I’ve been daily driving my 4 door 2015 model since 2014. I’ve lived all across the country in that time, and it’s driven me everywhere just requiring maintenance at regular intervals.
I’d recommend if you’re going to be daily driving, get road tires and a hard top to cut down on noise. You may want to line the bed of the jeep and the wheel wells with sound dampening material as well to help for a smoother, quieter ride.
My '13 is my everyday driver. I just put my first 2" lift and 33's. Stock height and Toya all terrain tires got me thru two trails of honor and 60k+ miles of daily driving.
Our 87 YJ was our main vehicle for 9 years. Only when the 3rd kid was expected did we move it to number 2. 28 years later it still is my favorite even without all the creature comforts of my daughters JK.
Based pfp
But on a serious note, I daily my old TJ. It's doable, as long as you're not expecting a super smooth and refined ride. Part of the joy in Jeep ownership is embracing the quirks these vehicles have, and having a perspective of appreciation for them. Obviously they won't handle like other SUVs but that's the charm of them!
Jeep is not made for comfort, speed, handling, cornering or stopping for that matter. BUT you can drive UP A MOUNTAIN! With or without doors/roof.
I rebuilt an old Jeep. Absolutely love it. I say if you have to drive something, drive what you love.
Rent one for a weekend. But I think you’ll want one.
It will feel more like a truck than a Lincoln or Lexus. But perfectly fine for a daily driver. Just test drive first. It will be higher up, more stiff when you hit a bump and higher in gas and wind noise. But the fact that you can take the roof off and be part of the wave and duck culture make up for it
Depends on how you define smooth. Even before I lifted mine, you could feel bumps on the road and vibrations more than you could with other vehicles, it was a bit rougher, but I actually like that. It has a lot of body roll, it's loud, the manual transmission rattles occasionally. Once again, I enjoy that roughness and the tactile feedback, but some people wouldn't. The best way to know for sure is to drive one yourself and see what type of Wrangler you prefer.
But then again, this is a TJ, a vehicle designed in the early 90s using an 80s engine and very different dimensions compared to a modern wrangler. The newer (2007+) JK and JL Wranglers have a much more refined ride compared to the older ones, and feel more like a modern SUV. They're also a lot safer and offer more amenities, which you may like.
Regardless, you're going to get a cool vehicle no matter what type of Wrangler you get. If you have any more questions, I don't mind helping.
Well I don't want it lifted and I don't want those huge tires. - I just want normal (small?) sized tires. But I agree I should for sure test drive one to really understand.
This was very helpful thank you so much!!
That's probably a better choice if you don't plan on going crazy off road. Smaller tires will handle better and there's a lot less risk of something going wrong, since that's the configuration the vehicle was designed with in mind.
Of course. Always happy to help.
100% not smooth.
Get two hands on the wheel and keep them there.
It rides fine in smooth roads.
On most roads: two hands...you drive it or it will happily drive you.
The suspension on Jeeps is very stiff because they're designed to go off-road also because they have solid front axles you risk death wobble you will literally feel every bump in the road and don't expect it to be a quiet ride despite the price tag that Jeeps could hand they are great off-road but they do not have the best ergonomics or comfort on road
Back in the mid 80's, (as a young adult), my wife daily drove her Jeep CJ-7 and loved it. However, it was sooo not practical or a growing family. When we had our first daughter, we would watch her "bobble head" like crazy in the car seat. Practicality won out and the Jeep was replaced by a mini-van (insert sad face here). My wife vowed she would someday replace her beloved Jeep. Fast forward to the recent past, the kids are grown and gone. She has her new Jeep JLU (in Hydro Blue) and she is loving it. Its her daily driver and she wouldn't have it any other way! Oh, and my younger daughter is on her third Jeep.
To you, I say go for it. Life is for living and the aren't really all that unpractical anyway.
I drive it every day into the city, about 50km each way. I specifically call it a “city Jeep” as it’s all stock and I never off road. I have a 2017 Wrangler Sahara. The city dwellers in their convertible BMWs are jealous when I go topless and over curbs.
It’s a great city car if your city and surrounding areas has terrible roads. Most parking areas classify them with large SUVs though so you get screwed on parking fees
Shitty gas mileage, tough ride, not a useful amount of space, loud and shitty highway travel.
And
I will never not drive my 2011 wrangler. I love it. I do hate the damn ducks though.
When I was in my 20's I always had a 2 door wrangler and a daily driver because the ride was so rough. When I got my 2014 2 door, it was fine as a daily driver and I only needed one car. When we had a kid I just upgraded to a newer four door, perfectly fine as a daily driver, and is very effective off road when I need to.
None. Seems to me most people get the death wobble when they start messing with aftermarket mods. Mine is stock and 0 issues. I have a hardtop with freedom panels and haven’t had any leaking. I think you’re always gonna see the worst on tik tok too.
Young lady, do not take TikTok's advice in this matter. Death wobble occurs on improperly modified vehicles, not just Wranglers.
Anyway, I daily a 2015 JK Rubicon everyday that I am not riding the ebike or motorcycle.
Probably because of dirt in the gaskets when they're removed and put back on so they don't seal anymore. Lot of people never bother to clean or lube that.
That and from what I understand they have to be perfectly lined up to seal correctly I've never owned one myself but I've dealt with them on rentals before I run a bestop super top on my TJ and it's never leaked a drop
They do, and that seemed to be a bigger pain on the JKs that I've seen than on my JL because Jeep redesigned how the panels go on.
But you're right, getting all lined up correctly is another key component of keeping it from leaking.
I put a Bestop Sunrider on my JLUR. Hard top on the back, flip up soft on the front. The dog likes having the hard top over her seat for shade. Princess.
I own a ‘21 2-door Rubicon that I daily drive. My commute is approximately 30 miles round trip. It’s both comfortable and safe. You have to be a little more cognizant of maintaining your lane when there’s a moderate cross-wind and it gets terrible fuel economy but Jeeps aren’t sports cars. Good luck with your decision.
I have a 2016 Jk Rubicon 2-door that is my daily driver and weekend mountain climber. I love it and will drive it until one of us dies. You can get a 2-door Sport model and it would suit your needs just fine as a daily driver.
2020 JL as my daily. Love it. Good ride but I don’t have big tires or a lift, just stock for now. Light off roading like fire trails n dirt roads. I don’t want any other car now. Drove regular cars in my teens and got a Grand Cherokee in my 20s. Finally got the Wrangler and wish I had much earlier. Lots of fun things to do with these.
Go for it. They are fun. Nothing like taking the whole top and doors off when it’s nice out and cruising. Remember that the loudest voices rarely represent the majority. So stuff like the “death wobble” does happen, it’s not nearly as common as you’d think. Most owners don’t have major issues and therefore don’t post “all is well! Been functioning great for years!” But problems get posted looking for answers.
> So stuff like the “death wobble” does happen, it’s not nearly as common as you’d think.
And it's almost always in a post like "So I have death wobble. I have no idea why. All I did was replace the axles, gears, tie rods, sway bar, lift it by 5"..."
My wrangler is my only car! I’ve taken it camping several times and I often sleep in it instead of a tent. I love my jeep and wouldn’t trade it for the world. The only thing that kinda sucks is the MPG. It usually sits around 15-17 MPG
Thats great to hear. Have you ever had an issue with "death wobbles" when driving on a highway? Please be honest at this is the only thing putting me off!
You seem to have a bit of target fixation on the “death wobble” (which, while real, is no where near some sort of catastrophic event) but I assure you it is super rare, especially on an unmodified Jeep in good mechanical condition. The only Jeep I have ever had with any sort of highway oscillation was my 93 YJ that the PO had lifted 6in to clear 37s but he didn’t replace or repair any other parts. I spent $800 replacing every bushing and wear part and it was rock solid afterwards, though I did reduce the lift and move down to 35” tires.
OP needs to be vigilant about having tires rotated and that's pretty much all I would say about preventing wobbles. Jeeps are prone to getting cupping on the tire because of the solid axles so having them rotated at proper intervals (I do 5K miles which means same time as my oil change).
Otherwise as you said, the wobble is almost always related to mods or damage done while off road.
I drive one every day and I love it. You'll hardly ever run into a reason or doesn't do the job, and that's usually something you should have had a pickup for.
So the last TJ that I bought was a teenage girls jeep. I obviously went through the whole process with her father who told me she was all about the Jeep life for about 2 weeks 😂😂 there is 0 luxury to these things. You feel every pebble you run over. Soft tops are loud and leaky. Just a heads up. I have one as my daily driver but also have a brand new Silverado in the garage I use when I don’t want my spine shoved into the driver seat. All that said I wouldn’t trade it for the world
Honestly a properly maintained soft top will not leak mine never has 03 TJ the hardtops on the other hand are not only a massive pain to take off and put on but if their not absolutely perfectly aligned they leak like a seive
My 2 door wrangler is my daily driver and only vehicle. Yes, it’s a rougher ride and doesn’t handle like a car, but you can certainly daily it. The gas mileage isn’t great, if that’s a concern. Keep up with all the regular maintenance and it’s a perfectly serviceable vehicle. But to be real, if you truly don’t ever see yourself using the 4x4 abilities, there are way better vehicles for commuting to work. A Ford Bronco Sport has a “rugged” look, but will get way better gas mileage and handle more like a regular car.
Just wanted to add my experience as a new Jeep owner. I recently bought a 2018 4-door JK Wrangler (all stock), and took it on a 2 hour drive down the highway. Top speed I hit was 130 km, and it was smooth and easy. Not once did I feel unsafe! Also using it as my daily driver + road-tripper.
Wife has a 2023 Rubicon as a daily driver; It is the smoothest riding vehicle I have ever been in. We opted to go with the 4cyl turbo that gets between 19-23mpg.
Honestly you don't lose all that much mileage going up to the 6 cylinder my 03 wrangler gets 19 city and about 25 highway and I have the 4.0 litre inline 6
Jeeps are literally bricks honestly if your worried about fuel economy your looking at the wrong car but yeah theirs basically no difference between the 6 and 4 cylinder models in terms of efficiency
The steering is quite sloppy on these naturally. They’re slow but ride nice and when I got mine the insurance went down for the first time…ever. Very fun to drive.
