16 and im planning to get a 1997 Jeep wrangler

I hate to burst your bubble, but I don't think a Wrangler would be safe for a new young driver, no matter how safe you are. The Wranglers are not the most stable and can quite easily roll over (at least those roll bars are good for something). The noise from the wind isn't that bad when you are driving around at low speeds, but on the highway it is so loud and windy you can barely hear anything. That being said, they are incredibly fun and rugged. Read as much info as you can on the car and make your decision. I'm sure some people will disagree, but thats my two cents. Good luck!

Keep in mind the costs for repairs and stuff if you're going to take it off road. Just remember, Things break and YOU need to pay for it. :) The downfall to having fun.

My dad has a 1996 and as long as you maintain it, it will last for a long time. Gas mileage isn't great cause of its boxy shape. About rolling over, yes it can be done, but you'd have to try fairly hard to do that. Also because of the rugged design, safety is pretty good. Overall, i think its a great car if you're looking for more fun than practicality. My opinion, GO FOR IT!

I've been driving a 1986 CJ-7 since I could reach the clutch pedal, and I've never had any trouble from it as far as instability goes. However, I've only rarely driven it faster than 55 simply because it has such a short wheelbase that it starts to dart a little bit. If you do buy a wrangler, you must realize that they are built for off-road capability, and not highway worthiness. There's a lot of wind noise because they share their aerodynamics with the famed brick. Your jeep will probably do 70 fine, but I'd definitely not go faster than that. Is it a good car? It is as good as you treat it. Things aren't going to be falling off of it, but you will probably break things, but that's part of the learning experience.

Well, I will say this...I have owned my 1995 for a while now, and I live in the hills of northern ga, and I have never had a problem with it. I am a pretty aggressive drive, and have friends with sports cars that I follow up through the mountains and I am pushing a K&N cold air intake. As far as noise I don't have a problem...an easy fix to that is getting a sound system. I have no problem listening to music, nor do I have problems talking on the phone when needed. Never have I even come close to rolling it, and I excessively speed through the curves. As far as repairs go, the only thing that has ever gone wrong in mine is a water pump, and that caused the radiator to go bad...but even with my far lacking mechanical skills, I was able to fix both of these on my own in a very reasonable amount of time. A good friend of mine who has a 03 Wrangler that is lifted, and has bigger tires on it, has crashed hers several times...but all of them have been her fault, and she has never had to take it to the shop to get repairs done for the car...it always messes the other persons car up much more than hers. The only difference that you are going to have with the 97, that I have in the 85, that is going to make a difference in the handeling of your Jeep is the difference in the coil over springs, as apposed to my leaf spring shocks. This makes for a very good long lasting car, that you can have fun with too. Best part is you don't have to worry about them getting dirty on the inside...they are very easy to clean.

im 16 i bought my car for 5grand i got as great deal on it and i love the car its reilable i live in ct where i feel i need a compact suv adn that s why i got a jeep ive loved it since i was a kid i always wanted one and now i got it its the best car ever just be safe and careful

I think that you will be ok as long as you are safe... dont take a turn at 60. I have a 90 that i had since i was 17 and i've never had major trouble with it. YJ 87-95 and TJ 96-Now have a wider wheelbase then the Cj 74-86 and also wider leaf springs which provide a much smoother ride not exactly a lexus feel... not by far but if you love the ruggedness of a jeep and the feel you will be fine 92-now is also safer then earlier models because they have over the shoulder seatbelts. Alot of fun chicks dig them... great to drive with the top down they do make alot of noise with top up but tj are quieter it all depends on the top. tops have generally have 5 years till they recommend you getting another one so make sure you find the year it should be in the windows on the doors if its a soft top

The TJs are plenty highway worthy. All I can say is don't get a 4cyl auto. They aren't fast enough to get out of their own way. You will get killed trying to merge onto the highway. A 4cyl manual or a 6cyl is the way to go.

jeep didnt make a wrangler in 96, and take a corner at 30 youll roll it over seen it done b4

Jeep didn't make a 96 wrangler but they defiantly made them in 96. They started making the TJ early in 96 and called them 97's. Plus I had a wrangler with a 4.5 inch lift and 33's and took an on ramp at 60 mph without flipping it over. It's all about the driver and knowing the limit of the vehicle.

1997 is what i meant. And knowing the limits is definitely most important when avoiding roll-overs

i have an 89 yj with a 97 cherokee standard engine in it the only time i have ever had noise problems is when i have my soft top on when it is off it isnt bad even highway driving u can hear it but as long as u have ur windows up ur fine. i am also 16 and enjoy driving my yj i going mudding numerous times in a week and the are a blast

Dude, go for it, I got one when I was 17, a 2003 wrangler (still have it, but dont use it that much, now it for fun only), and for 5 years that car was everything for me, 2 cars crashed me (nothing happened to my car) and never broke up on me for 5 years (then I bought a C30 for the city), but if you want to enjoy your first car as in fun and safety, get that car (just dont go driving arround fast, its made for other stuff)

I love my 94 yj!!! put alot of work into mine and figured out the bounds of mine. really have to keep a eye on the speed on corners but a ton of fun offorad as long as you dont break anything :) the costs add up quick. :/ if you get a jeep get it with a hard top it cuts down on a lot of the noise and is a little safer against robbers.

the noise is terrible on the highway but if your not going to be going a very long distance then its really not bad at all. jeeps are however terribly unsafe so sorry! i suggest you take a few test drives before you decide to buy a jeep!

ooooooooooooooh shit. another teenager on the road. try a tracker first, then the jeep.

