Twelve years ago, I got my dream job on the engineering team of the only new Jeep that really matters anymore: The Wrangler. I was a 21-year-old recent college graduate attending meetings I had already attended before in my dreams, the most memorable of which involved an old-timer (and my friend) Jim Repp defending the Jeep’s solid-axle heritage from a suspension engineer who was missing the forest for the trees in an effort to meet his dynamic handling goals. Two years after my 2015 departure from Chrysler to become a car journalist, I had the rare privilege of being one of the first to review a product I had helped develop. But as much as I loved the new JL Wrangler, it’s now eight years since the launch, and I still don’t own one. That’s going to change soon; here’s why.
The obvious answer is: It’s the only vehicle whose engineering I had a significant hand in (I was in charge of cooling system design). But there’s a good reason why I haven’t plunked down the cold, hard cash yet for a Wrangler, and that’s because, for the longest time, I’ve believed that the Wrangler is not a vehicle worth buying new, or even new-ish.
I’ve said it before: Off-road capability has not increased much since American Bantam showed off what would become the World War II Jeep back in 1940. Yes, you read that right: If you were to take a World War II Jeep and put it in an off-road comparison with a base Jeep Wrangler, you’d be shocked by how well the World War II Jeep does. And sure, the Rubicon model with lockers would leave the World War II Jeep in its dust in plenty of scenarios, but as a platform, the World War II Jeep is arguably just as good due to its combination of low center of gravity (thank you Go-Devil flathead motor!), short wheelbase, narrow track, flexy frame, and decent overall geometry. Install a few lockers into the WW2 Jeep’s diffs (if you want shorter gearing, grab a CJ-2A for those 5.38s), chuck on some 31-inch all-terrains and that thing will go toe-to-toe with a modern Wrangler Rubicon. And even if it’s still a bit shy of the Rubicon, the fact that it’s in the same ballpark is remarkable when you consider how far in the dust a 1940s sports car would be left when raced against a modern sports car.
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This is one of the reasons why I’ve foregone buying a new Wrangler. I already own a CJ-3B and a Jeep Wrangler YJ, both of which are plenty off-road capable. I just haven’t seen the advantage to buying a modern off-roader, and that became doubly true when I bought my BMW i3 daily-driver; the refinement upgrades of the modern Wrangler over my old Jeeps just aren’t that valuable since I already have a daily.
Why would I spend $30 grand on a new Wrangler when I can get similar off-road capability for a quarter of the price? And why would I want to off-road a vehicle so valuable? I’m just going to damage it. To me, especially since I can easily keep an older car on the road with my own tools, there’s really no point in spending a bunch of money on an off-road vehicle. At least, there wasn’t. But now things have changed.
Since the launch of my son Delmar (Not His Real Name), I’ve begun thinking about my old vehicles differently. My Wrangler and CJ are vehicles that I know I cannot reasonably use to daily-drive my child around. They’re deathtraps. Maybe I can give Delmar a ride around town every now and then, but that’s about all I’m comfortable doing.
This means that, if I ever want to take my son on the freeway (which is what LA people call “the highway,” which you basically have to use to get anywhere around here), I have to take my i3. And look, I love my i3, but what’s the point of having a bunch of other cars I can barely drive? Whereas before I drove my old cars all the time, I now have a human barnacle attached to me pretty much 24/7, rendering most of my vehicles as just toys. It’s fine to have toys, but it’s harder to justify having seven of them than it is to justify having maybe one toy (the Willys, whose max cruising speed is 45 mph) and six potential daily-drivers for single-David.
Basically, with the birth of my child, all my classics have now become toys.
This is where a new Jeep Wrangler becomes appealing. For the past four months now, anytime my wife and I have gone somewhere with Delmar we’ve taken her car, the Lexus RX (yes, the i3 could work, too but it’s a bit small for his infant car seat). For the foreseeable future, I see myself having to drive that Lexus all the time except for when I commute to work. This isn’t ideal.
