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I have absolutely no business owning a JK

32K views 369 replies 153 participants last post by  Beastmaster 
#1 ·
No really, I don't. I've spent weeks silently crawling every jeep site, searching for something that explains why I should buy the wrangler unlimited rubicon in anvil that I have been lusting after. Everything I've read says I shouldn't.

Me:
  • I have a 6 month old daughter, her safety is paramount.
  • I recently moved to Michigan from Northern California, right before the snowpocalypse.
  • I am looking for the ultimate snow shredding vehicle, from inches, to feet. If it's a blizzard, and I need to go somewhere or get out of dodge, I want that capability. An ultimate inclement and severe weather vehicle. Simultaneously, a Jeep would be my daily driver.
  • My wife rolled a Cherokee once on ice. Since she currently has a Ford Fushion w/ AWD and Blizzaks to drive (our current family car), it may be unlikely that whatever snow worthy vehicle I replace my daily driver with would be driven by her. However if I were to buy a safer, more capable snow vehicle, maybe she would.
  • I have never been off-roading before
  • I have never owned a truck. Only sports/sporty cars: honda, subaru, acura, bmw, mini, vw etc.


"Facts" I have been made aware of from researching:

  • JK's are not safe (especially in side impact testing) to most other vehicles on the road. Not recommended for families, or folks with families.
  • JK's are not intended for the road, they are primarily off-road vehicles, and on road driving is a secondary consideration (maybe even tertiary for older jeeps w/o heated seats and other suburban comforts). Folks seem to recommend Grand Cherokee or Subaru/Audi for inclement weather.
  • JK's are not as easy to drive in ice, or light snow as a Subaru. Subaru's AWD is superior to Jeep's 4 HI on the road.
  • JK's have quirks like roof leaks, defrost/wiper issues, etc.

My opinions:

  • I love Subaru AWD, but they lost me a long time ago. Their interiors are cheap, their cars are boring (except perhaps the wrx/sti), and the vehicles I would be looking at like the Forester or Outback are the vehicle equivalent of drug induced coma.
  • I drove a Trailhawk, it was well mannered and high rent inside. I like the aggressive looks in the front, but it looks like a soccer-mom car from other angles. Panoramic roof was awesome. I realize that looks don't mean much, but if I'm going to buy something new, I'd like both. I've watched several youtube videos of them getting stuck in what looks like unremarkable snow.
  • The Grand Cherokee Altitude looks nice in black, drives nice, and is boring. It seems to be missing some features however, and it doesn't have any kind of terrain selection knob/buttons to alter the 4WD. I wonder if this would not be the amazing snow performer I'm looking for. I've read that it's very safe.



The only things I know about the JK Unlimited Rubicons I have driven from personal experience is:

They are slow, feel heavy, noisy on the freeway, turn like crap, have sucky stereos, and yet they put a gigantic smile on my face and I desperately want to buy one.


If you got this far, thanks for reading. I'm likely just another mallcrawler asking the same question(s) they all ask:


Should I buy a JK?



-Freq
 
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#4 ·
All pretty much on base. You love 'em for what they are or you don't. That said, I waited until my kids were older and bought another one. As for safety, watch the video. OTOH, are there safer family vehicles that'll be snow warriors? Yes. Many.
 
#11 ·
If you truly believe everything that you have stated in your post, then NO, NO, AND NO, because you will never be happy with it.

I love my Wrangler, but they are not for everybody.

Good Luck!!!!!
 
#12 ·
...
They are slow, feel heavy, noisy on the freeway, turn like crap, have sucky stereos, and yet they put a gigantic smile on my face and I desperately want to buy one.
...
Should I buy a JK?
... You love 'em for what they are or you don't.
If you don't get it, it will bug you forever. ...

If owning a Wrangler would make you happy (as it very most likely would)
and
not owning a Wrangler (or owning something other than a Wrangler) would make you unhappy
then
what value do you place on your happiness?

