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I don't know a bunch about Jeeps but I personally think the Rubicon version demands a wave.

I would wave at ya Jean :)

I wave at all Wranglers and I used to wave to the rest. But since in many cases of other Jeeps you get a confused stare or nothing at all, I gave up. Now when it comes to other Jeeps I only wave if they look like Jeeper Jeeps and not just 'owner' Jeeps. There is a difference.

I guess what has happened with the wave is two things - the recent influx of new Jeep types and owners who either don't know or don't care about the Jeep lifestyle, and; selective waving to only those Jeeps that appear to get used for what a Jeep was meant. Which incedently is a direct result of D/C expanding on non-traditional Jeep designs aimed more at the street than the trail.

I find that in general the wave has been dieing a slow death. A lot of Jeepers won't wave at stock Jeeps. But then again, the wave in it's true inception had to do with the sharing of kudos between diehards as they passed along a road or trail. So to expect this to be extended to the uncaring uninterested masses is just a bit of a stretch, no?

Jeeper Jeep: A Jeep owned by an adventurous soul living the brand; a Jeep being used for what it was meant (stock or built), often but not always clad with mud, scratches, accessories, related stickers, and off road type equipment. Jeeper Jeeps in their pre-experienced stock form are very hard to identify in some cases.

Owner Jeep: A Jeep owned by average Joe or Jane who simply owns that vehicle for transportation rather than "living the brand"; a Jeep in pathetic slave service to an uncaring master who could have just as easily bought anything else and spared the Jeep a life of sad existance; generally clean, polished, and sporting all season or highway tires.

I love your new jeep and will surely wave to you when you drive it to Reno.Hugs. Reno Mom

Me too. Can't wait to wave when you get to Reno. Reno Dad

I have waved at the new 4door Jeep with no return. I think your right when saying this is for the new jeep owner who do not have a history of jeeping. I no longer give a wave to the new 4door since it will not be returned.

Gosh, I have always wanted to own a jeep and participate in the 'Jeep Wave'! My husband and I were so excited when we saw the 4 door Wranglers! How sad was I when I found out Jeep Freaks do not consider a four door a real jeep! Just because you might see me dropping my kids off at soccer or dance class certainly doesn't mean you might not see me driving up a mountain, through the mud or four wheeling in the desert! Get over yourselves! Not every Wrangler needs to look like a piece of junk! We can take care of it on and off road! Quit being a REVERSE SNOB and at least nod your head if you can't make the effort to wave!!!!

I have been waiting to get a jeep wrangler for years. The truth is, a family of five doesn't fit in a two-door model. I've taken equal amounts of comments . . . crap from people about "mid-life crisis" to "I love your car and am so jealous." I also drive 75 miles a day to and from work, so since September have already put 6,000 miles on my car. The hard top leaks, the soft top flops, I'm still waiting on my running boards BUT I LOVE MY JEEP. Don't be a jerk. Wave. Unlimited also means Inclusive!

I just got my 08 JK for Christmas. I LOVE it. My husband just put a 4 inch lift of it with 35 tires. I look so bad. But, what Im getting is that it looks like a hummer. (YUK) I have less than a thousand miles on it and have only gotten one wave. Maybe when the weather gets warmer? But I also feel left out of the real jeep club.

P.S. I am in the Jeeper Jeep category!!!!!

I own a 2 door Jeep and wife and I always got waves. Bought her a 4 door jeep JK in early 2007 and we still get alot of waves, but like most when you go to jeep groups (online) the ability to hide behind a nick makes people talk bad about new jeeps.

I have a 2000 Cherokee Sport and a 2006 Wrangler. I am not a big fan of the new Jeeps. ( Sorry ) They are wider , the doors are square, the door handles on the outside are not a typical Jeep handle. I think the people who had the CJ-5/7's are having the same reaction I am having. It just does not seem like a traditional Jeep.
I have had my new Jeep for over 1 year now and there was a new Wrangler 07/08 that always waved at me ( We live in a small town )
Mine is lifted his is stock finally.... one day about 1 month ago I sent a wave and nod over. He nearly went off the road with excitement.
Moral of the story - us old Jeepers will come around. We just dont like to change.
It happened when they got rid of the Cherokee's and came out with the Liberty.
Hang in there - the waves will come!

