Does Your Wife Like Your Jeep?

by Larry Morton
(Texas)

You finally got that dirt pounding Wrangler you've been wanting since you were 12-years old. You put on the 35's with the mud lugs, lifted it 6 inches, decked it out with body armor, winch and rock rails.

Well, you're not 12-years old anymore. You're now married, have a decent job and maybe a couple of kids running around the house. What does your wife think about your Jeep?

Does she constantly ask you to borrow the Jeep to go to the store, or take it to the kid's PTA meetings. Or, does she feign lower back pain due to an old volleyball injury back in high school anytime you suggest she go with you anywhere...in the Jeep?

I don't claim to be an expert on women by any means...but I have made some general observations over the years. Most women (notice I did not say "all" women) like to drive, or ride in a vehicle that is:

1) comfortable,

2) easy to get in and out of,

3) easy to operate,

4) relatively quiet,

5) and safe

Although a new stock Wrangler is dramatically different from early Wranglers, and especially from older Jeeps like the AMC CJ, it still does not compare to a Lexus or even a new pickup truck.

Jeep also makes a few SUV type vehicles that are optioned with 4-wheel drive (i.e. Grand Cherokee, Patriot, Compass), but the Wrangler is simply in another league...or even a league of its own.

Now, I see a lot of women driving stock late model Wranglers (especially the Unlimited models), which is a testament to great corporate advertising as well as "softening" the Wrangler to attract more women to the fold...and this seems to be working quite well.

However, back to you the hypothetical Jeep owner who couldn't leave well enough alone and had to make your Wrangler more off road capable with the big tires, lift and the macho look. Of course, if you have a second "tame" family vehicle in the driveway and the monster Jeep is JUST FOR YOU...then this can be a pretty sweet combination.

If you are lucky enough to have a wife who shares your off road, tough Jeep passion, and is always ready to go rock crawling, or exploring the back-country with you then that is just icing on the cake.

However, if she wants a stepped-up Wrangler of her own, then you may have created a monster. I have seen women Jeep owners driving their rigs on the trails and having a blast keeping up with the guys...and then some.

My wife loves my Wrangler and is proud of the work I do to make it even better...but she does NOT like to go off-roading with me. I think she likes spending time with me...that's not the issue...she just does not understand the "fun" and "joy" of beating your brains out on some of God's worst rocky, pot-holed, muddy, and rutted terrain.

Also, I have no real explanation to give her that would change her mind. Maybe someday she will see the method to my madness, but in the meantime I just have to fall back on that tired old expression. "honey, it's a Jeep thing...you wouldn't understand".

Does your wife, or girlfriend like your Jeep...or not? Tell us about it. Place your comments below.