OT: Need advice from Jeep Wrangler families!

[ECUTeacher97]

My husband is DYING to buy one of the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimiteds (the four door model) and we are arguing about safety! Please let me know if you have a Jeep and how you handle it with little ones in car seats in the back. Is it safe to drive with little ones in car seats with the top off? Have you had any problems with safety or has your Jeep needed lots of repairs?
I have a 10 mo. old and a 4 yr old. Any advice would be soo helpful! Thanks!

 

[all4fun]

I don't have any personal experience or knowledge on this subject but found this thread for you:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=9873

hth!

 

[natenapril]

We don't have the 4 door version but we love love love our WRANGLER. But it is not our "family" vehicle. It is my DH's daily driver. THe kids love riding it and we have no problems with car seats. It is a tight fit back there but it will work.
I am hoping to get a 4 door Wrangler in the next 18 months!

Now you need to learn the JEEP wave!

 

[mrsltg]

We owned a Wrangler before kids and my dh is dying to get another one now. In a word - NO! In fairness, I am not a fan of convertibles when it comes to transporting children, either. They're fun to have, but if the car rolls there is nothing between your head and the ground - not a good combo. This, of course, is JMHO. Good luck with your decision.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I credit the Wrangler with saving my life. Was in a head on collision, then hit again and rolled (with the top down). Walked away.

The people who hit me had severe injuries and had to be taken by ambulance.

I loved the Jeep - it was heavy and solid.

It had a roll bar - so I cannot see how kids would not be protected if properly restrained. (Note - I have no kids, but all my cousins kids always wanted rids with the top down - parents were fine with it.)

 

[hebbynan]

Our CJ7 is a third vehicle for us and not one of our daily drivers. But....come the first bit of warm weather, the DS's are just itching to get that top off!! It is cramped in the back seat. We have a booster for DS7 and a 5 point harness car seat for DS3. When we ask which car we should take, both of them scream...JEEP!!! I was little leary at first when we put the car seat in (mind you, we NEVER did it when he was rear facing), but after a while, I realized that it really wasn't any different than a car. The main thing is that they MUST keep all body parts, toys, shoes, etc inside the jeep at all times!! None of them seem to mind the wind in their faces (I think I'm the only one!) and they always see it as a big adventure. DH loves to go off roading with it and can't wait until DS3 goes with him on one of his jeep club trips!
It truely is a Jeep Thing and unless you own one, you honestly don't understand!!!

 

[tonilea]

I had a 1993 Jeep Wrangler. In 1994 I fell asleep at the wheel and had a tremendous wreck. I didn't always wear my seatbelt, but I pulled over that morning and put in on.

The Jeep rolled multiple times and hit a telephone pole. There was paint approximately 15 feet up on the pole, which was up an approximately 5 ft embankment. Every single body panel on the Jeep was damaged, the top was torn completely off and the frame was bent. Even the telephone pole was broken. I was treated and relased from the hospital with a mild concussion and a sprained back.

I truely believe that the grace of God (putting on my seatbelt and taking out my crossbow w/broadhead arrows the night before) and the quality construction of the Jeep were the reasons I basically walked away from that wreck.

 

[britincanada]

I have a Jeep Liberty...would have benn a 4 door Wrangler but mine had 0% financing & it was 7% on the Wrangler!

I enjoyed driving it, DS5 had a tough job getting in it!

As for safety for kids, it they are properly strapped into their car seats there shouldn't be an issue. I see kids in open top cars all the time in the summer. We have friends with a wrangler & they seem very happy with it.

Beware though - it is a gas guzzler!

I LOVE my Jeep - DH has to beg to get the keys off me!

 

[Lives4Disney]

I came REALLY close to buying one last fall, but the darn thing was on order for about 3 months and just would not come in, so I bought a new Nissan Pathfinder instead and LOVE it so I am happy. I enjoy all the Pathfinder's bells and whistles etc. that the Jeep would not have given me.

We do have a Jeep Wrangler (the 2 door version) we bought a few years ago for DH to drive in winter instead of his convertable sports car, and I drive it with no top in the summer. I have two girls that absolutely LOVE to ride in the back with the wind blowing and all summer it is our fun car. I would have had no problem with them riding in the 4 door model. There are LOTS of safety features on it. The little Wrangler is also amazing in the snow. It is a surprising little vehicle. We have pretty much decided for that and the summer fun factor, we'd always own at least one Wrangler.

Now, beware of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. We owned one for a few years that we bought new in 2000 and it was a mega piece of junk. NEVER again. Thought we'd only stick with foreign cars after that one.

Enjoy,

Lives4Disney

 

[Yensid_MD]

We have the Jeep Unlimited Wrangler and LOVE IT!!! I use it every day to drive to work. We have four kids ranging ages 3 - 12.

The roll cage on it is very sturdy, I have no concerns about driving them in it. When the DW is at work I will put three in back, one in booster seat, one in car seat and one in the middle. The oldest sits up front (big guy 5' 2" 130 lbs so big as many adults).

The storage area is great. Just made a big shopping trip today with two weeks worth of groceries.

We have not had any problems with it. This is the 3rd Jeep I have owned (Cherokee, Wrangler previously). I like the reliability of Jeeps. Ours is a basic model (crank windows, manual locks) and I still would rather drive it than the Infiniti FX35 I traded in.

It is a great car to drive around town in on a nice day with the top down. Something very invigorating about it.

I say go for it. My DW enjoys driving it as well. It is much smaller than her Suburban.

 

[bellesnow]

We have been having our 4 door wrangler hard top since June this year and love it. We have driven it for our vacations this summer and just to ride around town in. My DH & I have taken the top off and have loved it. I have a 8DD and a 2 DS and they both have enjoyed it. Especially my DS because he can see out the windows. I was worried about the safety before but not now since my DH decided on the Hardtop. This car is safe and there is a tether for the carseat. It is my DH car so when the kids & me get to ride in it we look forward to it. It has side airbags and a 5 star crash rating. Here is a forum for jeep owners jkforum. I hope that it helps with your decision making.

 

[GiGi30]

We don't have the 4 door version but we love love love our WRANGLER. But it is not our "family" vehicle. It is my DH's daily driver. THe kids love riding it and we have no problems with car seats. It is a tight fit back there but it will work.
I am hoping to get a 4 door Wrangler in the next 18 months!

Now you need to learn the JEEP wave!

Aww I miss my Wrangler! I gave it up when I got pregnant with my daughter. I still give the Jeep Wave when I pass one. I guess they think I am a poser now.

 

[daisyduck123]

My DH had a Jeep, until this past Spring. He had wanted for the past 20 years. Well, after having it a year or two, he realized it is not a great "family car", so he traded it in & this past May we got a new Denali. Love it!! Much better!!

 

[jennifer293]

I miss my Wrangler..I had a 2000 model and I gave it up in January when I traded it in on my 2003 GMC Yukon XL..I do LOVE my Yukon but there is something about a Jeep that nobody will ever understand until they have owned one. When the lady at the dealership asked me for my keys to it when I traded it I got tears in my eyes...It was heartbreaking!!! We do still own a CJ7 Renegade, but it is "Daddy's Big Jeep" as the kids call it and I can barely climb up in it because it sits so high. I don't drive it because it is a stick shift.

 

[ECUTeacher97]

THanks for all the advice!!