[3125]

Ok Guys, I need a little advice. I'm looking about 6 months down the road to my next vehicle purchase. I am going to need to get rid of my '97 ZJ, it has seen much better days.

I'm not a family man, yet. I just got married last June so it will be a little while until we have kids but I am kind of planning ahead. I have two vehicles in mind. Either another Grand Cherokee or a Wrangler. I've decided that if I am going to get either one it's going to be either the Overland (GC) or the Rubicon models. I get a monthly car allowance from work so I can afford to get nicer models. I like the GC because of the space and comfort, but I also want to get into a SWB vehicle eventually so I can join an off-road club/extra curriculars and get some off-the-pavement time in.

Anyway, I grew up with Jeep, CJ's and Wranglers in particular so I know it is possible to have kids and have SWB vehicles. But what I don't remember is if it was a pain in the butt. What do you guys suggest I do, stick with another Grand Cherokee or go with the Wrangler.

From your experience, what do you suggest I go with? I guess a third option is to go with the Grand Cherokee and just get a cheap CJ to puts with.

Thanks,
Sean

 

[jfralph]

If you have to deal with a child safety seat, by all means get 4 doors. I take my grandson out in my cj, and when the top is on, the child safety seat is a royal pain. Go with the Grand, and get a CJ/YJ/TJ to play in.

 

[uglyjeepoffroad]

I second the child seat thing. When my wife and I had our son, she was still driving a Sebring Convertable. Fun car, but to put him in the rear facing seat, you had to get in the back seat with him in your lap and put him in, then get out and move the seat back to get yourself in. Royal PIA.
We got a mini van for her and I still have my Commando for weekends. (I have a company truck for during the week).
When test driving cars, if you plan to have kids before you plan to buy a different car, borrow a child seat from a friend and take it with you. Even with the grand Cherokee, we had to put the seat forward for a rear facing (up to 1 yr.) seat.
Good luck.

 

[027]

I agree 100% with John and Chris on this,,
The wife will not like climbing in the TJ to put a child in and out.
4 doors will be your friend.

 

[LEVE]

1. Go out to a Wrangler and put in: [*]Diaper bag [*]Crib [*]Car seat [*]Bassinet [*]extra diapers [*]extra kids clothes [*]extra baby food [*]lots of dipe'n wipes.
2. Then try to get the child in the car seat...
3. Now drive about 50 miles....
4. And have the wife try to quiet a crying child.
5. The Wrangler will quickly be dismissed...
6. As much as I hate to say it...
7. Buy a Caravan (or the like).
8. Keep your vehicles separate,
9. One for the family,
10. With all the creature comforts,
11. And another with for the trail...
12. Like all things in life,
13. Keep it simple,
14. Or you'll pay the price...
15. And remember the famous Momma Rule ,
16. If Momma ain't happy,
17. There ain't no one happy!

 

[Drury]

Ditto on buying the GC and a CJ. It's not easy wheeling the DD. Especially if you break it on the weekend. Makes it nice to have the CJ as a 3rd vehicle so upgrades and repairs don't have to be rushed.

 

[Tippy]

Why not get one of the soon to be released Wrangler Unlimited's. Then you get to keep the fun of the TJ and have more cargo room and leg room in the back. Then in about 5-6 years you have a great platform to make a family trail rig! Check it out here

 

[minnesota68]

I will second and third the thoughts of a GC over a Wrangler when planning for children. I have one child and it is nearly impossible for you to get a car seat in with the top on. Get a DD and then something to play around in on the weekends.

 

[040]

I'm assuming your wife has a vehicle also? If her vehicle is suitable as the family vehicle, I'd look into getting one of the new Wrangler Unlimited models...wait a little while and a Rubicon version of it just might show up if your heart is set on that. I'd just get a base model and put lcokers, gears, lift, & tires of choice on it, but that's your call. This will leave you with a designated family vehicle plus a capable off roader that can do DD duty as well as function as a family vehicle when it has to. If your vehicle has to be the family vehicle, then get a GC and pick up a cheap YJ to tinker with...you'll be ahead of the game money & effort-wise over a CJ. As much as I love my CJ's, if I were starting a build-up today, I'd start with a decent cheap YJ.

 

[1221]

I have a YJ with a hardtop. It's not such a pain to put the kid in if you do it from the rear. But I'd never take our kid on a very far trip in it either. Just not enough room for all the gear. Plus it just ain't made for long road trips. In fact, only twice in his two years have I ever taken him on the freeway in it. And those trips were just short 5 or 10 mile sections to get to the road I wanted. But I guess a new Rub would handle a lot better on the freeway than my YJ.

If I could afford it, I'd get a GC for a family vehicle.

 

[3125]

Well... its about 15 to 3... (roughly) I think you all reassured what I was thinking in my head. I love my Grand Cherokee right now and would love to get another one. I suppose your right Leve, if Momma aint happy, noone is. And to be honest, I don't want to hear the Bi**hing when she has to climb in...

Sean

 

[863]

Four Doors only. End of discussion! GRIN.

