As for the Hummer vs Jeep thing. I think GM is coming after Jeep. The new H3 is aimed at the Grand and Liberty. If they come out with a H4, you can be sure it will be aimed at the Wrangler. This kind of competition is what Jeep needs. They've gotten too complacent over the years.

So, the 06 is 3.7 and the 07 is 4.0???

I was looking to get a 2005 TJ because I used to own a 97 TJ, which I regret selling. But with a model change around the corner, but too far away to wait for, I decided to buy Toyota SUV instead. Wow, I am impressed with my new purchase, but unfortunately has a solid top. But I can see why Toyota is running away with sales.

I picked up my 2005 Rubicon Unlimited back in December for $25,500 stickered at almost $31K. So far so good and am glad to have purchased it when i did since DCX is getting rid of the longer warranty and now uping the shipping.....

I bought my first Jeep YJ back in '86. No high end
wheels or AC...11 grand! Jeeps went "upscale", in my
opinion, around the year of the new TJ..alot more
bells and whistles for the Gen Xers(Yers?) who were
experiencing the tech boom, and wanted to buy something "different"..also alot more young women
bought them, and returned them within a year,
because og gas prices and the fact that the wind messed their hair...

It is becoming clearer and clearer that the Wrangler is moving "up market" and is transitioning from being an entry level model to a "specialty" model.

The new Scout appears to be slotted where the Wrangler was in the product mix.

I was considering a jeep for my next vehicle,but with gas prices up,warranty slashed and ridiculous sticker prices,the jeeps can stay on the lot for all I care.

This is a 99% certainty. I was recently pricing Jeeps online and received an email from a sales representative that 5/11 was the last day to special order '05 models... And a price increase before converting to a new platform isn't that surprising. The next generation Wrangler will be bigger, and thus probably more expensive, so they're just ramping it up now so the new Wranglers aren't so much of a sticker shock. PLUS, with the new platform coming out, once those '07s start shipping, there will probably be "incentives" and "rebates" on the '06s so by increasing the price now, they "lose" less later...

I never actually saw the sticker price on my TJ because it came from some other state because they didn't have what I wanted but it was a '04 Wrangler X and the dealer said it was 25k and I thought that was total BS because it didn't have anything on it but when all things were said and done I got it for 17k. Oh and from an earlier post, what women don't like to have the wind in their hair? I love it and I love my Jeep. But in my opinion DC/Jeep whatever is going downhill, who wants a really big Wrangler? How's it supposed to fit through trails then? Ya I don't mind body damage and all that but if I can avoid it I will!

Sorry, Only One! My current ride is a 2000 TJ! OOps!
I had to ditch my old YJ in '95, with 162,000 miles
on her! Had 2 kids and a Bronco for a while. But, thanks to upside of divorce..got my new TJ in 2000.
Actually even my old YJ was a 4.2...;)

Yes, Rich..Remember when?...That's for sure...Simple Jeep. The YJ I have is just right 2.5/5sp does everything I throw at it..and still never lets me down...

The "New" generation of Jeep owners "Just Don't Understand"!!!

If you can't sell at volume with a discount sell fewer with a higher profit margin.

Dude...Good for you...save your $$$ fro a used TJ..better deal...even longtime YJ owners like me...aren't falling for the New Jeep "Bait".....suckers......

it is not good that these proces are going up. however inflation is arround 4% so the prices are going up with inflation. lets face it the dollar isn't what it used to be

I think I’m glad I bought a 2005 when I did. Price increase and dropping the 7/70 warranty on 2006 sure makes the deal I got on my 2005 look better and better.

Actually, the Wrangler is a bit costly to produce compared to the Liberty. It’s not the material costs that are causing high prices, it’s the labor costs. The Wrangler has many hours of human intervention to assemble the vehicle, where the Liberty is built in an automated assembly plant. Labor costs are high for Union employees, and when you add the benefits to their salary, and factor that in, the labor cost to Wranglers is pretty high.

Some of this will change with the next generation Wrangler. Many Jeep employees will be re-assigned to one of the 3 partners, and will no longer be under the Chrysler payroll. The new plant is likely to be much more automated too.

I suspect there will be little change in the 2006 Wrangler compared to the 2005. I also would not be too surprised that model year 2006 for the Wrangler may get cut short. If the new plant can go on-line early, I can see them ending 2006 production early for the TJ. Seems if you want a TJ, it might be worth scanning the lots and take advantage of the current rebates instead of waiting for a 2006 model.

Does this mean the Commanders will be shipping in July?

I paid just under 30k for my Rubicon Unlimited w/dual tops and every option except smoker's group...and it's gonna pay off, because I'm drivin it till we run out of oil or I'm in the ground turnin into oil...

But seriously, it's pretty expensive...if you price up the components (dana 44's, roc-trac, 4.11's, lockers, etc) it's easy to see where the add over base unit cost comes from, but still!

The TJ is probably the simplest, cheapest vehicle to mass-
produce in the world. I paid $16,000 for my 1999-model, used
with 24,000 miles. I can't image someone paying up to $29,000
for a brand new Rubicon; I bet the profit margin DCX is making
on this vehicle is huge.

i drive a tj x package and i paid 20000 for it dont really think i would pay more for it i love it to death and im glad i got it at this price but honestly from a die hard jeep fan i have owned a tj yj and mj now come on there really isnt that much there in a wrangler more than a yj and cj but all in all come on over 20000 if so that just killed a younger generation of wrangler fans and isnt that what wrangler is supposed to target?

Hmmmm..Like 24 grand isn't enough for a Wrangler..

I don't think it would take much to compete with an H1 or H2 right now. The Hummer saw it's peak the first year the H2 came out. The local dealer is building a new Hummer stand alone dealership right now. I have to wonder how it's going to pay for itself with just two models (H2 and H3, I don't count the H1 because around here you don't see ANY on the road).

I just got a Rubicon this past Thursday. In talking with the sales rep, this seems certain:

The 4.0L I6 is gone after '05. The '06s are going to have the Liberty's 3.7L V6. No 7/70 Warranty, and expect the 06's to be gone early when they do arrive because Jeep is really going to be pushing the new 07 platform and they want to be sure and rid of the TJs. Bonus to us consumers, my Rubicon's MSRP was 28,650 and I got it for 24,200 so I think they're willing to whell and dela to get them out. Also heard from the sales rep that they're expecting an '08 model to complete with the Hummer H1... could the Rescue concept be more of a reality that we were led to believe???

The increased cost for a Wrangler is ridiculous. Hell, thanks to the ever increasing prices in gas, SUV are sitting on the lot longer, more and more SUVs are going in on early trade in. This looks to be a sure way to shoot oneself in the foot.

DCX is already taking a hit from bad timing with the release of the ever gas hungry Dodge Magnum that too is sitting on the lots too long. All Jeep is going to accomplish by this, is alienate their core demographic further.