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

[Hootbro]

I would hate to think what could happen if the doors were off and the Jeep got T-boned! Especially if a small child was in the backseat!

People are in the wrong vehicle then if they are risk averse.

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[AlxCZ]

They look F'n cool?

How many guys buy corvettes and never take them on a track? MOST. lol

Well said

 

[AlxCZ]

I certainly didn't mean to ruffle any feathers, I thought I was pretty clear in my initial post that I was really just curious why some individuals purchased these types of vehicles and interesting to hear how people use theirs. How some love to drive open air, how others prefer the creature comforts, etc. And if I had already passed judgments, I never would have posed the question in the first place.

Thanks to many for the thoughtful and interesting responses.

For those I seemed to have offended, my apologies...certainly didn't mean to. Those who know me well personally know that I'm the epitome of not giving a flying f@#$ about what others think about how I live my life or spend my money. I wouldn't expect my opinions of others to bear any weight even if I cared enough to make them. So don't be so quick to pass judgement on me please.

I really think the jeep is symbolic, it is a symbol of freedom, it screams this is America and I want that, and I can get that. For some, off roading can be an expensive pleasure. For others the mere thought that they are sitting behind the wheel of a historic vehicle with capabilities beyond most cars, is physcologically incredible. To be part of a group like jeepers, is really unique. Taking the top off or doors, is just one more unique symbolism to this vehicle.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Did you get any ditch rash? I guess it would be a badge of honor!

Naw, unfortunately. You should have seen my wife a year ago 2 months after I got the thing. We went shopping at Fleet Farm - huge parking lot - snow mounds to challenge even Jeep people.
I parked close to one (deliberately, yes) and when we came back out, I simply put it in drive and proceeded to go forward, right side of the truck well up on the snow pile. My wife about freaked. I said naw, this is nuttin - as the snow and ice made horrible groaning, grinding and scraping sounds. I did wonder about the stock Overland running boards but they were fine. If I had already put the splash guards on they may have been toast.

3 or 4 years ago we took my little SX4 to a quilt show - she wanted to look around (she did quilting for some of the entries and loves to shop the vendors). We arrived a bit later than they opened and the parking lot was full except for some of those "islands" with trees and small grassy areas surrounded by a fairly high curb. Dang, no place to park, she said.
I pulled near one of those islands, flipped the switch into 4x4 mode and put it in reverse and eased out the clutch and it walked right up those curbs onto the grass..... I said there, now we have a shady spot.
By the time we left I noticed that a couple of SUVs had done the same in other areas.
My wife again was rather shocked and gave me this look as I parked it - what are you doing??
Hey, it's a 4x4 and it's small and turns on a dime - I can park it almost anywhere.

 

[Knightindullarmor]

Call it "posers" or "fronting" or "little D syndrome". Just like the guy at the gun range with the latest & greatest most expensive guns that can barely hit paper, or the guy at the golf course with new clubs every 6 months and a 20 handicap.

Me? I'm the guy with an old service gun that has lots of holster wear and faded bluing. My Gladiator might be new now, but I plan on driving it for 10+ years. Its going to be about 20 days old when it cuts its teeth offroad at Rausch Creek next weekend. Its way more capable in stock form than any of my previous Jeeps and I wheeled some gnarly trails in a bone-stock xj cherokee. I plan on running the factory 32" mudders until they wear out and then replace with 33" or 34" mudders and call it a day. Next month, looking to get soft doors & tonneau cover so from April to October, it takes all of 1 minute to remove or install all 4 doors & they can store in the bed in case of sudden rain or sudden need to drive an older family member who needs A/C. Until then, top comes down as often as practical and has been off 8 of 12 days so far.

 

[rpres62]

Can someone please explain to me why so many people have Wranglers (and I'm sure it'll be the same with the Gladiators) that never, ever take the tops or doors off or leave the pavement? Maybe because I see so many left and right here in the DC metro area, most of them being Rubicons no less, and the biggest obstacles their vehicles ever see is accidentally tagging a curb.

Seriously, it really has me dumbfounded.

What exactly is the draw for people who have no desire to leave suburbia and urban areas to own these vehicles?

Just curious from a psychological perspective...

 

[rpres62]

Naw, unfortunately. You should have seen my wife a year ago 2 months after I got the thing. We went shopping at Fleet Farm - huge parking lot - snow mounds to challenge even Jeep people.
I parked close to one (deliberately, yes) and when we came back out, I simply put it in drive and proceeded to go forward, right side of the truck well up on the snow pile. My wife about freaked. I said naw, this is nuttin - as the snow and ice made horrible groaning, grinding and scraping sounds. I did wonder about the stock Overland running boards but they were fine. If I had already put the splash guards on they may have been toast.

3 or 4 years ago we took my little SX4 to a quilt show - she wanted to look around (she did quilting for some of the entries and loves to shop the vendors). We arrived a bit later than they opened and the parking lot was full except for some of those "islands" with trees and small grassy areas surrounded by a fairly high curb. Dang, no place to park, she said.
I pulled near one of those islands, flipped the switch into 4x4 mode and put it in reverse and eased out the clutch and it walked right up those curbs onto the grass..... I said there, now we have a shady spot.
By the time we left I noticed that a couple of SUVs had done the same in other areas.
My wife again was rather shocked and gave me this look as I parked it - what are you doing??
Hey, it's a 4x4 and it's small and turns on a dime - I can park it almost anywhere.

