Evolution.... where did you start? Or is the Gladiator your first Jeep?

[Jeeper44mag]

And here I thought that *I* had owned a bunch of Jeeps before my JT, but it seems like many (most?) of y'all are like "sit down rookie...." ?

Luis

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[eric1969]

My dad was a CJ fanatic. He had at least 4 models before my birth and into my teens. I learned to drive on a ‘82 CJ5 with the horrible GM inline 4 engine. We bought our 1st born a 2016 Wrangler manual when he started driving and I picked up a manual 2021 Gladiator in ‘23 when I sold my Tahoe. The difference in build quality and luxuries between the CJ and now is stark.

 

[davey]

85 cj7, 86cj10a still have 87 yj ,89yj,91yj ,97 tj still have 03 tj and 22 gladiator overland

 

[TexasAg77]

1st – Sept ’80, New ’81 ‘7 Renegade, soft top, hard doors, med brown metallic/ nutmeg. First year of that top option.

2nd- Another ’81 after the first got in a wreck and totaled in ’87 or so…

3rd- ’93 Cherokee High Country

4th- ’83 Scrambler- April of ’99. Still own it.

5th- New ’25 Rubicon Glad, Feb. ‘26

Probably be buried in/with the ‘8….

 

[Dummy SALAPA]

1. 86 CJ7 with the rare Automatic transmission
2. 91 YJ
3. 95 Wagoneer LTD
4. 99 TJ, my first brand new vehicle, got right off of the showroom floor
5. 59 Jeep CJ5
6. 2007 Unlimited ( 2 door LJ)
7. 2001 TJ
8. 2012 JK
9. 1949 Willys Jeep Truck
10. 2021 Gladiator Mojave
11. 2025 Gladiator Rubicon

 

[Stan H]

Dad & pap had several me I started in 2015JKU
2021 JTR

 

[slodsm]

I had an 89 YJ in the 90’s when I was a junior enlisted guy and broke so it stayed mostly stock but we wheeled the shit out of it.

A 99 TJ in the 2000’s when I was a staff nco and had more money to play with.

2016 JKU on 37’s and Metalcloak lift when I was making big boy money in the real world.

Then a 2019 JLUR after I rolled the 16 falling asleep with the cruise on (the jeep roll bar works, I rolled down I-20 at 75mph after hitting the median barrier and breaking the front axle completely out from under it).

Now the JT which is an even bigger money pit than the JKU was.

 

[Gizmo]

Started with a 1965 Gladiator then 46 CJ-2a. 80 CJ-5 , 97 TJ , 97 XJ, 99TJ , 05 TJ 12 JK , bought my 99 Tj back. 22 JT. Thats just the Jeeps in my life. Always had a reg cab short bed pickup for work

 

[Metalhead]

My first Jeep was a 2008 Patriot. Liked it for a while until the sun roof started leaking. Lemon lawed it and got a 2001 Grand Cherokee which I absolutely loved. At the same time bought a 1994 Jeep wrangler. Had so many problems with the suspension on the Grand Cherokee after lifting it, I traded it in for a 2011 Grand Cherokee. Ended up selling the 94 wrangler because at the time could not afford to have 2 vehicles. Really loved the Grand Cherokee and did a lot of work to it to try to make it an overlanding vehicle. When it was paid off bought a 2012 Wrangler as a second vehicle. When the Gladiator came out I realized it would make a better overlanding vehicle. Traded in the 2012 wrangler for a 2024 Gladiator. My life turned upside down and unfortunately had to sell the Grand Cherokee. Always love Jeeps. If anyone remembers the tv show Mork and Mindy, Mindy drove a CJ. Thats when I fell in love with Jeeps. Took me a long time for me to afford to buy one but now that I have owned a few, I would never buy anything else.

 

[TuckerGrover]

Had a YJ in college and just loved that truck. It only had a 4 banger, but would go anywhere I asked at its own pace. Slow on the highway, but would rev and rip in the powdery snows of Wisconsin. Sold it when I moved into a city and couldn’t shake the urge to get one again at this phase in life. Looking forward to building up the Gladiator to be a camping and hunting platform, so I’ll start a build report soon enough. Thanks to all those who came before me to share their knowledge and experiences.

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