In case you need to know the rules of the wave (o:
http://www.jeeptalk.org/jeep_wave.shtml

Here's my take on the wave: A proper Jeep has only 2 doors (Wrangler) - it has been that way from Day One. If you want a 4-door - buy a Hummer. So, I won't be initiating waves to 4-doors, but I'll be plite and wave back.
Realize though that the 4-door was created for guys whose wives would never consent to a real Jeep. It's an awesome marketing strategy, and hugely successful. But, a 4-door wrnagler is like having 4 nipples - fuctional and fun, but just not right.

Wow waving stirs up quite a range of opinions. We have Cherokee's for years and finally got a Wrangler. Have always wanted on but it wasn't practical with kids. Now the kids are driving the Cherokees and are jealous of their mom who's driving the Wrangler which is basically stock with Mickey Thompson MTZ BAJA's 285/75/16 w/Pro Comp Extreme Alloy rims in black. We wave at any Wrangler whether it be 4 door or 2 door. We've tried to wave at other jeepers but they look at us like we're nuts!

Sorry to hear about that Shame on them. I wave to everyone whether they wave back or not. Come to Connecticut and I wave at ya.
Happy Jeepin and keep on wavin!!!!

I have waved to a 4 door efore i got looked at like i had a falic symbol on my forhead, and i also agree with the guy 3 spaces above me, i jeep is and will always be 2 doors i will not start the wave to a JK but i will be nice and return it, and also if your driving in your jeep and someine in a regular vehicle waves at you its probably a jeeper in another vehicle dont be rude wave back i know i sometimes forget that im driving the truck and not my TJ but hey im a true jeeper so why not at least wave back

I recently bought my first Jeep. 2004 TJ Unlimited. I live in Ohio and the Wave live's on here. I agree that the JK is much different than all previous CJ's and Wranglers, but it's still a Wrangler and deserves a wave. My problem is that they are really hard to distinguish sometimes from Hummers, so my wave comes too late. And I must say I have not received a wave from a JK yet.

I don't wave at wrangler unlimiteds. It's not a "real" jeep, it can't do half the things a stock 2 door can. I own a silver 06 rubicon.
4.5in rubicon express suspension lift
35in mickey thompsons
bilstein shocks
lockers
6.11 equivalent gearing
warn front and rear rock crawler bumpers
9.5ti warn winch
No one can argue it's not a real jeep, but I can sure argue an unlimited isn't.

Seriously, folks? Some jeep owners are "too cool" to wave at 4 door jeeps, or even to 2 doors that are left stock?? Please forgive those of us who perhaps can't immediately afford a few grand worth of additions to our jeeps right away. Plus- lord forbid- forgive anyone who might just REALLY like car to drive without a top or doors on it! I give tons of respect to those of you who have tricked out your jeeps and are lucky enough to drive them up the sides of mountains all the time; but please get off your high horses about it. 'Jeep Spirit' is shared by every member of the Jeep family, from newest to oldest. Wave because Jeeps are cool, and wave at everyone who's in one- we ALL like them.

I guess nobody has seen the tricked out Unlimited that Skyjacker built. Like Steve...everyone get off your high horses about tricking out your rig and off-roading. There's enough pompous attitudes in this world to go around, just ask the Hummer people and Land Rover group; just ask them they'll tell you how wonderful they are and how much their rigs cost. I’ve seen both hung up
I too had to start out with a stock Wrangler and couldn't afford any goodies up front. But then alittle at a time I added and that was the joy of building it; then I had the joy of taking it out and trying testing it on the trail. I can't go every weekend; I go about once a month. And I've got a few battle scars to prove the off-road capability. And like they told me when I was starting out it 10% vehicle and 90% driver.
What bums me about this whole wave issue is attitude, attitude on both side of the issue. Old jeeps not wanting to wave at 4-doors, Unlimited getting snubbed, It happened when the went from CJ's to YJ; oh they aren’t real jeeps cause they had rectangular headlights.
The argument was bogus then as is this 2 door - 4 door issue.
Everybody take the high road on this issue and in life. We're all on a journey, both in life and with our Wranglers. Don't be a snobby puritan, or a stuck up newbie. Lose the attitude and gain a friend, they might be the one pulling you out one day. Wave whether they wave or not be the bigger person.
As you can see I’m passionate about my Jeeps. And if you see me and my Red Wrangler your going to get a wave. Teach by Demonstration – Lead by Example.

2006 Rubicon here. When the JK's came out, I was immediately put off by the 4 door and the fact that you can get power windows, door locks and a navigation system in both body styles....talk about diluting a brand....
I won't wave @ the 4 door JK's unless they wave first, which 95% of the time the ladies driving them are too busy on their cell phones to notice another Jeep passing...I begrudgingly wave to 2 door JK's, but typically say something like "fancy-boy" under my breath at the same time.