I think the Lexus is a great car at fulfilling its intended purpose (be safe, be comfortable, work reliably, keep the BS to a minimum), but it’s not me. And right now, the only time I get to drive a me-car is when I’m in traffic heading to work three times a week, or when I want to do a solo drive to the grocery store in one of my now-toy cars.
I want a fun car I can drive everywhere, with wife and child. I’m tired of the Lexus.
The answer, at some point, will probably be the Scout Traveler since I love the efficiency and ease of maintenance of an EREV, but I cannot drop 50 grand on a car. Delmar’s college fund — and just being able to live here in LA, period — is more important than having the latest-and-greatest machine to drive around in. Plus, I knew that, at some point, I would be buying a new Jeep Wrangler, as I was on the engineering team. Now seems like the right time.
It will allow me to drive around in a car that I genuinely love, daily, while keeping baby-Delmar and Elise significantly safer than if I drove them around in my old Wrangler YJ.
The only issue is that the JL Wrangler I want is basically hen’s teeth. I want one of the few 2024 four-door models made with the old JL grille (as I understand, Jeep had some kind of shortage of the new grilles, so they kept using the old ones for a few months on Sport and Sport S trims), but with a stickshift (and Jeep did a stop-sale on stickshifts that year due to clutch issues). I find the new grille to be hideous, I like the 2024+ interior, and I like that the 2024+ models have safer rear restraint systems, per IIHS.
Finding a 2024 four-door with a stick and the old grille will be incredibly tough, but I’m in no rush. I’m grateful we have my wife’s Lexus, and of course, I’m grateful to have my old Jeeps too. I also understand that not everyone has the privilege to drive their kids around in modern cars, so even being able to have this discussion is something I’m grateful for.
My search will start in about a year, when 2024 Wranglers start coming off lease. This strategy helped me find my Holy Grail BMW i3 (in 2024, just as three-year leases were ending; finding highly-optioned BMW i3s has since become borderline impossible). Hopefully 2024 models will depreciate a bit more, as four-doors are commanding almost $40 grand now, and that’s way too expensive for my blood. I might have to just buy a 2019 or 2020 model (in which case, maybe I just go with the Rubicon like the one above), or wait a bit longer so I can keep the costs down. Either way, some of my old Jeeps are going to have to go.
Top graphic image: David Tracy
What we really want to know is:
How good is the cooling system?
How long does it hold up?
What’s the cost to repair or replace it?
TELL US ABOUT THE ACHILLES HEAL!
I mean, put your inside knowledge to work here!
See, healing was Achilles’ problem – that heel was one spot he just couldn’t.
The Achilles heel is that the cooling system is surrounded by a Jeep.
I recommend going for a Sport trim so you get the hand crank windows and the manual locks. It’s the last of an era
When cars were smaller and electronics in them were more unreliable, manual locks and windows were fine. With more modern stuff, I don’t see the point.
Having manual windows is a PITA when someone tries to tell you something in another vehicle and you have to sign they should wait, try to lean over to reach the crank, fail, unbuckle, and then lean over more to roll down the window so that they can say half a word before the light changes. Eff that.
Similarly, do we really want to go back to the times of having to visually (or otherwise) check all the locks because we can’t trust our idiot (kids) passengers to lock the door behind them?
Thanks but no thanks. I’ll take my daily with electronic locks and windows, preferably with an express down on the driver side at least. I can’t even remember the last window regulator I had to replace, let alone a motor.
Might have been the early 00s for a window motor that needed new brushes in a 90 Accord.
Then again, I don’t buy Jeeps, maybe that’s a common pain point for them.
… Why?
Far be it for me to use my knowledge and think it is even close to yours. However I do have a different way of thinking. Yes the Bantam jeep designed then given to Ford was great at doing one thing going anywhere. And modern jeeps really aren’t better at that one thing. Your own statements prove they are better because they are just as good doing that one same thing but can do many other things as well. Safety, speed, comfort, gas mileage style etc.