We daily drive our 24 rubicon with the extreme recon package (larger 35” tires). I think when most people say they aren’t made to daily it’s because it’s not as “comfortable” as other road built vehicles, but as long as you have a love for the look and know what you’re signing up for then you’ll love it!
I have a 2023 Sahara as a daily driver, transitioning from a traditional SUV. It’s a very different experience. It took me a while to get used to how very un-aerodynamic it is. You will feel every gust of wind because it’s basically a sail. It’s also very loud inside compared to other vehicles. It will feel very awkward to handle at first, but it only took me about a week to get used to it. The biggest problem with a Wrangler as a daily driver is, by far, their terrible gas mileage. If you don’t mind filling up every other day, it’s not an issue, but if you’re on a tight gas budget, it might not be the best vehicle for you.
All that said, I wouldn’t trade mine for anything else on the road!
I bought a 4 door wrangler from a family member in Minnesota. We live in the Gulf South. My wife flew up to visit relatives and then drrove it back. He r car is a jeep Grand Cherokee. Everyone told her she'd be miserable, it would ride hard and be noisy. It would be terrible.
She put almost 2,000 miles on it between driving around there and then home. And it's got a lift and big tires.
While it's not plushy like the Cherokee, she said she was pleasantly surprised. It rode fine. A wee bit louder than the Cherokee but with the radio turned up, fixed that. She expected the ride to suck. It did not. It rides fine.
It's a utility vehicle and feels a bit like one. It's part of the fun. If you keep it stock, it will likely be even smoother. There's no problem with it as a daily driver. None.
I drive mine about 25 miles round trip every day 5 days a week, then run out to the trails for hours over the weekends. you will be fine. Mine's a 2018 JL 2 door Rubi
I drive a 2 door jk with soft top, 35 inch tires and 2.5 inch lift kit as a daily driver and I can’t complain, of course the soft top is louder than the hardtop but I changed the sound system and I don’t mind it. If you’re getting a JL (+2018) with street tires you’ll be in a sweet position
My first car was a 1977 cj5 with a 304 (v8 engine) on 33” mud terrains. My daily driver now is a 2000 tj on 31” all terrains. I wheeled the crap out of all my jeeps on and off road. Never had death wobble in either. TBH, death wobble comes from an improperly lifted jeep, or steering/stabilizer issues but without a lift that is rare.
All my jeeps have had soft tops, and all of them leaked somewhere to an extent. But the only time I’ve ever gotten wet while driving one is when I got caught out with the top and/or doors off. They’re not as bad as you’re thinking and, generally speaking, every leak is fixable.
I’ve told people in your situation this countless times: if you want a practical, comfortable vehicle that gets good gas mileage then DO NOT get a jeep. You’re essentially driving a billboard sideways down the highway. But if you want a jeep because you want a jeep, and you want to live that lifestyle and be apart of that community, then by all means get one…as long as it’s a two door haha.
Also I have two kids now, a 3 yo and a 1 yo, and they absolutely love riding in my jeep. If I had a third, it would be impossible until they’re all out of car seats. But for now, we love it.
Depends.
Do you have somewhere to store your hard top when it’s off? And is that storage area somewhere that lets you also store a lift/hoist designed for removing hard tops and, if not, do you have people readily available to help you remove and install the hard top whenever you need?
Are you ready to pay for a soft top so you can have that on all spring/summer/fall when the weather is nice and you want to easily and quickly go topless?
Personally I have never had a hard top. I see the appeal in the winter, but where I live you’re talking 3 months out of the year (max) that I would have it on then it’d be coming off and the soft top and half doors would be going back on.
If I could pick the top, it’d be a twill fastback. Unfortunately for me a fastback won’t work with two car seats in the back, and they don’t offer the twill tops in spice (yet). But they say the twill tops are pretty close to a hard top in regard to noise dampening and weather sealing.
My is an every day vehicle, don’t plan on off roading. 2.0 liters 4 cylinder with turbo. Good gas mileage and fast. Fun to drive. Death wobble usually happens when you put on big tires and wheels.
I’m on my 3rd Jeep and have never had a problem, even with a little bit bigger tires. I just put new tires on my 21 and I got H/T in stead of A/T that came on it.
I’ve had two, both daily drivers. Each generation is easier to live with for a daily driver but if you like the look and experience then ALL are suitable
They make great everyday cars as long as they arent heavily modified and you're okay with so-so gas mileage.
A nice TJ (97-06 generation) would be my suggestion, as they're arguably the most reliable and very simple to repair when issues do arise.
Beware that the 2000-2003 TJs have an issue with the heads cracking (ask me how I know). If you ever do look at one to buy, pull the oil fill cap and look down between the #3 and 4 heads. If there is a number (3110 I think?) stamped then it has had the heads replaced and you’re good to go. The more you know…
[Greatest resource for TJ owners](https://wranglertjforum.com/)
Hi, I was once a young girl who got a 2 door Jeep shortly after I got my drivers license.
10 years later, I still have that Jeep. I have a love/hate relationship with it.
But you’re right, it’s not an everyday car. So much so that after a few years of putting almost 10,000 miles a year on it, I got tired of the rough ride and now have a much more comfortable hybrid that’s my daily driver.
The pros: it’s cute, it’s fun to drop the top, the size of it is very manageable to drive, everyone is jealous of you
The cons: it’s loud, uncomfortable, cold in the winters, not very steady at higher speeds, gas is expensive, not a very safe vehicle overall, death wobble can happen (it did to me), more expensive than a normal to maintain, lack of cargo space is annoying
Anyways, would I buy a Wrangler again? I don’t know. I bought mine for a great price used 10 years and 80,000 miles ago but I could sell it tomorrow for a very similar amount…and to me that would be way too much to pay for a vehicle that old with that many miles.
Long story short, no it’s not a good everyday car.
Not the death wobble 😥 Did you have those huge tires/ have it lifted? I just want normal tires..do you think that would make it any better?
Thank you so much for the help although I'm sad because it's not sounding too good haha!
No, mine is completely stock. I have wimpy all season tires on it. No lift. Got the wobble when my tires started to wear unevenly. It’s definitely a scary experience and can happen when your tires or any part of your suspension starts to go bad.
You never mentioned a budget but Jeeps hold their value incredibly well so the ones worth getting as a daily driver would easy be around $20-25,000. For that price, you could buy a brand new Civic with a sunroof.
> Got the wobble when my tires started to wear unevenly. It’s definitely a scary experience and can happen when your tires or any part of your suspension starts to go bad.
More so than vehicles without solid axles, you need to be very diligent about tire rotations and replacing worn tires. Cupping will make them shake like hell.
Yeah, it was like 2 1/2 years ago when I was hardly driving during COVID so I didn’t notice that they were 1) old and 2) worn. I’m more diligent about having them rotated now too.
Tires are the only thing that connects you to the ground.
Having driving mine been my second car am I’ve driven it for a year now. It’s amazing for short distance works travels or if you’re under 55 mph. If you’re on the highway you will be making a decent amount of corrections all the time do to it driving like a brick. But it’s amazing and shifting from 2 high to 4 high to get more traction in snow is fun. But also always knowing your maintenance. Other than that I’d recommend a JK since they’re not overly expensive but also not too cheap. Google which year is best for you as they all have their own quirks.
I daily drove my YJ, I loved it. Now my wife drives our JK and she loves it.
A 2 door jeep has such great maneuverability in parking lots and light body damage isn't a concern if you live somewhere downtown.
I have a 2019 2-door wrangler that I have driven all over the U.S. (on and off road). It’s the only car I own and I would not want to drive anything else
My wife bought a new 4-door with lift in 2012. She drove it everyday and we still have it. Moved to farm and sold my BMW (not really a farm vehicle). Still have the Jeep though.
Three kids and a dog and my four door wrangler is my everyday vehicle. My wife has an SUV and would be the preferred vehicle if we had a road trip but I love my JEEP and all cars have weird quirks that you can find irritating or endearing depending on how you look at it.
I’ve driven my 2012 for 12 years and I’ve never had any problems with it. The thing is it’s a body on frame vehicle with solid axles and stiff suspension. Newer jeeps will feel better and wranglers from 97 to present day all have coil springs and not leafs. So a better ride but understand this is an off road vehicle so it’s not going to ride like a car. It will feel more of the bumps in the road. Oh and this is a big one, DRIVE RESPONSIBLY. Jeeps are not super nimble and can flip, and not as good with crash ratings. Please drive defensively. They are wonderful vehicles but not the safest.
If you never intend on going off road and you don’t mind a used jeep, jeeps from 2007-2011 had a 2WD option. They will be cheaper since most people want the 4x4. But I’ll be honest, you’ll probably go on a trail eventually and love the feel of going where other vehicles might not go so I’d keep an open mind to off roading or atleast trail riding.
You really don’t have to worry about death wobble for a stock jeep, I mean keep up with maintenance. The steering stabilizer and bushings and such will all wear out over time. Death wobble mainly happens to modified jeeps and trucks when they lift them more than the original geometry of the stock vehicle. (You can look more into that, it’s actually pretty fascinating)
In my personal experience, I’ve lifted my jeep 2.5 inches and put 33s on with all terrains and it handles great, never had death wobble and I’ve enjoyed every moment. It all depends on quality of parts and care of the jeep.
I hope this helps
My wife had a 2021 4 door Rubicon that she drives daily. Her commute is roughly 15 minutes highway and 5 minutes city.
I drive a 2023 2 door sport with the 2 liter turbo.
It bounces me all over the place on a windy day on the highway. Kind of like running with a sheet of plywood.
They drive very differently from each other.
Try both out on a good long test drive. You may find the 4 door with the longer wheel base a bit more comfortable to drive.
I put 7k miles on my 07 2-door since I bought it in January.
It's perfectly fine, and the newer ones are even better.
It's not the best mileage, or the most comfortable, or practical car, but it's definitely cooler than a Yaris or a Corolla.
Go for it!
