I too have been saving for this beauty to finally replace my old '88 Sahara. It was an easy sell to my wife as well, With one boy and a large dog (that I didn't have when I bought my Wrangler) this vehicle is ideal.

I can't find polite words to properly express my disappointment. Everyone I've shown the images to have been very impressed, and like the PT Cruiser and the Mini, I think DCX really had something special here. Practical, a rugged Jeep to build the brand, out of the ordinary, and a real head turner.

wow.

Talk about missing the boat..
There isn't anything in their current line up that comes close. My father has a Nissan Titan he is looking to unload. Maybe I'll just buy that instead.

Duncan

I'd just like to add my disappointment to those already posted. DCX had a real opportunity here to generate a whole new market. There are tons of people like myself, who are current Wrangler owners who need the utility of a pickup truck and want the traditional Jeep durability and capability of the Wrangler. I too was saving up and waiting for my next vehicle purchase until the Gladiator entered production, but without it, there's no other Jeep/DCX product that interests me. All salespeople know that you can't sell to people something that they don't want to buy, but DCX practically has people like me begging them to sell this product! It's very simple.... build it and you get my money, don't build it, and I'll take my money somewhere else.

Once again I see that DC in not really interested in what the Jeep buying public wants. They are only interested in providing what they want to provide, Build a compass build a libirty oops we sold too many of them better cut that line off. Makes me sick!

About 45 out of 50 negative posts on Autoblog over the thumbs down Gladiator decision!

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/21/jeep-passes-on-producing-gladiator-concept/

Check this out, there is a forum for the Gladiator!

http://www.jeepgladiator.org/

The Intangibles of not listening to your customers, you alienate them. No one is going to buy a Dakota instead of this, they are going to buy a Toyota Tacoma!

I really cannot get over this really bad decision, my brother suggested that we get a petition together to let DCX know that there is a huge number of people that want this vehicle. Anyone game? Mike could you possibly head this up in your spare time?

"We have Dakota". That makes me so angry my eyes are shooting jets of blood. Dakota is a ugly boring peice of crap. I am no GM fan but I would buy a Colordo over a Dakota in a minute. "Not profitable". Even more blood. Gee maybe Mazda should stop making the Miata because how could that possibly be profitable being a niche vehicle. Subaru should stop making WRX's because it competes against their other cars. Scion should be closed because it not possible to build any thing new. All cars must be based on a platform that 15 other vehicles share. Oh yeah Scions will just deplete the the market for small Toyotas.

Like the Commander is bringing in buckets of cash! Like the Compass won't have profit destroying rebates the size of Texas just to get them off the lot.

No ability to be civil. FU FU FU FU FU FU FU!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeepxk says " who would buy one?"

ME!

I'm so pi$$ed to be reading this! I've been needing a truck for a good while now but have been holding out for the Gladiator. I figured it was a go. I've stashed about $12K at this point to go toward the purchase of one of these trucks.

Well DCX you just alienated a customer (lost him for good I'd say). I need a mid-sized truck but there is no f*****g way I'd buy a Dakota. But you did just set me free to head to my local Toyota dealer. I've been eyeballing the new Tacoma. Let's see I can get a base regular cab Tacoma with a 5 speed tranny for about $15K at my local dealer. Should I go tomorrow and finance the additional $3k or so? Or should I just give it a few more months and pay cash?

And the American auto makers wonder why Toyota is just sailing right on by them in sales and profits. With the way GM, Ford and DCX are running things the American made marques are seriously in danger of just going away. Maybe they should.

By the way DCX, I stopped by one of your dealers yesterday and saw a "Compass". What a frigging joke! It looked of mediocre quality and the front end could not have been any uglier.

Thanks for nothing! You suck.

Who the f*** makes these decisions at Daimler Chrysler? Bad enough they are releasing soft-roaders such as the compass or patriot, they are droping honest and capable work trucks such as the gladiator!!! WTF??!! I dont think any of the compass buyers, will buy another jeep car ever again... And why should they? It wont be a particulary good road car, and definately not a good offroad car!!

Hey mike, any web address in DCX to complain to about not building the Gladiator. I am sure many users of this web site would write in, in support of the truck. Thanks.

"we have the Dakota" What an idiot. Go ask the many Tacoma buyers if they even considered a Dakota and then ask them if they would consider the Gladiator. To be able to take market share from Toyota and Nissan without having to develop a new platform seems like a no-brainer to me. Tell the bean counters to try and calculate how much a corporate image is worth. How many regular Wranglers have been sold just by the image and prestige of the Rubicon models? Everyone who sees this truck stops to take a second look, that kind of reaction is priceless. Rural (and some suburban) americans would buy this truck (but not a Dakota) for it's practical fit with their lifestyles, a bunch a urban people would buy it (but not a Dakota) because it looks tough. Didn't the SUV craze teach them that people will pay a lot of money for a more capable vehicle than they really need?

What a load of crap. I find it extremely hard to believe DCX couldn't make a profit off of a Jeep pick-up. They'd save in production costs by making the Gladiator off the same platform as the new Wrangler or even the Dakota. By the way, I might add that DCX doesn't have an extended cab pick-up anymore, just 2door or 4 door. Gladiator would have been a perfect niche and would have sold faster than that Compass if they offered a CRD as the base engine.
I've even defended DCX a time or 2 for wanting to make the Compass, but this latest move (or lack there of) is just stupid. Get the butt scratching chimps out of the DCX offices and put in at least one person with half a brain. If they figure out a way to give the people what they want, then sales and profits will go up and Wall Street would really be impressed.

There may be alternatives:

http://www.jeepinohio.com/viewtopic.php?t=1008&view=next&sid=54a7255684ff16720a3fc613c0694643

http://www.roadarmor.com/ra3/summitsut.html

Compass business plan vs. Gladiator business plan?

I have heard 60% - 70% negative comments about the Compass design. I have heard about 90% positive comments about the Gladiator.