Sponsored

What got you in to Jeeps?

Sean L

Well-Known Member
First Name
Sean
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Threads
23
Messages
43,739
Reaction score
260,024
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU, 2017 Honda Accord, 2014 Yamaha XVS 1300
Occupation
Retired Marine, Construction Estimator
Vehicle Showcase
2
Growing up my parents never had any Jeeps but many of our family and friends had them. The earliest one I remember was my uncle's Honcho pickup and his steady ownership of YJ, TJ and JK Wranglers that followed. My dad's friend and his wife had matching XJ Cherokees, and a friend at church bought a TJ Wrangler in 2000 or so. Riding with him top down on camping trips got me really interested in Jeeps.

As an adult I really considered a Jeep each time I was vehicle shopping. The first one when I returned from my first Deployment was a 1998 Jeep Cherokee but the owner sold it before I could get a look at it. Then when it was time to replace the Dakota I drove a Hemi Commander that I really liked (Don't remember why we didn't get it) and we drove a JK Wrangler with the 3.8, but couldn't find one in 4x4 that I could afford...

This time around it was the higher prices of the new Ram 1500s that drove me to get the JL I am driving now. I do miss having a big truck at times, but I do really like driving my Jeep. No regrets on this purchase.
Sponsored

 

jlroman2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jorge
Joined
Jan 13, 2018
Threads
44
Messages
844
Reaction score
1,255
Location
Chicago, IL
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler JLU Sahara (Granite)
Occupation
BCBA
Vehicle Showcase
1
I was never really into Wranglers really until I was about 20. My buddy got himself a 13 orange JKU and slowly but surely I fell in love with it more and more. I really wanted to buy one around 2015 but was really disappointed with the lack of technology inside the vehicle. I understand it's a Jeep and that shouldn't matter, but I've always been a tech freak since I was a kid and this was the major thing that pushed me out the Wrangler market. I was close to purchasing one in 2016 used because I was already giving up on any future updates coming soon but something told me to just wait. Sure enough, once the JL came out, I was all over it, doing my research and gathering as much information as I could. It is the perfect Jeepfor me now and love every second of driving it.
 

matto

Well-Known Member
First Name
matt
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Threads
4
Messages
72
Reaction score
116
Location
South Texas
Vehicle(s)
Jeep JKR 2008, Jeep JLUR
Vehicle Showcase
1
I love the open air feeling. Jeeps just do it best... I grew up riding 4 wheeler's and motorcycles. My family was also very into VW Beatles. My dad liked to restore them and me and my brother liked to convert them to bajas.

100_0108-S.jpg


We also built rails out of them or what most call dune buggies where the frame is all pipes with skinny sand tires up front and big tires in the back.

1970VWsandrail_02_1000.jpg


No matter what im driving my Harley or my Jeep ... Ill be the guy driving down the highway with bugs in my teeth.
 

Grindhouseknives

Well-Known Member
First Name
Sam
Joined
Jan 28, 2018
Threads
3
Messages
249
Reaction score
204
Location
KCMO
Vehicle(s)
2018 Bright White JLU Sport S
Sophomore year in college, my ‘61 Ford Falcon had given up the ghost and I needed something cheap. I bought a 1953 Willys M38A-1. Mostly original except for the addition of a roll bar and a 12v conversion. The thing had a max speed of 45mph but not could climb a tree with the 5.88 gears!!
I drove it daily for the first two years with no heater at all. I finally found an NOS military heating kit still in the wood crate and installed it. I converted it back to 24v and all the waterproof wiring and ignition system. I loved taking the top off and the canvas doors whenever possible. I didn’t care that it was cold or that it leaked every time it rained. It was a jeep!!
 

1quick1

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Oct 16, 2017
Threads
35
Messages
1,634
Reaction score
2,118
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLUS
Vehicle Showcase
1
Grew up 2 blocks from Willys and about 1/2 mile from the original Jeep plant Toledo. Also my Dad still works there (now it's the new plant) and has like 37 years there. He was on the JT product development project and is currently on the JT project and YES he has seen them (he's on the team remember), Yes he's probably driven one, and no he won't tell me anything let alone the forums haha.

Mom has a white Grand Cherokee
Dad drives a white Cherokee Trailhawk
Brother has a white Liberty (also a super modified XJ with like 250k miles)
and I have the white JLU.
 

Sponsored

Grindhouseknives

Well-Known Member
First Name
Sam
Joined
Jan 28, 2018
Threads
3
Messages
249
Reaction score
204
Location
KCMO
Vehicle(s)
2018 Bright White JLU Sport S
Grew up 2 blocks from Willys and about 1/2 mile from the original Jeep plant Toledo. Also my Dad still works there (now it's the new plant) and has like 37 years there. He was on the JT product development project and is currently on the JT project and YES he has seen them (he's on the team remember), Yes he's probably driven one, and no he won't tell me anything let alone the forums haha.

Mom has a white Grand Cherokee
Dad drives a white Cherokee Trailhawk
Brother has a white Liberty (also a super modified XJ with like 250k miles)
and I have the white JLU.
Tease!!!
 

mwilk012

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2018
Threads
14
Messages
8,922
Reaction score
8,747
Location
Oklahoma
Vehicle(s)
2018 Ocean Blue JLU Rubicon
Occupation
Service
I got my first jeep, a green 1998 TJ from the impound lot of my family's wrecker service after we towed it from the river. It was buried in sand over the axles and left to die, had no carpet, no top, and the driver's seat was missing. Nobody ever came to claim it, so I set to work rebuilding it. After some wiring replacements and a new battery, alternator, and new fluids, it would start but oil pressure refused to come up. So I refurbished the I-4 motor with my grandfather. I remember the clutch falling to pieces when we pulled the motor out, so that got replaced as well. Once it ran alright, I put new seats in it, bought a new soft top, and drove it for 3 years. Over those years, the power steering pump exploded, and the transfer case once decided while going 65 down the interstate that it was a good time to go to 4L permanently. Had to get a new one of each of those. It was a beautiful turd and I miss it.

In 2011, graduated high school, and joined the navy. Parents bought me a silver JKU sport and I have been driving it ever since. Never got any mods installed, always too busy with work, but it is a capable, fun vehicle and my only regret with it is never taking off the back half of the hard top. Freedom panels come off all the time and my dog loves it, but until recently I had nowhere to put the top.

Now, having ordered a JLU Rubicon in beautiful ocean blue, I will be doing all the work myself and loving this thing until the day it dies. I will never own a vehicle that is not a Jeep.
Sponsored

 
 



Top