Mall-crawler, poser, or enthusiast?

[Abramovich]

I too have seen (recently) a lot of 6 month to 1 year old Used Jeeps with under 10k miles sitting on car lots for sale. As mentioned, back in the day Jeeps were crude, uncomfortable utility vehicles. Hunters, fishermen, utility workers etc bought them to use. A subculture began modifying them to increase capabilities, but nobody bought one just because they were “cool”. That core group is still buying Jeeps today, and still using them as intended, however al mentioned above there are a lot more Jeeps being made, in a lot more configurations. They are cool vehicles and people are attracted to them for a variety of reasons. My advice to anyone looking to buy a Jeep for the first time would be to rent one for a week or so and actually live with it for a while first. They are NOT the vehicle for everybody. Though a far cry from Jeeps of the past, they remain noisier than the typical new vehicle, they ride rougher, and handling is “different”. If You like them after having driven one a while, great, welcome to a wonderfully capable and fun vehicle. They are truly a blank canvas and you can do as much or as little as you wish to one. How you use it is your choice alone and that’s ok, just know what you’re getting into before dropping big $$ into a vehicle that may not suit you. I’ve got a dealer within an hour of home who sells a lot of Sports that are lifted, given big tires, wheels, grills, etc. before they are placed on the lot for sale. Folks see them, think “that’s cool” and buy them, only to find that they don’t quite ride and handle like a GC or other SUV. Know what you’re getting, and enjoy what you buy, whether you’re headed to Moab, mud or Mall. It’s all good.

My wife wanted a Wrangler 2-door JL because she says "they're cute". She has zero interest in off-roading. We rented one for a trip to the Grand Canyon, and she was hooked. We ordered a JL in Chief Blue 2 weeks ago, estimated ship date of 11/16/2020. Then we will see how "cute" she thinks it is.

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[calemasters]

Great post. Thanks!

 

[aro]

My wife wanted a Wrangler 2-door JL because she says "they're cute". She has zero interest in off-roading.

That's how my wife feels too. I am waiting on her to give me permission to get my 2nd Jeep. Uhmn... no, I mean to get her a Jeep. lol

 

[nostatic]

There used to be something about, "the quality of a club is measured by who they reject".

When jeeps were just a noisy uncomfortable utility vehicle, there was no feeling of exclusivity. It was like driving a pickup, before that also became symbolic. Now there are many who get a jeep specifically to be special. Drawing lines is a way to be special.

as Groucho always used to say, “I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.”

 

[aldo98229]

 

[JJSix]

One of the best things about Jeeps is that you can make them your own in just about any style. While I've seen lots of jeeps that I wouldn't want myself, I like that customization is common no matter what you get or why. Want 20 inch rims on a 31 road tire? 40s on a Jeep that will never leave pavement? Purple metalflake? Whatever, live your dreams.

 

[Nomod]

Mall-crawler, poser, enthusiast - to which I'd add 'daily-driver'. Don't do malls, don't pretend (or believe) a Wrangler indicates anything, and I've aged out of radical off-roading. So after having owned various four-wheel drive vehicles when younger (beginning with a new '73 Land Cruiser), I bought the JL Wrangler because of its improved ride and its ability to handle crappy weather and road conditions. I've used it on cross country trips and the around town driving in which I don't feel like manually shifting. I don't mind pounding along potholed roads, parking in close quarters to beaters, taking the occasional rough mountain road or making it the vehicle that doesn't get garage space. I bought it because it's versatile, designed to take a beating and is enjoyable to drive.

 

[Kyanche]

Once the jeep is paid off, and the things i want done to it are done, i plan on buying a Corvette.

Same! As long as they stay around 60k new. Well, that and as long as I can fit in it comfortably lol. I liked the old ones but I really dig the new ones. It's like a 60k supercar. Then again, Porsche Caymans are also mid-engined and around the same price lol.

As for my Jeep, it's my daily driver.

 

[aldo98229]

This is my “Corvette.”

It costs 1/2 of a Corvette to buy, to service and to insure. And it doesn’t get noticed nearly as much by cops.

The manual transmission is buttery smooth, the car is so lightweight it handles twisty roads like a champ. It weighs 2,300 lbs...or 1/2 a JL! LOL

Sometimes less is more.

 

[MauiSteve]

I think it's more fun to drive a car like that hard than to have to soft pedal a horsepower monster like a corvette. As cool as they are, they are so fast it has to be frustrating to keep them under legal limits. Cool car

 

[daveprice7]

...
I drive a jeep for the same reason I wear jeans.

These days, I wear jeans (or any pants) about as often as I drive my Jeep.

 

[Kyanche]

These days, I wear jeans (or any pants) about as often as I drive my Jeep.

I much prefer shorts. Nice comfy ones!

 

[Whiskey 13]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Started my 4 wheel drive life way back. I was into 4X4 trucks but many of my friends had jeeps. All of our rigs were by todays standards very basic. In those days all any of us cared about was 4 good tires, strong engine, good tranny, transfer case and axles, and locking front hubs and then it was hold my beer and watch this.

Stated doing the jeep thing almost 40 years ago and along the way still had 4X4 trucks dirt bikes and a Harley or two and everything I have owned only stayed stock for about 20 seconds. and my friends and I took great pride in doing our own work.

The jeep life is for me all about FREEDOM. Jeep are a vessel that allows you to modify it in any way you see fit and then use it in any way your heart desires. When others look at your rig and don't like what you have done to it that's perfectly fine because it is your rig and they just would not understand your intent even if you tried to explain it (ask my wife).

Jeeps for me have taken me places that no other vehicle even comes close and I am not talking about extreme four wheeling, I am talking about the mental state I achieve when out in the wilderness alone in my trusted steed knowing full well my comrade will bring me home.

 

[Black Jeep Convertible]

Wranglers saves lives

 

[Oldbear]

I actually traded my 124 Spider for my JL. My little black 6sp. Spider had a tune and exhaust and was a blast to drive. After I had a tractor trailer come within inches of putting me in the weeds on I-65 I swapped her in for a new Firecracker Red JL. Still my toy, but a lot bigger and more visible

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