My Jeeps

by Mark
(Kelowna,BC)

I started off in 1979 with a 1975 Jeep CJ. It was a great vehicle for off roading but for the highway and around town it was scary. Perhaps it was the tires I had on it or maybe the alignment.

I had to fight to keep it on the road at highway speeds, and on more than one occasion I went up on two wheels while going quickly around corners. It was top heavy it seemed and had a poor centre of gravity. The soft top also flapped loudly.

I finally got rid of it because I was afraid of getting killed. Years went by and finally in 2006, I bought a 1990 Wrangler YJ. I loved it. Very good centre of gravity, and with offset wheels I could go around corners as quickly as I wanted with not even a hint of tipping like the CJ.

However, the ride was terrible. I could feel every single bump on the road. But it went down the highway very well. Solid and easy to steer. But my bad knee could no longer take the clutch and so I had to sell it.

So I have just purchased a 2009 Wrangler JK 2-door and I am not that happy with it. It is claustrophobic, has a rough idle, poor handling and is tiring to drive on the highway as it feels like I am always correcting the steering.

The braking is also difficult as it takes a long distance to stop and the front end goes down quite a bit when braking. The back seat is almost impossible to get into. I regret buying the JK. I miss my YJ.


Larry's Comment: Mark...thanks for the interesting review of all three Jeeps.

However, I am a little surprised about your experiences with the '09 Wrangler JK. The on and off road characteristics of the JK should be more forgiving than the '90 YJ (although I like the YJ's a lot).

Is it possible that your 2009 JK had been wrecked, or the suspension had been unprofessionally modified to have such handling difficulties? Just curious.

Also, please send photos of any Jeeps you've owned past or present if possible.