[cjbotham]

I've always been a 2-door Jeep guy. I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to my Jeeps, and the 2-door is such a classic look that runs all the way back through Jeep's history. Driving around these days, however, it's getting less and less common to see another 2-door out on the streets. The Unlimited models have undoubtedly taken over the market, meaning tons of Jeep drivers are opting for the 4-door over the 2-door. My question is, which door count did you opt for, and why did you choose it?

To be clear, I'm not interested in a which is better debate here, because I don't judge either way. A Jeep is a Jeep, and both are great vehicles. I'm just curious to get the reasons behind your decision. Mine follow:

1. 2-door Jeeps offer a classic look and tie directly into Jeep's history.
2. I love the shorter wheelbase and smaller turning radius, especially out on the trails.
3. For me, I can do everything I wanna do in my 2-door, so the 4-door doesn't really offer me anything else. For storage, I have a car-top carrier and a hitch basket if I need extra cargo space for longer trips, but I have yet to max them out on camping trips and such.
4. There's nothing quite like having the top down and doors off with four people in the 2-door. It's cozy and feels like the YJ or TJ days.

Cheers!

 

[BlueBabySound]

I have both.
More times than not we take both Jeeps.
Like you I love the 2 door on the trails, but the 4 door is best for us if we're camping. My wife is a high maintenance camper and we have a dog.
I prefer the 4 door when rock crawling, same reason most 2 doors get stretched if they're crawling.

 

[dschrade02.ds]

While I like the looks of a two door, it just isn't practical for me. So I own a four door. When we go on road trips halfway across the country to go skiing, we need every inch of space to hold just the two of us and all of the gear we take along. And, we don't over-pack, either. It's just us and what we NEED along

 

[Keon]

I like my 2-door a lot more than the 4-door my father used to have, and he feels the same way when comparing it to mine or his TJ. The SWB is a lot more fun on the road. I do not need more space than I get with the rear seat removed. The tight turning circle that makes parking an U-turns easy, unbeatable breakover, and decreased weight is hugely beneficial to my use as both a runabout and trail rig. Plus, my skis fit in there just fine.

 

[bergy]

I have a 2 dr because I like the classic look, I also have no need for the extra space the 4 dr offers. I have no kids and the rear seat being removed from my 2 dr is plenty of space when wheeling or taking the dogs somewhere. If I need more space and I am not off-roading I take our Yukon. The 2 dr is also better when I am looking to trailer my Jeep somewhere as well, as it is shorter and lighter. The Jeep is an extra and fun vehicle for us, luckily it doesn't need to be practical.

 

[The Good Twin]

Bought the two door YJ 'cause that's what was available and we could afford it. Next Jeep will probably be a 4-door for grand kids somewhere down the road.

 

[ChmeyerIndiana]

I got a 4 door as that vehicle was replacing the family car at that point in our lives. I like the storage it provides, especially for camping gear.
I'm looking at getting a 2 door in the next few years as I share the love for those and a desire to have one of each. I hope that by choosing a 2 door, it will help in the fight to keep them alive.

I don't want the following to come off as argumentative, but just feel like the 2 door versus 4 door debate often ignores much of the history of the of brand while trying to make the argument that modern 2 door Wranglers are somehow more true to the origin of Jeep.

The CJ/Ag/Universal Jeeps didn't come with doors as a factory option until the 1970s, so they were essentially sold with no doors. There were aftermarket metal and cloth cabs of course.

Willys produced panel delivery wagons in the late 1940's that had 4 doors...and were some of the first commercially available vehicles mass marketed as sport/utility vehicles with 4 wheel drive.
They also allowed Mitsubishi to license the panel delivery wagons in the 1950s and at least some of those had 4 doors.

I contend that modern Wranglers share as much DNA with those Willys Wagons as they do with the civilian jeeps and military jeeps from which they also evolved.

