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What is the Wrangler?
A couple of months ago, bitten by the bug to get a Wrangler, coincidence found my filling the gas of my Honda Pilot at the same time as a Wrangler owner: a middle aged contemporary.
Forced idle time, elevators notwithstanding, often make the best opportunities for conversation, whether waiting on the line at the Post Office or gassing up.
I politely explained to the man that I was genuinely interested in the Wrangler, (now that my aging 3 rowed Honda Pilot had long outlived its usefulness in shuffling around children (now driving themselves) and their friends) and asked if he wouldn't mind sharing with me his greatest likes and dislikes about the vehicle.
“Well forgetting the gas mileage for a moment,” his single criticism and aptly voiced—as we were both filling our tanks at the time--this Wrangler owner went on about the pros of the vehicle that have so often been covered in this forum, and that I'll spare you, and concluded his summary with what I thought was a very unique take, for me at least.
“One of the things I like most about the Wrangler is that driving one doesn't stereotype or define you.” Republicans and Democrats drive it...old and young people drive it; rich people and not so rich people.”
This remark stuck with me, in part because of the following:
I say this as a matter of fact,: it's not snobbishness. If fact, truth be told, it's probably more embarrassing that neutral or bragging:
Many years ago my wife and I opted to buy a smaller home in a more affluent area: it's all about the schools you know. In it, one can throw a stone and find some High Schooler driving a Wrangler purchased by their folks that will never go off pavement: so hardly is my locale reflective of true Wrangler demographics.
But for the rest of us, while there are some very well defined segments of the Wrangler marketplace, like the rock crawlers or the mall crowd, part of the allure of the vehicle is that we get to make it our own, both as a concept in our heads and wallets. I spoke with the nicest of guys in the supermarket parking lot about his rig, outfitted for offroad in ways I'd never do myself, and I expressed as such, and despite this, he kindly showed me (rather than shunned me) some features I asked about. I spoke with the nicest of ladies on this forum (yes, my wife knows) about Koons, which led to talk of our shared experiences driving in Hawaii: hers in a Wrangler, and how her love for the vehicle was no more or less than mine or the supermarket or gasoline guy's, even if for different reasons.
On the whole, I find this forum extremely kind compared to others in subject matter far from automobiles, let alone Wranglers. But there's the occasional “one liners,” posters which we all accept, if not like, that equate making a purchase decision with the spouse's approval with being wimpy, or how the only real Wrangler or soldier was one who drove the WWII Willy's, or how not buying the Rubi because you've got a budget to balance equates with watered down enthusiasm.
At the end of the day, the Wrangler may be a wonderful machine with focus on offroad capabilities, but it is also no less what gets an emergency responder through the mud to someone in need of aid, a little ballerina in the back seat to her recital, a woman surfer on to the beach, an off roading mud loving Moab enthusiast a thrill, new parents their baby home, an Obstetrician to the hospital in snow to delivery that baby, or a commuter home from work.
At the end of the day what we all share in common is the fact that our Wrangler is what we make of it. Whether an AEV Brute, or the Lilly Pulitzer series, it's for people who want to enjoy not simply getting to the destination safely, but the ride itself.
(I don't write copy for a living; I don't work in the automobile industry.)
A couple of months ago, bitten by the bug to get a Wrangler, coincidence found my filling the gas of my Honda Pilot at the same time as a Wrangler owner: a middle aged contemporary.
Forced idle time, elevators notwithstanding, often make the best opportunities for conversation, whether waiting on the line at the Post Office or gassing up.
I politely explained to the man that I was genuinely interested in the Wrangler, (now that my aging 3 rowed Honda Pilot had long outlived its usefulness in shuffling around children (now driving themselves) and their friends) and asked if he wouldn't mind sharing with me his greatest likes and dislikes about the vehicle.
“Well forgetting the gas mileage for a moment,” his single criticism and aptly voiced—as we were both filling our tanks at the time--this Wrangler owner went on about the pros of the vehicle that have so often been covered in this forum, and that I'll spare you, and concluded his summary with what I thought was a very unique take, for me at least.
“One of the things I like most about the Wrangler is that driving one doesn't stereotype or define you.” Republicans and Democrats drive it...old and young people drive it; rich people and not so rich people.”
This remark stuck with me, in part because of the following:
I say this as a matter of fact,: it's not snobbishness. If fact, truth be told, it's probably more embarrassing that neutral or bragging:
Many years ago my wife and I opted to buy a smaller home in a more affluent area: it's all about the schools you know. In it, one can throw a stone and find some High Schooler driving a Wrangler purchased by their folks that will never go off pavement: so hardly is my locale reflective of true Wrangler demographics.
But for the rest of us, while there are some very well defined segments of the Wrangler marketplace, like the rock crawlers or the mall crowd, part of the allure of the vehicle is that we get to make it our own, both as a concept in our heads and wallets. I spoke with the nicest of guys in the supermarket parking lot about his rig, outfitted for offroad in ways I'd never do myself, and I expressed as such, and despite this, he kindly showed me (rather than shunned me) some features I asked about. I spoke with the nicest of ladies on this forum (yes, my wife knows) about Koons, which led to talk of our shared experiences driving in Hawaii: hers in a Wrangler, and how her love for the vehicle was no more or less than mine or the supermarket or gasoline guy's, even if for different reasons.
On the whole, I find this forum extremely kind compared to others in subject matter far from automobiles, let alone Wranglers. But there's the occasional “one liners,” posters which we all accept, if not like, that equate making a purchase decision with the spouse's approval with being wimpy, or how the only real Wrangler or soldier was one who drove the WWII Willy's, or how not buying the Rubi because you've got a budget to balance equates with watered down enthusiasm.
At the end of the day, the Wrangler may be a wonderful machine with focus on offroad capabilities, but it is also no less what gets an emergency responder through the mud to someone in need of aid, a little ballerina in the back seat to her recital, a woman surfer on to the beach, an off roading mud loving Moab enthusiast a thrill, new parents their baby home, an Obstetrician to the hospital in snow to delivery that baby, or a commuter home from work.
At the end of the day what we all share in common is the fact that our Wrangler is what we make of it. Whether an AEV Brute, or the Lilly Pulitzer series, it's for people who want to enjoy not simply getting to the destination safely, but the ride itself.
(I don't write copy for a living; I don't work in the automobile industry.)
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I went to a dealrship and tried a TJ, had the I6 and six speed Diamler transmission, solid, basic, lovely. I couldn't afford it, such is life. So the JK came out, honestly I didn't like it, I find it ugly. I was also one of the ones at the time who were turned off by the four door! So now, its funny, I didn't even know there was a redesign and I had just bought a dowdy, yet comfortable and very snow capable 17' 300 Limited.. I came here and dug around and you know what, time for that Jeep I have always wanted!
