What Started it For You?

[jeff_in_rc]

When I was about 9 years old my mom and dad got a couple of dirt bikes and it all started for us back then. I have owned many different bikes over the years but one thing never changed, my love for the California desert. Then in March of 2012 came a health scare for me and I decided it was time for 4 wheels so I sold my bikes and bought an 88 YJ and I have never looked back. Drove the snot out of the YJ and did a LOT of maintenance to it over the next year and a half and in September of 2013 I sold my truck and bought my current Jeep, a nicely built 2004 TJ. The TJ is so much better and way more capable than the YJ was.

So here it is everyone and that's my story, what's yours?

 

[TwistedJK]

My children love being outdoors and wheeling. My daughter is really excited for the Uwharrie trip in August. They're hooked too

 

[JohnnyD]

Same as much above...was 10 or 12 (honestly my brain cells hurt trying to remember lol). A friend of my dad's came over with a done up white CJ...was love at first site....but she would have to wait....then I met her again reincarnated this past year!!!! My first love...lol

 

[georgi.photo]

My children love being outdoors and wheeling. My daughter is really excited for the Uwharrie trip in August. They're hooked too

Sweet I'm bringing my daughter too. She's 11

 

[TwistedJK]

Sweet I'm bringing my daughter too. She's 11

We'll bring her power wheels jeep too so the kids can do some crawling lol.

 

[georgi.photo]

We'll bring her power wheels jeep too so the kids can do some crawling lol.

That's awesome. Hope to see you out there.

 

[Redmow]

I was a house potato. Played board games, pc games and card games. Was getting lazy...not fat but definitely lazy.

Then, one day, a friend talked me into going kayaking. I absolutely loved it. But, I thought I was going to die...I was so out of shape. It lit a fire in me. Quit smoking. Quit sodas. Quit most junk food. Bought a kayak and go every chance I get.

Then, one day, a new guy started at our company. He had a Jeep. And I now wanted some kind of off-road vehicle.

I originally was looking for a good truck when one day while out in the company car, I spied that yellow Jeep sitting on a spinning stand at the Honda dealer. I about caused a wreck swerving into the dealer and bought that Jeep that very day. That was last September.

Now, I LOOOOOVE off-roading and kayaking...sometimes together. (I could afford the Jeep payments and insurance just from quitting smoking).

 

[JK_Dave]

I was a house potato. Played board games, pc games and card games. Was getting lazy...not fat but definitely lazy.

Then, one day, a friend talked me into going kayaking. I absolutely loved it. But, I thought I was going to die...I was so out of shape. It lit a fire in me. Quit smoking. Quit sodas. Quit most junk food. Bought a kayak and go every chance I get.

Then, one day, a new guy started at our company. He had a Jeep. And I now wanted some kind of off-road vehicle.

I originally was looking for a good truck when one day while out in the company car, I spied that yellow Jeep sitting on a spinning stand at the Honda dealer. I about caused a wreck swerving into the dealer and bought that Jeep that very day. That was last September.

Now, I LOOOOOVE off-roading and kayaking...sometimes together. (I could afford the Jeep payments and insurance just from quitting smoking).

Congrats on quitting the habit! I bet your new hobbies are a better stress reliever anyway.

 

[JK_Dave]

My story goes something like this. Despite my dad owning a 1969 Camaro SS when he was 16 years old, he really wasn't a car guy and never instilled any of that passion in me growing up. My first car at 16 was a 2WD Ford Ranger. That began my interest in the aftermarket scene. Didn't matter what type of vehicle it was, I was fascinated by cars and trucks.

My high school graduation gift was a cruise with my family in the Carribean. I remember signing up for a shore excursion one day that was a Jeep safari tour along the Mexican coast line with a visit to some Mayan ruins. None of my family went with me and because I was the only one who showed up for the tour alone, I got to pilot my first Jeep TJ with the guide as my passenger! It's a good thing too because I'm not sure I could have shared the wheel with anyone else that day, I was having way too much fun.

Our tour took us down a little stretch of highway before heading right down to the sand for some offroad fun before we hit the ruins. I recall the Jeep in front of me getting so rough he ended up tearing off the stock exhaust from his Jeep! Anyway, we ended up cruising down to the shoreline and parking for some lunch before heading back down the trail. On our way back after the beach, we stopped for some beers which were a welcome sight to a 19 year old! The laws are somewhat lax south of the border and we chugged Coronas on the drive back to the safari tour office.

