How are Jeep (YJs) in the winter?

[pookguy88]

I'm thinking of buying a cheap used Jeep YJ but I'm not sure how they will take our winters. I know road manner wise they'll be fine since they are Jeeps but are they warm enough inside? It seems like the shell/body of the YJs are kind of thin and might be too cold in the winter...?

any advice, past experiences is appreciated :-)

[Kloubek]

Well, I owned a TJ which I presume is very similar in all respects. I had a hard top, and never had an issue with the heating or anything like that. These trucks get amazing traction with the 4WD, and can get anywhere. With that said, they *can* be tricky on ice since they have such a short wheelbase.

[pookguy88]

so the interior was fine in the winter?

like, frost didn't get in or anything?

[barmanjay]

my yj is toasty

after about 5-10 mins of running it's toasty

i can't put my bare hand infront of the defrost vent,.. it's too hot

I decided to put the soft top on this week,.. and it's still toasty

during the really cold snap,.. my yj needed to be plugged in,.. fuel filter exploded, starter died,.. but still it was nice and toasty once all that was fixed,.. LOL

[slick2404]

Originally posted by barmanjay
my yj is toasty

after about 5-10 mins of running it's toasty

i can't put my bare hand infront of the defrost vent,.. it's too hot

I decided to put the soft top on this week,.. and it's still toasty

during the really cold snap,.. my yj needed to be plugged in,.. fuel filter exploded, starter died,.. but still it was nice and toasty once all that was fixed,.. LOL

^ this guy likes the word toasty. must be toasty while typing. french toast.

[pf0sh0]

toast

[b_t]

They are warm but the short wheelbase is scary if you spin when you are not expecting it.

[Kloubek]

The interior is fine, but again - I had the hardtop. I would not be surprised if they redesigned the heating system in the TJ, so I cannot guarantee the YJ will be quite as good...

[badatusrnames]

My buddy had one and he used the hardtop during the winter - it would be nice and toasty up front, but a little cooler for the people back seats. Traction wise it was great in winter, but that depends on tires as well. He pulled a lot of people out of the ditch with his winch.

[barmanjay]

The TJ's actually have the forward vents

YJ's dont, so it's no surprise that the TJ will warm up better.

During the real cold snap i had my hardtop on,.. now I have the soft top on and it's real nice like garlic cheese toast

just the bikini top right now is a wee bit chilly in the morn,.. but mid day is decently brisk

[barmanjay]

IF you can get a TJ do that instead

the YJ's ride is really rough, hard, bouncy,.. not for the weak hearted
check-out www.calgaryjeep.com i think there are a couple YJ's for sale on there right now

[pookguy88]

hmm, alright, I'll see if I can find a cheap(er) TJ for sale

[canuckcarguy]

I drove a YJ for years, it was plenty warm enough. Small cabin to heat, so it warms up pretty quickly too.

Sure, the hard top doesn't have a lot of obvious insulation, but it's not like other cars and trucks have a bunch of insulation either. The soft top is drafty, but I'd be more worried about the plastic windows and vinyl cracking in the extreme cold.

Traction was great in the city, while the short wheelbase makes it a bit scary at highway speeds on ice. But city Jeep driving in a snowstorm is pure delight.

The old shackle / leaf-spring suspension on the YJ dates back to the old wartime Jeeps, it's a bumpy ride and the axles don't articulate well; the TJs are better-equipped, but maybe a bit too cute and comfy for Jeeps? Just my opinion. But I was a long-time CJ owner, so what do I know?

[barmanjay]

Originally posted by canuckcarguy
...... city Jeep driving in a snowstorm is pure delight.
......

[Focus]

I drive a YJ with a soft top. Even when it was -40 it was okay. once it had a chance to warm up it was good.

The other guys are right the ride is very rough and the short wheel base can be tricky on ice till you get used to it.
I love my YJ!!! one on the best cars i have owned!

[ashee]

Hard to control on ice! Drove in one on my way to Lethbridge when it was really cold and we hit a patch of black ice and did a couple 360s in the middle of the highway and skidded sideways into the ditch. It was the scariest thing I have ever experienced.

[5.0]

Drving one right now and the 4x4 in the cold and snow a couple weeks back was amazing! Like everyone above said the ride quality is horrible.
In the summer, you really cant drive a better vehicle in terms of fun. with a soft top on it really is an enjoyable car to drive.

Also I have a small lift with 31's on my YJ and it performs very well off road I was mudding with lifted F350's!!