Dealer Sponsored 101 Offroad Experience Word of Caution

[JWM PLAYS]

This. All. Day. Long.

Curious ….did they tell you what trails you were going on? I always do my homework the best I can on all trails to see “what I am getting into”. Left over mentality from my former road course racing life. Studied every track prior to arriving for the real deal.

Once you get ”your legs“ with more experience on how things react in the wild, then taking on the unknown is much easier. Always …..Always ….always have the right gear with you. Whether you need it or not.

Curious on your damage. The first time you drag your belly over rocks, you think you just royally screwed the pooch When in all reality ….all is well.

They didn’t give specific trails in advance other that to say that they would be 1 or 2 difficulty and that none would result in body damage. The damage sustained was heavy pinstriping beyond what I would have expected. This one doesn’t bother me as much as I have everything to do paint correction however I would rather have not needed to do a full polish just yet. The main thing was damage to the right front fender flare which will have to be replaced.
They satiated in the kickoff meeting that heavy trails wouldn’t occur until the afternoon session. I think we were reasonable to expect to not take damage in the morning session.

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[Elff]

I have an over the top Wrangler Rock Crawler.
I took a whole bunch of people all around Rausch Creek a couple months ago, and we did fine.
I made sure to choose trails that were appropriate for them, not me.

I think your Veteran Trail Guides have a lot to learn.

 

[JWM PLAYS]

If it were truly an "Offroading 101" you certainly could have. I took my bone stock Sport S to an offroad park with the local club a couple of weeks ago because they said they were gonna do green (easy) trails only, and that's exactly what we did. Came away with nothing but clear coat scratches.

You were misled.

I appreciate your validation. Us all knowing what Gladiators cost and having spent the $ to replace both bumpers, add a winch, add full rock rails and a front skid plate plus having bought all necessary recovery gear as well as the equipment to properly deflate and inflate, you can obviously see why we were upset to have been lead into a trail that resulted in damage. Certainly anything can happen but the verbally assured everyone that the morning session would be nothing too wild that damage would occur.

 

[AZCooWhip]

They didn’t give specific trails in advance other that to say that they would be 1 or 2 difficulty and that none would result in body damage. The damage sustained was heavy pinstriping beyond what I would have expected. This one doesn’t bother me as much as I have everything to do paint correction however I would rather have not needed to do a full polish just yet. The main thing was damage to the right front fender flare which will have to be replaced.
They satiated in the kickoff meeting that heavy trails wouldn’t occur until the afternoon session. I think we were reasonable to expect to not take damage in the morning session.

Copy that ….I hear you. Pin striping still drives me batshit crazy. It’s getting a bit better lately when it happens, butttttttttt

 

[JWM PLAYS]

I have an over the top Wrangler Rock Crawler.
I took a whole bunch of people all around Rausch Creek a couple months ago, and we did fine.
I made sure to choose trails that were appropriate for them, not me.

I think your Veteran Trail Guides have a lot to learn.

I appreciate your feedback. I don’t think the trail guide was as concerned about our Jeep as he should have been.

 

[bleda2002]

If you are going to spend money to replace it, go with Rubicon flares for the higher clearance

 

[JWM PLAYS]

If you are going to spend money to replace it, go with Rubicon flares for the higher clearance

Good advice. If we can find a used one, we will just buy the one.

 

[JWM PLAYS]

What kind of damage did you end up with?

Pictures please. We’re you the only one to sustain damage?

Sadly there is a lot of subjectivity in off road trails.
As I was cutting my teeth I learned that one person's easy trail is another's demanding trail.
Vehicle build

, driver skill, weather can all play into how well your day goes.

Did they air you down or conduct any sort of driver meeting before hand?
Did they have spotters?
What kind of damage did you receive?

As promised. This is the major damage that I am most upset about. Were I not a hobbyist detailer with experience polishing clear coat, I would be upset about the severity of the pinstripes. This because I witnessed her having to take lines far to one side or the other hard against trees just to get her Jeep through the trail. Hands down, no one else in our group sustained pinstripes like she did due to them having built rigs capable of taking lines more in the center of the trail. Out of what had to be 30 or so Jeeps there, I didn’t see any others with as heavy pinstriping as hers. To be fair to the hosts, they did say you would get pinstriping but AFTER we got away from their event, we went around on our own using the provided map taking green trails and didn’t experience anything close to what their “beginner” trail ride took us through so I know we sustained way more pinstriping than we should have. I know for a fact I saw at least one other gladiator with plastic running boards like my wife’s used to have before we put rock rails on and had they gone through what our guide took us through on the beginner course, they would have left both those running boards on the trail. They came back with both so I assume their guide adhered to the Level 1-2 trail rule.