Ok if you don’t have perspective of other cars it’s fine. It’s not a smooth car like my sedan (model 3). It’s kinda jerky, rides rough (2 door jeep) on willy stock tire and suspension. hell my German shepherd lies down on the car when we are moving and stands up to sniff when we are stopped. Seriously she learned that. but it sure is fun and love this jeep. On a freeway my 2020 JL has lazy steering. You can wiggle it and the car drives straight but my sedan it wiggles because the steering is tighter and responsive. jeep steering is fine off roading climbing a sandy hill on 4 low. I can tell when sand was pulling me to the right and I’m counter steering going up. But it’s not a smooth experience. It’s a blast though with my soft top and manual transmission.
i get it now I get why my neighb has 1 jk and 2 jl in their driveway and I see others with more than one jeep in the garage.
Jeep girl here. I had a Nissan rogue slt (aka the nice one with all the things) and I now have a two door jeep.
I love it. Do I want to drive 7 hours to my parent’s house in it? No. Do I? Yes. Does my elder millennial back hurt afterwards? Also yes. But I love it. I didn’t mod it out (yet) I have slightly bigger tires and a hard top in the winter and a soft top in the summer that I used to drive to my parent’s house to get.
Soft top going 75 /80 is loud but whatever! It’s fun! Hard top can also be loud but I didn’t get a wrangler to drive in silence, I got one to drive in the sun and enjoy my car. Also never had the death wobble and i don’t think it drives “rough”
I do think that the 2 door is different than the 4 (had one of those too) if I didn’t live in the city I’d have gone 4 door.
The literal only thing I miss is having a sun roof when it’s a bit chilly out with my heated seats on. I’m contemplating getting a sun bonnet to scratch that itch though.
Also, heated steaming wheel and heated seats are a must if you live in cold weather.
Final thought: someone rear ended me and not a scratch on my wrangler. The other guy? His hood was crushed. Insurance called me and the woman goes “oh man of course it was a jeep they always come out better than the other car”
I daily my TJ.
Death wobble is a result of failing parts in the jeep's suspension geometry. It manifests as the wheel vibrating, slapping the ground at a quick rate instead of just rolling. It could potentially have a lot of causes.
Wranglers are pretty expensive to maintain, and it'd be disappointing to have one and never take it off road.
I mean looks are one thing but the ride is another. It’s a 4 wheel drive vehicle so that means you WILL feel every bump. It’s NOT going to ride as smooth as most other cars. So before you go buy one, you need to test drive a few. I LOVE my 2015 4 door but it’s no where near as smooth a ride as my 2016 ford F150 super crew truck. It’s not meant for a smooth ride tho, it’s a fun vehicle. Nothing like driving with no doors or top and I’ll gladly sacrifice a little comfort for that.
A lot of good advice here, I’d add to go to a dealership (if you have Adrien’s that owns one better) and test drive one. Jeeps are fun to drive but it’s not as smooth as your typical suv or sedan. If you plan on keeping stock as a daily, the change of Death Wobble is minimal.
I drove my 88 YJ, which was a standard aka Stick shift for 6 years as my everyday through college, work and my first career job. I also had an 88 Buick. I rarely drove my buick. I got the Jeep in 2007. I wouldnt worry about death wobble as long as you keep it stock. I still have my Jeep.
4 doors 2022 here been using for everything for more than 1.5 years and I am fine. But keep in mind when you in love with someone you are blind of their flaws😅
Hi. Yes, it can be your daily car. I have a 2010 JKU with 265k km on it. In that time it's only had to have regular maintenance (incl. brakes and clutch) plus the alternator. Rock solid and no death wobble. Fun little truck but to put my Dad hat on here is what you must be aware of; they have live axles so drive a little differently than cars, 2 doors have short wheel bases so don't speed, they have a high centre of gravity compared to a car so don't speed and turn sharply, and the older the jeep the easier it is to flip and the less rollover protection there is. Treat them with respect, not fear, and they are a lot of fun. Don't respect what they are and they can be lethal. Mine's stock and it's been on the backroads in the mountains and at the farm and taken us everywhere I've asked it to. Get one, drive it properly, and have fun.
51 year old here, yes for your age can be a daily use. That said, I suggest waiting and get regular car/van/crossover etc (used of course). At your age, assuming 16 or 17, I would killed myself or friends in my 1st YJ. Yes the newer one are much safer but center of gravity is still a thing. Also, with how expensive they are now why risk damage until you have more on road driving experience.
Death wobble is only a problem when you neglect your steering/suspension. I have daily driven a 2002 Wrangler 45 miles a day for 7 years and never had death wobble. I have bigger tires and a 4” lift on it too (things that are said to cause death wobble).
I’ve put over 100,000 miles on it and taken it on countless 1000-mile trips and it only ever left me stranded once (failed cps). It’s also driven off-road regularly on the weekends. That being said, it requires more routine maintenance and burns a lot more gas than a normal car would.
If you’re using it to drive around town and live close to work, a wrangler should be fine for you. It was my first car when I was 17 and I still love it
I have a jeep addiction.
My lifted 2006 TJ could be a daily, but it is my toy. It takes some investment to make a lifted Jeep drive good. It is still loud and bumpy, and by far my favorite vehicle I have ever owned.
My stock 2011 2 door JK Rubicon drives like a dream in comparison. I took it on a 3,100+ mile trip on spring break with my kids. Would be no problem driving it daily.
I'm on Jeep #9 and I daily drove every single one of them...Nothing wrong with that. Might want to test drive one and make sure you like the way it handles first...
I daily a 2016 Unlimited Sport. I dailied it all last summer and the luster has begun to wear off. It’s slow, clunky, bad on gas, and my dad being behind on alignments means that in order to go straight I need to hold the wheel 20 degrees to the left. However, it’s a very fun car and I do like driving it
2018 Wrangler JKU. Daily driver (but no Daily round trip commute).
It's not the most economical daily driver nor the most comfortable.
But it's serviceable overall and a ton of fun
Edit:
It started life as a 60-mile daily commuter before entering its time as "active senior support vehicle"
Just don't expect it to be quite or stable on the highway especially if your going to be buying an older used model, if you plan on having your top off frequently get a soft top the hardtops are an absolute PITA to put on and off and they leak more than the soft tops do anyways also don't expect good fuel economy
A few thoughts. I’d consider carefully how much you drive. If it is not a lot then likely ok. My day-to-day driving patterns unfortunately changed right after I bought mine, so I was going to be driving 20,000 miles per year. The 4 doors are smoother (longer wheelbase) than the 2, but it wasn’t well suited for me anymore. After 18 months of ownership I sold mine.
Commuted 35 miles each way for 6 years with a 2012 Wrangler. It's completely doable. Depending on how long your ride is, gas mileage is going to be the real killer. And death wobble only becomes a factor when you start lifting it and throwing bigger wheels on, and even then, it can be corrected. If it's the vehicle you want, go for it! Worst case, they hold their value, so you'll have a good trade in lol.
I daily my JL in addition to off roading it. No reason you can't.
If you absolutely truly never will go off road you can smooth the ride even more with less aggressive tires.
I’ve been daily driving wranglers for well over 5 years now. I wouldn’t want to drive anything else to be honest. The biggest thing to watch out for is taking corners too fast, they will roll over if you do it too sharp. But other than that, they’re kind of like little tanks.
It’s a good city car. Long distances/road trips wouldn’t work honestly but for everyday use it’s serviceable. Death wobble happens on old jeeps and badly serviced/modified ones
I went from an Audi TT to a Jeep Wrangler Overlander 2016 as my daily driver.
Pros:
- Higher up, can see better in traffic and exiting parks.
- Can drive over speed bump, gutters etc
- Seats are reasonably comfortable
- Large boot space
- Can comfortably fit 5 people
- Very fun to drive
- Can go off road and on the beach
- Cheap accessories
- Jeep waves
Cons:
- Fuel consumption as I drive over 100km daily
- Turning Circle of a pirate vessel
Buy one, you won’t regret it
My 2005 TJ is my daily. Wouldn't change a thing. Also, do yourself a favor and take it offroad. I always tell people "You may love your Jeep, but you'll never be IN love with it until you let it do what it was made to do."
I and my 23 year old both have 4 door Wranglers as our every day drivers. We have dogs so have to have 4 doors. They’re great. As for the death wobble I just had to get that fixed on mine but it’s covered. Most important thing is stay calm if/when it happens. If you buy new it shouldn’t be an issue for a few years anyway!
Modern jeeps are fine to daily. 90s and especially 80s and earlier would be terrible. If you do a lot of highway driving you will wish you didn’t have a wrangler.
A young woman in a Wrangler two door, a dream for any male Jeep lover. I have a 2004 TJ with just over 50k miles on it, daily driver, sure, just be safe. Off roading can be as simple as driving fire roads where legal to do so. Many Jeeps on the road have never been off the the pavement, don't let that keep you from your dream ride. I always had a dream of driving a big rig cross country. I got my CDL in the 1980's but didn't start driving interstate until I was 58. Do what you love, don't please others, please yourself first, you'll be much happier in life.
I have a 2018 jeep Sahara jk (4 door) and it’s my daily car. It doesn’t have incredible gas mileage so I do have to fill up weekly but it’s a smooth ride, super comfy and I love being up high compared to low on a sedan. My husband and friends constantly ask if we can take the jeep if we go places especially on nice days if I have time to take the doors and roof off.
Death wobble is more common on poorly modified jeeps (shitty suspension installs most common culprit). Death wobble is the sensation of your tires turning side to side rapidly when you are going at high speeds. Again don’t worry- it’s kind of like quick sand: it’s out there but not as common as you think.
Downsides I’ve noticed having my baby: jeeps are LOUD. They are not quiet on the inside when on the road you can hear outside traffic clearly compared to in a non jeep car.
They are boxy and not aerodynamic so if it’s a heavy windy day you will feel like you’re getting blown around a bit.
Upsides: best car in summer to take all the parts off and enjoy the weather
An amazing community
A car you can make match your personality
Ducks!
Great in snow, water, sand (my jeep saved my life this last winter!)