Chris

 

[DiamondMox]

It always comes down to which is better, that's the nature of the question, but what many people fail to remember is that what is better for you is not always better for everybody else. We all have unique circumstances that leads to unique outcomes, such as which model Jeep fits us best. They each have pros and cons, hopefully we each picked the one for us with more pros than cons.

My circumstances lead me to a 4dr. It's my daily and I have kids and I tow a small camper and/or boat so the extra wheelbase suited me better. Better ride for the daily, more leg room for the kids, more stability when towing. I do pine for the tighter turning radius and more tossability of the 2dr so maybe one day when my circumstances change, so may my Jeep, but for right now, the 4dr fits the bill better.

 

[Wildtoad]

I didn’t feel the need for additional seating or cargo space, and as the OP stated I like the looks of the 2dr. However last year I needed to haul a much of stuff from my MIL’s townhome to our home and could have used the extra cargo space. Taking the back seat in and out by a 69 yo with angina issues is not recommended! I also like how easy it is to get into curbside parking spaces. But the overriding factor was weight. While my Motorhome CAN pull the weight of a 4dr, I prefer not to put the extra stress on it.

I may at some point swap my current ride for a 4dr but it will have to be a ICE version as the 4XE is way to heavy, pricy, and has yet to get the bugs out from reviews I’ve read. Some that have them may have good results.

 

[Digger84]

I have both.
More times than not we take both Jeeps.
Like you I love the 2 door on the trails, but the 4 door is best for us if we're camping. My wife is a high maintenance camper and we have a dog.
I prefer the 4 door when rock crawling, same reason most 2 doors get stretched if they're crawling.

So you can high center on a big rock - great idea
Plus you get a bigger turning radius

next you can prefer a long bed crew cab full-size pickup for rock crawling

 

[5JKs]

Have both. I do a lot of vacationing with my Jeep. If were wheeling on the trip, the two door Rubicon gets the nod. But with that comes a small fuel tank, so I'm always fueling. For non-wheeling trips we take the 4 door wrangler because of the larger tank w/ 2.0t gets much better range. Have hard and soft tops for both (we have a big barn, thankfully no issues with storage). For all the construction crap I haul around, that goes in the back of the filthy gladiator.

 

[NEIA Nomad]

Because they only made the best Wrangler design, the TJ, on a 2 door

 

[aldo90731]

Because:

1. I need to be able to carry people; my other car is a 2-seat roadster
2. I often need to pick up yard stuff or haul a bulky item
3. I go camping in bear country and I need to sleep inside the Jeep
4. I want a Sahara and the idiots at Jeep don’t make them in 2-door anymore

 

[H8SPVMT]

2 Door was good enough to ride in the Navy so I just bought a 2 door for a get around vehicle when I needed it.

 

[Zaedock]

Because they only made the best Wrangler design, the TJ, on a 2 door

In America.

 

[cranbiz]

In 2012, Momma wanted a new vehicle and she wanted a Jeep and it was to be her DD. I really wasn't in the best position at that time to buy but figured we could swing something if we were careful.
The Sport I currently wheel in was the cheapest JK on the lot if I remember right it was just under $24K. Couldn't afford to go up to a Sport JKU that was $5K more.

Fast forward 5 years, in a very good position now, bought her a 2017 GC Trailhawk and took over her JK full time and wheel the crap out of it.

So, that's why I have a 2 Dr but in hindsight, it's exactly was the right Jeep to buy when we bought it.

 

[Digger84]

In America.

4 door TJ was aftermarket conversion

Autotrader - page unavailable

 

[Zaedock]

4 door TJ was aftermarket conversion

Autotrader - page unavailable

OK. It was built Under License.

 

[Zaedock]

Looks like Jeeping + Kids = 4 Door. That's fine by me, and doesn't affect any purity IMO. There are plenty of classic 2WD Jeeps running around. I'd love to have a bright yellow Jeepster.

 

[AustyPosty]

Took the rear seats out of my 2 door so I don’t have to get stuck hauling people around. Also i love how it performs on tight technical trails.

when I have kids, my fiancée will get a 4 door Jeep. 2 door isn’t going anywhere.