I'm OK with the 3.8 - gets me where I want to go. But a 5.7 Hemi option would have been nice.

My 2009 Dodge 1500 Hemi delivers 390 HP and 407 ft lbs of torque - and it gets better gas mileage with its MDS system.

The Jeep is my first love though. The Dodge pickup is just for hauling. (hauling stuff or hauling a$$)

 

I had a Dakota with a 120 hp 2.5 L four-banger in it before, so "minivan engine" bedamned, I am thrilled to death with my 3.8 L. I was getting 16 mpg with my Dakota, vs. 18 mpg with my Jeep. And that 18 mpg was measured with 4 people in it, with the top down, and on winding mountain roads with constant acceleration/deceleration. No, it's not a Hemi, but it does what I need it to do, and I am happy with it.

Jason

 

[QUOTE=db99wj;1269079]No IMO.

Just to let you know what I am coming from, for the last 5 years I have had a Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.7L V8.


I second that, I've had two V8 Grand Cherokee's over the last 10 years and now my unlimited. I can't gun it out into traffic like I used to, but I don't really care. I no longer pass 10 cars at an incline on mtn passes, but I do love every second I'm behind the wheel and take in all the scenery! I had the same concerns before I made my purchase, and I am perfectly satisfied with its power and my decision

 

I also had a V8 Grand Cherokee before my wrangler, and a V8 Chevy Silverado before that, so it definately took a few weeks for me to realize that I was no longer going to be flying past everyone on the freeway. That being said I had so many speeding tickets with the old cars that I actually got the letter saying that if I got one more I was going to lose my liscense. So... not only do I love my new Jeep more than I thought it was possible to love a vehicle, but it is also helping me be more responsible (i.e. off CHP radar). Also, going off roading I haven't had any problems as long as I keep it in 4 Lo.

Like I told my friend who got a new truck the same weekend I got the Jeep when she asked "want to race?" "Jeeps aren't built for speed, they are built for awesomeness!"

 

3.8 in a Rubicon in 4-lo is fine. Really that bad depends on what you are used to I guess. Rowing through the 6 speed on the road was not fun for me. But, I was spoiled by having all my other vehicles have V-8's which accelerated to 60 with gentle skinny pedal input and the engine not whining about it.

When I start adding weight (larger tires, heavy rims, lift, armor, etc) I do not see how performance would improve.

I love my very first Jeep, plan to have it until I cannot patch it up anymore. I do not miss that 3.8.