Now in the aspect of things you aren’t an expert and need corrections. You state you want to take your son on the freeway that LA Calls a highway but you fail to mention the rest of the country calls a parking lot
Everyone has their own level of risk aversion. I would drive my kids around every day in a YJ and not worry. I might put the better rollbar in it. I think it’s referred to as the “family” one.
Not gonna lie…it’s kinda sad watching DT grow up.
I look forward to the minivan article.
But… Now he has a new Holy Grail Jeep to try to find!
Granted, a 4-door Wrangler is almost a minivan, since most of them are family vehicles and are found mostly in mall parking lots.
He already has a 4dr jeep, the ZJ!
Stroller reviews will have to come first. Oh wait, L.A., nobody walks there…
Nobody!
We’re such good parents these days. In the ’70s, some people crammed their spawn into tiny coupes, pony-car hot rods, and pickup truck beds. Plenty of moms drove 2-door wagons like the Pinto, Pacer, and Vega.
And boy, was it fun to be in the back seat of a two-door with the front seat adults puffing away.
As a child, my dad used to lie unbuckled in the back seat of my grandfather’s Superbird while driving through the hilly, blind corners of Puerto Rico’s mountain roads.
So yeah, I’d say David is doing great at keeping Delmar safe in comparison.
Why sad?
Because as we watch you grow into this new life, that many of us are already in, we lament the loss of our youth and freedom to wrench on 15 cars in our driveway and eat spaghetti in the shower.
Pretty much.
We each choose what to hold onto and what to cast aside as we stroll down the path of life.
For everyone of us who’ve walked the path there are more waiting to make the journey.
Yeah, so I hear what you are saying…. but hear me out:
Keep the Chevy truck, sell both of those jeeps above. The Chevy is reasonable safe/reliable/modern with amazing capabilities, infinite upgrades, incredible aftermarket, and finding parts is easy/cheap.
Then all those car payments you’d be making on your dream Wrangler could go towards building that ZJ. I’m incredibly stoked about your goals for the ZJ build; I’ve always liked XJs but they always seems a bit small, and a bit cheap. While traveling across the rocky mountains, I came across and INCREDIBLE ZJ with the 5.9, hood grills, build suspension, clean AF. It’s been years and I still think of that thing…
Do you want depreciating assets, or an easier time affording all the parts for building the ultimate ZJ?
Please build the ZJ to show the world what that chassis is capable of; I understand your vision!
Can’t take the family in the truck
Stick one in the truck bed. Problem solved.
You’re one of few who see my vision. Thank you!
You’ll end up getting a cheaper old one, that someone is special and rare. After all, fatherhood may have changed you, but you’re still cheap
I’d say forget the planning, the more you plan, the more the universe will twist those plans into pretzels. I’m sure you figured this out, but the next year or two will go by in a blink, and interests and priorities will change. Maybe only a little, maybe a lot, maybe change will happen then reverse back. Wait until you feel like things have settled out a bit, and you can think halfway straight (unless you’re superhuman compared to me and having an infant and a new house to fix means you are well rested and sharp).
It would make for less content, and less entertainment for the rest of us, but take your time and see where life takes you before doing too much besides selling any of the cars that have become meh. In the meantime, it seems like you should be in the (enviable) position to test out and review loaner vehicles whenever you feel the need for something newer/safer, and different/interesting.
I am inclined to ignore the comments about wrangler quality and ride from people who have never owned one. I have a 2012 that has been fantastic through 175K miles.
Years ago I went automatic vs manual for 4 wheeling in jeeps and it is actually better for me as I am close to 60 years old and I like automatics in traffic.
Quality depends on maintenance
Sometimes. But sometimes all the maintenance in the world can’t make a turd last as long as its superior competition.
Co-worker’s daughter bought a 2024 Wrangler because it was her dream vehicle. In the first year of ownership it’s been sitting at the dealership with issues for 8+ months. Quality does not depend on maintenance – it depends on design and manufacturing. Maintenance will affect how long a vehicle lasts, with the design and manufacturing quality affecting how much maintenance you have to do.
