Are Wrangler's Safe for First-time Drivers?

To have some fun, first read "Are Wrangler's Safe for Babies?" from 1997.

I was the original poster of this question:

Well, my "baby" turns 16 tomorrow. I want to get him a jeep for his birthday, but my wife (same wife as original thread :) doesn't think it would be a safe first car. Thoughts?

- Thanks

>

As safe as anything else - but as with any piece of machinery YOU need to teach him the specific idiosyncrasies involved with short wheel-base, high cg. vehicles. There are some ways in which a live axle vehicle like the Jeep handle very differently than the family sedan - or SUV.

I think that the long wheelbase Jeep Wrangler unlimited is a safer model due to it's non-equal wheelbase and axle width. This model was first available in the 2004 model and moved to the four door model in 2007:

Lynn

Yep. Remember that younguns are "invulnerable." Or to put it in sailing parlance. Your goal is to fill up your bucket of skill before your bucket of luck runs out.

Go for the 4cyl. Lower horse power == lower chance of doing stupid things.

11 years ago we bought our daughter a 95 YJ for graduation, 4 cyl. she still has it today, although now it has locked front and rear, 36" tires, half hard top etc. but we thought a year or 2 after buying it, that it was the best vehicle we could of bought, doesn't go fast, built like a brick, roll bar.

Will H>

Yep. Remember that younguns are "invulnerable." Or to put it in sailing parlance. Your goal is to fill up your bucket of skill before your bucket of luck runs out.

Go for the 4cyl. Lower horse power == lower chance of doing stupid things.