will a 2 door work?

[Saejin]

Get a 4-door. With the baby you’re gonna be hauling around a lot of extra gear and will appreciate the extra room.

Also get a manual as it’s the best anti-theft system out there now. It’s amazing how many people don’t know how to drive a manual.

My JKU was a manual but this time I opted for an automatic because I’m getting old and lazy. You’re still young so have fun with the manual.

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[Wanderingwheelz]

I disagree with “buy a beater.” Teaching my 16 year old on my JL. After an hour he got the basics down, and a week later he’s got it down pat. You’re not going to hurt anything by stalling a few dozen times.

100% agree.

Buying a car to learn how to drive stick is borderline lunacy. If a person can’t learn to drive stick in less than an hour after stalling a handful of times, and maybe grinding the gears a time or two then that person should be purchasing an automatic.

I know proficient drivers of extremely expensive sports cars who stall it every once in a long while and perform the dreaded “misshift” that overevs the engine at least once. In fact, the DME report on an engine will record every overrev.

What’s the takeaway? Buy an automatic transmission unless you have an extreme scenario where a manual will suit your needs better than an auto.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

I had a friend buy a brand new Honda that was a manual. He wanted to learn how to drive stick and decided to learn on his new car. Within a year he needed to replace the clutch which obviously was not covered under warranty. It was an expensive lesson for him.

If he burned a clutch in a year, he had no clue what he was doing. Probably taught himself?

It’s really not hard, especially if someone who actually knows what they’re doing teaches you. (Or spend $250 at “The Next Street” driving school and let them teach you in their car.)

A beater costs more than a clutch when you factor in time and hassle. DMV? Tax man? Selling it afterward? Nope, nope, and nope!

Now, a 2dr Wrangler with an infant? Eh, let’s see how long you can make that work.

Will you ever have another kid? If yes, bite the bullet and get a minivan. Practical as hell. In 15 years you can get yourself a cool 2dr... kids are a sacrifice. There’s my $0.02, only because you asked.

 

[StuntmanMike]

Just goes to show that the jeep world is all about personal choice.

I personally wouldn't want a 4 door. MAYBE if it was lifted and on 37s...but just dont care for the look otherwise. Might be more practical, but not near as fun! Just personal preference.

Ha! I was daily driving a Miata before I got my 2-door JL. Gives me a chuckle when I hear the 2-door is too small or impractical.

Haha, I guess it's about perspective and what you are going to do with it.

My DD now is an '07 Volvo XC70 wagon, and before that a 97 ZJ (Grand Cherokee). So I'm definitely used to the space and convenience of a 4 door wagon-type vehicle.

Before I had the ZJ, my DD was a 98 Firebird Formula, and before that, an 88 Trans AM GTA. So, I'm also familiar with making two doors work.

I actually STILL have a 2 door, I have another F-Body, a 2000 Formula. My gf's dog loves it, he likes to tick his head out the roof with the T-tops off. I think he'd completely lose his sh!t if I put him in the back of a naked Jeep, haha.

I mountain bike and camp a lot, so it's nice to be able to load up with gear and/or throw my bike in the car. My 29er mountain bike fits inside my Volvo with both wheels ON. On a recent trip my friend and I took my Volvo, and we fit 3 bikes ON the car, 1 bike IN the car, along with a long weekends worth of camping gear (tent, ez-up, cooler, chairs, stove), clothes, bike gear, bike repair stand, tool box, and food. We each brought two bikes, as we were doing Downhilling and cross country, so that's double the amount of gear (pads, helmets, etc). I'd have needed a trailer to get all that into a 2 door Jeep, for sure.

 

[TheWingman]

You can make the backseat work with a 2-door and car seats, but it will stay parked at home because there’s no room for a stroller behind the back seat, let alone anything else. Also, kids can’t really operate buckles until they are 5 or 6, so best case is you’ll be breaking your back several times a week strapping them in for 5 years straight.

Trust me, I lusted after that 2 door also. But looking back I am so happy I got the 4 door, because I get to enjoy the Jeep with my family instead of leaving it parked in the driveway, or only driving it alone. Get the 4 door until the kiddos are grown, they will love sharing it with you just as much as you will love sharing it with them.

 

[1quick1]

Get the 4 door and save the money trading it in a year from now.

My salesman told me something like 60% of the 2 door he sells come back in 6 months to 2 years for the Unlimited.

 

[dredayy]

There are some higher end race simulators for the computer CARS and if you get the full steering wheel and pedals it is easy to learn. They are heavy to the touch so it will make it feel much lighter when you got to the Jeep. Total cost sub 500

but how much is that going to cost me? that sounds expensive :cwl:

 

[dredayy]

Okay...I'll be "that guy" that goes against the grain.

