Why do owners never take doors/tops off or go off-road?

[ShadowsPapa]

Back to the bottom line(s) -
A number of JT owners in the forum are women - they love their trucks, some DO hit trails, some DO open them up, others just love the truck for what it is - a Jeep, a mid-size truck, a versatile vehicle.
For every woman here on the forum there's hundreds - or more - not on the forum who own Jeeps of all sorts - Wrangler, Gladiator, whatever. Their purposes may be different, maybe not. Who's to say - and who's to judge their reasoning? If not for them - Jeep may have troubles as a company/brand.

Every state has different climates - and different topography and geology. To apply the same reasons and "rules" of citizen Jeep owners of Maine to those of Colorado, New Mexico or Iowa or Illinois is arrogant and "judging" based on personal likes or opinions. The guy in Florida will have different uses for his truck than the guy in Iowa where it's farms, construction companies and so on - and no trails, no rocks. To apply the same criteria and ask "why don't they" is a bit assuming, and again, a bit arrogant, isn't it?
'Why don't you do it like me?'
Yawn, big deal. Wish I had saved the targets from gun training Dad had me go to when I was young. Mom said if he's going to shoot, he's going to class. And I did. It runs in the family, before he was discharged from the Navy, my youngest son was a top shot, and he was slated to be an instructor. He impressed even the top marksmen at the time. But being a bored teen living in the country with little else to do - he practiced....... and got good. The Navy wanted him - but in the end a doctor said no - his feet were a problem. (my other son said his brother talked the first doctor into letting him pass and get in, dunno the whole story there)
So not a lot impresses me about "Crack shots". I wasn't bad myself when young and when the US Navy says your son is a top shot, it means something.
And it's got zip to do with Jeeps - unless you use your Jeep for deer hunting like a few guys here do - impressive "payload" in a few shots from last fall.

It goes back to what someone else said earlier - why should it bother people - and why do people judge those who don't rough it on the hardest trails in the country with 40" tires or those who leave the roof on? Little else in life? Got something to prove, I guess?
I dunno, I guess I WOULD BE judging if I tried to figure out why others did, eh?

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[BLK HOLE]

Same reason a lot of corvette owners don’t track their car.

 

[Motoarch]

Same reason a lot of corvette owners don’t track their car.

Arent most Vette owner retires that can now afford to have a vette as a slow cruising weekender?

It's always felt like a old mans car to me, not a real track day car.

 

[BLK HOLE]

Arent most Vette owner retires that can now afford to have a vette as a slow cruising weekender?

It's always felt like a old mans car to me, not a real track day car.

Still a car designed to compete in the turns and straight lines...most lambos and Ferraris don't track either.

Some people just the vehicle.

 

[Psycho Squirrel]

I’ve owned a XJ, a ZJ and a JKU and I took all three off road, some mild trails and more challenging stuff like the trails at Rausch Creek. I don’t really plan to do anything more than green trails and the occasional beach run with the Gladdy but my main reason for getting the JT was to tow our camper, boat trailer, toy box, etc. All that being said I plan to get a TJ or a JL and use it for more aggressive stuff. I do however take off my doors on the JT whenever I can, weather permitting. Don’t usually take off the roof as I hate baking in the sun, I live in the DC region as well, Frederick MD to be exact, and deal with traffic.

As to the Corvette theory: Corvettes, Harley Davison’s, white sneakers and jorts have an expiration date that closely lines up with the fade of the baby boomers. I’m 45, offspring of boomers and several of my family members own all three.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

This is my fourth Jeep - I've never been off road. I want to - just haven't done it YET!

My reasons for driving a Jeep have included:
Made in America.
Can't kill 'em.
Cool factor.
Flexible - top/doors on or off.
Urban 4 wheeling: curbs, medians - go where I wanna go.
Ride higher.

I'd rather have a Jeep than a Porsche (although I had a Porsche for years).

All these reasons ^^^ apply to me too. Also if/when I ever sell my Rubicon it will almost certainly have better resale value than a GMC Canyon AT4 - which I considered buying.

I don't have much intent to go wheeling though I am sure I will launch my boat from dirt at a local lake here and to get there I will drive dirt roads but certainly nothing my old GMC 2500HD wouldn't do.

I don't like beating up my vehicles - scratches, dents, etc. It's just the way I am. My vehicles looking good is important to me. I worked hard for my money and I don't like driving beat up turds. There's nothing "poser" about it because I don't think someone that DOES go wheeling is any "better" or more "manly" than someone who doesn't.

 

[texanjeeper]

This is the first time I've owned a vehicle that had the topless capability that the Gladiator does. I find myself looking for reasons to take the freedom panels off and drive around. I've had the entire top off once, and I loved it and will be doing that more as well, maybe not until October after the heat dissipates, but it's gonna happen. I think the people you're talking about are depriving themselves by not giving it a try.