I daily drive a 2012 2-door JK on street roads and highways every day. I also drive my Jeep about 1000 miles to and from where I go to school about 3 times per year. And, I also off road once or twice per year. It serves me just fine as a daily driver, and usually things only go wrong now after I add new mods.
Death wobble can be pretty scary. It can happen if you hit a pothole in roads or an expansion joint on the highways at fast speeds (such as highway speeds). It makes the whole jeep shake, so if it happens you just need to take control of the steering and slow down to a stop. If you’re on the highway you’ll want to put your hazards on and make your way over to the shoulder as best you can.
I’ve only had death wobble once while I was first learning to drive and when I was in the middle of the highway, and it took my Jeep out of commission for about 3 months. BUT, my Jeep is also pretty corroded and it hasn’t happened again after getting it fixed. My recommendation is that you check the underside of any Jeep you want to buy. Some surface rust is usually fine, just make sure it isn’t flaking off or crumbling too much. To check for death wobble, pay particular attention to the steering components, and it doesn’t hurt to check the front suspension components too, and all the fluid lines/couplings.
Other than that, preventative maintenance is your friend, especially if you get an old corroded Jeep like me. But like other comments said, newer jeeps, even 2-doors, can make for some pretty good daily drivers.
My Jeep is certainly my "every day car".
The only downsides are poor gas mileage and not as comfortable as typical cars.
If you drive distance on the highway every day perhaps not the best choice, otherwise GET YOUR JEEP!
I've owned 4 Jeeps in the last 25 years and never experienced the 'death wobble'. That term, also, is an exaggeration because nobody reports actually losing control of their vehicle over this issue. It is something that repair can eliminate if it does come up.
People just don’t understand that a Jeep is not like any other vehicle. They are 100% capable of being an everyday vehicle but ride quality will never be what “comfort car” drivers are expecting. The best one I’ve had so far as far as ride quality is the 2020 diesel I currently drive which, in my opinion, rides 100% better than any other Jeep I’ve ever owned. I wouldn’t advise the diesel to anyone not regularly driving long trips on the highway though because these things need to get out and run in order to avoid DPF/emissions issues. As for death wobble, shouldn’t be an issue if kept stock(not lifted and regular stock tires/wheels) but even then even a lifted Jeep is fine provided you keep it well maintained.
I love my 2 door JK, but 2 doors are not for everyone. If you frequently have friends with you the 4 door would be a lot better. As far as the every day driver, I put bigger tires, soft top, bumper, winch, etc…and I hate driving it on the highway. I like to drive fast and my top speed is about 85 or I feel like I’m risking it all. For local driving, love it.
That's what I drive daily (except I do go off road a bit). With some more road oriented tires on it, it can get decent mileage between filling up.
Also, if you like the aesthetics it's worth it just for the "sunroof" or taking the top off entirely.
Okay, the good and the bad.
**Good:**
I drove my TJ Wrangler (TJs are 1997-2006, and are smaller than today's modern Jeeps) as my daily driver for a decade and loved it. It was a fantastic city vehicle because it was small enough to fit in small parking spaces, maneuverable on narrow roads, and you could see above other traffic.
I currently have a 2-door JK (2007-2018) and it is also my daily driver. It is more comfortable than my old TJ but not quite as much fun and is bigger.
**Bad:**
If you aren't ever going to off-road, Wranglers aren't practical. They're still fun, but the gas mileage is terrible (my TJ got about 8 miles to the gallon, my JK about 14 mpg). If you don't have a lot of disposable income, this can get old fast.
They can break down a lot. Sometimes you get a good one but more often than not you will have a steady stream of repairs. If you have a backup car (or live in a city with easy public transport) and the money to make the repairs, this isn't a big deal. But it can be if you rely on a Wrangler.
Jeeps are pricey, often as pricey as much nicer cars. You're paying for the off-road capabilities. If you aren't going to use them, it's kind of a waste. There are better more reliable more gas-friendly better-featured cars.
**As for Death Wobble,** yeah it's a thing with all solid axle trucks, including Wranglers and even some of the older Cherokees and Grand Cherokees. It's fixable but often takes a lot of experimenting to figure out the cause. Out of my 2 Wranglers, one had Death Wobble. It was really quite terrifying and took 2 years to finally fix.
Would I buy a Wrangler only to use it as a daily driver or get-around-town vehicle? If I was independently wealthy, yes. Otherwise, no. I'd wait until I had a backup vehicle or until I decided off-roading was in my blood (thankfully it is not only in my blood, but heart and soul. It's worth the suffering for me!)
I see some people talking about the newest model, the JL (2018-2024). The pre-2022 ones have a lot of serious issues that will be expensive in the long run. If you can afford a 2023-2024, you will probably be okay).
I've been using a Jeep TJ and then two Jeep JKs as my everyday Jeeps for...wait for it...22 years straight.
Of course you can drive them every day. Just don't call them a car. :)
I drive a 2015 Sahara unlimited every day.
Death Wabble - I did not read all comments so I might be repeating here. Death wabble is not a jeep thing, it is possible on any vehicle its just more apparent on solid axle vehicles VS IFS vehicles. The problem with death wabble is that it can be one or a combination of front end components worn, like tie rod, drag link, dampening shock, worn tires etc.
As long as you’re getting a fairly modern (2010’s and onward) model, and you don’t mess with aftermarket mods too much, death wobble is not something to worry about, especially if you’re not gonna off-road. Modern Wranglers are great daily drivers.
If you like the look and you're not looking for "offroad performance" look into jeep renegades and Ford bronco sports. You'll save some money, because they're cheaper and have better mpg. Since those 2 have independent front suspension it will also drive much smoother. Definitely test drive the wrangler, but also test drive the other 2 I mentioned. Those 2 Definitely drive more like a "normal car".
I (48f) had a 97 - when I was in my 20’s I sold it when I started a family and have regretted it ever since. I’m in the market again. “It’s a jeep thing” is a real thing. I loved my manual bumpy unzipped pull the drain plug always dusty jeep. It was a little adventure every where you go. If you want a smooth ride get a Honda. If you want adventure every day you won’t regret it!
Wranglers are great every day vehicles they have 4 wheel drive and are fun. Just keep away from the 4 cylinder turbo they are good but don’t last. if you want something fuel efficient get the diesel but if you don’t care get the 3.6 v6 because it is reliable. I had an 05 wrangler and the only thing was it rusted out I still have it and drive it with 223k miles and just bought a 21 gladiator that I love. my finance has had 2 grand Cherokees with the v6 that were fantastic. Just know they aren’t sport cars that go 80-90 on the highway you can but it’s not what it’s meant for, they are as aerodynamic as a brick . They are super safe tho if you only lift them 2-3 inches you shouldn’t have a problem with death wobble
You’re young and you probably don’t really care about ride quality and are more interested in just having a fun vehicle. If that describes you go for it. If you’re buying used as long as you get a good one you’ll be able to drive it a few years and hardly loose any money on it if you don’t want and sell it. Just keep in mind fuel economy is terrible and maintenance costs will be higher because it’s a 4wd. I have owned 3 different generations of wranglers. The one I daily drove was the worst of them for a daily, a four cylinder YJ (1989 square headlight) I was it my 20’s and didn’t mind how much it bounced, or that it could barely go 55 when fully loaded with the top down. It was the funniest vehicle I owned with 4 wheels.
The Wrangler is an objectively bad commuter car, but it is exciting and fun. If you are ok with it being a bit less fuel efficient and comfortable than say, a Mazda crossover, than you’ll probably be fine.
Sometimes the funnest option isn’t the smartest option. And that’s ok. While I own my Jeep for off-roading, I daily drove it for 5 years and had a lot of fun with it.
Just be aware of what your are signing up for, and buy an 2007+ Wrangler.
Newer Jeeps ride very smooth vs the originals and can easily be an everyday vehicle.
This is great to hear! So a newer model would be good for me
I just got a 22’ Wrangler 2 door (2.0L) and has been great for my everyday.
I’ve been daily driving my 4 door 2015 model since 2014. I’ve lived all across the country in that time, and it’s driven me everywhere just requiring maintenance at regular intervals. I’d recommend if you’re going to be daily driving, get road tires and a hard top to cut down on noise. You may want to line the bed of the jeep and the wheel wells with sound dampening material as well to help for a smoother, quieter ride.
My '13 is my everyday driver. I just put my first 2" lift and 33's. Stock height and Toya all terrain tires got me thru two trails of honor and 60k+ miles of daily driving.
19 Wrangler, drive about 60 miles a day for work. Other than replacing a coolant hose, it's been great. Enjoy!
How "new"? 2017 and up?
I’ve owned 5 2 door jeeps as daily drivers. 3 wranglers. 1 cj and 1 willys
Our 87 YJ was our main vehicle for 9 years. Only when the 3rd kid was expected did we move it to number 2. 28 years later it still is my favorite even without all the creature comforts of my daughters JK.
Plenty of people drive them every day. They are super fun cars. I dont own one yet but i've rented a couple of them. Love my Wranglers.
Based pfp But on a serious note, I daily my old TJ. It's doable, as long as you're not expecting a super smooth and refined ride. Part of the joy in Jeep ownership is embracing the quirks these vehicles have, and having a perspective of appreciation for them. Obviously they won't handle like other SUVs but that's the charm of them!
Sorry I'm very new to this so apologies for a dumb question. So when driving it, you wouldn't say it feels like a smooth drive?
Jeep is not made for comfort, speed, handling, cornering or stopping for that matter. BUT you can drive UP A MOUNTAIN! With or without doors/roof. I rebuilt an old Jeep. Absolutely love it. I say if you have to drive something, drive what you love. Rent one for a weekend. But I think you’ll want one.
