Reefed
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Nate
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2020
- Threads
- 10
- Messages
- 48
- Reaction score
- 80
- Location
- Los Angeles
- Vehicle(s)
- '20 JLUR Sarge Green/Tan, '16 Mazda Miata BBS
- Occupation
- E-Commerce
- Thread starter
- #1
Hey all! New to this forum and excited to join the community. I have decided to get a 2020 JLU Rubicon or Recon as my next car and am curious what you new Jeep owners owned before.
Coming from a 2016 Mazda Miata ND, it will definitely be a big change. I have absolutely loved owning and driving this car. 2300 lbs, short gears, and no top just create a perfect storm of fun. Having such fun car created quite a dilemma for me. After driving this, every sports/performance car I looked at within a reasonable price range has been a disappointment.
This got me thinking--if I can't get more fun out of a sports car than what I already had, what about a different KIND of fun? Enter the Wrangler. I have always deeply loved the design of Wranglers, and with the improved interior and engine options of the JL, it was a really compelling thought. I love camping and the outdoors, and all of the romantic thoughts of adventure and accessing remote places got me excited. I then rented a 2.0T Rubicon on Turo, and turns out, the driving experience wasn't as bad as I imagined. The 2.0T was surprisingly quick and responsive, and steering wasn't the mess I expected. I took it on a curvy road to Malibu, and it was actually kinda fun hustling this brick along! All that said, I am sold on the idea.
These two cars are incredibly different, but I find a lot of "philosophical" similarities to the approach to them. Both of them:
-have a storied heritage
-are relatively affordable, with millions sold over the years
-were designed with a clear priority, with other car things falling suit after. The Mazda: fun to drive. The Jeep: Go anywhere.
-look AMAZING inside and out.
-have an incredible top down experience
Ultimately, I realized that the cars I fall in love with are masters of their trade. Before my Miata, I had a 2015 VW GTI MK7. It did everything well--was fun to drive, incredibly comfortable, practical with the hatch, and had great fuel economy. But I didn't love it like I love my Mazda, with all of its compromises.
What cars have you owned before getting into a Jeep, and what made you switch? Any regrets?
Coming from a 2016 Mazda Miata ND, it will definitely be a big change. I have absolutely loved owning and driving this car. 2300 lbs, short gears, and no top just create a perfect storm of fun. Having such fun car created quite a dilemma for me. After driving this, every sports/performance car I looked at within a reasonable price range has been a disappointment.
This got me thinking--if I can't get more fun out of a sports car than what I already had, what about a different KIND of fun? Enter the Wrangler. I have always deeply loved the design of Wranglers, and with the improved interior and engine options of the JL, it was a really compelling thought. I love camping and the outdoors, and all of the romantic thoughts of adventure and accessing remote places got me excited. I then rented a 2.0T Rubicon on Turo, and turns out, the driving experience wasn't as bad as I imagined. The 2.0T was surprisingly quick and responsive, and steering wasn't the mess I expected. I took it on a curvy road to Malibu, and it was actually kinda fun hustling this brick along! All that said, I am sold on the idea.
These two cars are incredibly different, but I find a lot of "philosophical" similarities to the approach to them. Both of them:
-have a storied heritage
-are relatively affordable, with millions sold over the years
-were designed with a clear priority, with other car things falling suit after. The Mazda: fun to drive. The Jeep: Go anywhere.
-look AMAZING inside and out.
-have an incredible top down experience
Ultimately, I realized that the cars I fall in love with are masters of their trade. Before my Miata, I had a 2015 VW GTI MK7. It did everything well--was fun to drive, incredibly comfortable, practical with the hatch, and had great fuel economy. But I didn't love it like I love my Mazda, with all of its compromises.
What cars have you owned before getting into a Jeep, and what made you switch? Any regrets?
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