No you don’t. They look cool and get you thinking you want them. However if you ever had to live with them instead of just looking you would quickly discover some of those cool looking things make for very annoying compromises and so you wouldn’t want them.
“hi, dealership, I’m looking for a car that looks like an oversized Amazon package and rides like I’m in a trashcan being kicked by a mule. You say you have plenty of jeeps available? Perfect.”
Jeeps, man. If you’re looking for a comfortable, reliable, fuel efficient vehicle, you’d go elsewhere. But if you want the front windshield to fold down, and for it to perform better off-road than on-road, they got a box on wheels that’s perfect for you.
Neighbor got a jeep. I was shocked to learn it gets 15-17 miles per gallon. I get that it is an SUV, but there are SUVs with more utility that get better gas mileage.
They have some models that have ok-ish gas mileage for an SUV. Then there’s the Wrangler. It starts with abysmal gas mileage, and then you upgrade it, and every upgrade adds weight or reduces on road efficiency. It’s really an offroad motorsports vehicle that somehow happens to be road legal.
I rented a jeep (Cherokee?) for the first time recently. Literally a worse driving experience than my old 2000 Mitsubishi Galant. Which was the worst ever, prior to the jeep.
I bought a Wrangler new for $27k, hit two trees with it while offroading, lost its spare key, and sold it without working heat 8 years later for 18k. 10/10, would do that again.
Though honestly, I probably wouldnt buy one again either. My wife and I want a light truck for house projects and her short commute, an EV for travel and my commute, and then I’d love a Polaris or something for fun. A Jeep ain’t any of those
given your story, it sounds like you did your best to drive that thing into the ground (not judging). I’m glad you had fun with it, as that’s what they’re for, although, you probably would have gotten many more years out of it had you actually driven it like a car and on the street (also, regular maintenance). just sayin’.
given your follow-up, it was obviously not a long-term choice (is it for anyone?), and I’m glad you’ve found what works for you. I discovered that my vehicle of choice is the NYC Subway! But, fuck, I REALLY miss my 2001 Honda Accord EX Coupe! That car was the shit!
edit: I changed out the headers, injectors, and spark plugs, had a friend replace the muffler, and replaced the air intake, and took that ca from 195HP to 245hp. it was so light, that such an increase was huge, and the transmission was delightful, with a trick in the accelerator where you could get it to shift up or down if you knew how to tap it just right. and that spoiler? smoooooth.
Look, Jeeps are only for fun, and if you buy one, knowing that, all the more power to you. Enjoy it.
As for living in NYC, that’s a lifestyle choice, and you either love it or hate it. I loved it, and it was the lifestyle choice that worked for me. It is not for everyone, I repeat: it is not for everyone, but if it is for you, It’s the only choice for you.
But I will say, my favorite car was my 2001 Honda Accord ex coupe. That car was fucking awesome. If I were in the market for another car right now, it would be between that, and a 2023 or 2024 Toyota Corolla hybrid.
I would go for EV if I could afford it, but I cannot at the moment. And, frankly, I’m trying to get back to New York, so I don’t even want to buy a car at all right now.
I really wish car companies would actually release production models that looked like the concept models. These look so goddamn cool.
I don’t need to see out the back if I’m staring into the future!
No you don’t. They look cool and get you thinking you want them. However if you ever had to live with them instead of just looking you would quickly discover some of those cool looking things make for very annoying compromises and so you wouldn’t want them.
You have described the experience of Jeep ownership. The heart wants what it wants.
“hi, dealership, I’m looking for a car that looks like an oversized Amazon package and rides like I’m in a trashcan being kicked by a mule. You say you have plenty of jeeps available? Perfect.”
Jeeps, man. If you’re looking for a comfortable, reliable, fuel efficient vehicle, you’d go elsewhere. But if you want the front windshield to fold down, and for it to perform better off-road than on-road, they got a box on wheels that’s perfect for you.
If people actually wanted that, Jeep wouldn’t keep making it more complicated and awkward to do with each new generation.
Yeah, you right haha. Ever since the JK I think it’s been theoretically possible, with effort, and you’ll have water ingress issues permanently.
At that point just get a normal car and a dedicated UTV for offroading
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Neighbor got a jeep. I was shocked to learn it gets 15-17 miles per gallon. I get that it is an SUV, but there are SUVs with more utility that get better gas mileage.
They have some models that have ok-ish gas mileage for an SUV. Then there’s the Wrangler. It starts with abysmal gas mileage, and then you upgrade it, and every upgrade adds weight or reduces on road efficiency. It’s really an offroad motorsports vehicle that somehow happens to be road legal.
I rented a jeep (Cherokee?) for the first time recently. Literally a worse driving experience than my old 2000 Mitsubishi Galant. Which was the worst ever, prior to the jeep.
lol, my first car was a Jeep. Fun car.
never bought another one, though.
I bought a Wrangler new for $27k, hit two trees with it while offroading, lost its spare key, and sold it without working heat 8 years later for 18k. 10/10, would do that again.
Though honestly, I probably wouldnt buy one again either. My wife and I want a light truck for house projects and her short commute, an EV for travel and my commute, and then I’d love a Polaris or something for fun. A Jeep ain’t any of those
'96-’01?
given your story, it sounds like you did your best to drive that thing into the ground (not judging). I’m glad you had fun with it, as that’s what they’re for, although, you probably would have gotten many more years out of it had you actually driven it like a car and on the street (also, regular maintenance). just sayin’.
given your follow-up, it was obviously not a long-term choice (is it for anyone?), and I’m glad you’ve found what works for you. I discovered that my vehicle of choice is the NYC Subway! But, fuck, I REALLY miss my 2001 Honda Accord EX Coupe! That car was the shit!
edit: I changed out the headers, injectors, and spark plugs, had a friend replace the muffler, and replaced the air intake, and took that ca from 195HP to 245hp. it was so light, that such an increase was huge, and the transmission was delightful, with a trick in the accelerator where you could get it to shift up or down if you knew how to tap it just right. and that spoiler? smoooooth.
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Look, Jeeps are only for fun, and if you buy one, knowing that, all the more power to you. Enjoy it.
As for living in NYC, that’s a lifestyle choice, and you either love it or hate it. I loved it, and it was the lifestyle choice that worked for me. It is not for everyone, I repeat: it is not for everyone, but if it is for you, It’s the only choice for you.
But I will say, my favorite car was my 2001 Honda Accord ex coupe. That car was fucking awesome. If I were in the market for another car right now, it would be between that, and a 2023 or 2024 Toyota Corolla hybrid.
I would go for EV if I could afford it, but I cannot at the moment. And, frankly, I’m trying to get back to New York, so I don’t even want to buy a car at all right now.
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I also think they’re cool. I also wouldn’t own one because of how incredibly out of place they look.
Chrysler used to do that. Did you ever put your money where your mouth is and buy a P.T. Cruiser, Prowler, or Crossfire?
Hell yeah, I owned a PT for about a year, that car was fun to drive. Never been able to hold the gas pedal to the floor for as long in any other car!
LOL, I see what you did there.
Fiat 500, my friend.
I really wanted a crossfire, but couldn’t afford one at the time
If in was in my 50’s having a raging midlife crisis, I would totally get a prowler