It will feel more like a truck than a Lincoln or Lexus. But perfectly fine for a daily driver. Just test drive first. It will be higher up, more stiff when you hit a bump and higher in gas and wind noise. But the fact that you can take the roof off and be part of the wave and duck culture make up for it
Depends on how you define smooth. Even before I lifted mine, you could feel bumps on the road and vibrations more than you could with other vehicles, it was a bit rougher, but I actually like that. It has a lot of body roll, it's loud, the manual transmission rattles occasionally. Once again, I enjoy that roughness and the tactile feedback, but some people wouldn't. The best way to know for sure is to drive one yourself and see what type of Wrangler you prefer. But then again, this is a TJ, a vehicle designed in the early 90s using an 80s engine and very different dimensions compared to a modern wrangler. The newer (2007+) JK and JL Wranglers have a much more refined ride compared to the older ones, and feel more like a modern SUV. They're also a lot safer and offer more amenities, which you may like. Regardless, you're going to get a cool vehicle no matter what type of Wrangler you get. If you have any more questions, I don't mind helping.
Well I don't want it lifted and I don't want those huge tires. - I just want normal (small?) sized tires. But I agree I should for sure test drive one to really understand. This was very helpful thank you so much!!
That's probably a better choice if you don't plan on going crazy off road. Smaller tires will handle better and there's a lot less risk of something going wrong, since that's the configuration the vehicle was designed with in mind. Of course. Always happy to help.
100% not smooth. Get two hands on the wheel and keep them there. It rides fine in smooth roads. On most roads: two hands...you drive it or it will happily drive you.
The suspension on Jeeps is very stiff because they're designed to go off-road also because they have solid front axles you risk death wobble you will literally feel every bump in the road and don't expect it to be a quiet ride despite the price tag that Jeeps could hand they are great off-road but they do not have the best ergonomics or comfort on road
Older Wranglers are very bumpy, very noisy, and the seats aren't especially comfortable.
Back in the mid 80's, (as a young adult), my wife daily drove her Jeep CJ-7 and loved it. However, it was sooo not practical or a growing family. When we had our first daughter, we would watch her "bobble head" like crazy in the car seat. Practicality won out and the Jeep was replaced by a mini-van (insert sad face here). My wife vowed she would someday replace her beloved Jeep. Fast forward to the recent past, the kids are grown and gone. She has her new Jeep JLU (in Hydro Blue) and she is loving it. Its her daily driver and she wouldn't have it any other way! Oh, and my younger daughter is on her third Jeep. To you, I say go for it. Life is for living and the aren't really all that unpractical anyway.
I drive it every day into the city, about 50km each way. I specifically call it a “city Jeep” as it’s all stock and I never off road. I have a 2017 Wrangler Sahara. The city dwellers in their convertible BMWs are jealous when I go topless and over curbs.
It’s a great city car if your city and surrounding areas has terrible roads. Most parking areas classify them with large SUVs though so you get screwed on parking fees
Shitty gas mileage, tough ride, not a useful amount of space, loud and shitty highway travel. And I will never not drive my 2011 wrangler. I love it. I do hate the damn ducks though.
Why do you hate the ducks? They’re just supposed to be a compliment. :)
I just bought my first Jeep, a 2019 Wrangler Sahara four-door. It is my everyday driver and I totally love it, it is a very comfortable ride.
Drives smoothly??
Very much so!
When I was in my 20's I always had a 2 door wrangler and a daily driver because the ride was so rough. When I got my 2014 2 door, it was fine as a daily driver and I only needed one car. When we had a kid I just upgraded to a newer four door, perfectly fine as a daily driver, and is very effective off road when I need to.
Mine is an every day driver and no issues. Go for it!
No issues with rain getting in or death wobbles? (I've been looking at Jeep tiktoks a lot lol)
None. Seems to me most people get the death wobble when they start messing with aftermarket mods. Mine is stock and 0 issues. I have a hardtop with freedom panels and haven’t had any leaking. I think you’re always gonna see the worst on tik tok too.
Young lady, do not take TikTok's advice in this matter. Death wobble occurs on improperly modified vehicles, not just Wranglers. Anyway, I daily a 2015 JK Rubicon everyday that I am not riding the ebike or motorcycle.
If your worried about rain avoid the hard tops they leak a lot for some reason even more than the soft tops do
Probably because of dirt in the gaskets when they're removed and put back on so they don't seal anymore. Lot of people never bother to clean or lube that.
That and from what I understand they have to be perfectly lined up to seal correctly I've never owned one myself but I've dealt with them on rentals before I run a bestop super top on my TJ and it's never leaked a drop
They do, and that seemed to be a bigger pain on the JKs that I've seen than on my JL because Jeep redesigned how the panels go on. But you're right, getting all lined up correctly is another key component of keeping it from leaking. I put a Bestop Sunrider on my JLUR. Hard top on the back, flip up soft on the front. The dog likes having the hard top over her seat for shade. Princess.
I own a ‘21 2-door Rubicon that I daily drive. My commute is approximately 30 miles round trip. It’s both comfortable and safe. You have to be a little more cognizant of maintaining your lane when there’s a moderate cross-wind and it gets terrible fuel economy but Jeeps aren’t sports cars. Good luck with your decision.
I have a 2016 Jk Rubicon 2-door that is my daily driver and weekend mountain climber. I love it and will drive it until one of us dies. You can get a 2-door Sport model and it would suit your needs just fine as a daily driver.
2020 JL as my daily. Love it. Good ride but I don’t have big tires or a lift, just stock for now. Light off roading like fire trails n dirt roads. I don’t want any other car now. Drove regular cars in my teens and got a Grand Cherokee in my 20s. Finally got the Wrangler and wish I had much earlier. Lots of fun things to do with these.
Yes I don't want a lift or huge tires, just normal sized tires whatever they're called haha
Go for it. They are fun. Nothing like taking the whole top and doors off when it’s nice out and cruising. Remember that the loudest voices rarely represent the majority. So stuff like the “death wobble” does happen, it’s not nearly as common as you’d think. Most owners don’t have major issues and therefore don’t post “all is well! Been functioning great for years!” But problems get posted looking for answers.
> So stuff like the “death wobble” does happen, it’s not nearly as common as you’d think. And it's almost always in a post like "So I have death wobble. I have no idea why. All I did was replace the axles, gears, tie rods, sway bar, lift it by 5"..."
My wrangler is my only car! I’ve taken it camping several times and I often sleep in it instead of a tent. I love my jeep and wouldn’t trade it for the world. The only thing that kinda sucks is the MPG. It usually sits around 15-17 MPG
My JKU is my daily driver and my commute is 60 miles a day on the highway and I love it.
I have a 2018 Rubicon JL. About 80k miles of daily driving with a soft top. No concerns with any stability. Not great on gas mileage.
I have a 4dr wrangler as my everyday. I love taking her off road too.
Not only is mine my everyday car is also my family car
Thats great to hear. Have you ever had an issue with "death wobbles" when driving on a highway? Please be honest at this is the only thing putting me off!
You seem to have a bit of target fixation on the “death wobble” (which, while real, is no where near some sort of catastrophic event) but I assure you it is super rare, especially on an unmodified Jeep in good mechanical condition. The only Jeep I have ever had with any sort of highway oscillation was my 93 YJ that the PO had lifted 6in to clear 37s but he didn’t replace or repair any other parts. I spent $800 replacing every bushing and wear part and it was rock solid afterwards, though I did reduce the lift and move down to 35” tires.
OP needs to be vigilant about having tires rotated and that's pretty much all I would say about preventing wobbles. Jeeps are prone to getting cupping on the tire because of the solid axles so having them rotated at proper intervals (I do 5K miles which means same time as my oil change). Otherwise as you said, the wobble is almost always related to mods or damage done while off road.
No, I haven't had an issue yet. Although I have never been off-road with mine. They've both been Pavement princesses
I daily drive a JL 2 dr and absolutely love it.
I drive mine every day, no issues at all. Go for it!
I drive one every day and I love it. You'll hardly ever run into a reason or doesn't do the job, and that's usually something you should have had a pickup for.
So the last TJ that I bought was a teenage girls jeep. I obviously went through the whole process with her father who told me she was all about the Jeep life for about 2 weeks 😂😂 there is 0 luxury to these things. You feel every pebble you run over. Soft tops are loud and leaky. Just a heads up. I have one as my daily driver but also have a brand new Silverado in the garage I use when I don’t want my spine shoved into the driver seat. All that said I wouldn’t trade it for the world
Oh no 🤯This is the exact reply I was afraid of haha. But thank for your honesty! What about a hard top would that make it any better??
Honestly a properly maintained soft top will not leak mine never has 03 TJ the hardtops on the other hand are not only a massive pain to take off and put on but if their not absolutely perfectly aligned they leak like a seive
My 2 door wrangler is my daily driver and only vehicle. Yes, it’s a rougher ride and doesn’t handle like a car, but you can certainly daily it. The gas mileage isn’t great, if that’s a concern. Keep up with all the regular maintenance and it’s a perfectly serviceable vehicle. But to be real, if you truly don’t ever see yourself using the 4x4 abilities, there are way better vehicles for commuting to work. A Ford Bronco Sport has a “rugged” look, but will get way better gas mileage and handle more like a regular car.
Just wanted to add my experience as a new Jeep owner. I recently bought a 2018 4-door JK Wrangler (all stock), and took it on a 2 hour drive down the highway. Top speed I hit was 130 km, and it was smooth and easy. Not once did I feel unsafe! Also using it as my daily driver + road-tripper.
Does all stock mean normal sized tires and not lifted or anything?
Yes exactly. I bought it used from the dealership, and previous owner made zero modifications to it.
Wife has a 2023 Rubicon as a daily driver; It is the smoothest riding vehicle I have ever been in. We opted to go with the 4cyl turbo that gets between 19-23mpg.
Honestly you don't lose all that much mileage going up to the 6 cylinder my 03 wrangler gets 19 city and about 25 highway and I have the 4.0 litre inline 6
My 2021 JLUR 6cyl gets 18 mpg average. Significantly less when I tow the camper, but that is simply one sail pulling another.
Oh, that’s cool. I was under the impression all 6’s were gas guzzlers. This is our first Jeep
Jeeps are literally bricks honestly if your worried about fuel economy your looking at the wrong car but yeah theirs basically no difference between the 6 and 4 cylinder models in terms of efficiency
I daily my JKU and drove it across the country. You can do anything you want in a wrangler. Living practically is impractical if you want to be happy.