I have a JK Unlimited and get waves from other Jeeps. But I dont understand why there are so many who bash the 4 door. I love the space that I get with it, and if I wanted a Hummer I would have bought one. I can easily fit my dogs, gear, and another passenger when going on long outdoor trips. They should have offered the Unlimited years ago.

All the 2007 and newer jeeps are not real jeeps as they have wider axles from the nitro engine and trans from nitro. and the four door is built on the nitro frame.Jeep made the choice to lower overhead with no regard for the Legend.

Normally, I tried to avoid religious discussions -- Canon vs Nikon, Apple vs Microsoft, Krystal vs White Castle -- but I can't help but comment on this thread.
I am a new Jeep owner, having waited over ten years to put my first Jeep under my backside. I have owned my new Jeep Wrangler for just about five days. And yes, I chose an Unlimited.
Based on the comments above, either I'm a woman on a cell phone, someone who doesn't "get it", or someone who shoulda bought a Hummer. You couldn't be more wrong. (And for those of you keeping score at home: not a woman, not on a cell phone, I *do* "get it", and I don't think I could swallow driving a Hummer day-in and day-out -- nothing wrong with any of that, but that sweeping generalization doesn't fit me.)
I have gotten waves when driving my Jeep, and I've waved back. Where I grew up in the rural parts of this great country, that was fairly common, no matter what kind of vehicle was carrying you and your gear/family/life, and it was common courtesy to wave back.
So, just to answer the critics that Unlimited owners are just enslaving their Jeeps in a morass of dull tedium, I thought I'd tell you about what my Jeep was purchased for, and what it'll spend its first month doing.
I'm a photographer, and I wanted a vehicle that I could carry my cameras, lenses, tripods, telescopes, and camping gear, and that would allow me to access places that simply weren't doable in my TrailBlazer. It's not an issue of cupholders or cell phones or power windows (although there might be a touch of mid-life crisis in there) -- it's a simple math problem involving cubic feet of stowage, and protection of that gear.
That's the "why" an Unlimited was right for me. Now let's examine whether I "get it".
In eight days, I leave from Missouri, driving to San Francisco, returning up the Pacific coast to Portland, through the Columbia River gorge area, on to Spokane, Coeur D'Alene, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, the Badlands, Minnesota, and south again to Missouri. This is a three-week trek, with man, wife, 14-year old daughter, and enough gear to cripple a mule, covering between 5000 and 6000 miles over three weeks of journey.
Like others have said, I have a ton of respect for folks jacking their Jeeps up, modding the heck out of them, making their Jeep reflect their own personality. That's just plain cool, and at a gradual pace, I'll probably be doing some of that too.
For me though, it's not the destination of how modded I can make my Jeep, it's the journey I plan to take in it. Roughly translated: my Jeep journey may be different than yours, but it's still my journey, and just as valid as yours.
And to that I add, one size of Wrangler does not fit all. I happen to like my Wrangler in the XL format.
Wave or don't wave -- that's your call. My parents raised me to be courteous, and I'll be waving.
Hope you'll wave back. Sorry for the rant.

Personally I dont give a crap who many doors the wrangler has, its still a Jeep Wrangler. I get and give waves to anyone who is driving one but only Wranglers because other jeep owners have no clue. To those that have a problem with the wave get over yourself and stop treating these owners like the redheaded stepchild in the family. Although I must admit that there is a difference between a true jeeper and a yuppie jeeper.

The CJ guys dissed the Wranglers when they were new...it will take time, but they'll come around.

im sorry but i cant see myself waving to a JK the wave started with 2door wranglers and thats how it is gunna stay. obviously JK's are going to wave to any1 because they have a "jeep wrangler" the new JK is more of a luxury vehicle. everything is less rugged looking.

JK's NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, wave back, I have been so nice so many times and never recieved a return wave, I'll Wave when JK's have had and loved thier jeeps long enough to even know what the Wave is. Not to worried though, because I'm sure the Unjeepers will be trading in thier Jeeps before they are even a couple years old. "It's such a rough ride" Waaaa

Just picked up an 08 Sahara 4 door. Yep, it is fully rigged. Sorry, but I am 33 years old with a son and travel quite a bit. Am I a noob at off-roading..hell no. My first truck at 16yrs old was a 1978 J10 three speed. I romped that truck so much that one day the whole side of the bed just fell off. I ended up replacing it with a J-20 bed from an owner of a jeep dealership. Since then, I have been four wheeling all my life in mostly chevy trucks. Anyways, I can bet what jeepers think seeing me driving my nice jeep green Sahara; probably something like...yuppie probably never has been off road. I still love to off road, but I just can't afford to romp like I used to. So to all you people who are stuck on this two door dilema.....give me a break and try and grow up some. When I grew up, all of us off roaders pretty much hung together. I've had the jeep for two days now, we will see.
Martin from Corpus Christi, Texas

4 door jeeps are for soccer moms and not real jeeps.