I don't really see a choice here. :happyyes:
 
#18 ·
^ x2

Put your wife in one and let her test drive it with you. If she gets to the same place you seem to be in your heart, then making a decision will be easier - even it it isn't a Jeep.

I bought my first in 2012 and traded up to a Rubi less than a year later. Had & played in trucks before getting married. After marriage & kids, we did the minivan thing until none of us could stand it any more, including the kids. Kids grew up, moved away and got their own vehicles. The wife & I decided planning to haul 7-8 people everywhere with them gone, we were past that all that and it wasn't practical.

It's a bug that bites hard. Some things that seem to make so much sense in NOT going for a Wrangler, get over powered by the necessity to want to be behind the wheel of one. And while a number of things you mentioned are true & real, many of them come down to how you actually drive. In our case, even with the data, gas station receipts and nutty warranty repairs, it's part of who we are now. We're 40 miles south of Chicago - we went through an crazy winter here too, like those of the mid-late 70's. I had no issues getting to or from work. A few of those days, I had to drop off & pickup my wife. On those days, they were 120 miles round trip. Never had a problem. Yes, they're light and without the right tire setup can be a little "exciting" but I never once worried about not making it safe.

Ours is my dd - but it's also our Jamboree/off roading with friends vehicle too. We don't hammer the snot out of it or take it through lakes of water & mud, but we have a blast on trails & rocks. We get home from work through out the week sometimes and grab some Jimmie Johns and just cruise topless. Some of our greatest moments together.

Our girls both got bit by the bug - they're talking families now and wrestle with the same questions you've posed. I'm fairly confident the oldest will have one within the next year or two and it'll be a JKU with little ones in it. As her pop and their future grandpa, I'm completely cool with it.

At the end of the day, you're the only one who has to live with you (other than your wife). Putting your head on the pillow at night with a clear conscience is all that really matters. For me, I can tell you you I sleep like a baby with a Rubi in my garage.
 
#14 ·
I own both --a Subaru Forrester and a JK Rubicon and yes the subaru will eat the JK for lunch in winter driving on snow and ice, gets almost twice the gas mileage, has the X mode, never goes back to the dealer for warranty issues, maintains its value as well as the jeep, has better crash test and safety records......and the list goes on. However it is still not the jeep and does not have the same fun factor. So it boils down to what matters more--reality or the fun factor--for me it was easier to have both.
 
#16 ·
From what you wrote, jeep ownership is already under your skin. If you do not get one, you will be playing the "what if" scenario in your head for days, months, yrs to come. Every time you see one at the mall, on the road, out in some field and when you come back to this site, because you will, the "what if" scenario will be playing in your head. You will wonder about the places you could have been, the things you could have seen because I assure you, the list of vehicles you mentioned? None of those will get you where a Wrangler will get you. AND, none of those vehicles will put a smile on your face like the Jeep Wrangler does.

My advice to you is to answer the call and sate this inner beast once and for all or, you will be haunted by it till the end of days.
 
#17 ·
My advice to you is to answer the call and sate this inner beast once and for all or, you will be haunted by it till the end of days.
Sorry to post again so quickly, but DaK makes a point that I meant to address in all my babbling and forgot... If you buy a JK, drive it a while and decide it doesn't work out, you will be able to unload it with minimal loss. Killer resale!
 
#19 ·
http://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/should-i-get-a-wrangler-38861.html

Welcome to the forum.
I went from a 2-door JK to a Power Wangon 3 years ago thinking it was for the best. On paper it made sense. My friends understood, supported me.
But, as far as my real self was concerned, I might as well have put on my wife's heels and joined the circus. It wasn't me.

As you get older I think it becomes more important to admit what your are.
Hi. I'm Bill. And I am a Jeeper.

You drive what you are; you are what you drive.

