Real world, 2 v 4 door?

[JeepFan]

Given these parameters would you go two-door or four-door and why

If you go with a 2-door, and temporarily need just a little more cargo capacity, you might trry something like this:

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[jaardappel]

Retirement gift
Given the same lift, same Jeep, same trim, same overall build. Mid level rock crawling trails.
2.5 lift
37's on Dana 44 axles.
2.0 Turbo hardtop automatic.

Normally two people in the Jeep, maybe a third teen or dog.
Daily driver/ weekend warrior/ road trip to big off-road parks

Given these parameters would you go two-door or four-door and why

2-door. Drives like a kid on crack, but it's a helluvuh lot of fun and it's the OG of Jeeps...dying breed imo as well. But hey, I'm biased....I love mine and although I have a 2" lift on 35's, I've tinkered with the engine and suspension and it's to the point now that I actually miss the Jeep (dog first, then Jeep) while on vacation as it's just so much fun to drive the 2-door.

 

[Zandcwhite]

"Get a 2dr because they're more maneuverable" You know what's far more maneuverable than a 2dr with a trailer? A 4dr with all my stuff inside.
"Get a 2dr so you aren't dragging on obstacles" You know what has a much better departure angle than a 2dr with a hitch basket? A 4dr with all my stuff inside.
"Get a 2dr because they fit on more trails" I've yet to see a single trail a 2dr would fit on that my 4dr doesn't and yet I can think of hundreds I wouldn't try with a trailer and thousands of obstacles that would destroy the hitch basket.
You can claim 2drs are more fun all day long, but we have the space to keep tools, recovery gear, and the compressor in the Jeep 24/7. What's more fun than confidently turning down random dirt roads "to see where this one goes" unplanned on a Sunday afternoon? We have enough survival gear in the Jeep for an impromptu camping trip and have spent an unplanned night in it. Much less fun in a 2dr as the mosquitoes were bad and we are both 5'10". Dealing with a trailer for every trip...not fun. Getting in the back over a hitch rack...not fun. Being able to take another couple out to see the Sedona you can't see from the road...huge fun. Being able to take my 6'3" son to dinner with us, or even a camping trip...a lifetime of fun memories.
In my opinion anyone recommending a 2dr for 3 people are wannabe Jeep purists who take some foolish pride in the suffering. We should all be driving yjs with no top in a blizzard that can't maintain freeway speed at the slightest grade. Jeeping should be about the misery to prove how tough you are. Hard pass. I'll gladly cruise my luxury trail rig through 7+ rated trails with my wife, dogs, and camping gear. If it's cold out I'll even rock the seat heater. On the road trip home I'll set the adaptive cruise control and not touch the pedals for hours while streaming a podcast through the infotainment system. When we are wheeling in AZ or NV in the summer and it's 120⁰ I'll have the top on, the AC blowing cold, while sipping an ice coffee. You guys can prove your metal by being miserable, I'll enjoy driving, wheeling, and camping more thanks to my choice of a 4dr.

 

[yokramer]

2 door is fine for 2 people on a road trip. Took it to Key West right after we picked her up and hadn't taken the back seat out with 0 issues. Are you going to need to be creative for long camping weekends? Yea but you're driving a Jeep and going camping its part of the experience. If you want to be lazy and take more than you need the school bus is probably you better bet.

 

[Demi]

My sincerest apologies for everybody that has read and answered prior to this, but as a caveat. For long distance( 8 hour drive) or camping and such with a third person I would procure a trailer suitable for carrying everything.

Most of the posts that precede my own are spot on. Truthfully.... all we can give you is our own subjective answers. Given your parameters, I'd ask the one question I haven't seen anyone else ask... "How often would that third person be with you on the trip?"