Refresh my memory, is Delmar NHRN banned from the i3 for hygiene or safety reasons?
The i3 is actually stellar for infants, toddlers, and kids in car booster seats due to the coach doors (caveat: PITA in a crowded parking lot but that’s solvable by choosing the right parking spot). Dealing with modern kid car seats are like lugging around a small doghouse.
After our i3’s lease ended, our kids complained about our next car’s tiny rear windows. They couldn’t see out of the back seat very well compared to the airy i3.
YMMV.
That jogs my memory, DT doesn’t want spit up and stale Cheerios sullying his pristine i3. I can understand that because with two small children our Escort became “The Dumpster Car”
Yet he washes greasy car parts in the dishwasher and eats spaghetti in the shower. Elise NHRN has a lot of work to do
That was Michigan David, California David uses Galpin’s parts washer and eats quinoa in the shower
Reading between the lines, David has mentioned carting Delmar NHRN around in the i3 a lot, so I suspect he’s made peace with the inevitable and doesn’t care about keeping it in showroom condition anymore.
I always wanted to like Wranglers, but I unloaded my ’87 YJ after a month. A decade later, a TJ ended up in my driveway. It lasted six weeks. I hated the fussy soft tops and the ride (and I summer dailied a 60s B-body Mopar), and just figured that life wasn’t for me.
Earlier this year I ended up in a Gladiator rental for a week. I cringed when they handed me the fob.
I really liked it! Decent on the highway, a magical modular hardtop, livable interior. It got me scanning Marketplace…
Well we aren’t all car guys lol
Jeep? Really? Talk about dog crap quality and even worse modern parts avail. Stop by Allpar and see how even the loyal Jeepers despise their new Jeeps. Jeep is just pure garbage quality wise. Stellantis is not supporting dealers or customers. Run as far away as you can.
“Human barnacle” – he’ll remember that one when choosing your nursing home someday 😉
None of my children will ever grace the interior of a Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator, period. When they become adults and are responsible for themselves, fine. They are not safe vehicles for highway use.
Yeah. The moderate overlap video is kinda beside the point when the small overlap results in this bad a fail…. https://youtu.be/jEmITD1cFdw (spoiler alert: the jeep flips on its side in the small overlap test).
I’m glad Smart stopped selling cars here before one could be subjected to that test. Don’t shatter my love! lol
Right!
Fact is, most cars I drive and will drive for the foreseeable future wouldn’t do great on these tests…
Coward.
Says Capt CVT the worst car option since the no brakes get you there faster design
What the hell does a CVT have to do with how safe a vehicle is for its occupants in a collision?
Not understanding the logic link there.
“My Wrangler and CJ are vehicles that I know I cannot reasonably use to daily-drive my child around. They’re deathtraps.”
Speaking as someone who was from Delmar’s age on up DD with siblings throughout smogbowl 1970s LA and sometimes up to Big Bear on the Rim Of The World highway in the shelflike backseat of a seatbeltless, roofless, doorless, heaterless, rollbarless, headrestraintless, non collapsible steering column, all metal dashboard, gloriously free of both crumple zones and emissions controls Triumph TR-3 burning Americas finest FULLY leaded gasoline on tires so worn the cords were showing I roll my eyes at your definition of “deathtrap”.
“Survivorship bias or survival bias is the logical error of concentrating on entities that passed a selection process while overlooking those that did not. This can lead to incorrect conclusions because of incomplete data.” -Wikipedia
This 100%
Yeah I survived the 1970s. So did billions of other people, most of whom would probably have rolled their eyes at ME calling that Triumph a deathtrap:
https://4-stroke.net/images/images-articles/saigon-60s-70s/Saigon_1970-75_57.jpg
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/H1PToyY06Tc/maxresdefault.jpg
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YBwsNsQxj2s/maxresdefault.jpg
Sure, but they’re not here being tedious about it.
You consider that tedious?
