	4,660,421	332	0.00712%	$360	$1310
Jeep Wrangler	2000 to 2012	1,166,707	81	0.00694%	$462	$1256
Toyota Camry	2000 to 2012	5,270,729	340	0.00645%	$489	$1432
Nissan Frontier	2000 to 2012	844,962	53	0.00627%	$420	$1394
Jeep Grand Cherokee	2000 to 2012	2,074,148	127	0.00612%	$492	$1414
Honda Civic	2000 to 2012	3,932,856	229	0.00582%	$306	$1536
Dodge Durango	2000 to 2012	1,007,796	57	0.00566%	$477	$1440
Subaru Forester	2000 to 2012	809,230	36	0.00445%	$563	$1346
Hyundai Santa Fe	2000 to 2012	955,135	42	0.00440%	$615	$1386
Chrysler 300	2003 to 2012	791,297	29	0.00366%	$557	$1548
Toyota Corolla	2000 to 2012	3,933,414	144	0.00366%	$479	$1400
Nissan Altima	2000 to 2012	2,971,271	86	0.00289%	$362	$1446
Volkswagen Jetta	2000 to 2012	1,628,565	44	0.00270%	$414	$1414
Nissan Rogue	2007 to 2010	267,598	7	0.00262%	$398	$1412
Hyundai Sonata	2000 to 2012	1,681,992	43	0.00256%	$579	$1426
Ford Focus	2000 to 2012	2,716,831	67	0.00247%	$547	$1358

The table above shows that the Jeep Wrangler's longevity rate outperforms the Jeep Grand Cherokee by about 13%.

The Wrangler's longevity rate also beats the longevity rate of the Dodge Durango and the Hyundai Santa Fe by 123% and 158%, respectively (2000-2012 model years with more than 200,000 miles on the odometer).

However, the Jeep Wrangler's longevity rate still under-performs versus vehicles such as the Toyota Tacoma, Cadillac Escalade, and the Toyota Highlander.

Where To Find A Good Mileage Jeep Wrangler

High mileage Jeep Wrangler in good condition can be hard to find.

Whether you find a high mileage Wrangler for sale on Craigslist or at a car dealership, it is essential to get a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) performed, preferably by a mechanic with a significant amount of experience working on Wranglers.

The mechanic will go through the Wrangler during a PPI and inspect it from top to bottom.

At the end of the PPI, you will get a detailed report going over any repairs the Wrangler will need and how much they will cost.

Conclusion On High Mileage Jeep Wranglers

If you're looking for a vehicle that will last you many miles and has a high resale value, the Jeep Wrangler may be what you're looking for!

Jeep Wrangler owners can take pride in their vehicles, so it's not uncommon to see a high mileage Jeep in excellent condition.

Older Jeep Wranglers will have their warts, but due to the availability of parts and the Jeep's simple design, it shouldn't take too much money to keep the Wrangler in top running condition.