I own a 2 door JL. It's right for me and my own situation. The back seat came out of the Jeep the day after I brought it home from the dealership. I can carry all the luggage or groceries I've ever needed to in it (wife's included). You mention you'd be using a trailer.... to me this eliminates all considerations except that third person. Jeeps are fine for road trips. Regardless of which you choose, both a 2 door or a 4 door will leave you wanting to get out of it after several hours at a stretch. NO adult is going to want to ride for 8 hours in the back seat of a 2 door. It's just not comfortable enough...

So it all comes down to passenger #3 (because if using a trailor for gear/luggage, a dog would have plenty of space in the back of a 2 door with no seat in it). If that 3rd passenger rarely makes the trip with you, it should come down to which Jeep is more attractive to YOU. If they come along more often than that.... you really have little choice but to opt for the 4 door.

No matter what you choose, enjoy the journey!

 

[Megawatt]

I went 4 door for a couple reasons.

Larger gas tank (21.5 vs 17.5)

The four-door Unlimited has 31 cubic feet of space behind its back seat, which is a massive increase from the two-door's 13.

Climb into the back seat of both Jeeps and notice the difference In effort.

Go to Costco and purchase bricks of paper products and notice what you can do.

Drive both models, a 2 door will feel less stable compared to the 4 door for on road driving.

Granted for an off road weekend fun Jeep, a 2 door manual will be the best machine.

 

[CyberJeepMan]

I have driven my 4 door fully loaded with 2 people from FLA to NJ and I had much more room than I would with a 2 door.
also with the 2 door you are always having to lift the driver's seat to let the person/dog out of the back seat.
Last thing if you open all four windows going down the highway it's quieter than a 2 door.

 

[Great Pumpkin]

I wanted the two door Wrangler, but my Wife, who is very wise, “suggested“ the four door. I insisted on the manual transmission, though. The four door has turned out to be a superior choice as far as cargo space and overall comfort.

 

[five9dak]

2 Door for a couple is fine, been this way for 70 years with Jeeps. I own 3x 2 door vehicles. We always get where we are going.

The question is how frequent you need to carry the third person, how long the trips are with them, and how much gear you are carrying while having 3 in the jeep.

 

[Ron Humphrey]

I drive a 2 door and wife has a 4 door. If we are doing road trips or have anyone besides just me and her we always take her 4 door.

 

[azjl#3]

Honestly, I feel like 2 doors shouldn't even come with a back seat. Save us all the trouble of having to remove it and store it.

This^^^ another 4 sq feet of garage gone.

 

[BogieJeep]

It's all situational but the beautiful thing about the 2 door is how capable it is stock. We did some road trips in our previous Jimny with 2 people and our (small) dog and it was fine, we just brought some basic camping gear with a trangia and freeze dried meals. There is something to be said about traveling light and not having to worry about fumbling through gear all the time.

You probably don't even need a winch if I have a 2 door, unless there is some specific reason for having one (i.e. driving in mud). It's hard to get them stuck. Can just carry a hand winch ("Power Puller" looks the best, no affiliation) to straighten it up occasionally if you get on a bad angle.

On the other side our 4 door JLUR cost us a lot of money to set up. In Australia it comes with 255/75R17 tires and once the tires are deflated it's very close to the ground. And when you fill up the Jeep with gear you will at least need harder springs or be even lower. Saying that, we love it. But if it wasn't for our kid, and the need to carry lots of stuff (Australia has long distances between locations) then we would buy the 2 door for sure.

So I would say if you are driving local tracks or if you are staying in motels and exploring from there then get the 2 door and travel light.

If you are doing interstate road trips with some off-road thrown in then get the 4 door, lift and bigger tires.

 

[Hiiker]

Drive a Gladiator for a few years. It will make a JKU seem tiny! Coming from a TJ, and then a 2 door JK, I bought a brand new 2020 Gladiator. I was following their release, and couldn't wait to get one. After dragging my a$$ and 5 point turns on the trail, I couldn't take it anymore. Traded it for a JLUR. It's like driving a Jeep again. Last trail run where the TJs and YJs needed their lockers on a loose steep climb, the JLUR walked right up it... open. I was surprised and impressed. My now grown daughter likes to meet us for camping and jeeping. Back when I had the TJ and she was little, she loved climbing on the rear tire to get in back with the safari top. Now she loves the 4dr and room in the JLUR. As a previous 2 door guy, I really like wheeling and driving this JL 4 door.