That started the bug, but I couldn't scratch the itch until well after college. And now with a family, I finally had an excuse to justify getting a "family" car. Two years ago I bought my first Jeep - a '13 Rubicon Unlimited and I love her! What better platform to use to customize it exactly the way I want?

 

[Redmow]

Yes, JK_Dave. The stress reliever is WAY (alife) better than smoking.

I love how you got started. That tour guide was a cool dude.

 

[Moabbnd]

The want for a Jeep started when my dad had a CJ7. my first Jeep was an 03 TJ rubicon, which led to a 97 TJ, then 98 XJ, and finally my 06 LJ Rubicon

 

[simonjk]

My bad habit started as a friends bad habit, a few rides in his xj offroad got me hooked. 4 years ago I picked up a jk rubicon. I built it pretty mildly, lift, flat fenders, 35s. Went offroad a few times in it, but it wasnt what I wanted, I wanted a 4 door. So a year or so after I had it, we traded in my wifes car for a jku rubicon. We built up this one, 37s, bumpers, winch, sliders. We then sold the 2 door and the 4 door and im currently in a jku sport(newer engine). My build is mild right now until funds free up. But in all of the jks I bought and sold a few xjs.

 

[Jeep2010]

My dad had bought me a 1984 cj7 from a junk yard and we built it up. That was our first project. It was going to be my car when I got my license at 16 but a month or a couple weeks before I got it, it got stolen. We later found it stripped of parts. So I told my dad to buy me my 2010 jeep jk and I'd make the payments. My jeep has 130k on the odometer and I'm starting to get the mods where I want them. Here in Ohio there is only a few places to go off roading, but in planning a trip to Colorado, Utah, and California in the next year or so.

 

[JK_Dave]

My dad had bought me a 1984 cj7 from a junk yard and we built it up. That was our first project. It was going to be my car when I got my license at 16 but a month or a couple weeks before I got it, it got stolen. We later found it stripped of parts. So I told my dad to buy me my 2010 jeep jk and I'd make the payments. My jeep has 130k on the odometer and I'm starting to get the mods where I want them. Here in Ohio there is only a few places to go off roading, but in planning a trip to Colorado, Utah, and California in the next year or so.

That's a real bummer! :grayno: At least no one can take away the quality hours you got to spend with your dad in the garage though. I want to do the same thing with my boys when they get old enough.

 

[Jeep2010]

That's a real bummer! :grayno: At least no one can take away the quality hours you got to spend with your dad in the garage though. I want to do the same thing with my boys when they get old enough.

Yeah I wasn't too mad when I got my jeep now but it's exactly that. My dad and I aren't the most social of people but we can work on or talk about jeeps for hours. It's what holds us. That's why I'm waiting until he gets his jeep before doing the rubicon trail or Moab.

 

[1FAST5OH]

My old man and I did a frame-off restore on a 72 CJ5 with the 5.0L AMC V8 about 15 years ago. Since then, I've had a number of CJ5, CJ7, YJ, Commanche, and XJ Jeeps. Wish I had taken pics of all of them even though most of the CJs and the Commanche were used as ranch vehicles. I currently still have one of my 95 YJs and my JKU.

Only pic I have on my new phone of the JK. There is a nice Commanche for sale down the road from me that is calling my name. Loved that little truck.

 

[Elarage]

Every weekend ready for a new destination

 

[Elarage]

Hot weather coming to Las Vegas

 

[JP Girl]

I think I was destined to be a Jeep girl right from birth... I was born in one of the worst blizzards in Illinois history... The morning my mom went into labor with me, the only car that would start was the 1950's Jeep my great grandpa gave my dad. It only had a driver seat, so my mom had to sit in the spare tire while my dad rushed her to the hospital. With the rough ride of the Jeep by the time they arrived at the hospital, I was already on my way out into this world. Fast forward 5 years to re-runs of the Dukes of Hazzard and I was OBSSESSED with Daisy Duke and her Jeep, Dixie. I even had one as a toy and it was all I would play with. I got my first 'real' Jeep 12 years later while in HS, had it lifted, big tires on it and I was basically the only girl in the area with a modified Jeep. Fast forward 20 years and all I'm still driving is a Jeep (on my 7th one) and I won't ever drive anything else!

 

[Thunder]

Our Toyota Sienna mini van was starting to eat money in repairs.

My wife texted me at work one day asking, if we were to buy a new vehicle, what should we get.

I sent her a picture of a JKU.

We went to the Jeep dealership that night to have a look and drove one home.

Never thought she'd go for it. Maybe someday I'll drive a Harley too! :brows: