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New Wranglers have come a long way from CJ-5's 7's or even the past generations of Wranlgers. They are no longer as utilitarian as they once were. Sure, they still have a short wheelbase (except for the Unlimited), still bouncy and not as comfortable as sport sedans. But, I have had a '75 CJ-5, a '76 CJ-7 and a '91 Wrangler. The '91 Wrangler was used as a daily driver by me for a number of years and is still in use by my wife from Nov. to April. I put an average of 30,000 miles on a year, highway and secondary roads, on the Jeep and enjoyed all of them. It has seen its fair share of off highway use.
You do need to respect them (higher center of gravity and all), they aren't practical (limited storage, fair fuel economy, limited seating) but don't discount them based on premonitions. Our 911's have similar quirkiness, but we love them anyway. The soft tops are better insulated now, hardtops offer decent security and there is the joy of top down driving in a Jeep that is hard to describe. They also are easy to use in the city due to the short wheelbase, tight turning radius; and they fit into tight spaces (like the Mini).
A better view might be to look at what it will be used for (does he have an interest in backcountry activities, you are in CO afterall), are you in a snowy region (another use for 4wd) and why does he want one.
After all -
It's a Jeep Thing, You Wouldn't Understand.
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