I had a Sahara Polar jK, and then a 2020 JK Sahara Altitude- the dealer made me $ell it to them. I ordered a 2022 4xE Sahara, of course all have been fully loaded.. I like bells. The 4xE started out with gorilla glass issues- glad I leased it because they told me it would be a year b4 I got it-turned out to be 4 months. So I got all credits up front and leased. This is the first Jeep I have ever had issues with… I am thinking about flipping into a gladiator Mojave built up fully loaded for 2023. Should I wait for 2024 or order a new 2024/25 Sahara? I am soiled of the 4xE and the Gorilla glass monster.

Drive a Gladiator for a few years. It will make a JKU seem tiny! Coming from a TJ, and then a 2 door JK, I bought a brand new 2020 Gladiator. I was following their release, and couldn't wait to get one. After dragging my a$$ and 5 point turns on the trail, I couldn't take it anymore. Traded it for a JLUR. It's like driving a Jeep again. Last trail run where the TJs and YJs needed their lockers on a loose steep climb, the JLUR walked right up it... open. I was surprised and impressed. My now grown daughter likes to meet us for camping and jeeping. Back when I had the TJ and she was little, she loved climbing on the rear tire to get in back with the safari top. Now she loves the 4dr and room in the JLUR. As a previous 2 door guy, I really like wheeling and driving this JL 4 door.

I had a Sahara Polar jK, and then a 2020 JK Sahara Altitude- the dealer made me $ell it to them. I ordered a 2022 4xE Sahara, of course all have been fully loaded.. I like bells. The 4xE started out with gorilla glass issues- glad I leased it because they told me it would be a year b4 I got it-turned out to be 4 months. So I got all credits up front and leased. This is the first Jeep I have ever had issues with… I am thinking about flipping into a gladiator Mojave built up fully loaded for 2023. Should I wait for 2024 or order a new 2024/25 Sahara? I am soiled of the 4xE and the Gorilla glass monster.

 

[Zandcwhite]

I had a Sahara Polar jK, and then a 2020 JK Sahara Altitude- the dealer made me $ell it to them. I ordered a 2022 4xE Sahara, of course all have been fully loaded.. I like bells. The 4xE started out with gorilla glass issues- glad I leased it because they told me it would be a year b4 I got it-turned out to be 4 months. So I got all credits up front and leased. This is the first Jeep I have ever had issues with… I am thinking about flipping into a gladiator Mojave built up fully loaded for 2023. Should I wait for 2024 or order a new 2024/25 Sahara? I am soiled of the 4xE and the Gorilla glass monster.

I had a Sahara Polar jK, and then a 2020 JK Sahara Altitude- the dealer made me $ell it to them. I ordered a 2022 4xE Sahara, of course all have been fully loaded.. I like bells. The 4xE started out with gorilla glass issues- glad I leased it because they told me it would be a year b4 I got it-turned out to be 4 months. So I got all credits up front and leased. This is the first Jeep I have ever had issues with… I am thinking about flipping into a gladiator Mojave built up fully loaded for 2023. Should I wait for 2024 or order a new 2024/25 Sahara? I am soiled of the 4xE and the Gorilla glass monster.

Picked up my 2023 gladiator mojave 3 weeks ago. They are offering massive discounts right now, got 20% off msrp. The JLUR isn't going anywhere, as it's the wife's dd and our rock rig. The mojave will get it's 1st desert use Thursday.

 

[Hiiker]

Picked up my 2023 gladiator mojave 3 weeks ago. They are offering massive discounts right now, got 20% off msrp. The JLUR isn't going anywhere, as it's the wife's dd and our rock rig. The mojave will get it's 1st desert use Thursday.

I test drove one and didn’t realize that it had a light in the hood vent!

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