Mid Life Crisis? New Jeep Time, Baby!

Mike_D

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Joined
Oct 4, 2021
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15
Location
Washington State
Was getting ready to send our first born daughter off to college and had a road trip to Disneyland and Arizona planned. Decided that for a road trip of that magnitude, we needed an upgrade from our Honda Accord. We previously owned a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but settled for the Honda back in 17 when looking for a new family car. Passed on the Wrangler at that time as my wife did not think it was practical. This time was my choice, though, so we went with a used 2018 JKU w 40k miles on it. Previous owner seemed to take immaculate care, so I'm trying to do likewise. Bought it about two months ago and still get excited every time I get to drive it. Wife gets a little irritated with me popping the doors off all the time, but that's one of the reasons we spent what we did was to have that option. Anyways, freakin' love this thing. First time in my life I have a vehicle I care about, and I'm leaning heavily into learning about the Jeep lifestyle. As a therapist, I recognize how important it is to take care of ourselves, and this thing is just the prescription I need(ed). Jeep therapy is a real thing.
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I had my midlife last summer. Wanted a 2 door wrangler for 20 years. Saw one for sale close by checked it out and bought it. The wife thinks I’ve joined a cult. Lol welcome!
 
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Welcome, my wife claims I was having a mid-live crises since I wanted a Jeep. I had a YJ for about 9 years, a 55 Willys Pickup for about 5 years. Life came along and didn’t have the funds to continue with the pickup, at least I drove it for 5 years. Picked up a 2015 Rubicon HR earlier this year. I think she was the one with mid-life crises cause now there are two JK’s in the drive way! Getting me one was a ploy to get herself one o_O
 
Same here... wife tells everyone mine is my mid-life crisis. I was 60 when I bought it.
I tell everyone my mid-life crisis was marrying her when I was 40.

There is a guy in town who has a very nice customized JKU with "MID-LIFE CRISIS" in white letters across the top of his windshield.
 
I love it! Lean into that stuff. Mid life "crisis" doesnt have to be bad. Better than stepping out on the missus. Told my wife, "if this is my mid life crisis, buying a rig that allows us to enjoy riding around and head off to camp in the nether regions, consider us both lucky". She at least agreed with that.
 
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I've had several mid-life crisis's but the Jeep was not one for me. My last one was a Porsche 2 seater convertible but after a few years it was sitting in the garage to much and my daily had many miles on it so I traded the mid-life for a very practical Frontier Pro-4X. My latest addition I don't consider a Mid-life crisis, I think of the Jeep as a practical vehicle. It would hold it's value, it is easy to tow behind my small motor home and it's fun to drive for me and my wife. It's also easy to work on.
Oh maybe my adventure motorcycle was my last mid-life. At age 60 getting my first motorcycle and heading into the woods - That seems like pure text book Mid-Life Crisis.
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This thread makes me feel so much better... I'm not the only one who is a) the age I am and still getting giddy and grinning like an idiot every time I hop in my jeep and b) has a wife who seems to view me pretty much the same as many of you have described!
It's good to be among family! 😁

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This thread makes me feel so much better... I'm not the only one who is a) the age I am and still getting giddy and grinning like an idiot every time I hop in my jeep and b) has a wife who seems to view me pretty much the same as many of you have described!
It's good to be among family! 😁

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You're in good company
 
This thread makes me feel so much better... I'm not the only one who is a) the age I am and still getting giddy and grinning like an idiot every time I hop in my jeep and b) has a wife who seems to view me pretty much the same as many of you have described!
It's good to be among family! 😁

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It's funny, because my wife absolutely loves driving the JK. Always asking if she can use it, while still making fun of me in mixed company. I'm learning that I love driving this thing, exploring upgrades, and thinking about road trips I might like to take, which are all new for me. She snickers, but guess who is not adverse to trading her Honda in for her own 2-door JK?

Also, what color is your JK? Looks like the slate-like color my wife originally wanted us to get. But I also have a few photos at my friend's house where our Billet Silver Metallic looks kind of greenish so dont want to assume...

And I'm a nut about mine. I look back at it as I'm leaving parking lots. I get excited for trips to the grocery store. I'm planning road/camping trips I never would have considered prior. So yeah, if I'm ground zero for new Jeep enthusiast, I can say it feels pretty good.
 
When I bought my JK I was asked if I was having a midlife crisis. I simply replied that it wasn't a crisis for me.

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Absolutely, dude. I told everyone when we bought the Jeep that I didnt think I would need many/any upgrades/mods. And yet that's all I look at these days. But I'm not going crazy with it...just trying to make it feel like mine. No crisis here...just much happiness and exploration.
 
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Maybe my Jeep lifestyle was a midlife crisis. I am 55 now and in the past 3 years I have owned 3 Jeeps. Found myself doing things I never really gave any thought to from rock crawling in Moab to off roading in Colorado.
This...100 times over. I'm trying to explain to my family, friends, and clients, that me wanting to explore something new and different, that isn't unhealthy...it's a good thing. Some get it. Some dont. But that's a "them" issue, not a "me" issue. Living in the Pacific NW, with a daughter down in AZ in college, affords me some chances to do some outdoor stuff that I maybe wouldnt have tried in the past. Now I'm in on those possible experiences.
 
It's funny, because my wife absolutely loves driving the JK. Always asking if she can use it, while still making fun of me in mixed company. I'm learning that I love driving this thing, exploring upgrades, and thinking about road trips I might like to take, which are all new for me. She snickers, but guess who is not adverse to trading her Honda in for her own 2-door JK?

Also, what color is your JK? Looks like the slate-like color my wife originally wanted us to get. But I also have a few photos at my friend's house where our Billet Silver Metallic looks kind of greenish so dont want to assume...

And I'm a nut about mine. I look back at it as I'm leaving parking lots. I get excited for trips to the grocery store. I'm planning road/camping trips I never would have considered prior. So yeah, if I'm ground zero for new Jeep enthusiast, I can say it feels pretty good.
Lol, yeah it's funny how we are always taking my rig now... not that I'm complaining!
The color of mine is Anvil... love it. My last wrangler was black, as have been a lot of my vehicles, but I really like how this looks. It changes hue with different lighting, gives me an excuse to always be looking back at it!
 
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My last two ollllllo were TJ's and were green. This is my first JK and is yellow & black. I love that combination.
 
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Always asking if she can use it, while still making fun of me in mixed company. I'm learning that I love driving this thing, exploring upgrades, and thinking about road trips I might like to take, which are all new for me. She snickers, but guess who is not adverse to trading her Honda in for her own 2-door JK?
We did buy the wife a JK Sahara, now there are two 2015 JK’s in the driveway! Kids still say Dad’s is better!
 
My last two ollllllo were TJ's and were green. This is my first JK and is yellow & black. I love that combination.
I had two colors in my view...the Gobi and the Yellow. Saw this one and was immediately smitten, but gotta say that I love the yellow and black. Unfortunately my wife's co-worker just got herself one, so she was not letting us go that route. But the yellow-black combo really stands out, which is pretty great in my view.
 
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We did buy the wife a JK Sahara, now there are two 2015 JK’s in the driveway! Kids still say Dad’s is better!
Yeah, I've started to turn the kids against the wife..."Hey mom, maybe you should trade in your Honda for a Jeep too." Just gotta slow play it, but I think what you're talking about is where we're headed. Particularly with her going with the Sahara.
 
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