I have had my jeep 20 years, no accidents, well I did back into my moms car onetime about 3 months after I got it. But this is what I suggest to you: they can flip easily (I was at myrtle beach and saw a jeep flip when it was t-boned by a car. car was going about 20 mph jeep was only going about 5 mph- car ran a read light and flipped the jeep. No one was hurt, just scratches to jeep passengers.) My own personal expirence- I had a car slam on the brakes in front of me and so I like wise had to slam on the brakes putting my jeep sideways on 2 wheels luckly for me it didn't flip, came very close but my passenger happened to be an over weight person so I think this kept me from flipping. DON"T talk on the cellphone while driving. My friend got a good deal on a wrecked jeep because a guy bought his son a jeep cj5, the kid was 17 and txting and lost control of his jeep and flipped it. It rolled 3 times crushing this fiberglass body to pieces, kid was lucky to walk away with only a hurt neck and broken leg...it could have been worse. Now my son has been driving my jeep now for almost 2 years and he's almost 20 and I will tell you what I told him "WHEN YOU LOSE RESPECT FOR THIS JEEP YOU WILL END UP GETTING HURT OR EVEN WORSE HURT SOMEONE ELSE AND FOR AS MUCH FUN AS JEEPS ARE THEY ARE NOT TOYS." Hope no matter what type of car you get weither it be jeep, car, truck, you have fun and be safe!!!

I've had a Jeep for a long time, and our family enjoys it very much. But it is not the vehicle for an inexperienced 16 year to drive.

Hey man I bought I Jeep when I was 16 it is a 1998 Sahara. It saved my life to be honest. I hit black ice doing 55 slid into a deep ditch. The front end stuck in and we flipped back over front twice. When we landed she was on her wheels and still running. I came out with only a little scratch on my face and my passenger was untouched. After later inspection the roll cage was perfect. Any suv would have flipped in fact any car would have. The 4.0 Engine is arguably the best Engine ever built when maintained it will last forever. I have a comache with the same engine and it has 278,000 miles on the original engine. Also if anything breaks its the cheapest and easiest vehicle to get parts for. so i say GET IT!!!!!!!!

jeeps are great vechicles to own i flipped one into a creek onto its top totaling it i walked away wit a scratch above my eye. also they have solid drive lines after we got it back on its wheels it started and drove as if nothing had happened

Jeeps are very dependable machines and also easy to maintain. Just keep in mind that they tend to be abused, but mostly everything is an easy fix.

We have something in common. When I was almost 16 I wanted a Jeep too, I bought my first when I was 44. What a waste of 28 years. Go for it, have a great time, be careful, you'r almost one of "the family".

NO NO NO STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM JEEP AS POSSABLE. UNLESS YOU HAVE LOTS OF $$$$$$$$$$ TO THROW AEAY.

Honestly I bought my 1997 jeep wrangler SE when I was 26, and I am quite an aggressive driver, I drove it like I stole it! Even doing 360's in a gravel parking lot, I don't think you could drive your wrangler with any more risk than I did, and I never once felt that I was going to tip it over. So I'm not condoning driving a Jeep like this, I'm just saying if you use a good sense of judgment, I believe if you maintain it, it could be a great vehicle for you. FYI I also drive my Jeep for work, putting over 25,000 miles a year on it. It has one of the easiest engines to work on, I am a female and by using a Chiltons I am able to do a lot of work myself. Noise though, if you get any wrangler and are concerned about noise, then I highly recommend a hard top, especially for winter. Cause the soft top flaps a lot on the freeway and is very chilly during winter months, but the luxury of being able to go topless on a whim, for me far out weighed those cons.

I had a 2012 Call of Duty and the ONLY regret I have with it was to trade it in for a 2014 F150. Speeding down the country roads one night on a rainy day I lost control when hitting a puddle for about a second but since I was driving on 4 wheel High mode It corrected right away and regained control almost immediately. Only incident with it. That said, I am an experienced driver who happened to be doing something stupid on a rainy day. Any other Vehicle and I doubt I would be typing this right now.

My daughter has wanted a jeep for years. When she was 17 I bought a 97 jeep wrangler. That is basically what she learned to drive on. If you do get one. Just keep in mind that you have to use caution and slow down when going around sharp turns or turning onto a different road. Tgey are top heavy and have a short wheelbase and can flip easily. I suggest not getting one with a lift kit, because that just makes it easier to flip. Just be cautious and listen to the person who is teaching you. Goid luck. They are a great vehicle for winter though.