1991 Jeep Wrangler YJ review from North America

I got it stuck in the sand and high tide zapped it up to the windshield in 1992, causing the starter to short for some odd reason. After changing all the fluids, it was perfect again.

I flipped it in 1993, just onto it's top. It cost the insurance company a little over $9,000, but who cares, I got a new windshield out of it and the old one was cracked, and scored a new paint job.

Right after I got it back from the insurance company, I failed to observe a 3 foot wide by 3 foot deep cement drainage ditch while operating in a state of inebriation, resulting in the separation of my rear drive shaft and rear section of the muffler from the vehicle. I was able to get out of the ditch by going backward in 4 low with the front drive shaft only, and after plugging up the leakage coming from the cone at the base of the transfer case where the rear drive shaft had been (duct tape and plastic bags), I was able to make it two miles home before the cops came to see what was up.

I flipped it on it's side for 20 minutes in 1995, but it sustained no damage with the side tubing and the soft mud, and after pulling the plugs and blowing some oil out which slipped past the pistons, it started right up again (the seal around the top of the gas tank sucks when it's on it's side, I lost a couple of gallons of fuel onto the soil at a nice wilderness area, which didn't make me a Greenpeace candidate for environmentalist of the month that day.

I cracked two headers between the 5,000 and 45,000 mile time frame and the jeep dealership in Lake Forest hooked me up under warranty both times.

I shredded 5th gear pulling a trailer that was too heavy for the jeep from Alabama to Oceanside California, and even though I had 72,000 miles on it when I got it to the same Lake Forest dealership, they gave me a one-time customer satisfaction COMPLETE 5 speed transmission swap for the unbelievable price of $250.00 (not counting the slave cylinder, I paid to have that replaced since it was just common sense).

My seats have been worn for a long time, but I cover them with some heavy duty form fitting seat covers (front and rear cost less than $200.00), and they last about two years at a pop.

Anyone on a limited income that doesn't four wheel drive big time and enjoys comfort should not even contemplate the purchase of a jeep. They ride rough (which I like), the gas mileage is LOW (with 33X12.50, a 4 inch suspension and a 2 inch body lift, I scrape by at about 12 miles to the gallon on the interstate), even unmodified they have a center of balance that isn't as safe as many other vehicles, and people rip trash out of them all the time, regardless of whether you have a hard top or a soft top. I've had mine 11+ years and wouldn't trade it for anything, but I firmly believe a vehicle shouldn't be comfortable (you won't fall asleep on long trips), that the trade off on monthly gas bills is a small price to pay for the sheer enjoyment of driving it on and off the road, and many of the accesories currently offered cover up AND strengthen body damage at a cheaper price than a body shop. I ask you, how can you go wrong with that kinda support?

Other things the weak of heart should know: When it rains the top leaks (if you were lucky enough to have the top on when the cloud burst and when the tops is off (or even on if it is on if it is a soft top), the only form of communication you can have with passengers in nodding you head in time with your stereo if you have LOUD speaker. To me, none of these things are that bothersome.