(non) off-road shaming - why?

[Trainman]

Most of us have our own way of life, but I may, or may not like your way of life, so don't expect me to be like you and don't knock me because I don't want to be like you. If eating, sleeping, and living in your Jeep is your way of life them go for it, I personally can see way beyond a Jeep and it's down about 87th on my list in life. I own a Jeep because it says AMERICAN to me and I don't off road mine because it my Street Cruiser, I guess you might say a Jeep for me says other things then dirt.

Sponsored

 

[kimmiet17]

I was so close to not ordering a High Altitude because of some of the things I read. It was discouraging. But I love the look, and mostly because I wanted the gray leather interior. I do plan on doing scenic easy off road trails. I love being in nature. I decided who gives a crap what people say , and if I do not get a wave because you do not have any respect for my Jeep. I am the one paying for it and if I like it then that’s all that matters. Thanks for this discussion.

 

[macphisto13]

I just purchased my second Wrangler. The first one was 10 years ago and I traded it in for my current car 5 years ago. I've missed it ever since. I only off-roaded it lightly a few times in the 5 years I had it. The reason I loved my Jeep was because it is the perfect car: in the summer it's a convertible, in the winter, it's a snow dog. There's nothing more fun to me that taking the doors and top off to drive around town. The fact that I CAN off-road if I want to is a bonus but it's not why I ordered my new Rubicon.

 

[viper88]

First it was high incline driveways... then curbs. I stayed on curbs for a while, being a girl in a mans jeep world and all. Once I got up the nerve to attempt a median- i did so with my new found curb confidence.... now there's no going back. Its median mayhem. Blocked turning lane? No problem! Need to pop a uturn??? Bump-de-bump it is!

It was survival and trial by fire for me. I was stuck in a long drive-through line after ordering. The line was not moving. After 10 minutes of low blood sugar, anxiety and sweaty palms I had a flashback to the movie Risky Business. My courage built up. I thought to myself? ‘What the fuck’?” I wiped the sweat off my brows, turned the wheel and inched up that median! With the help of the mighty Rubicon I rolled over the median and got straight out of Dodge! That's right! I left those other suckers waiting in line. I gave myself a pat on the back and made my next move. With my new found confidence I rolled straight across the street. I drove right over the median into the parking lot of a burrito joint.

 

[Hennessey17]

I'm new to the forum. I am an import buy with a soft spot for German engineering... love that thud when you close the doors. I haven't driven an American car for 20 years... and it's only in the last year and a half have I been open to owning one. I currently drive a VW Tiguan and love it. I had been planning on keeping it and using it as a winter/dog car and buying a sporty convertible ( a Mustang or an older Boxster). But the used car market went insane, and the Tiguan is now costing me $3k a year in upkeep. The last time I drove a Jeep was 20 years ago in Maui, down the coastline with the roof and doors off. Obviously that memory has stuck. I started thinking about Jeeps again, but I wanted to do the sports car this time, and when Tiggy wore out, then I'd get the Jeep... but everything that's been happening in the last year and a half, it seemed like the best decision would be to buy a brand new Jeep since they keep their value so well and the warranty would cover the entire loan. I'm sure I'll drive over medians and things like that... but I didn't buy it for it's offroad capability. I bought it because the doors and roof come off and it has the utility of an SUV. The fact that it can drive over things is a bonus. But I will miss driving something more sporty.

 

[Jjirish]

It was survival and trial by fire for me. I was stuck in a long drive-through line after ordering. The line was not moving. After 10 minutes of low blood sugar, anxiety and sweaty palms I had a flashback to the movie Risky Business. My courage built up. I thought to my self? ‘What the fuck’?” I wiped the sweat off my brows, turned the wheel and inched up that median! With the help of the mighty Rubicon I rolled over the median and got straight out of Dodge! That's right! I left those other suckers waiting in line. I gave myself a pat on the back and made my next move. With my new found confidence I rolled straight across the street. I drove right over the median into the parking lot of a burrito joint.

Yeah buddy!!!!
You know that movie is all wrapped up in that mandela effect stuff, lol.
We need a Median Master badge

 

[emptyminded42]

Meh. Worrying about what strangers think of you is a great recipe for being miserable. I bought my Jeep to replace my Miata because to me, it's very similar. It's a convertible, it's fun to drive, has a manual transmission, huge aftermarket, it's got 4 doors for my kids, and it's just an all-around fun vehicle. Personally, I don't take Wranglers all that seriously and don't really understand the common attitude that they need to be "rugged" and "tough". Sure, I was hoping I'd take it off-road a little bit (and I finally did for the first time last month and had a blast) but I knew it was going to be my daily driver first and foremost.

Life is too short to worry about what strangers think of you and your decisions.

 

[Steph1]

From my profiling experience and Humans being what they are, I am certain that a good percentage of the ''shamers'' don't even take their Jeep off-road themselves, they just hide in that crowd to hide that fact and make people believe that they do.