Have you ever bought something because it was on sale? Almost fit right and you almost liked/needed needed it? And you never quite used it? Maybe you used it and bragged about the price for a month but then it sat on a shelf for 5 years until you finally threw it out...

That's what it's like to buy the wrong truck. You buy it because it's practical, Consumer Reports says to buy it, the "smart guy" at work has a brother who has one, or some other logical reason.
But do you want it? I mean WANT it.

The ExPo thread's advice is oriented more along the lines of buying the vehicle that suits your needs ---- that's intelligent thinking. If you need to haul a bunch of 2x4's every day, a Wrangler is a poor choice.
But, if you get in one and it talks to you at a primitive & visceral level, if you feel a tingle in your deoxyribo's when it propels you up a rocky tree-lined ridge, if it makes your beard grow a 1/4 inch just opening the door, a Wrangler suits you and you'll never sleep right without one.
 
#20 ·
Rent one for a week. Both you and and the wife drive it as much as possible. A totally different design, I really like my Jeep TJ as a weekend toy, but as a full time DD......not so sure.

As far as American made ? The Jee-iat, has as many " overseas" parts as my Harley!
 
#21 ·
Trust me DO IT!!! I put off buying one for over a decade because it didn't exactly fit what I needed (truck). ILOVE my 14 Willys and kick myself for not buying a Wrangler earlier!
 
#22 ·
Against all advice from my side of the family I bought my first Jeep last month. I. LOVE. IT. I will never go back to a "normal" vehicle again. I have the doors off an the top off every day (daily driver) occasionally and begrudgingly putting the Freedom panels on for rain days. I dread buttoning it up for winter and it will take a freezing temp day for me to put the doors back on.

IN LOVE WITH MY 2 door Anvil JEEP. Life is short, buy the Jeep and live it!!!!
 
#24 ·
The only things I know about the JK Unlimited Rubicons I have driven from personal experience is:

They are slow, feel heavy, noisy on the freeway, turn like crap, have sucky stereos, and yet they put a gigantic smile on my face and I desperately want to buy one.


-Freq
Was it a unlimited with Pentastar engine or a older unlimited. I think my unlimited 2013 is rather powerful and fast, with about the same acc. as old muscle cars and old small V8.
 
#25 ·
The Wrangler can be had with side airbags (but only in front). I bet adding rock rails would improve side safety too.

You can add winter tires (Blizzaks, Nokians) and make it a very good snow/ice vehicle.
 
#26 ·
Just get the Jeep! You won't be sorry. I had the same concerns as you, and the only regret I have now, is the fact that I waited 7 years to finally just do it. I commute about 60 miles a day, and I have to say it isn't nearly as noisy, bouncy or uncomfortable as everyone told me it would be. My wife prefers driving/taking the Wrangler over her plush Grand Cherokee limited everywhere we go. We love it, especially my 2.5 yr old daughter. I'm positive I'll be driving a Wrangler for many years to come.
 
#28 ·
I have a 2dr Wrangler and a Grand Cherokee Overland. You are a prime candidate for a GC. It is better at every single thing that is important to you, it is more like the vehicles you have chosen throughout your life so far, it is far safer statistically and testing-wise, and it is more than capable enough for any of the conditions you are worried about. Where does it fall short compared to the Wrangler? Ummm... on trails. But here's the catch: You have to go on some pretty bodacious trail elements before the GC would be stopped, and you've already said that's not your thing.

In my opinion the GC would be a better choice for you in every possible circumstance you intend to expose yourself to. I don't know what you have to do to get the "4WD Conditions" knob, but it comes on the Overland.

The Wrangler is more fun, no doubt, especially with a 6-speed. Feels like you're actually doing something, piloting a Wrangler. It demands a lot of you. It's an all-in feeling, like a temperamental sportscar is. That is fun to me and I find myself hopping in the Wrangler for a run to the store or across town more often than I grab the Grand Cherokee or any of the other cars. And those include some fancy German Autobahn-crushing hardware. The Wrangler really is fun.

