About three months ago, as a mixed gift for Mother’s Day and her birthday, we procured a 2010 Jeep Wrangler JK 2-door for my wife. In the past three months of using it for everything from her work commute vehicle to our dump vehicle to recreational day-trips, I’ve come to realize that it is particularly well suited for outdoor recreational use. Yes, I know that may be a “no brainer”, but here’s why I had that revelation.
First, please understand that the Jeep you see in the photos here are of our Jeep. It is nearly 100% stock. The only additions we’ve made have been to add “suicide handles” on both sides and in the back (you can see them hanging off the roll bars at the top of either “door” and in the corresponding place for the back seat) and the tire cover (which is being replaced). There are several other “upgrades” planned that all equate to accessories and we’ll get into them closer to the end.
Second, please note that this Jeep is a “JK” model. For years I’ve never understood where those letters came from or if they designated anything. What I’ve learned with a little bit of research is that they do designate specific information although I still don’t understand how they are selected or developed. Here’a brief list to help other Jeep enthusiasts out:
- BRC-XX: Bantam models made in the ’40s.
- MA: Willys production Jeep for the military in 1941
- MB: Willys second generation Jeep design
- M-151: the Military Unit Tactical Truck (MUTT) built from 1959-1978
- CJ-2: Willys first commerical bid for the general public (2A, 3A & 3B followed on)
- CJ-5: Willys made from 1955-1970 and by AMC from 1970-1983.
- CJ-7: Built by AMC from 1976 – ? with a 93.4″ wheelbase
- CJ-8: The “Scrambler” with a 103″ wheelbase built from 1981-1985
- DJ-5A: The infamous “postal Jeep”.
- YJ: Wrangler, 1986-1995
- TJ: Wrangler, 1997-2006
- LJ: Wrangler Unlimited, 2003-2006
- KJ: Jeep Liberty
- XJ: Jeep Cherokee
- ZJ: Jeep Grand Cherokee, 1993-1998
- MJ: Jeep Comanche pick-up truck, 1984-1991
- WJ: Jeep Grand Cherokee, 1999-2004
- WK: Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2005-
- SJ: full size Grand Wagoneers and trucks, 1963-1993
- XK: Jeep Commander
- JK: Wrangler, 2007-present
Now, for our purposes in this discussion about the 2010 Wrangler you should know that my family has also owned three previous Jeep vehicles:
- A 1994 Jeep Wrangler YJ
- A 1991 Jeep Cherokee XJ
- A 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ
We enjoyed the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee. The ’91 Cherokee almost turned us off to all future Jeep SUVs but our enjoyment of the Wrangler we had was enough to bring us back to both the Grand Cherokee and the ’10 Wrangler.
When many of us think “Jeep” what we see in our mind is similar to the picture shown to the right here (copyright Quadratec). That’s a picture of a “tricked out” 2007 Jeep Wrangler JK. Note that it’s one of the newer 4-door models. I should confess here that my wife was very interested in a 4-door Wrangler but I fought the idea. To me, the 2-door model is just more traditional (and the 4-doors look too much like H3s to me). That admitted, I’ve never seen a Jeep Wrangler on any dealer’s lot that looks like this. However, Jeep has recognized that some after-market upgrades are so common they’ve built them in to the various models of Wrangler JK available.
The 2010 Wrangler is available in 11 colors (my wife’s is “Natural Green Pearl”) and in six variant models:
- Sport 2-door 4×4 S Package
- Sport 2-door 4×4
- Islander 2-door 4×4
- Mountain 2-door 4×4
- Sahara 2-door 4×4
- Rubicon 2-door 4×4
This is only a list of the 2-door models. There are an additional nine models of 4-door models. That means you can select from 15 different models of Jeep Wrangler in 11 different colors equalling 165 choices.