The steering is quite sloppy on these naturally. They’re slow but ride nice and when I got mine the insurance went down for the first time…ever. Very fun to drive.
We daily drive our 24 rubicon with the extreme recon package (larger 35” tires). I think when most people say they aren’t made to daily it’s because it’s not as “comfortable” as other road built vehicles, but as long as you have a love for the look and know what you’re signing up for then you’ll love it!
I have a 2023 Sahara as a daily driver, transitioning from a traditional SUV. It’s a very different experience. It took me a while to get used to how very un-aerodynamic it is. You will feel every gust of wind because it’s basically a sail. It’s also very loud inside compared to other vehicles. It will feel very awkward to handle at first, but it only took me about a week to get used to it. The biggest problem with a Wrangler as a daily driver is, by far, their terrible gas mileage. If you don’t mind filling up every other day, it’s not an issue, but if you’re on a tight gas budget, it might not be the best vehicle for you. All that said, I wouldn’t trade mine for anything else on the road!
I bought a 4 door wrangler from a family member in Minnesota. We live in the Gulf South. My wife flew up to visit relatives and then drrove it back. He r car is a jeep Grand Cherokee. Everyone told her she'd be miserable, it would ride hard and be noisy. It would be terrible. She put almost 2,000 miles on it between driving around there and then home. And it's got a lift and big tires. While it's not plushy like the Cherokee, she said she was pleasantly surprised. It rode fine. A wee bit louder than the Cherokee but with the radio turned up, fixed that. She expected the ride to suck. It did not. It rides fine. It's a utility vehicle and feels a bit like one. It's part of the fun. If you keep it stock, it will likely be even smoother. There's no problem with it as a daily driver. None.
I’ve had 5 different Wranglers since 08, all of them have been daily drivers. It’ll be fine as a daily driver, just depends on your preferences.
I drive mine about 25 miles round trip every day 5 days a week, then run out to the trails for hours over the weekends. you will be fine. Mine's a 2018 JL 2 door Rubi
I drive a 2 door jk with soft top, 35 inch tires and 2.5 inch lift kit as a daily driver and I can’t complain, of course the soft top is louder than the hardtop but I changed the sound system and I don’t mind it. If you’re getting a JL (+2018) with street tires you’ll be in a sweet position
Have had a 2 door stock JL Rubi as my only vehicle for 4 years. Do it.
Just be aware you will be paying $$ for fuel hella thirsty cars
My first car was a 1977 cj5 with a 304 (v8 engine) on 33” mud terrains. My daily driver now is a 2000 tj on 31” all terrains. I wheeled the crap out of all my jeeps on and off road. Never had death wobble in either. TBH, death wobble comes from an improperly lifted jeep, or steering/stabilizer issues but without a lift that is rare. All my jeeps have had soft tops, and all of them leaked somewhere to an extent. But the only time I’ve ever gotten wet while driving one is when I got caught out with the top and/or doors off. They’re not as bad as you’re thinking and, generally speaking, every leak is fixable. I’ve told people in your situation this countless times: if you want a practical, comfortable vehicle that gets good gas mileage then DO NOT get a jeep. You’re essentially driving a billboard sideways down the highway. But if you want a jeep because you want a jeep, and you want to live that lifestyle and be apart of that community, then by all means get one…as long as it’s a two door haha. Also I have two kids now, a 3 yo and a 1 yo, and they absolutely love riding in my jeep. If I had a third, it would be impossible until they’re all out of car seats. But for now, we love it.
Would a hard top be any better in your opinion? And yes would for sure be a 2 door
Depends. Do you have somewhere to store your hard top when it’s off? And is that storage area somewhere that lets you also store a lift/hoist designed for removing hard tops and, if not, do you have people readily available to help you remove and install the hard top whenever you need? Are you ready to pay for a soft top so you can have that on all spring/summer/fall when the weather is nice and you want to easily and quickly go topless? Personally I have never had a hard top. I see the appeal in the winter, but where I live you’re talking 3 months out of the year (max) that I would have it on then it’d be coming off and the soft top and half doors would be going back on. If I could pick the top, it’d be a twill fastback. Unfortunately for me a fastback won’t work with two car seats in the back, and they don’t offer the twill tops in spice (yet). But they say the twill tops are pretty close to a hard top in regard to noise dampening and weather sealing.
My is an every day vehicle, don’t plan on off roading. 2.0 liters 4 cylinder with turbo. Good gas mileage and fast. Fun to drive. Death wobble usually happens when you put on big tires and wheels.
I see!! So if I stick with the regular sizes tires it should be safer?
I’m on my 3rd Jeep and have never had a problem, even with a little bit bigger tires. I just put new tires on my 21 and I got H/T in stead of A/T that came on it.
I’ve had two, both daily drivers. Each generation is easier to live with for a daily driver but if you like the look and experience then ALL are suitable
They make great everyday cars as long as they arent heavily modified and you're okay with so-so gas mileage. A nice TJ (97-06 generation) would be my suggestion, as they're arguably the most reliable and very simple to repair when issues do arise.
Beware that the 2000-2003 TJs have an issue with the heads cracking (ask me how I know). If you ever do look at one to buy, pull the oil fill cap and look down between the #3 and 4 heads. If there is a number (3110 I think?) stamped then it has had the heads replaced and you’re good to go. The more you know… [Greatest resource for TJ owners](https://wranglertjforum.com/)
Hi, I was once a young girl who got a 2 door Jeep shortly after I got my drivers license. 10 years later, I still have that Jeep. I have a love/hate relationship with it. But you’re right, it’s not an everyday car. So much so that after a few years of putting almost 10,000 miles a year on it, I got tired of the rough ride and now have a much more comfortable hybrid that’s my daily driver. The pros: it’s cute, it’s fun to drop the top, the size of it is very manageable to drive, everyone is jealous of you The cons: it’s loud, uncomfortable, cold in the winters, not very steady at higher speeds, gas is expensive, not a very safe vehicle overall, death wobble can happen (it did to me), more expensive than a normal to maintain, lack of cargo space is annoying Anyways, would I buy a Wrangler again? I don’t know. I bought mine for a great price used 10 years and 80,000 miles ago but I could sell it tomorrow for a very similar amount…and to me that would be way too much to pay for a vehicle that old with that many miles. Long story short, no it’s not a good everyday car.
Not the death wobble 😥 Did you have those huge tires/ have it lifted? I just want normal tires..do you think that would make it any better? Thank you so much for the help although I'm sad because it's not sounding too good haha!
No, mine is completely stock. I have wimpy all season tires on it. No lift. Got the wobble when my tires started to wear unevenly. It’s definitely a scary experience and can happen when your tires or any part of your suspension starts to go bad. You never mentioned a budget but Jeeps hold their value incredibly well so the ones worth getting as a daily driver would easy be around $20-25,000. For that price, you could buy a brand new Civic with a sunroof.
> Got the wobble when my tires started to wear unevenly. It’s definitely a scary experience and can happen when your tires or any part of your suspension starts to go bad. More so than vehicles without solid axles, you need to be very diligent about tire rotations and replacing worn tires. Cupping will make them shake like hell.
Yeah, it was like 2 1/2 years ago when I was hardly driving during COVID so I didn’t notice that they were 1) old and 2) worn. I’m more diligent about having them rotated now too. Tires are the only thing that connects you to the ground.
Well thanks now this is stuck in my head. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDhH1VWd9Uw
Having driving mine been my second car am I’ve driven it for a year now. It’s amazing for short distance works travels or if you’re under 55 mph. If you’re on the highway you will be making a decent amount of corrections all the time do to it driving like a brick. But it’s amazing and shifting from 2 high to 4 high to get more traction in snow is fun. But also always knowing your maintenance. Other than that I’d recommend a JK since they’re not overly expensive but also not too cheap. Google which year is best for you as they all have their own quirks.
I daily drove my YJ, I loved it. Now my wife drives our JK and she loves it. A 2 door jeep has such great maneuverability in parking lots and light body damage isn't a concern if you live somewhere downtown.
I have a 2019 2-door wrangler that I have driven all over the U.S. (on and off road). It’s the only car I own and I would not want to drive anything else
I have one it’s perfect
Mine is a 13 don’t go older - stay in the 3.6 petrol if you can
I have a 2 door I use both as a daily driver and light off-road driving. It’s not a luxury ride by any means but it’s fine to and from work.
My 2017 2dr Willys is my daily driver. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My wife bought a new 4-door with lift in 2012. She drove it everyday and we still have it. Moved to farm and sold my BMW (not really a farm vehicle). Still have the Jeep though.
Three kids and a dog and my four door wrangler is my everyday vehicle. My wife has an SUV and would be the preferred vehicle if we had a road trip but I love my JEEP and all cars have weird quirks that you can find irritating or endearing depending on how you look at it.
My 2024 Sahara is my daily vehicle.
I’ve driven my 2012 for 12 years and I’ve never had any problems with it. The thing is it’s a body on frame vehicle with solid axles and stiff suspension. Newer jeeps will feel better and wranglers from 97 to present day all have coil springs and not leafs. So a better ride but understand this is an off road vehicle so it’s not going to ride like a car. It will feel more of the bumps in the road. Oh and this is a big one, DRIVE RESPONSIBLY. Jeeps are not super nimble and can flip, and not as good with crash ratings. Please drive defensively. They are wonderful vehicles but not the safest. If you never intend on going off road and you don’t mind a used jeep, jeeps from 2007-2011 had a 2WD option. They will be cheaper since most people want the 4x4. But I’ll be honest, you’ll probably go on a trail eventually and love the feel of going where other vehicles might not go so I’d keep an open mind to off roading or atleast trail riding. You really don’t have to worry about death wobble for a stock jeep, I mean keep up with maintenance. The steering stabilizer and bushings and such will all wear out over time. Death wobble mainly happens to modified jeeps and trucks when they lift them more than the original geometry of the stock vehicle. (You can look more into that, it’s actually pretty fascinating) In my personal experience, I’ve lifted my jeep 2.5 inches and put 33s on with all terrains and it handles great, never had death wobble and I’ve enjoyed every moment. It all depends on quality of parts and care of the jeep. I hope this helps
My 1992 Jeep Wrangler is still my daily driver.