I realize this isn’t total carnage but given this was our first time out, we were promised nothing beyond pinstriping and we had already spent $3k + adding bumpers, rock rails, skid plates, winch prior to her first outing to protect against damage and try to be reasonably prepared, I think we are beyond justified to be upset. It’s not about the $ or the labor to fix it up really, it’s just about the disappointment of thinking your getting eased in to off roading and getting stuck with damage you would not have chosen to take.

 

[Elff]

Since that can't rust, I'd just leave it. Maybe put one of those band aid stickers on it.
But then, when I destroyed my factory flare a couple months ago, I ended up doing this

So I guess I can't really talk. LOL

 

[ShastaJT6]

As promised. This is the major damage that I am most upset about. Were I not a hobbyist detailer with experience polishing clear coat, I would be upset about the severity of the pinstripes. This because I witnessed her having to take lines far to one side or the other hard against trees just to get her Jeep through the trail. Hands down, no one else in our group sustained pinstripes like she did due to them having built rigs capable of taking lines more in the center of the trail. Out of what had to be 30 or so Jeeps there, I didn’t see any others with as heavy pinstriping as hers. To be fair to the hosts, they did say you would get pinstriping but AFTER we got away from their event, we went around on our own using the provided map taking green trails and didn’t experience anything close to what their “beginner” trail ride took us through so I know we sustained way more pinstriping than we should have. I know for a fact I saw at least one other gladiator with plastic running boards like my wife’s used to have before we put rock rails on and had they gone through what our guide took us through on the beginner course, they would have left both those running boards on the trail. They came back with both so I assume their guide adhered to the Level 1-2 trail rule.

I realize this isn’t total carnage but given this was our first time out, we were promised nothing beyond pinstriping and we had already spent $3k + adding bumpers, rock rails, skid plates, winch prior to her first outing to protect against damage and try to be reasonably prepared, I think we are beyond justified to be upset. It’s not about the $ or the labor to fix it up really, it’s just about the disappointment of thinking your getting eased in to off roading and getting stuck with damage you would not have chosen to take.

I mean.. its a small scratch on the fender.. who cares?
Thats par for the course on a trip out. If youre going to drop $600 on new fenders every time you get a nick like that, youre going to be very broke very quick.

There is a reality to offroading that things get dinged and dented from time to time.
This is far, FAR from "Major Damage". Its a small scratch. Ive seen people rip fenders entirely off and throw them in the back of the truck.

I mean this in the most respectful way possible, but you need to adjust your expectations. Show quality and offroading do not match. This is something you should be proud of and laughing with your friends - I got my first scratch! I ripped the bandaid off! Whoo!

Go back to the woods and get a few more. Have fun. Live a little.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You need to go wheeling with these people. They care, they are helpful, they even help protect your Jeep and they have fun doing it. Great group.

 

[Elff]

I've never seen people bring body cushions before
LOL

 

[JWM PLAYS]

I mean.. its a small scratch on the fender.. who cares?
Thats par for the course on a trip out. If youre going to drop $600 on new fenders every time you get a nick like that, youre going to be very broke very quick.

There is a reality to offroading that things get dinged and dented from time to time.
This is far, FAR from "Major Damage". Its a small scratch. Ive seen people rip fenders entirely off and throw them in the back of the truck.

I mean this in the most respectful way possible, but you need to adjust your expectations. Show quality and offroading do not match. This is something you should be proud of and laughing with your friends - I got my first scratch! I ripped the bandaid off! Whoo!

Go back to the woods and get a few more. Have fun. Live a little.

I didn’t set my expectations, they did. I know full well that damage is possible if not probable depending on what you do with the vehicle. We don’t plan to destroy a new Jeep or rip the fenders off and throw them in the back. I’m not ashamed of that nor will I apologize. I’m not unable to afford to fix the damage.
What I know is if the expectation was set by them to push the limits to the point that you’re unable to continue on the trail and have to turn around and get damage, we would have gladly not attended. There were plenty of trails there that were able to be navigated with 0 damage.
What was advertised and what was delivered are not the same and that’s the point of the story. I don’t care if someone else has a $110k Gladiator and is comfortable with thrashing it. That means nothing to me. I care that someone claimed to introduce and teach off-roading and to take easy trails so no one gets damage and that’s not how it went. We didn’t get to chose to push the limits on our first outing, the choice was made for us.

 

[JWM PLAYS]

Did get a cool souvenir in the form of this picture however. Despite the damage drama. Should have shared this already.

 

[Elff]

Nice!

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