Years ago wife had a VERY nice '93 Fullsize Bronco XLT. Got rid of it when she got pregnant for the '97 Plmouth Lemon...err...Breeze. This last spring finally got her another Bronco because our daughter is nearly 4....guess what? Three months later she got a 99 Explorer.

Trust me....gotta go 4 door!

 

[SilentBob2]

Well the closest you would get with a CJ would be a Scrambler with a full top like mine! Then again unless your kids are big enough to get in and out on their owne, it's probably not a good choice!!! I've been thinking a later model G.C. would be nice to have for some trail rides.
Jack it up just enough to clear some 33's and a locker or two, whinch, and your good to go. All the luxury of air condition and leather would be great.
My bro-inlaw started with a 71 FJ40 and now has the family started. Now he's wheeling in a 93 FJ80 with everthing you could possibly want in a trail rig and daily driver... Now the FJ40 has been sitting in my garage for about three years now except for the times I think it needs to be wheeled!!!!!

 

[InfantryYJ]

Everybody needs to quit "whining" about the PIA that a Wrangler is when dealing with kids, I've taken two kids on several 8hr plus trips and haven't had any problems, if you pack it right, you'll get evrything that you need in there. Sure, the GC will be more convienient, but if you wanted, you could wing a Wrangler and still take the family along.

I leave Raven's seat in the back,...all strapped in, she's five now, and she climbs in and buckles up. When she was under 1, sure, a little inconvienient to put her back there, but that's what you deal with when you have a two door,.....any two door.

If you really want the SWB,....get it, don't end up being regretful.

 

[Guest]

ok i'm gonna give a li different twist. you don't have kids yet your just thinking about when you do have them. correct? My advice is buy the wrangler and pay it off quick (pretend you bought the GC). now its three years later and you decide to have kids you have a paid for tj and the wife gets to pick up a new "family ride". starting to get the picture. perfect way to get yourself a toy. Enjoy yourself before you have kids. Kids are great but you have a different kind of fun once you have them. trust me i have three.

 

[Randyzzz]

csjjeep hit the nail on the head. Wait awhile till you have kids. Kids are great, don't get me wrong-there's nothing better. But you need time to be just you two-to form those bonds that will get you through the trying times, to have that time together to enjoy each other without having to worry about "What about the kids..." So, my advise mirrors csjjeeps-buy the Rubicon now, and in several years get a GC or whatever fits your style then. I've got 2 kids, now 18 and 15, and been married 23 years-to a very understanding JeepChick that I love very much!

 

[445]

It's another 10+ years till i even think about having kids but i'd say get a grand or a crew cab pick up and a trail rig. Daily driving your trail rig just isn't fun. If you plan on doing anything more than forest roads things will break and you will want to do mods that some times take longer than a weekend for some reason or another. Also after a weekend of wheeling it's real nice to pull the jeep on the trailer, get out of your muddy wheeling clothes and get in a nice clean and quiet tow rig for the ride home from the badlands or Mc Caslin mt.

I'd say get a tow rig and trailer then a trail/ fun jeep. A WJ is ok for towing a cj though not the greatest. I'd say go for a new f150 crew cab with the HD GVWR pkg. I think they are rated at 7,200lbs gvwr which is more than some older 3/4 tons and plenty enough to haul a jeep.

Another option would be to get a rubicon and then an older suburban or crew cab to haul the family around in and tow with. I personally wouldn't want to be beating on a new rubi that hard, a crunched fender on a $1000 cj or yj is much easier to take than a fender on a new 28 grand rubi. Most people that get into wheeling hard or have had a jeep long enough have atleast some other vehicle to drive when their jeep is down.

BarrelRoll

 

[Guest]

Can't always think no kids yet I thought that and now have 16

yr old 10yr old 6 yr old things just happen

 

[Guest]

I've got 3 kids. You cannot fit more than 1 kid & the related items (carseat, diaper bag, stroller) in a Wrangler. It is a pain in the butt to get a kid into a carseat in a 2 door vehicle, especially one with small door openings like a Wrangler. You cannot put a kid in a carseat w/ kid stuff & groceries in a Wrangler at the same time. Just not enough storage room. I can barely get my 3 kids, their stuff, and groceries all in my car at the same time, and my DD is a 4 door Grand Am. My wife's DD is a 2001 Chevy Venture MV (w/ extended wheelbase). Any time we go shopping or anything like that, we have to take the MV in order to fit everything.

Besides the space for stuff aspect, think about the safety factor. The GC is a larger vehicle, thus more crush room between your baby and the vehicle that hit you. Bigger is better when it comes to the safety of my kids. Also, in the case of a really bad accident, it seams to me that a full roof is gonna be safer than either a soft top or removeable hard top.

I would go with a GC and eventually get a wrangler to play with as an extra vehicle. That is what I did. I got rid of my XJ when it was toast and I didn't have anywhere to work on it, and now I am Jeepless until I save enough for a "toy" vehicle.
JMHO

 

[Raduckal]

Keep the 97, fix it or get it fixed.
Two properly maintained vehicles are more reliable and more versitile than a single new one.