[GU]elmur_fud;2574235 said:
The impression I have always had is that the climate there is less prone to severe heat so I don't find that at all surprising, but that impression may be wrong.
You could be right.
[GU]elmur_fud;2574235 said:
I still want a Jeep, though it will probably be a 'pre computers in cars' model when I do get one.
If you do want a short wheelbase Jeep, I'd go with a Wrangler over any of the CJ models. Wranglers are safer and less roll-prone, and while they are more modern than CJs, they are actually tougher and easier to maintain. CJs can be huge money sinks; the AMC V8s were based on older inefficient designs and they require constant maintenance. The AMC 6-cyl and 4-cyl engines used in Wranglers can run forever without even the most basic maintenance.
The best year Wranglers to have are the later YJs (ran from 1986-1995 and have square headlights) and the early TJs (ran from 1997-2008? and have round headlights.) They didn't produce any Wranglers in 1996 because they were too busy doing the TJ redesign. All 1996 models are re-badged 95 models with some small emissions changes.
I have a 95 YJ and love it. If you want a YJ you're going to want a later one because they are more powerful and more reliable than the previous models. They rolled out fuel injection in 1992 I think; previous models were carb'd. 1986 in particular was a very bad year, Wranglers had Peugeot manual transmissions that were really terrible. Luckily, AMC went to Aisin Warner transmissions in 1987. Another good reason is that the entire body and frame were galvanized starting in 1993, whereas older models were not. Galvanization helps prevent rust, and Jeeps are suckers for rust.
If you want a TJ, you're going to want to go with an earlier year. Chrysler went to a new V6 drivetrain sometime in the middle of the 2000's. It's much more computerized and has a notoriously bad reputation for being unreliable. I would also avoid any of the newest Wranglers, i.e. the four-door and long-wheelbase two-door models. They are mostly plastic and they all have that unreliable V6.