Oh PLEASE
I just can not believe the attitudes here.
I have a 04 Rubicon that kicks butt!!
But guess what??
I also have a 07 Wrangler Ulimited Sahara 4 door.
We got it when we went Jeepin with a friend who had one and WHOA!!
He rode his 4 door Sahara hard and it could do almost everything our old Rubi could .
It seriously impressed me.
It deserves my respect.
Therefore I will wave at any Jeep Wrangler 2 door or 4 door.
I have seen the snobs out there when I drive my 4 door no wave....When I drive my Rubi wave city.
BTW I have been driving wranglers for years..My first was rust Bucket and I drove her until the wheels fell off
I am a woman and Definately NOT a soccor mom as was stated above ;op

It's a shame that (mostly) a change in the shape of the body is enough to entice folks to believe that the Unlimiteds are relegated to sub-par duty. On the 17th day of our twice-half-cross-country roadtrip, my family is finding our new Unlimited to be worthy, doing everything we could want, and containing everything we could possibly want to carry. Even traveling solo, I pack "heavy", with a lot of gear, and there's just no way I could possibly load my gear into a two-door Wrangler.
So, if carrying more gear, and traveling to the same places I encounter the two-door Wranglers makes me a "soccer dad", then so be it. I'll continue having all the fun there is to be had in my new Unlimited. After all, I bought it for what it *will* do, not for what someone else believes it should look like.
There's a reason a Jeep is a Jeep, and it's for those reasons I bought one -- a *real* one -- instead of a Chevy/Ford/etc 4WD SUV. I'm proud to be driving a vehicle with such a history behind it, regardless of how other Jeep owners treat me and whether they wave or not.
Like I said, I bought this Jeep for me, not for other folks.

I just bought a 07 sahara 2dr stock and if I take it out tomorrow on the trails and pass ANY jeep I expect to wave and be waved at because thats our greeting and sign of common respect for each other. Regardless of what me may think about the other jeep or its owner it's still a damn jeep! You owe it to them, you didnt make the jeep rules you and if you don't like them then drive something else. I understand you may have always done it a certain way and the "new breed" doesn't know well man up and show them what they are a part of, show them that jeeps are special and the owners as well. I don't think there is reason to go in any more detail, you my not like me because of the current condition of my jeep but just as with my past jeep they all have to start at some point. Show the respect that sets us apart! Happy trails

i just bought a 05 Jeep Liberty Renegade. I was wondering if this means im in on the jeep wave..... and if so what class of a jeep do i own? Just looking for some advice from some veteran jeeperz

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/index.php 
 
http://www.lostkjs.com/ 
 

Hi- 
 
My fingers hit the send button too fast. 
 
Here are two great forums for Jeep Libertys (aka Jeep KJs) that might interest you. 
 
The Jeep wave seems to be associated with Jeep Wrangler-type Jeeps (those than can take the top off) but if you drive a Jeep and wave to me, I always wave back!

I am a driver of a "Upgraded" Wrangler Unlimited.  
 
 
 
I agree with some of the prior comments about maybe the Wrangler Unlimited might have some trouble on some trails because it is a little longer. But I have yet to run accross that issue myself.  
 
 
 
I dont like the new body style of the Wrangler. I dont care if it is a 2 door or the 4 door.  
 
 
 
I was pretty open minded about maybe waving to them as well. But seeing all the above comments I probably wont going forward.  
 
 
 
For all the Unlimited haters so be it my body style was brought on by a 53-59 Willies which came before the CJ-4,5,7 and the square headlights. And todays "Family Jeep" 
 
 
 
My nose/grill does not slant on the Jeep and it is not wider and does not have Power Doors/Windows or GPS. But I love it.... I dont care that it is longer as it does what I need and my Jeep is always noticed and she looks good.  
 
 
 
 
 
I will continue to wave to CJ's, Wrangles made before 07 and for the new jeeps I have yet to see one wave.  
 