To answer your question....yes a 2 door would work. I remember growing up, my mom and dad only owned 2 door cars. We had a 68 roadrunner, a 70 barracuda, and a 72 charger, just to name a few. And some how, some way...we survived because they were able to get us in and out of the car. lol. HOWEVER, just know it comes with some trade offs. Will it be more difficult to get a car seat in and out of the back. Yes. I would suggest having a designated car seat for the Jeep. That would help. I think more importantly for you, is how much will you be driving the jeep with the mrs? If you love yours like I do mine, more than you think. So will SHE care that she has to work to get a child out of the back? That's the question you have to ask.

As for the stick....I disagree with all the posts about getting a beater to learn. Come on...it's not THAT hard. In fact, you will most likely learn very very quickly. So then you have a junker that you then have to get rid of. The main reason I got an automatic is not for me. I would have loved a stick. The reason I got an auto was so that the wife could drive it if necessary. That's something else to think about. If something happened and the wife needed to drive, did she learn to drive it to? Just food for thought.

I am biased...by I wouldn't be against a 2 door. That said, it depends on how much drive time it will get with the whole family. Enjoy!!

She wouldn't be to happy if i bought a stick because she doesn't know how to drive stick either. i didn't even take that into consideration

 

[TheWingman]

She wouldn't be to happy if i bought a stick because she doesn't know how to drive stick either. i didn't even take that into consideration

Mine doesn’t know how to either. I won’t own an auto as my daily. Stick is so much more fun.

 

[BMahon9]

I was planning on buying a Jeep Pickup when that comes out depending on if i liked the design, and if i didnt i was just going to pick up a 2 door JL. Well i have a baby on the way and should be born in January. My question is would a 2 door work with a baby seat or am i now forced into a 4 door? Im pretty positive im gonna need a 4 door especially but i wanted to hear what you guys had to say.Also I was planning on giving my wife my honda civic and whenever the baby is with us just take that car.

Also i really want to learn to drive stick and was planning for my next car to be a stick so i can get better at it. i know the basics and have driven stick before but i want to be more proficient at it. For those of you who have a Manual JL or even JK would you think its a pretty easy car to learn/ practice on?

thanks in advance!

I don't have kids but it's on the horizon. I went with the 4 door, not solely for that reason but it was a factor. I was originally thinking of getting the 2 door, but when I saw how little space it has, kids or no kids it's hard to justify if it's your only car. It's got essentially no trunk space and you'll have to borrow a car to transport anything. That coupled with the smoother ride with the longer wheelbase did it for me. I just don't want to feel dependent on other people and their cars to help me do basic errands. Overall, even though the 4 door makes more sense for me based on where I'm at in life I still don't feel like I made a concession going with the 4 door.

I also went with a manual. I love manuals and wouldn't feel like it was my car if it was an automatic. It's so much more fun to drive. I think you're making a good decision. I get where people are coming from when they say to buy a beater to learn to drive stick, but I disagree. You'll stall a few dozen times, but you'll get it pretty quickly. It's really not that hard. And even if you were to somehow completely wreck the clutch (not going to happen) you could replace it for less than a price of any beater you'll find.

 

[Mimmy]

I had a 2 door jk and would have to put the big infant car seat through the hatch and over the back seat..besides climbing in to buckle the baby..definitely recommend the four door with kids

 

[pangmaster]

I sold my TJ Rubicon right before my daughter was born. As much as I loved that Jeep it was the right thing to do at the time. And 2 years after that my son was born. There is no way a 2-door would have worked for us.

 

[Wanderingwheelz]

Get the 4 door and save the money trading it in a year from now.

My salesman told me something like 60% of the 2 door he sells come back in 6 months to 2 years for the Unlimited.

My salesman told me 2 door owners are 63.7% better looking than Unlimited owners. We all know if a car salesman says something then it must be true.

 

[1quick1]

My salesman told me 2 door owners are 63.7% better looking than Unlimited owners. We all know if a car salesman says it then it must be true.

Don't be angry. I had a 2 door and love them. Just giving my opinion

 

[hotkarl]

2 door would work. It's just not as convenient. I vote for the beater...as the family car. Kids are real messy. I wouldn't do kids in anything new, or old that you care about. I had a museum quality 2nd gen Z28 with my first kid and it was frightening every time we went somewhere. I eventually got a beater (mechanically sound) for the family truckster. I was waaay too stressed out using my Z28 as the family DD.

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