Doors off and topless in northern michigan.

 

[Casique]

With a car-jacking and a shooting every 30 seconds in the Washington DC/North VA area, I need more doors and panels around me to keep the criminals away from me and my family!

 

[Motoarch]

Who cares?

Seriously not your problem or business what others do with there property.

 

[Casique]

Amen brother!

 

[Deleted member 30519]

I have an even better question. Why the heck to people drive with the doors off and no side mirrors! I saw a ton of jeep on my bus route driving up and down busy roads with no mirrors. Am I missing something?

 

[Willpower1]

Can someone please explain to me why so many people have Wranglers (and I'm sure it'll be the same with the Gladiators) that never, ever take the tops or doors off or leave the pavement? Maybe because I see so many left and right here in the DC metro area, most of them being Rubicons no less, and the biggest obstacles their vehicles ever see is accidentally tagging a curb.

Seriously, it really has me dumbfounded.

What exactly is the draw for people who have no desire to leave suburbia and urban areas to own these vehicles?

Just curious from a psychological perspective...

So, another perspective. One thing is you are assuming a lot. You only see the other Jeep in most cases for a short snapshot of time. In fact you may see one and never see it again. You can’t assume that bc you see it all buttoned up that it’s always that way.
Another thing is that some people want capability if they need it, but rarely have time to get out there, especially deep in the woods. I’m a good example of that. Most of the time I am busy helping to run a business, and honestly, I’m pretty beat on weekends. But I enjoy the way the Mojave drives and rides on the road, and since I live on a washboard dirt road, I enjoy busting down it every day. Then a couple of weekends back, I splurged and went to the low country on 2k acres worth of hunt club to no-kill hunt snakes. Mojave is perfect for that.
As far as taking everything off the Jeep, again, I do it when I have time, but it’s not that often. Still, I enjoy it when it happens. I bought the Mojave for capability, driving enjoyment, and aesthetics. I enjoy looking at it just sitting. So there’s an answer. No matter why someone wants a jeep, if they’ve got the funds, don’t begrudge that so-called “posers“ buy them. I hate to tell you, but there are VERY few hard core off roaders as compared to the so-called “posers”. If not for the more casual jeep buyers, the Jeep would not exist at all for the more “hard core“ folks.
So next time you see a ”poser”, maybe an extra enthusiastic wave and a thumbs up might be in order

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have an even better question. Why the heck to people drive with the doors off and no side mirrors! I saw a ton of jeep on my bus route driving up and down busy roads with no mirrors. Am I missing something?

The mirrors are EXPENSIVE - at least those that are worth a crap.
Bronco solved that, although if you read about the engineering behind it, it was an expensive and time-consuming route there.
I can't see spending the sort of money those mirrors cost for the few times I'm doorless here (in part because our weather is very unpredictable and when it's 95 with a humidity of 90% and a good wind, doorless ain't much fun). It's always windy here unless it's 100 out. Few are the days you can enjoy these.
The law as I read it was as long as there's an inside mirror with an unobstructed view - outside isn't required. Did that change?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Call it "posers" or "fronting" or "little D syndrome". Just like the guy at the gun range with the latest & greatest most expensive guns that can barely hit paper, or the guy at the golf course with new clubs every 6 months and a 20 handicap.

Me? I'm the guy with an old service gun that has lots of holster wear and faded bluing. My Gladiator might be new now, but I plan on driving it for 10+ years. Its going to be about 20 days old when it cuts its teeth offroad at Rausch Creek next weekend. Its way more capable in stock form than any of my previous Jeeps and I wheeled some gnarly trails in a bone-stock xj cherokee. I plan on running the factory 32" mudders until they wear out and then replace with 33" or 34" mudders and call it a day. Next month, looking to get soft doors & tonneau cover so from April to October, it takes all of 1 minute to remove or install all 4 doors & they can store in the bed in case of sudden rain or sudden need to drive an older family member who needs A/C. Until then, top comes down as often as practical and has been off 8 of 12 days so far.

Oh, brother - one of those..... big he-man deciding someone is making up for something. Judging all the time.

If it wasn't for my brother and his family and people like him buying Jeeps, you'd not have your he-man Jeep.

Are you done comparing freakin' dicks now?

 

[Wyofuy069]

Well I’m somewhere in the middle. I have taken the front panels off of the roof a few times now, but most of my driving is high speed highway. Even with the front panels off going 80 sounds like being in a freight train. If I lived in a different area with slower back roads I’d love it. Plus I have no real place to store the back safely. No garage. With all that being said I live in the mountains of Wyoming on a few miles of dirt roads that become drifted with snow sometimes feet deep. My last suv was an Audi sq5 and the bottom was tearing apart during the winters. I also missed have a pickup bed to transport items in. I debated between the Rubicon and the Mojave like many on here. i would of loved the front locker, but decided high speed actually suits me better both on dirt and in deep snow. Our country is hilly, but fairly open. For me speed is my friend in deep snow. I’m already planning LT3 studded Hakkapeliitta come October. Sure I would of been ok with a Raptor and I have had an LR4 before as well. Raptors are overpriced At the moment and have had enough problems with Air suspension off-road that I wanted a vehicle that won’t lower over 20 mph. And I’m not going to lie here I like vehicles that make me feel good driving them. The Mojave does that. And for whatever it is worth I’m not ”compensating” for anything. Enjoy your Jeep’s everyone.

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