Not just tedious, but predictable, boring, lazy, and disingenuous as well.
Whatever.
And plenty of people died in car wrecks that most people can walk away from today. What exactly is your point?
That IMO “deathtrap” is a very strong word to describe the Wrangler. Sure there are safer options but “deathtrap”? Really?
I’m sure DT can comment on his use of that specific word, but “inherently unsafe compared to much more modern vehicles” isn’t really that far off and I’d consider it a fair description.
The YJ wasn’t exactly built to strict crash standards (when comparing it to modern ones) and the CJ3b is an effing joke when compared with a 2024 Wrangler. Seat belts didn’t exist as mandatory requirements for much of its run, nor did any federal safety standards. Hell, tempered glass was new in autos during the first years of the CJ3B.
So….. Yeah, I’d say DT is about right on the money.
“inherently unsafe compared to much more modern vehicles” isn’t really that far off and I’d consider it a fair description.”
So would I. But that’s not quite the same thing as a “deathtrap”.
Besides with a top speed of what, 55-60 mph on a good day it’s not like he’s going to be cruising the CJ3b on LA’s freeways with or without modern safety features.
Cars are huge and fast. Drivers are constantly distracted and there’s more of them (especially in CA with their lack of functional mass transit) than ever.
You don’t need to be on the freeway to get popped good. If that happens, I’d much rather be in something from this millennium than a car that didn’t necessarily require seat belts, let alone conform to any crash standards because the governing body that implemented those hadn’t even been formed yet.
Sure as hell wouldn’t do it with kids and the wife.
I agree as long as that line of reasoning doesn’t lead to buying a massive pickup truck or SUV “for the safety of me and mine”.
I’m with you there because people are definitely doing just that – joining the arms race.
I’d rather have something that actually meets my needs and that I can see out of, but I’m also a crazy person commenting on Autopian, so sadly we are in the minority.
On the plus side, I don’t have to pay $1k when my “radio” goes out, which also happens to house all my HVAC controls and can’t easily be replaced with something in the aftermarket.
Ah the joys of enshittified very-modern vehicles! I’ll stick with my ’07 with a standard double-DIN and other stuff I can actually fix.
For real. Older cars are amazing, but an absolute joke when talking about safety.
Autopians are supposed to be knowledgeable car people, or at least enthusiasts.
Recognizing the limitations of something that you love is fine. Adjusting expectations and mitigating obvious danger when you have kids is called responsible parenting.
Some people take the safety aspect of “responsible parenting” way too far though. In my cat rescue days I saw way too many surrenders from expecting parents who got rid of their cat because “it might have scratched the baby” or some such nonsense.
Or they switch to a massive, pedestrian crushing vehicle to haul around a single infant.
You survived being hauled around in deathtraps. So did lots of us. David has some cars that are also deathtraps. The existence of even deathier-deathtraps does not make the lesser deathtraps not deathtraps.
This is the type of article that should cause me to say out loud, “Oh, for ‘F’s’ sake, DT, really???” And I almost did, but I find myself utterly fascinated by DT’s thinking and rationalizations for keeping or selling or buying cars….I can’t get enough of these articles.
I don’t know…maybe it’s because I realize that my own brand of car lust and rationalizations throughout the years which have led me to buy and sell way too many cars is not that far from off what David has in his mind…but that can be scary, no, LOL????
Great take on DT’s articles, thanks for sharing, good perspective.
I’ve only experienced a late model Jeep Wrangler as a rental for a week once a couple years ago, was maybe a ‘22 or ‘23 Wrangler 4 door Sahara with the turbo 4 cylinder engine. I can say it was less crude than I was expecting and the engine was fine. Never really thought it lacked power, seemed to get outta its own way just fine. Was honestly kinda fun to drive just not in the same way a sports car would be. I can get the appeal. I understand that the interior is better than other previous Wranglers and Jeep CJs that came before it. Having been a passenger in but never driving a couple previous gens I would strongly agree with that. Some will still knock it though, which I don’t get, cause it’s an effin Jeep Wrangler. Is there anybody actually expecting Lexus or Benz level interior refinement in a Wrangler?!