But you are contemplating that fun at the demonstrable expense of some measure of the safety of your family. I'd think long and hard about that. Only you can answer if that is a reasonable choice for you and your family. But don't enter into it blindly.
 
#31 ·
I have a 2dr Wrangler and a Grand Cherokee Overland. You are a prime candidate for a GC. It is better at every single thing that is important to you, it is more like the vehicles you have chosen throughout your life so far, it is far safer statistically and testing-wise, and it is more than capable enough for any of the conditions you are worried about. Where does it fall short compared to the Wrangler? Ummm... on trails. But here's the catch: You have to go on some pretty bodacious trail elements before the GC would be stopped, and you've already said that's not your thing.
That's a good point. Having owned -and wheeled- a Grand Cherokee Overland I can vouch that it's a great daily driver, very comfortable long-distance cruiser and quite capable offroad - most folks would chicken out before the GC would.
 
#30 ·
Warning: Jeep Blasphemy about to occur

It sounds like you have reasoned this all out but have not fully explored all the options available to you.

If highway/street safety is paramount (yet you still want to off road)....you are correct, the Wrangler is not for you. So What Is ???

My suggestion would be to look to Toyota, both the 4Runner and the FJ Cruiser have good safety ratings and have excellent off road capabilities. They are built for the task and they do it well.

The 4Runner is well set up for off road and kids....I have never met a 4Runner owner that was not deeply satisfied with his purchase. The new Trail Editions are the bomb!

The FJ Cruiser (being discontinued this year) has amazing capabilities off road in its stock form and is very comfortable on the road as well. We drove ours 2500 miles to MOAB and Sedona...wheeled and came back to Iowa. Loved every minute of it.

People will tell you that it is not suited for kids because of the suicide doors....we raised our daughter from age 1.5 in that vehicle and really had no issues with the doors. The only complaint that I would have about the FJC is that from a kids perspective....there is really not much to be seen from the back seat when you are wheeling. We still own it and love it...I doubt that it will ever get sold.

Just my .02,

Doc
 
#32 ·
I was in a similar situation to you about a year ago, except that I had owned a Jeep before. I have a young daughter, I don't do much off-roading and this is my DD. My wife also drives a Subaru which is the biggest piece of crap I've ever had the misfortune of buying. I narrowed my choices down to the Rubicon and an Audi (I also like to drive fast). No other SUVs piqued my interest in the least as I felt they were all far too boring or sissy. After multiple test drives and some deep soul searching I knew the Rubi was the best choice for me. I have no issues with this as my DD. My 730N radio and Nav system is great, I have no idea why people have issues with it. It is plenty fast for an SUV, it's no race car, but it's got some git up and go. I had no issues with it in the snow and in fact was very impressed with how it handled. It was predictable and consistent. At the first snow I took it to a parking lot and played with it, doing donuts and letting it loose with traction control on and off. I got a very good feel for it. Even when trying to drive like an idiot, the traction control system reigned me in.

The biggest concern was for my daughter's safety. In doing my research, the issue with the side impact was that the top of the door frame entered the passenger cabin a little bit and could hit the side occupant. I remedied this by putting my daughter's car seat in the middle position. She loves being there because she can see out the front.

I've had my Jeep for over a year now and still look forward to driving it every day. The biggest surprise to me is how much my wife loves it.

There are absolutely trade offs and for some they may be unacceptable. As has been mentioned, Jeeps are not for everyone. They are not as comfortable as other similarly priced vehicles, the ride isn't as nice and they have some known issues. All that being said, I can't see me driving anything else. Nothing puts a smile on my face more than taking the top and doors off (never with my daughter) and driving.

On pen and paper the Rubicon makes little sense, but sometimes you just have to say what the fu** life's not only about pens and paper. Life is too short and too stressful to drive something that sucks! Good luck with your choice.
 
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