So I have a big dilema. I currently drive an FJ cruiser, and love the thing, but my dream car is a jeep. The main reason I drive the FJ is because its the next best thing, and according to my dad, is a lot safer. I've been trying to explain to him that a jeep is only unsafe if you drive it in an unsafe manner, and all the horror roll over story are from people driving to fast and out of control.

So my request is this, can I get a list of reasons that could convince parents to let their son trade in his FJ for a JK. I've done the research and have the facts, but opinions from actual owners could push them over the edge.

Thanks y'all
Evan

 

Really tackle the rollover fears. People from their generation have false impression they roll over. My son is 19 and his first vehicle was a 98 wrangler. Even some of my friends say I can't believe I let him get one. I just tell them that jeep fixed the rollover issues many years ago. Talk about the anti roll technology, stability control, etc. also, a guy on here a few months ago had a post about his brand new JKU getting t-boned after someone blasted through an intersection when he was heading home from the dealer. The jeep rolled and flipped and was totaled but the guy walked away without injury. His pictures of the totaled jeep were impressive and gave a comforting feeling of how well built they are to withstand that type of impact.

 

as a parent myself i do understand their wanting to keep you safe however a jk has alot of safety features , airbags , stability control , traction control etc .i cant see where it is any more unsafe than most vehicles built several years ago . i would guess their concerns would be topless And doorless being an additional hazard as well . but like you said it all comes down to driving in a responsible manner . i have no concerns letting my son drive mine occasionally to take his girlfriend out . bad things can happen anytime and anywhere no matter what you drive . the jeep community look out for their own and i bet there are local experienced jeepers that could give lots of advice on how to properly operate it under different conditions as well as folks here . when i got my jeep i actually found myself driving slower and my son has said the same just to enjoy the ride even more . there is nothing about a jeep that would make one wAnt to drive fast . its all about the enjoyment and the capabilities it has . as abonus certain mods like bigger tires and bumpers side armor etc.... could actually be a boost for safety because you are up out of the way of most other vehicles
and dont forget jeeps hold value much better than a toyota too . good luck

 

To Robs point... they fixed the rollover problems like he said many years ago. One of the bigger improvements besides just good old technology improvements are that the TJs are wider than the old CJs... and the JKs are even wider than the TJs. This makes them harder to roll, not to mention the technology in the vehicles to assist/prevent this.

As far as comparing it to the safety of a FJ, well the FJ isn't exactly in the top 10 list either.

Just tell your parents if their worried about how safe the Jeep is to buy you more armor for it... rock rails would strengthen side impact and some good heavy bumpers... well just make a mod list lol.

And just a point of note: I've been in two accidents with my older TJ (Both were not my fault, they got tickets) and the other vehicle (both minivans) were totaled... my Jeep was not. I actually drove away from both accidents, one of the mini vans did drive away, the other was towed.

 

As 2 previous posters have stated the rollover issue was fixed as the mentioned the TJ and JK are both wider then the CJ. The JK being slightly wider then TJ as stated. Another factor that wasn't mentioned is they no longer use leaf springs. With the addition of sway bars, coil springs, and being wider I feel much safer in it then any other vehicle I've been in. Not to mention the addition of sliders a sport cage wider tires with a aftermarket wheel with less back spacing will make it just that much safer. If they don't like the doorless topless idea just get tube doors and a spiderweb shade.