"Trail Rated" Jeep 4x4 -- Please define

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by Nomen Nescio, Feb 16, 2004.

  1. Nomen Nescio

    Nomen Nescio Guest

    TV ad says if its not Trail Rated, its not a Jeep 4x4.

    I suppose Trail Rated is mere advertising hyperbole. There was no effort
    to spell out just what's meant by the term, Trail Rated. Do intelligent
    car buyers still fall for mere hype? The danger of course in definining
    Trail Rated is that there is some other off-the-paved-road, but
    not-a-true-off-road-vehicle, like a tank, for instance or even better a
    helicoptor, that just might prove to be more Trail Rated than a Trail Rated
    Jeep.

    Chrysler, advertise legitimate engineering features that separate your cars
    from the rest of the pack. Don't ever knock the competition like cheap
    politicians do. It will backfire; nobody likes a bad mouth.

    Jeeps always have been tippy. I don't suppose the new ones to be
    otherwise. The only Trial Rated Jeep I would feel safe in is a HumVee (not
    H-2). They are somewhat wide for some "trails", but as they say, that's
    how the cookie crumbles.
     
    Nomen Nescio, Feb 16, 2004
    #1
  2. | TV ad says if its not Trail Rated, its not a Jeep 4x4.
    |
    | I suppose Trail Rated is mere advertising hyperbole. There was no effort
    | to spell out just what's meant by the term, Trail Rated. Do intelligent
    | car buyers still fall for mere hype? The danger of course in definining
    | Trail Rated is that there is some other off-the-paved-road, but
    | not-a-true-off-road-vehicle, like a tank, for instance or even better a
    | helicoptor, that just might prove to be more Trail Rated than a Trail Rated
    | Jeep.
    |
    | Chrysler, advertise legitimate engineering features that separate your cars
    | from the rest of the pack. Don't ever knock the competition like cheap
    | politicians do. It will backfire; nobody likes a bad mouth.
    |
    | Jeeps always have been tippy. I don't suppose the new ones to be
    | otherwise. The only Trial Rated Jeep I would feel safe in is a HumVee (not
    | H-2). They are somewhat wide for some "trails", but as they say, that's
    | how the cookie crumbles.
    |


    Well the two advertisements I've seen for comparison for the Hummer H2...

    1. Kids soapbox Hummer replica goes offroad and wins
    a soapbox derby.
    2. Hummer riding "offroad" with Regis and a Italian
    model riding in it while it's on the deck of a cruise
    ship.

    Never seen a Hummer commercial where the Hummer is actually off road (under
    it's own power).

    Jeep commercials sometimes show the product actually doing off road stuff. I
    can only guess that the Hummer (at least the H2 version) isn't really very good
    off road (or they'd show the product in that environment...he?!). Jeep's
    marketing folks are playing off the Hummer commercials (see we're "trail rated"
    since see we're actually showing our product on a trail!)
     
    James C. Reeves, Feb 16, 2004
    #2
  3. Nomen Nescio

    Mike Hall Guest

    'Trail Rated' badges appearing on Jeep 4x4's distinguish capability between
    Jeep 4x2's or any other 4x2 vehicle type that may be released under the Jeep
    name in the future.. it is called 'forward planning'..
     
    Mike Hall, Feb 16, 2004
    #3
  4. As far as I know, pre-release, every new Jeep's gotta make the Rubicon under
    its own power. This is a helluva test! Sure "trail rated" is an advertsing
    tag line, but there is some substance to back it up.

    You take that cutesy, cushy Jap SUV, no low-lock, natch, and I'll take my
    dead-stock Cherokee 4-by, solid axles, etc. We'll see who climbs the
    mountain first!

    Rick
     
    Richard Ehrenberg, Feb 17, 2004
    #4
  5. Nomen Nescio

    Martin Boer Guest

    It isn't a advertising hyperbole. Trail-rated means the Jeep was
    capable of 'doing' the Rubicon. As I don't live in the USA I don't know
    how tough the Rubicon really is, but I doubt any softroader, besides the
    Liberty of course, is capable of doing it.

    Offroading for normal people means driving around some dirt. And a
    trailrated Jeep can do that easily (given the right tires).

    Offroading for the mentally ill means climbing mountains and stuff.
    A trailrated Jeep is a nice way to start with. Then come the liftkits,
    armour, Hi-jacks and bigger tires.

    A Humvee is for sandboxes, not for trails. A HumVee cannot climb a mountain
    and it cannot go through woods. There is a reason a Wrangler has a short
    wheelbase. It means agility.
    You should look for some mentally ill in your neighbourhood and see what
    a modified Jeep can do.
    Martin
     
    Martin Boer, Feb 17, 2004
    #5
  6. Nomen Nescio

    hartless Guest

    Richard and Martin are Correct. All Jeep models from the base model to the
    limited must be capable of completing the rubicon trail, to be called a
    jeep. That has been the Chrysler mandate from when they took over from AMC,
    Maybe with AMC to. But Daimler has decided to keep the Jeep true to the
    original
     
    hartless, Feb 17, 2004
    #6
  7. Nomen Nescio

    Mike Hall Guest

    Most of us already know that, but the ad does make the point that 'Trail
    Rated' applies to Jeep 4x4's.. but please note that there is such an animal
    as a Jeep 4x2.. and there may well be others in the future..
     
    Mike Hall, Feb 17, 2004
    #7
  8. Nomen Nescio

    mic canic Guest

    who are you and were did you come from and how much to send ya bac??
     
    mic canic, Feb 19, 2004
    #8
  9. Nomen Nescio

    Geoff Guest

    I will have succeeded in purging Nomen from my life *when everyone stops
    quoting him*.


    I'm telling you, a judiciously-prepared killfile makes this NG a lot more
    enjoyable. That and the disappearance of perfesser mouth from the south.

    --Geoff
     
    Geoff, Feb 19, 2004
    #9
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