Jeep’s Big Aussie comeback plan. Will it work?

[Roger and Belinda]

Not a bright future

As our Wk2 Diesel is coming to the end of its warranty period, have started to look at the next vehicle.

Having a caravan a criteria if 3.5T braked towing. Went to the local Jeep dealer showroom to be underwhelmed by the poor offer, uncompetitive pricing and, the indignity and perhaps reflection of Jeep's current standing, was that sitting proudly as the feature vehicle in the Jeep showroom was a RAM.

The sales person admitted that the withdrawal of a diesel engine has resulted in the towing segment going elsewhere -thus the RAM. Looking at new vehicle sales stats Jeep is best described as in a sales doldrums.

Went next door to Ford and the Ranger/Everest is all razzle-dazzle with an emphasis on the recent upgrades to towing capabilities and features.

Unless there is a seismic shift in the short term it may be farewell Jeep from our shores which has serious implications on resale value and the availability & price of spare parts and servicing.

[eksjay]

It will be interesting to see if Stellantis does eventually bring the Wagoneer to Australia (in its current form). It may be a better alternative to a RAM truck for heavy hauling albeit with a twin turbo hurricane engine. I am guessing that they won't bother converting the Wagoneer to RHD just for this market alone. Therefore, it may be that the only Stellantis offering for hauling duties is the RAM.

When Chrysler Jeep hit our shores in the mid 90s, the lineup of the XJ, ZJ and TJ sold well because they were reasonably priced. Pricing remained in reach during the Daimler years and the 3.0L diesel opened up a new market with the Commander and GC. However, the current pricing is not competitive with the traditional diesel crew cab Utes and their extensive dealer networks not to mention the emerging Chinese ute and 4wd lineup.

I think Stellantis needs to look at the basic Jeep offerings of the mid 90s. Too much tech and electrification will burn buyers pockets when the cars are out of warranty. Resale may be an issue.

The Jeep dealerships are disappearing quickly. I remember a time when there was a stand alone Jeep dealer in Broken Hill (mid 90s). I don't know what it's like near other state capitals. Since I last checked, there is no dealer in Bathurst or Penrith now. It is a Jeep dealership dead zone between the existing dealers in Orange and Parramatta. Hardly inspires confidence for a prospective Jeep owner who lives somewhere in between to buy a Jeep if there is no local dealer service available for warranty work - especially for cars that are over loaded with screens, and electronics.

Meanwhile, in a mid sized country town near me, the Ford dealership can't replenish its Ranger and Everest stock quickly enough. Sales are going gangbusters. There is new stock appearing every week, and they are no longer bothering to put trays into the Rangers, they are bare with their ladder frames. The town's Toyota dealership is doing fine with new Hilux and 70 series, keeping a healthy stock of used Utes.