Now… about my revelation:
Thanks to the cooperation of Mother Nature’s weather patterns the past few weeks we’ve had opportunity (as you can see in the photos) to take the doors off, the windows out and put the top down. Unlike regular convertible vehicles, you can’t put the top down on a Jeep Wrangler without taking out the side and rear windows. I’d like to tell you that when you take them out you can easily put them into the back of the Jeep – but you can’t; not if you intend to keep the plastic windows as clear as possible. You can get storage racks for them (and the doors) allowing you a neat and convenient storage space to protect them.
The doors, though, aren’t as easy. If you take the doors off you need to make accomodations to relocate the side-view mirrors. In some states they are required and if you don’t remount them someplace after taking off the doors you can be cited. Multiple options exist to move the mirrors. In our case (1st planned “upgrade” that is pending for my wife’s Jeep) we’ve ordered mounting brackets that will move the side-view mirrors from the door mounts to being mounted at the lower corners of the windshield frame. Once thus moved the driver doesn’t have full clear view of the passenger side mirror but with a minor tilt of the head can see the whole thing. This should be considered a permanent move although it can certainly be reversed. The doors, once removed, need to be carefully stored if you are worried about scratching the paint or potentially breaking the windows. Storage racks are also available so you can hang the doors for storage. The doors are not light. I would guess their weight (each) between 40-50 pounds and they are awkward to carry.
The next upgrade we have planned is a push bumper. The bumper shown on that red Jeep above is NOT standard. It is a bumper specifically built to house a wench, house fog lights and mount additional lighting. Where we live – especially in the fall rutting season – deer are a major safety hazard on the roads. My wife has selected a push bumper that will deflect any deer that jumps out in front of her to the sides and down in the hopes that damage to the front end of her Jeep will be minimized and the animal will be kept from coming up over the hood and into the windshield. Shown in the photo to the right (copyright Quadratec) is the Olympic 4×4 Products Three Hoop Front Bumper. It allows for her stock fog lights to stay in place but otherwise replaces the plastic wrap that covers the front working steel bumper.
We have discussed lift kits to give her greater clearance but we’re still in the talk phase of that. She intends to replace the spare tire cover with a new one. The camoflage one she ordered and that we’ve had on for a couple weeks was cost effective but only in the short term. Additionally, the green shades in it have faded quickly and the brown shades now don’t look as good on her green Jeep. The one she has ordered has a stylized Jeep logo and the wording, Fun is mandatory; pavement is optional. She has also ordered a new gear shift knob that looks very much like a rock. After all, she knows where all six gears and reverse are.
Our final addition will be a trailer hitch. As her Jeep is now, we’d be hard pressed to get all our gear in the back if we wanted to take our son camping. When we had a pickup truck it was easier to put in the tent, sleeping bags, cooler, camp stove, water jugs, etc. Unless we fold down the back seat (which is very easy to do but limits us to just she and I camping) we’d have a hard time getting all the camp gear in. Our intention is to add the trailer hitch and get a cargo rack that locks into the hitch so we have more room to load gear. My revelation moment came when I found out just how much camping equipment is made specifically to work with Wranglers. Sure, some of it’s just logo gear, but plenty of it is efficient camping gear. Check out the Quadratec Jeep Lifestyle page to get an idea of what I’m talking about.
Yes, I know I didn’t go into engine size, average fuel efficiency (my wife is averaging 20 MPG in hers) and all the mechanical details. I could – if you wanted me to quote what’s on other websites. For me the “test” of this Jeep Wrangler has been user friendliness (high rating there), simple fun factor (pretty good and growing) and how well it does what it was designed to do – be an outdoor off-road capable vehicle (high rating there).
Given the cost of new vehicles today this obviously isn’t a purchase you can go out and make just because you want one. However, there are an abundance of very serviceable used Jeeps out there to be had. If you’re the kind of person who likes a one-of-a-kind practical, tough and versatile vehicle, search one out; build your plan; and then build your Jeep.
Happy Trails!
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