To your last point, that’s only expected because they cost as much as a Lexus or Benz, especially at the higher trim levels.
Well… when I typed that out I hadn’t really thought of that. Honestly that’s pretty fair
And to be clear: I love Jeeps and have owned several, including a Wrangler and a Gladiator. I also own an X5. And the X5 new stickered for just 8K more than the Gladiator (granted, I didn’t pay sticker for the Gladiator). Stark difference between the two with not much between MSRP.
Wait, weren’t we JUST here about which cars/Jeeps you were keeping?? Now we’re selling them all in favor of practicality? I’m confused David.
The life changes brought on by a child are rapid and rapidly changing, lol.
Oh I know. I have a munchkin of my own. It just seems that DT seems to make exactly the wrong choices in regards to his fleet of cars at every step lol.
To be clear I think him selling it all off in favor of a modern vehicle is a prudent choice (although a Jeep wouldn’t be my choice).
Nothing is certain but death and taxes, and DT changing his mind about what Jeeps to keep, sell and buy.
so much this lol
David, whatever you decide will be just fine. It seems to me that you’ve become a Grade-A+ Dad, which is the most important job in the world. Good on ya! Delmar is a lucky little boy.
Been over 40 years since I parted with my old MB and I regret that necessity every day. Needs must as the saying goes. I’d love to have another, but talk about hen’s teeth and high prices: it’s not likely to happen.
There’s a danger with all this new fangled safety stuff that no one talks about.
As infants, my sister and I never had child car seats, heck we didn’t even have seat belts. We bumped around inside my dad’s old Beetle (once flying out of the sunroof – me- in a minor accident) and managed to survive to grow up just fine.
My younger brother did have what passed for a car seat when we upgraded to a VW bus upon his entry into the world. His child seat had a cheap aluminum frame with back and waist loops. The seat was made of the same plastic strapping found on dimestore beach chairs. The straps crossed the back of the frame and formed a sort of harness suspended from the waist loop. You just dropped the baby into the strap basket ensuring its legs were going through the larger openings and voila, kiddie car seat. The back frame ended in two curved extensions that looked like old style umbrella or cane handles that dropped over the top of a car seat. That was it, no other mounting gear to secure it. My brother’s seat was a deluxe model that featured a second, unpadded aluminum piece that folded up and down and which might provide nominal – if somewhat painful – restraint in the event of an emergency stop. The kicker was the white plastic steering wheel with a big red beep-beep horn button on this folding restraint.
What’s the point of this discourse? The kid turned out all wrong. I blame it on the car seat because, otherwise, we all had the same upbringing and environment. The moral? Lean old Delmar up in that CJ3 and go bashing around as often you can lest he end up a racist, sexist, misogynist, religionist, gun-toting Republican. I’m telling you, it was the car seat.
I like your line of thinking. My cousins probably all turned into crazy nativist gun hoarders because they weren’t exposed to the robust doses of agricultural chemicals and pickup bed rides my siblings and I got throughout our childhood.
I was wondering where the hell this was going and then barely got to the end while laughing.
Bravo sir!
once I went from W124 coupe straight to Sienna, ok?
these darn kids, they change all priorities.
Oh lordy, I’m sorry.
Why not just swap the grill ? Ita a direct swap.
There was a DT spec jeep for sale here in NY a while ago- the exact 2024 you want, stick and old grill. And soft top. And 1941 green(ish). No options.
This does seem like a very sensible idea TBH. Looks like Rockauto have them for $300, maybe $200 on top of that to get it painted the right shade, and then you’re all set.
I think that would be much too easy when you can write extensively about the search and near misses for HOLY GRAIL BRAND NEW JEEP instead, come on now! Bonus, you are really going to buy that new safer jeep (don’t forget, which you helped to engineer!!) but it just has to be the right one! Which may take a few more years to find! lolol
If was a Jeep salesman in LA, and I read the Autopian, I’d be writing an email to tips@TheAutopian.com to let you know that “My name is X, I work at Y, and I am already looking for what you want, and will call you immediately when one becomes available”.