 

[ALVagabond]

Arent most Vette owner retires that can now afford to have a vette as a slow cruising weekender?

It's always felt like a old mans car to me, not a real track day car.

I read an article a couple years ago breaking down some car buying demographics and the one thing that stuck out most to was that the average age of people buying a new corvette was 72.

 

[Summitsearcher]

For me I don’t really mind what other people do with their own vehicle. I don’t have time to figure them out. I, on the other hand prefer top/doors on while off-road. If you clean the interior just once you‘ll understand completely why. Like wearing a thong or banana hammock to the beach, you get sand and dirt where it doesn’t belong and never wanting to do it again. ?

 

[PDiddy]

I’ve owned a XJ, a ZJ and a JKU and I took all three off road, some mild trails and more challenging stuff like the trails at Rausch Creek. I don’t really plan to do anything more than green trails and the occasional beach run with the Gladdy but my main reason for getting the JT was to tow our camper, boat trailer, toy box, etc. All that being said I plan to get a TJ or a JL and use it for more aggressive stuff. I do however take off my doors on the JT whenever I can, weather permitting. Don’t usually take off the roof as I hate baking in the sun, I live in the DC region as well, Frederick MD to be exact, and deal with traffic.

As to the Corvette theory: Corvettes, Harley Davison’s, white sneakers and jorts have an expiration date that closely lines up with the fade of the baby boomers. I’m 45, offspring of boomers and several of my family members own all three.

I think the mid engine corvette is the best thing they could have done to stay relevant. It will grab some younger gems for sure.

But what do I know, I ship at Eddy Bower.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Arent most Vette owner retires that can now afford to have a vette as a slow cruising weekender?

It's always felt like a old mans car to me, not a real track day car.

Met a couple at a car show last year - both of them drove 'Vettes. I started talking to the wife - and she said they DID race their cars at an Iowa drag strip - and against each other. She bragged how she'd been beating him recently. Well, with bracket racing it's not really the car so much as the driver........ she knew her #$@%. Both seemed to be about 60-65 years of age (the people, not the cars)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

All these reasons ^^^ apply to me too. Also if/when I ever sell my Rubicon it will almost certainly have better resale value than a GMC Canyon AT4 - which I considered buying.

I don't have much intent to go wheeling though I am sure I will launch my boat from dirt at a local lake here and to get there I will drive dirt roads but certainly nothing my old GMC 2500HD wouldn't do.

I don't like beating up my vehicles - scratches, dents, etc. It's just the way I am. My vehicles looking good is important to me. I worked hard for my money and I don't like driving beat up turds. There's nothing "poser" about it because I don't think someone that DOES go wheeling is any "better" or more "manly" than someone who doesn't.

Before our trip to CO my wife insisted that the truck be CLEANED spotless inside and out. Vacuum, clean the seats, dash, whatever - CLEAN it. Uh, it's not a Jeep show, it was an AMC show - but when traveling she wants the vehicle CLEAN.

 

[NachoRuby]

I go wheeling occasionally, but you'd never know it, except on the ride back home. I wash my vehicle every single week, and detail the inside. If it gets a scratch in the clear coat, I get out my random orbital buffer and some meguiar's 105. I don't want all that mud and crud staying ony paint scratching things up. I'm especially meticulous about the frame underneath, since frame rot kills a lot of jeeps around here. I keep it waxed up all the time. Point is, you have no way of knowing if someone off roads or not. I just like a clean vehicle.
But, if others don't off road their jeeps, that's fine too. Some folks just want a nice looking vehicle with rugged 4x4 capability for durability and winter. Some people just want a convertible. And some just think jeeps look cool.

 

[AZCooWhip]

They’re are wary of this .... if you’re going to dirty it, you may spend the time cleaning it. I think this was first couple of weeks of ownership.

I go where she takes me. Will figure out the clean aspect as a later date.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I go wheeling occasionally, but you'd never know it, except on the ride back home. I wash my vehicle every single week, and detail the inside. If it gets a scratch in the clear coat, I get out my random orbital buffer and some meguiar's 105. I don't want all that mud and crud staying ony paint scratching things up. I'm especially meticulous about the frame underneath, since frame rot kills a lot of jeeps around here. I keep it waxed up all the time. Point is, you have no way of knowing if someone off roads or not. I just like a clean vehicle.
But, of others don't off road their jeeps, that's fine too. Some folks just want a nice looking vehicle with rugged 4x4 capability for durability and winter. Some people just want a convertible. And some just think jeeps look cool.

I pulled anhydrous tanks through plowed fields with my Comanche but you'd have never known I used it as a farm truck by looking or when it was in the stereo contests.

Frame rot is an issue - a lot of Jeeps around here - meaning older Wranglers, CJx and so on get "frame-off" re-dos here. Salt is a frame killer.

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