 
 
Jeep Spirit is about loving your Jeep and taking pride in the tradition of owning driving this vehicle. I know that my Unlimited will get me where I need to go and I will have fun getting there. 
 
 
 
I tool all the time and have yet to see a NEW JEEP on any trail. <I believe there are some true jeepers out there - who do wave and who do get it> but the drivers I have seen in the new boxed jeeps dont fit that mold  
 

1. Dont hate us because we lift, or beef up our tires on our rigs.  
 
 
 
2. For the person who said we hide behind our comments on the site "Clev" my name is always posted and I have no issue stating I dont like the Wrangler JK or the New JK UNlimited.  
 
 
 
3. I love the 06 Unlimited as I have one  
 
 
 
4. And for the last post I dont think it was the 53 Willies I would say possibly a CJ-6 ( There was also a longer CJ-5) That was produced from 1954ish to 80. 
 
 
 
5. Last but not least the term Wrangler was not put out until the 80's. The others were CJ's, Gladiators, SJ and FJ, MJ and FC models.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I have wanted a Jeep for years but being a backwoods, hunter, manly redneck type a CJ or 2 door Wrangler just didn't have the room I needed for hunting trips and such. When the 4 door Unlimited came out I promptly traded my Dodge Quad-Cab off for one. Supposedly it's considered a "soccer mom" Jeep by the "Jeep Purists" whatever they are...by the way, is a pure Jeep an American Bantam only, Willys only or???? (I'll digress). Anyhow, call it what you want, it's a perfect Jeep for this old redneck and I personally wave at any CJ/Wrangler style Jeeps I pass....have been a biker for years it just seems natural.

BTW...Soccer is NOT a real sport! Football (real American football) is a sport! Baseball is a sport. Fishing and hunting with bows, rifles or (my favorite) handguns are a sport. Soccer is some yerapee'n excuse for a sport because it doesn't require thinking, strategy or athletic ability. So, when someone calls my jeep a "soccer mom" jeep...well, them's fightin' words. There is NOTHING feminine or soccerish (which are both pretty close to the same thing) about me and I used the hell out of my Unlimited.

I see every one on here says all Jeeps should wave and I have been around Jeeps since the 1970's and I have yet to see a Grand Cherokee Wave, or a Liberty wave.  
 
 
 
The wave as I know it is with the CJ's, Wranglers lets keep it real.

For 66 years 2 doors was fine, why did they up and change it. I am a single guy and love the exclusivity of having a 2-door TJ. I can't count the number of times "old married parents" see me and tell me how lucky I am to have it so good. In my opinion you shouldn't be able to have your cake and eat it too, sorry about you having to drive a mini-van.

Well, if I was single I'd still have my JK Unlimited. A two door Jeep does NOT have enough room for gear for week-long hunts on the TX-Mexico border. They probably "up and changed it" because the rest of the world is bigger than you Dan. If Jeep was still only making a two door bobtail and nothing else they'd be out of business because most folks who want one already have one and Jeep probably feels it's best they stay in business. As for worrying about whether someone else likes the Jeep you drive or whether they will wave at you or if you fit into whatever mold they feel you should fit into...isn't that getting out of the spirit of what "Jeeping" meant so long ago....independence,getting away from "the norm", etc? I couldn't give a crap less if someone else likes my Jeep or not or whether they are some hoytee-toytee "Jeep Purist". The Jeeps they are building today are the best Jeeps that have ever been built in the history of Jeep and I have been working on them for over 25 years professionally. How about we all just drive what we want and not let what others think about it worry us tonight when we hit the sack.

I have an 87 YJ and haven't put the doors back on since May. I stopped waving at the new JK's because most of the new Jeepers don't realize they're Jeepers and they don't wave back. The most I've gotten out of a JK was a really confused look. That's not to say I wouldn't wave back. They may just be unfamiliar with the rules. Here's a good website that lays out the rules pretty simply. 
 
www.jeeptalk.org/jeep_wave.php 
 
And just because my YJ doesn't have round lights doesn't mean it's not a real Jeep.

Here's a question for you guys. I have been driving Jeeps for years, and when I was first tought about the wave by a friends older brother, I really felt like I belonged to something special. Fast forward nearly 15 years, and last week I just bought my first Grand Cherokee. I'm not as young as I once was, wife, kids, have to wear a suit to work, but I still feel like I have the right to wave. Though I will admit not everyone waves back, and I haven't actually waived to another WK, but after reading this thread, I start tomorrow. Just because they're not in a Wrangler, doesn't mean they wouldn't be if they could.