Aka, easy sale.
Yeah, but the reality is that these Jeeps sell so well, they can just sit back and let people come to them. Finding a needle in a haystack is a rare thing for a dealer to spend time on, sadly.
Jeep values are crazy. I bought a 2010 Wrangler Unlimited for $19k, sold it 5 years later for $19k. Bought a year old 2018 Rubicon Unlimited for $32k, traded it on a 4Runner in 2021 and got $35k as trade in value. I guess I can thank Covid, and Jeep for getting greedy and raising their prices as much as they did.
4XE models values are in the toilet. They are so unreliable that it is insane. The AGM batteries fail after only a few months among other issues. Pure crap quality.
Doesn’t really matter though, people keep buying them. It’s a lifestyle brand/choice here in NY. Less than half of those vehicles will ever see anything more off-road than a gravel driveway.
My particular favorite is when they slow down to like 4mph to go over a junior speed bump. My dude, if I can plow over it going 10mph in what is essentially an 18yo Corolla hatchback, I’m pretty sure your Jeep can handle it.
I had to rent one last fall, that’s as close as I’ve ever been to a 4xe. The problem with a hybrid jeep is if you repair your own vehicles, like I do, hybrid systems are pita. Or, just buy the 5th Gen 4runner and do the maintenance regularly. Nothing much else needed tbh.
David, I appreciate you staying true to your core self….but as a father with a now 20 yr old my automotive obsessions always took last place to other family needs. I’m a managing engineer with a high salary in a low cost of living city, and still can’t justify the toys you own. My wife once joked with my collegues about not having a Mercedes, in all seriousness I said that was our daughter’s dance tuition. Pick one.
I refuse to live a fully financed life.
Ahhh I miss the quaint old days of mere virtue signalling. CJ3b vs new Mercedes, very different price. One is $3-5k out the door, the other is $1k/month for 60 months, you may be a managing engineer, but you seem to be struggling with math.
At the time her dance lessons would have more than covered the lease on a C series.
I’m very in tune with math and finance, also conservative by nature in that regard.
And you seem to struggle with reading for comprehension. Sigh.
I also only have so many hours in a day. A cheap toy right now is a stretch based on other time comitments.
So is the problem money or time? You started by virtue signaling just how much more you care for your family than your love of cars, but now you’re saying you don’t have time for a fun, impractical car. Sounds like you like the idea of a cool car, but really are quite happy with your Camry. Which is fine, plenty of people just need transportation. But maybe leave the condescension behind when commenting on someone else’s article about their vintage Jeep obsession.
To be fair, DT also likely does all his own maintenance and repairs. That’s not necessarily an insignificant portion of ownership on much much older vehicles.
But I take your point.
As for me, I’m more surprised how they manage to keep that many vehicles insured, registered, and parked safely in CA. I’m guessing that working for Galpin helps with that part of the equation. Having 7 cars or any number equaling “a fleet” is damn near impossible here in metro or suburban NY.
The big factor for me is TIME. Maintaining our 3 (relatively) modern car fleet is a task, particularly if I want them as clean as they should be. I would LOVE a toy (Miata, etc) but am not sure I have the bandwidth right now.
I do most of my own maintenance as well, it saves a ton of money. TIME is the key.
Time is money. You’re trading your time to save money. You could choose to do the reverse.
I always wanted to like Wranglers, but I unloaded my ’87 YJ after a month. A decade later, a TJ ended up in my driveway. It lasted six weeks. I hated the fussy soft tops and the ride (and I summer dailied a 60s B-body Mopar), and just figured that life wasn’t for me.
Earlier this year I ended up in a Gladiator rental for a week. I cringed when they handed me the fob.
I really liked it! Decent on the highway, a magical modular hardtop, livable interior. It got me scanning Marketplace…