5 Reasons a Jeep Wrangler Makes a Great Daily Driver

Whether it’s a new or used Wrangler offered by Miami Jeep dealers, the general Jeep fan consensus is that the Wrangler makes for a great daily driver, no matter its age. Sure, they guzzle down fuel and are about as aerodynamic as a brick, but those are the only two downsides. The point is, a Jeep Wrangler (new or used) has many features worth celebrating.

Jeeps are legendary for their off-roading performance; which means they are tough and well built, and will go through all sorts of hazardous conditions other vehicles can’t. The maintenance is actually cheaper compared to other vehicles, they have better visibility, and are easier to drive than other SUVs in general.

What do these five aspects of a Jeep mean for prospective buyers? It means if you buy a Wrangler, you will be prepared for any on or off-road situation that’s presented. Oh, and you’ll have loads of fun doing it.

They’ll Go Through Anything

On the Jeep forums, Wrangler forums, or any other Jeepers online hangout, the first thing these enthusiasts say is that Wranglers can withstand anything. Whether it’s rain, snow, sleet, mud, sand, or rocky terrain, Wranglers can take it on. As proof of this, the newer ones are sporting Jeep’s Trail Rated Tough badging; and while some of the older ones might not have that badging, they have a reputable history and years of dependability vouching for them.

The Trail Rated Tough badge signifies the Wrangler’s ability to perform well under various off-road conditions. This means every Wrangler has legendary traction, ground clearance, maneuverability, articulation, and water fording abilities. In order for Wrangler’s to earn these Trail Rated Tough badges, they are put through an exhaustive and rigorous off-road test to ensure they are the best of the best.

These off-roading capabilities easily translate to your daily driving commute. Roads flood; dirt roads turn wet and muddy in the spring; winter roads get covered in snow; and then after the snow melts there is an abundance of sand and salt leftover. All of these conditions compromise your safety while driving, so why not have a vehicle that can handle these conditions and more? 

The point is, having a vehicle that features off-road performance like this would make your daily commute much easier and safer during hazardous conditions.

Tough and Well-Built

Since the first Jeep was invented back in WWII, the tradition of building a “go anywhere, do anything” vehicle was born and that tradition continues today. The main reason these Jeeps make such good off-roaders is also a huge component of what makes them such dependable daily drivers: they are tough and well-built.

Take an older Wrangler for example, which can weigh in at 2+ tons. That’s not because it’s made with an aluminum frame; these things are as solid as a rock. Sure, they might lack some of the safety features modern SUVs have, but if you hit something (or something hits you) it’s not going to crumple like a tuna can. This is thanks to the solid foundation it’s built on.

In general, Jeep’s approach to building a tough vehicle is enough reason to own one. The Wrangler’s design is backed by many years of tweaking and upgrading it to enhance it.

Time has proven that this design is reliable and resilient.  

Maintenance is Cheaper and Easier, Compared to Other Vehicles

Overall, the maintenance/replacing parts (unless you start modding it) is much cheaper and easier when compared to other vehicles. Why? Because, much like the design, Jeep also keeps the same parts. For example, the Dana 44 axle and transfer case with the 4:1 gear crawl ratio have become legendary in the Jeep world for their performance and dependability. Which also means the knowledge when it comes to replacing/maintaining them hasn’t changed that much over the years, either. Plus, on older Jeeps (just like other cars) there are less electronic parts, which means it’s much easier to maintain and do work on them yourself.

As far as cost of maintenance goes, it’s expected that if you buy an older Wrangler maintenance will be significantly cheaper compared to a newer one. However, the fact that the cost to maintain it is cheaper when compared to other vehicles is a huge benefit. Granted, if you take it to a garage they will charge you the same price for whatever service is needed, but still can’t charge you extra for the price of the part. Although, if you work on it yourself, you will be saving a decent amount of money in parts and maintenance — especially since you are driving it on a daily basis.

This is the reason many Jeep fans said they will never own another type of vehicle, because of how easy some of them are to work on and how cost-effective they are when it comes to general maintenance and upkeep.

Better Visibility

This reason repeatedly popped up on the forums as well, and it’s not something you think about until you’re sitting behind the wheel of one. Since the Jeep sits up higher, and most of them have the ability to remove the doors and tops, your visibility is increased greatly. There are multiple testimonials about Jeepers who had to sell one of their Jeeps, and then go back to driving a sedan. Not only did they say they felt stuffy and trapped, but their field of vision dramatically decreased. In their Jeeps, if they needed to see their blind spots, simply turning around granted them a view of everything behind and to the sides of the Wrangler.

It seems silly at first, but this enhanced visual awareness makes your on-road experience much safer and easier. Even more so if you need to go on the highway for a portion of your commute.

Easy to Drive

Finally, Jeepers said Wranglers are just easier to drive in general. They all agree the handling might not be on par with the other vehicles out there, but the combination of their go anywhere attitude and size make for an extremely convenient drive. For example, one owner saw a busy parking lot when they were out shopping one day. Instead of driving around endlessly looking for a spot, they simply drove up out of the way on a slope and parked it there. You couldn’t do that with a sedan, nor could you hop over the sidewalk onto a back road and park as far out of the way as possible.

Even if the handling isn’t great, maneuvering a Wrangler in a crowded car scene is easier because it’s higher than it is long.

Honestly, It’s Just Plain Fun

Every Jeep enthusiast admitted the drawbacks to owning a Wrangler; the empty wallet after filling up at a pump, and the poor aerodynamics. They admitted them, but didn’t care. Every time they get behind the wheel of their Jeep, they smile. It didn’t matter if it was someone who used it as a every day or as an occasional off-roader only vehicle, they loved every minute of it. After seeing these five reasons why any model year Wrangler delivers a dependable drive, it’s easy to understand why.

While it excels at off-road performance, it can still do well around town. You just need to be prepared for a different type of daily commute that you aren’t used to: a fun one.