After owning a Tacoma, three Tundras and an FJ Cruiser, all with impeccable service records and resale, why am I now considering a Jeep Wrangler? Well, in full disclosure, it’s for my 17 year old son. Together, we’ve gone to Moab and Colorado the last couple of years and did just fine with both the Tundra and FJ. But I see more Jeeps than anything else out on the trails. What am I missing? Aren’t Toyotas better? Maybe in some aspects of reliability, yes. But what about capability? Ouray, Moab and other 4-wheel meccas are swarming with Jeeps of all vintages and levels of build. Now that we’re looking at used Jeep prices, I’m quickly realizing that they must have something going for them. Because they really seem to hold their value. Kinda like the Toyotas.
While in Ouray Colorado for a week, we decided to tackle a couple trails with more than just our FJ Cruiser. We popped on our damn masks and entered Colorado West Jeeps right across the street from the apartment we rented. There they had a fleet of Wranglers, Gladiators and Side by Sides for rent. We chose the least expensive Wrangler Sahara. A bone stock unit with well used All Terrain tires that run aired down to 25psi. No lift, no oversized tires, no additional skid plates or rock sliders. Just a plain Jane bright yellow Jeep. So the next morning, we decided to head into the mountains to tackle Imogene Pass.
Imogene Pass is rated as “difficult” by the FunTreks Guide Book. A great comprehensive resource for picking and choosing trails according to difficulty and vehicle capabilities. This 11.9 mile trail is the second highest drivable pass in Colorado at 13,114′ above sea level connecting the towns of Ouray and Telluride. In some places, the trail becomes very steep, rocky and perilously dangerous to pass oncoming vehicles. Last year, we were unable to attempt this pass in our Tundra due to the winters heavy snow still covering the trail in August. This year, my wife and I were in our 2011 FJ Cruiser and my son was at the wheel of the Rent-a-Wrangler. With one of my long time friends riding shotgun and hanging on to the “oh shit” bar thoughtfully mounted to the passenger side dashboard.
As we put Ouray in the rear view mirror, we slowly lumbered up the trail and through a few creeks. Climbing in elevation until we approached the more difficult parts. Constantly staying in touch with our Midland Radios, I helped our son navigate by leading up the technical parts and letting him know when to use low range. After I’d creep up a rocky obstacle, I’d hop out of the FJ to observe him only to witness the Jeep easily following suit without much fuss. Proper tire pressure is critical for grip to claw your way up these rocky surfaces. And the Jeep seemed to be right in its element.
We were all pretty impressed with the vehicles capabilities in stock configuration and had me wondering if all these modifications on the FJ are really necessary. Sure, larger tires and additional clearance is nice but so far, this stock Jeep was managing the challenging trail just fine.
We all reached the top in good shape and took the obligatory pictures located near the summit of this pass. We even chose some “more challenging” lines as we both became more confident in both his driving skills and the Jeeps capabilities. The ride down into Telluride was both exhilarating and beautiful. Passing vehicles on this narrow trail with steep consequences became frequent. The delicate “tango” as both vehicles pass within inches of each other and the edge of the road was nerve racking to say the least. Even passing through “social tunnel” blasted out of the rocks some 130 years ago. Once we reached Telluride, it was definitely time for a local brew and a burger.
Thoughts?
Now, back in Michigan, we need to find a vehicle for my son to get to school and work. He really liked driving the Jeep in Colorado so we’re actually considering one. I started doing some research and have found both good and bad reviews of the Wrangler. We have a budget of $15k-$18k and are struggling to find anything with less than 100,000 miles on the clock. Any of you jeep owners out there let us know what you think in the comments below. Both the good and bad. For now, the search continues.
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