I know there have been other threads on this topic but I wanted to address the folks in my immediate area. I recently purchased my first Jeep back in November. My best friend In High school had a wrangler and I was always Jealous, so I got one as soon as I could afford it. I love my JK, It's probably the best purchase I've ever made, however, there is one big thing missing. My friend in high school would always wave to other wranglers and the wave was always returned. I was always intrigued by this simple gesture, it added to the appeal of owning a Jeep. Since I have owned my JK I have tried to engage other drivers in this traditional Jeep wave. Since November I have not had a single wave returned in Denver or the entire front range area! Am I missing something? Is the jeep wave dead? Next time your driving around Denver and you pass a Jeep green unlimited Sahara and the driver gives you the wave, please return it, it would complete my JK owning experience.

 

I wish I had an answer for you. I know that it's not dead, but I think it's on a bit of a break for us JK owners. I remember the same thing when the TJ came out. It took a few years for owners of older Wranglers or CJs to accept them and wave to their owners. It certainly happened with the YJ as well. (stupid square headlights )
There weren't a lot of JKs on the road last summer since it was a new vehicle, but there will be many more out there this summer, which should help. I've always noticed a huge increase in the amount of waves when it's top off season.
Also... quite a few of the JK owners aren't cut from the same mold that a lot of us are. Many of the Unlimited owners bought them because it's a four door convertible, not because they wanted to be part of a culture and own the best off the shelf 4x4 you can buy in the states. I think the Unlimited is great, as it's allowed a bunch of Jeepers to have a family compatible rig, but it did bring in a new breed as well. Also, with the more refined ride of both the 2 door and 4 door, people that couldn't stand the rough ride before are taking a second look, and some are buying them.
All in all, I think folks just need to be educated. Soccer moms will be more than happy to wave to other Jeeps, they just need to realize that you're waving because they are in a Jeep and not because you are a stalker.
Just keep waving... They'll catch on sooner or later.

From Utah!

 

Had the top down yesterday and passed about 15 Jeeps, I think about everyone of them waved at me. I've also noticed an increase in waves since I got my lift on. I've noticed that when the top is up and windows up, it's hard to see the other person wave. I think there are more waves than we think, many just lift their 4 fingers off the steering wheel, so it's really hard to see.

 

i wave, and i actually had a guy wave back yesterday on my way to work. he had a lifted TJ.

 

I just moved from CT to Phoenix, so far not to many wave for me. In ct on my way to I would see 2 maybe 5 jeeps and got a good % of waves. In AZ i must see 50 jeeps over the course of the day. 1 maybe 3 waves tops. and I've been topless since Saturday

 

There are a lot of casual Jeep owners out here that I think don't know what the wave is. Of course I had my old YJ for a short period of time before I picked up on it. I couldn't understand why everyone waved at me at first, but I learned.

 

When im back home in Denver i actually get a good amount of wave backs. Out here in Az, i only seem to get them from other Jk owners. (doesn't help that i go to school in a town of retired old guys that look like their 99)

 

if this come up twice i'm sorry i tryed to reply from my phone.
I can't say all of az doesn't wave it just seem like a lot phoenix could careless.
I was in parts of cave creak last weekend i got a bunch of waves also on 101
I've seen jeep that wave ( got one today from a tj but not one from eather of
the two rubi I saw and I have one)

 

Metro Denver has the worst "rate of return" that I've encountered for anywhere I've lived. I didn't get any more acknowledgment in my modded TJ than when my JK was stock. Oh, well, keep waving - to the Jeeps if not the driver.