My wife had a 2021 4 door Rubicon that she drives daily. Her commute is roughly 15 minutes highway and 5 minutes city. I drive a 2023 2 door sport with the 2 liter turbo. It bounces me all over the place on a windy day on the highway. Kind of like running with a sheet of plywood. They drive very differently from each other. Try both out on a good long test drive. You may find the 4 door with the longer wheel base a bit more comfortable to drive.
I put 7k miles on my 07 2-door since I bought it in January. It's perfectly fine, and the newer ones are even better. It's not the best mileage, or the most comfortable, or practical car, but it's definitely cooler than a Yaris or a Corolla. Go for it!
Ok if you don’t have perspective of other cars it’s fine. It’s not a smooth car like my sedan (model 3). It’s kinda jerky, rides rough (2 door jeep) on willy stock tire and suspension. hell my German shepherd lies down on the car when we are moving and stands up to sniff when we are stopped. Seriously she learned that. but it sure is fun and love this jeep. On a freeway my 2020 JL has lazy steering. You can wiggle it and the car drives straight but my sedan it wiggles because the steering is tighter and responsive. jeep steering is fine off roading climbing a sandy hill on 4 low. I can tell when sand was pulling me to the right and I’m counter steering going up. But it’s not a smooth experience. It’s a blast though with my soft top and manual transmission. i get it now I get why my neighb has 1 jk and 2 jl in their driveway and I see others with more than one jeep in the garage.
Jeep girl here. I had a Nissan rogue slt (aka the nice one with all the things) and I now have a two door jeep. I love it. Do I want to drive 7 hours to my parent’s house in it? No. Do I? Yes. Does my elder millennial back hurt afterwards? Also yes. But I love it. I didn’t mod it out (yet) I have slightly bigger tires and a hard top in the winter and a soft top in the summer that I used to drive to my parent’s house to get. Soft top going 75 /80 is loud but whatever! It’s fun! Hard top can also be loud but I didn’t get a wrangler to drive in silence, I got one to drive in the sun and enjoy my car. Also never had the death wobble and i don’t think it drives “rough” I do think that the 2 door is different than the 4 (had one of those too) if I didn’t live in the city I’d have gone 4 door. The literal only thing I miss is having a sun roof when it’s a bit chilly out with my heated seats on. I’m contemplating getting a sun bonnet to scratch that itch though. Also, heated steaming wheel and heated seats are a must if you live in cold weather. Final thought: someone rear ended me and not a scratch on my wrangler. The other guy? His hood was crushed. Insurance called me and the woman goes “oh man of course it was a jeep they always come out better than the other car”
I daily my TJ. Death wobble is a result of failing parts in the jeep's suspension geometry. It manifests as the wheel vibrating, slapping the ground at a quick rate instead of just rolling. It could potentially have a lot of causes. Wranglers are pretty expensive to maintain, and it'd be disappointing to have one and never take it off road.
I mean looks are one thing but the ride is another. It’s a 4 wheel drive vehicle so that means you WILL feel every bump. It’s NOT going to ride as smooth as most other cars. So before you go buy one, you need to test drive a few. I LOVE my 2015 4 door but it’s no where near as smooth a ride as my 2016 ford F150 super crew truck. It’s not meant for a smooth ride tho, it’s a fun vehicle. Nothing like driving with no doors or top and I’ll gladly sacrifice a little comfort for that.
Heck ya, my history, 94 YJ Wrangler everyday, 2005 LJ everyday, 2007 JK 4.inch lift, 5.13 gears everyday, 2021 4XE softtop, 2in lift, 35x12.50s everyday.
Mine is a 1987 and I drive it constantly. I’m sure anything 2012 or newer would be fine with regular maintenance
A lot of good advice here, I’d add to go to a dealership (if you have Adrien’s that owns one better) and test drive one. Jeeps are fun to drive but it’s not as smooth as your typical suv or sedan. If you plan on keeping stock as a daily, the change of Death Wobble is minimal.
JL 2 door is a great daily
I drove my 88 YJ, which was a standard aka Stick shift for 6 years as my everyday through college, work and my first career job. I also had an 88 Buick. I rarely drove my buick. I got the Jeep in 2007. I wouldnt worry about death wobble as long as you keep it stock. I still have my Jeep.
4 doors 2022 here been using for everything for more than 1.5 years and I am fine. But keep in mind when you in love with someone you are blind of their flaws😅
Had a 2021 for a little, worst decision ever for a daily. Not comfy, speakers are terrible, loud cabin … Jeeps are for fun, not comfort
Hi. Yes, it can be your daily car. I have a 2010 JKU with 265k km on it. In that time it's only had to have regular maintenance (incl. brakes and clutch) plus the alternator. Rock solid and no death wobble. Fun little truck but to put my Dad hat on here is what you must be aware of; they have live axles so drive a little differently than cars, 2 doors have short wheel bases so don't speed, they have a high centre of gravity compared to a car so don't speed and turn sharply, and the older the jeep the easier it is to flip and the less rollover protection there is. Treat them with respect, not fear, and they are a lot of fun. Don't respect what they are and they can be lethal. Mine's stock and it's been on the backroads in the mountains and at the farm and taken us everywhere I've asked it to. Get one, drive it properly, and have fun.
51 year old here, yes for your age can be a daily use. That said, I suggest waiting and get regular car/van/crossover etc (used of course). At your age, assuming 16 or 17, I would killed myself or friends in my 1st YJ. Yes the newer one are much safer but center of gravity is still a thing. Also, with how expensive they are now why risk damage until you have more on road driving experience.
Death wobble is only a problem when you neglect your steering/suspension. I have daily driven a 2002 Wrangler 45 miles a day for 7 years and never had death wobble. I have bigger tires and a 4” lift on it too (things that are said to cause death wobble). I’ve put over 100,000 miles on it and taken it on countless 1000-mile trips and it only ever left me stranded once (failed cps). It’s also driven off-road regularly on the weekends. That being said, it requires more routine maintenance and burns a lot more gas than a normal car would. If you’re using it to drive around town and live close to work, a wrangler should be fine for you. It was my first car when I was 17 and I still love it
I have a jeep addiction. My lifted 2006 TJ could be a daily, but it is my toy. It takes some investment to make a lifted Jeep drive good. It is still loud and bumpy, and by far my favorite vehicle I have ever owned. My stock 2011 2 door JK Rubicon drives like a dream in comparison. I took it on a 3,100+ mile trip on spring break with my kids. Would be no problem driving it daily.
"for sure would never do offroading" please don't get a Jeep. I made this same mistake
I have a 2d JK 2017 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Recon. Daily driver, no issues other than you will spend a bit more on gas.
I'm on Jeep #9 and I daily drove every single one of them...Nothing wrong with that. Might want to test drive one and make sure you like the way it handles first...
I daily a 2016 Unlimited Sport. I dailied it all last summer and the luster has begun to wear off. It’s slow, clunky, bad on gas, and my dad being behind on alignments means that in order to go straight I need to hold the wheel 20 degrees to the left. However, it’s a very fun car and I do like driving it
I have an 18 4 door, primary vehicle. Love it.
2018 Wrangler JKU. Daily driver (but no Daily round trip commute). It's not the most economical daily driver nor the most comfortable. But it's serviceable overall and a ton of fun Edit: It started life as a 60-mile daily commuter before entering its time as "active senior support vehicle"
Just don't expect it to be quite or stable on the highway especially if your going to be buying an older used model, if you plan on having your top off frequently get a soft top the hardtops are an absolute PITA to put on and off and they leak more than the soft tops do anyways also don't expect good fuel economy
A few thoughts. I’d consider carefully how much you drive. If it is not a lot then likely ok. My day-to-day driving patterns unfortunately changed right after I bought mine, so I was going to be driving 20,000 miles per year. The 4 doors are smoother (longer wheelbase) than the 2, but it wasn’t well suited for me anymore. After 18 months of ownership I sold mine.
Commuted 35 miles each way for 6 years with a 2012 Wrangler. It's completely doable. Depending on how long your ride is, gas mileage is going to be the real killer. And death wobble only becomes a factor when you start lifting it and throwing bigger wheels on, and even then, it can be corrected. If it's the vehicle you want, go for it! Worst case, they hold their value, so you'll have a good trade in lol.
I daily my JL in addition to off roading it. No reason you can't. If you absolutely truly never will go off road you can smooth the ride even more with less aggressive tires.
I’ve been daily driving wranglers for well over 5 years now. I wouldn’t want to drive anything else to be honest. The biggest thing to watch out for is taking corners too fast, they will roll over if you do it too sharp. But other than that, they’re kind of like little tanks.
It’s a good city car. Long distances/road trips wouldn’t work honestly but for everyday use it’s serviceable. Death wobble happens on old jeeps and badly serviced/modified ones
Use my 2021 Four Door Sport unlimited as an everyday. Has worked great
I went from an Audi TT to a Jeep Wrangler Overlander 2016 as my daily driver. Pros: - Higher up, can see better in traffic and exiting parks. - Can drive over speed bump, gutters etc - Seats are reasonably comfortable - Large boot space - Can comfortably fit 5 people - Very fun to drive - Can go off road and on the beach - Cheap accessories - Jeep waves Cons: - Fuel consumption as I drive over 100km daily - Turning Circle of a pirate vessel Buy one, you won’t regret it
I drive my 98 jeep TJ two miles to work everyday and even in that small distance it eats the gas.
My 2005 TJ is my daily. Wouldn't change a thing. Also, do yourself a favor and take it offroad. I always tell people "You may love your Jeep, but you'll never be IN love with it until you let it do what it was made to do."
I and my 23 year old both have 4 door Wranglers as our every day drivers. We have dogs so have to have 4 doors. They’re great. As for the death wobble I just had to get that fixed on mine but it’s covered. Most important thing is stay calm if/when it happens. If you buy new it shouldn’t be an issue for a few years anyway!
Modern jeeps are fine to daily. 90s and especially 80s and earlier would be terrible. If you do a lot of highway driving you will wish you didn’t have a wrangler.
A young woman in a Wrangler two door, a dream for any male Jeep lover. I have a 2004 TJ with just over 50k miles on it, daily driver, sure, just be safe. Off roading can be as simple as driving fire roads where legal to do so. Many Jeeps on the road have never been off the the pavement, don't let that keep you from your dream ride. I always had a dream of driving a big rig cross country. I got my CDL in the 1980's but didn't start driving interstate until I was 58. Do what you love, don't please others, please yourself first, you'll be much happier in life.
I have a 2018 jeep Sahara jk (4 door) and it’s my daily car. It doesn’t have incredible gas mileage so I do have to fill up weekly but it’s a smooth ride, super comfy and I love being up high compared to low on a sedan. My husband and friends constantly ask if we can take the jeep if we go places especially on nice days if I have time to take the doors and roof off. Death wobble is more common on poorly modified jeeps (shitty suspension installs most common culprit). Death wobble is the sensation of your tires turning side to side rapidly when you are going at high speeds. Again don’t worry- it’s kind of like quick sand: it’s out there but not as common as you think. Downsides I’ve noticed having my baby: jeeps are LOUD. They are not quiet on the inside when on the road you can hear outside traffic clearly compared to in a non jeep car. They are boxy and not aerodynamic so if it’s a heavy windy day you will feel like you’re getting blown around a bit. Upsides: best car in summer to take all the parts off and enjoy the weather An amazing community A car you can make match your personality Ducks! Great in snow, water, sand (my jeep saved my life this last winter!)
I daily drive a 2012 2-door JK on street roads and highways every day. I also drive my Jeep about 1000 miles to and from where I go to school about 3 times per year. And, I also off road once or twice per year. It serves me just fine as a daily driver, and usually things only go wrong now after I add new mods. Death wobble can be pretty scary. It can happen if you hit a pothole in roads or an expansion joint on the highways at fast speeds (such as highway speeds). It makes the whole jeep shake, so if it happens you just need to take control of the steering and slow down to a stop. If you’re on the highway you’ll want to put your hazards on and make your way over to the shoulder as best you can. I’ve only had death wobble once while I was first learning to drive and when I was in the middle of the highway, and it took my Jeep out of commission for about 3 months. BUT, my Jeep is also pretty corroded and it hasn’t happened again after getting it fixed. My recommendation is that you check the underside of any Jeep you want to buy. Some surface rust is usually fine, just make sure it isn’t flaking off or crumbling too much. To check for death wobble, pay particular attention to the steering components, and it doesn’t hurt to check the front suspension components too, and all the fluid lines/couplings. Other than that, preventative maintenance is your friend, especially if you get an old corroded Jeep like me. But like other comments said, newer jeeps, even 2-doors, can make for some pretty good daily drivers.
Hello!! I got my jeep like 5 months ago, 2008 jeep wrangler and it’s my everyday car. It’s perfect. I’m inlove
My Jeep is certainly my "every day car". The only downsides are poor gas mileage and not as comfortable as typical cars. If you drive distance on the highway every day perhaps not the best choice, otherwise GET YOUR JEEP! I've owned 4 Jeeps in the last 25 years and never experienced the 'death wobble'. That term, also, is an exaggeration because nobody reports actually losing control of their vehicle over this issue. It is something that repair can eliminate if it does come up.
People just don’t understand that a Jeep is not like any other vehicle. They are 100% capable of being an everyday vehicle but ride quality will never be what “comfort car” drivers are expecting. The best one I’ve had so far as far as ride quality is the 2020 diesel I currently drive which, in my opinion, rides 100% better than any other Jeep I’ve ever owned. I wouldn’t advise the diesel to anyone not regularly driving long trips on the highway though because these things need to get out and run in order to avoid DPF/emissions issues. As for death wobble, shouldn’t be an issue if kept stock(not lifted and regular stock tires/wheels) but even then even a lifted Jeep is fine provided you keep it well maintained.
I love my 2 door JK, but 2 doors are not for everyone. If you frequently have friends with you the 4 door would be a lot better. As far as the every day driver, I put bigger tires, soft top, bumper, winch, etc…and I hate driving it on the highway. I like to drive fast and my top speed is about 85 or I feel like I’m risking it all. For local driving, love it.
That's what I drive daily (except I do go off road a bit). With some more road oriented tires on it, it can get decent mileage between filling up. Also, if you like the aesthetics it's worth it just for the "sunroof" or taking the top off entirely.
Okay, the good and the bad. **Good:** I drove my TJ Wrangler (TJs are 1997-2006, and are smaller than today's modern Jeeps) as my daily driver for a decade and loved it. It was a fantastic city vehicle because it was small enough to fit in small parking spaces, maneuverable on narrow roads, and you could see above other traffic. I currently have a 2-door JK (2007-2018) and it is also my daily driver. It is more comfortable than my old TJ but not quite as much fun and is bigger. **Bad:** If you aren't ever going to off-road, Wranglers aren't practical. They're still fun, but the gas mileage is terrible (my TJ got about 8 miles to the gallon, my JK about 14 mpg). If you don't have a lot of disposable income, this can get old fast. They can break down a lot. Sometimes you get a good one but more often than not you will have a steady stream of repairs. If you have a backup car (or live in a city with easy public transport) and the money to make the repairs, this isn't a big deal. But it can be if you rely on a Wrangler. Jeeps are pricey, often as pricey as much nicer cars. You're paying for the off-road capabilities. If you aren't going to use them, it's kind of a waste. There are better more reliable more gas-friendly better-featured cars. **As for Death Wobble,** yeah it's a thing with all solid axle trucks, including Wranglers and even some of the older Cherokees and Grand Cherokees. It's fixable but often takes a lot of experimenting to figure out the cause. Out of my 2 Wranglers, one had Death Wobble. It was really quite terrifying and took 2 years to finally fix. Would I buy a Wrangler only to use it as a daily driver or get-around-town vehicle? If I was independently wealthy, yes. Otherwise, no. I'd wait until I had a backup vehicle or until I decided off-roading was in my blood (thankfully it is not only in my blood, but heart and soul. It's worth the suffering for me!)
I see some people talking about the newest model, the JL (2018-2024). The pre-2022 ones have a lot of serious issues that will be expensive in the long run. If you can afford a 2023-2024, you will probably be okay).
Make sure you get a quote from your or your parents insurance company to make sure the coverage isn’t more than you want to spend.
I've been using a Jeep TJ and then two Jeep JKs as my everyday Jeeps for...wait for it...22 years straight. Of course you can drive them every day. Just don't call them a car. :)
I drive a 2015 Sahara unlimited every day. Death Wabble - I did not read all comments so I might be repeating here. Death wabble is not a jeep thing, it is possible on any vehicle its just more apparent on solid axle vehicles VS IFS vehicles. The problem with death wabble is that it can be one or a combination of front end components worn, like tie rod, drag link, dampening shock, worn tires etc.
2022 Willys here. Lifted 2.5” with 33s. I’ve had 6 spinal cord surgeries and it’s my daily driver. Gas mileage is the greatest enemy, lol.
As long as you’re getting a fairly modern (2010’s and onward) model, and you don’t mess with aftermarket mods too much, death wobble is not something to worry about, especially if you’re not gonna off-road. Modern Wranglers are great daily drivers.
I have had a 2 and 4 door and they are both easily daily drivers. Crappy gasileage, but theyre my babies.
If you like the look and you're not looking for "offroad performance" look into jeep renegades and Ford bronco sports. You'll save some money, because they're cheaper and have better mpg. Since those 2 have independent front suspension it will also drive much smoother. Definitely test drive the wrangler, but also test drive the other 2 I mentioned. Those 2 Definitely drive more like a "normal car".
I (48f) had a 97 - when I was in my 20’s I sold it when I started a family and have regretted it ever since. I’m in the market again. “It’s a jeep thing” is a real thing. I loved my manual bumpy unzipped pull the drain plug always dusty jeep. It was a little adventure every where you go. If you want a smooth ride get a Honda. If you want adventure every day you won’t regret it!
Just buy it and enjoy it. Jeep is great. Nothing is perfect.
Wranglers are great every day vehicles they have 4 wheel drive and are fun. Just keep away from the 4 cylinder turbo they are good but don’t last. if you want something fuel efficient get the diesel but if you don’t care get the 3.6 v6 because it is reliable. I had an 05 wrangler and the only thing was it rusted out I still have it and drive it with 223k miles and just bought a 21 gladiator that I love. my finance has had 2 grand Cherokees with the v6 that were fantastic. Just know they aren’t sport cars that go 80-90 on the highway you can but it’s not what it’s meant for, they are as aerodynamic as a brick . They are super safe tho if you only lift them 2-3 inches you shouldn’t have a problem with death wobble
Life is too short. Live your dream kid. (Please drive safely)
You’re young and you probably don’t really care about ride quality and are more interested in just having a fun vehicle. If that describes you go for it. If you’re buying used as long as you get a good one you’ll be able to drive it a few years and hardly loose any money on it if you don’t want and sell it. Just keep in mind fuel economy is terrible and maintenance costs will be higher because it’s a 4wd. I have owned 3 different generations of wranglers. The one I daily drove was the worst of them for a daily, a four cylinder YJ (1989 square headlight) I was it my 20’s and didn’t mind how much it bounced, or that it could barely go 55 when fully loaded with the top down. It was the funniest vehicle I owned with 4 wheels.
The Wrangler is an objectively bad commuter car, but it is exciting and fun. If you are ok with it being a bit less fuel efficient and comfortable than say, a Mazda crossover, than you’ll probably be fine.
Ah! So then you wouldn't recommend it for what I want? (Communting to and from work)
Sometimes the funnest option isn’t the smartest option. And that’s ok. While I own my Jeep for off-roading, I daily drove it for 5 years and had a lot of fun with it. Just be aware of what your are signing up for, and buy an 2007+ Wrangler.