 

[viper88]

I'm new to the forum. I am an import buy with a soft spot for German engineering... love that thud when you close the doors. I haven't driven an American car for 20 years... and it's only in the last year and a half have I been open to owning one. I currently drive a VW Tiguan and love it. I had been planning on keeping it and using it as a winter/dog car and buying a sporty convertible ( a Mustang or an older Boxster). But the used car market went insane, and the Tiguan is now costing me $3k a year in upkeep. The last time I drove a Jeep was 20 years ago in Maui, down the coastline with the roof and doors off. Obviously that memory has stuck. I started thinking about Jeeps again, but I wanted to do the sports car this time, and when Tiggy wore out, then I'd get the Jeep... but everything that's been happening in the last year and a half, it seemed like the best decision would be to buy a brand new Jeep since they keep their value so well and the warranty would cover the entire loan. I'm sure I'll drive over medians and things like that... but I didn't buy it for it's offroad capability. I bought it because the doors and roof come off and it has the utility of an SUV. The fact that it can drive over things is a bonus. But I will miss driving something more sporty.

You might surprise yourself. I usually find myself reaching for Wrangler keys over my sports cars.

I love fun sporty cars and track time. Most of the cars in my life have been sports cars. All kinds. I have also owned Wranglers. I owned a TJ, JK, JL and will be ordering another JL soon. A Wrangler might not be as fast, agile, sharp, definitely worse road feel. But it is sporty in a different way. Being able to go almost anywhere and driving with roof and doors off is a really fun experience. Another benefit is the lack of anxiety driving a Wrangler. No worries about mall parking spots, speed bumps, pot holes, road rash, door dings, bad weather.

 

[viper88]

Yeah buddy!!!!
You know that movie is all wrapped up in that mandela effect stuff, lol.
We need a Median Master badge

So the Southern Irish Country girl who was born in the Swamp is not all show and no go. She's the real deal.

"Beauty may be dangerous but intelligence is lethal."

 

[viper88]

Most of us have our own way of life, but I may, or may not like your way of life, so don't expect me to be like you and don't knock me because I don't want to be like you. If eating, sleeping, and living in your Jeep is your way of life them go for it, I personally can see way beyond a Jeep and it's down about 87th on my list in life. I own a Jeep because it says AMERICAN to me and I don't off road mine because it my Street Cruiser, I guess you might say a Jeep for me says other things then dirt.

My '19 JLR 2.0T was a half-breed. It had an Italian heart and parents. Now it's part French.

In all seriousness long live the Willys-Wrangler and it's heritage!

 

[Outrun]

Because they are morons who don't realize you can own something and not use it to it's limits.

The same fools in this forum with disdain for the 392 as if somebody is putting a gun to their head and forcing them to buy one.

 

[PatriotBlue]

The great thing about Jeeps is that they can be anything to anyone, and both take on and reflect the personality of the owner.

I'm in NJ, but while growing up here in the Northeast, I don't think offroading in a Jeep even crossed my mind. Jeeps, beginning with the CJ, were these preppy things that folks drove around New England, particularly on the coasts, in beach towns, and on the backroads during the fall. Think St. Elmo's fire or the TJ in Gilmore Girls lol. Now, I'm sure if you live in Colorado, you've grown up with the opposite state of mind - the thought of the Jeep being anything but for the trails may seem odd.

As such, I don't judge whether folks offroad or not. I'm probably a mix - New England backroad and on the coast cruising with the top down, with some overland type stuff thrown in around Vermont/Maine. Do I need a Rubicon? Probably not, but I've encountered enough situations where a locker would've been handy (and on lesser trails no less). There are definitely some built TJ's around here that probably LOL at me driving a JLU Rubicon around town, but you can of course do both - cruise around in a clean Jeep and offroad, and have a blast while doing each.

 

[X-Treme]

21 YEARS ago, I purchased my first brand new car, a 2000 Jeep Wrangler Sport and we were visiting relatives. My "cousin" took interest in the jeep and he wanted to test drive it so we sat in it and started talking and he wanted to drive it badly. I gave him the keys and while he was popping the clutch chirping the tires on every gear he didn't forget to mention how he thought JEEPS were pieces of shit (He actually used the expression). Pissed me off.... the guy is your typical jealous type. He has a pathological need to be better than everyone around him. Needless to say, we have not talked much in 21 years! lol....

Sounds like my son in law

 

[Fsttanks]

Great looking truck. Your front bumper: Is that the stock bumper made stubby with a bolt on brush bar? If bolt on, which one is it?

The metal Jeep bumpers like the one I have incorporate “wing ends” that are removable so to provide more clearance for off road use. The bolt on winch guard “hoop” came with the bumper. There is one sold separately by Jeep for their metal bumper and there are a few companies that make different sizes and styles of bolt on “hoops” for the metal Jeep bumpers. Sorry off hand I don’t have their names.

Sponsored