Why A Jeep Cherokee Is Better Than Any Mustang
The Only Vehicle You Will Ever Need
Jeeps Will Always Survive
When I was 17, my mom bought me a Jeep. Not just any Jeep, but a 1995 Cherokee with an 8 inch lift, and 35 inch tires with more than 3/4 of the tread left. For those of you that don't really know too much; that's pretty awesome. I had it for about 6 months. I then sold it and bought a Mustang, which was the biggest mistake of my life.
The reason I sold my Jeep was simple: the horrible gas mileage. I got somewhere between 11 and 14 MPG. Being only 17 and working a part time job, there was no way that I could afford to keep the Jeep on the road.
My mom and I decided on a Mustang because she had one (she's a Ford enthusiast, ew), because it had better gas mileage, and because after driving a Jeep around for awhile I wanted something that could go very fast.
I soon learned that speed and gas mileage are not always the best things. The Mustang started literally falling apart. The window came out of the metal bracket that holds it, it has a horrible ticking exhaust leak, in five months I've had to get all new tires, and I've had to replace the back tires twice. It didn't even pass inspection until a $300 mechanic bill later. This is just mechanical issues too. With my Jeep, I had one problem the entire time I had it: the battery died because I left the interior light on all night long. That wasn't even the Jeeps fault!
Actually driving vehicles is where the huge difference (in my opinion) comes in to play. Yes, driving a Mustang is super fun because it goes fast. Don't judge me for my safety, but I've gotten it up to 115MPH before. That kind of driving is fun. No argument there. But speed is all the Mustang has going for it. Yes, it hugs turns too. But if it's snowing outside? Forget about it, I can't go anywhere. Oh, it's raining outside? Sorry guys, but I can't come over, my car doesn't have the traction to make it up the hill you live on.
My Jeep laughed at inclement weather. I could've offered a taxi service for blizzards, floods up to two feet, and rock slides. That's what made the Jeep so awesome. It was so dependable in every situation. Sure, it didn't go that fast, but who really needs speed when you can climb over boulders or literally crush someones Honda?
There is another thing that I've noticed since having a Mustang and not a Jeep. It may sound dumb, but the people are different. When I would be driving my Jeep along, and I would pass another Jeep driver, they would wave! Jeep drivers are all so friendly and proud of their vehicles for good reasons. Jeep Jamboree (huge Jeep show held in Carlisle, PA) was one of the funnest and happiest environments and everyone got along. Mustang drivers? Keep your eyes ahead and don't wave, because they won't wave back. All they will do is sit in their drivers seat and think about how their GT could stomp your little V6. They're cruel.
Safety is an interesting topic for both vehicles. Because my Jeep was lifted so much, it had what is known to some as the 'death wobble'. This is where the steering wasn't quite straight so I had to compensate by moving the wheel back and forth. It took me about two weeks to get used to driving it, but once I had it, I had it. Now, death wobble can be fixed with the correct parts and maintenance, but it didn't hinder my driving abilities and I could keep it in a straight line so it didn't bother me at all. It wasn't really an issue, but it could have been easily fixed if I had taken the time and money. I never technically wrecked in my Jeep. If I had, I trust that I would have been safe. I've talked to so many people who have rolled their Jeep in a wreck, then flipped it over and drove back home unscathed. I think it was more like if I wrecked in my Jeep, I would be extremely more worried about the other person than I would myself. I do NOT feel safe in my Mustang. I wrecked it once, was going about 45MPH and slammed into the back of a Toyota Highlander. The airbags did not deploy. I pressed on the brakes as hard as I could when I realized I was careening towards another vehicle and I swear to this day that my ABS did nothing. I don't know if it's possible but I feel like in some way the breaks might have just given up entirely instead of 'pumping' like ABS' are supposed to do.
In seriousness, I miss my Jeep. It's probably unhealthy how much. Now that I'm older and have two jobs I could easily afford gas for one, it's just the main issue of finding one in a price range. If for some reason you're faced with the decision of a Mustang and a Jeep, please please please take the Jeep. For your safety, your convenience, and the fact that they're just way better than Mustangs in general. This was my first Hub that I have written (so don't be too harsh!), and I wasn't really sure of a topic. But hey, I love Jeeps and I hate Mustangs, so I figured why not write about something that I'm passionate about?