Quote Originally Posted by JeepLab View Post
"Trail Rigs are built not bought" - Jeremy Rock Krawler
I've noticed that this idea means quite different things to different people. What exactly does it mean to "build" your Jeep rather than "buy" it?

I've seen some people take the concept to the extreme and belittle others for purchasing aftermarket parts/kits and/or paying for professional installation. Their idea about a "built" jeep that is not "bought" is that you start with junkyard scrap and put it together with your own fabrication skills and elbow grease. Why buy a professionally designed/manufactured component if you can weld some scrap metal together into a seemingly acceptable alternative?

I think the idea of a "built, not bought" Jeep is more about the awareness of what your real goals are (what terrain do you ACTUALLY drive on, and what mods/equipment help you there?), researching, and making your own decisions. If you buy a Jeep just because it was on the dealer's lot and looked cool with the overpriced dealer-installed aftermarket lift, tires, winch, etc, then your Jeep really is "bought, not built".

If you can fabricate your own parts and have the skills/time/tools to perform your own engine swaps, etc., then that's awesome. But if you have more money than you have mechanical skills/tools/time, then there's nothing wrong with "buying" parts, kits or professional labor. There's some components that require significant engineering/testing to be effective and safe. There's some modifications that require years of specialized experience and a collection of special tools to get it done properly/safely. If you don't have the required skills/tools, and the required skills/tools are not reasonably within reach for you, then it's just stupid/unsafe to try doing it yourself for the sake of claiming that it is "built, not bought".

My definition of a "built" jeep:

1) Decide how you plan to use your Jeep, do some research, and decide what features/mods you want to improve your enjoyment and the Jeep's capability in the situations that *YOU* plan to drive it.

2) Purchase the best Jeep available as-is that you can afford and requires the least amount of total investment (money, time, labor, including initial purchase of vehicle) to go from where it is to what you want.

3) DRIVE your Jeep as-is to confirm that you want the mods that you think you want. Maybe you'll discover that you actually enjoy driving in different places/ways than you had planned, and therefore need to re-think your overall plan for mods.

4) Apply some mods using whatever resources/strengths you have (money for parts/labor? skills for fabrication/labor?). No matter how you are able to get it done, at least make an effort to expand your knowledge/skills so that you can be more personally involved and confident with your next mod.

5) Repeat steps 3 and 4.


If you can talk about your Jeep with other Jeep owners, identify the mods on it, and intelligently discuss why you have those mods and how they apply to your style of Jeep usage (compare/contrast to other options, etc), then I think it qualifies as a "built, not bought" Jeep. It doesn't really matter how much money vs. personal labor/skill went into it.