Gov. loves his Jeep Wrangler
Rain, sleet or snow — Gov. Tom Wolf trusts his Jeep above all other brands to take him through Pennsylvania's harsh weather conditions.
“When you need to have four-wheel drive and you need to get through some tough spots, there's no other car I would rather have,” Wolf said.
Wolf took time out of his busy schedule for an exclusive interview with The Butler Eagle for the seventh annual Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival.
Wolf was not raised in a family of Jeep owners. He had to travel halfway across the world to experience a vehicle which has origins in his home state.
Wolf was a member of the Peace Corps when, at 19, he was living in a remote village in India. The only vehicle in the area was a Jeep, which was manufactured from a 1950s version of the vehicle.
Right then and there, Wolf became a Jeep fan.
“It was just a really good, all-purpose vehicle that allowed you get around with four-wheel drive,” he said.
Wolf returned to Pennsylvania and spent the next few decades driving a Dodge Caravan and various Chevrolets. However, in 2007 he decided it was time to treat himself.
The governor bought a used, 2005 Jeep Wrangler — navy blue, with a soft top and manual transmission.“I bought the Jeep, drove it, and fell in love with it,” he said.At first the Jeep was used as a fun, second vehicle. However, he enjoyed driving the it so much that he got rid of his other cars and made the Jeep his everyday vehicle.He even drives it to work at the State Capitol in Harrisburg.Wolf doesn't go on any off-road adventures — he said he drives “very responsibly” — but enjoys how his Wrangler handles winter conditions.“It's a no-nonsense car, and I just really like driving it,” he said. “I like the looks. I like the feel. I like the things you can do with it when the going gets tough. When it snows, it's a very good car.”Wolf has driven the same Jeep since 2007, and has advice for maintaining Jeeps.“Here's the key: change the lube oil and filter every 3,000 miles,” he said.Wolf also is proud of the Bantam Jeep's Butler County origins. The American Bantam Car Company in Butler made the original prototype for the Jeep, which was created as an artillery vehicle for World War II.“It's really nice to know that in many ways the roots of the car I love so much was right here in Pennsylvania,” he said.Wolf and his wife, Frances, attended the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival in Butler in 2014. They were among the thousands who perused other Jeeps and learned about the origins of the vehicle.“It was really neat,” Wolf said.While he won't be able to return this year, Wolf said he hopes to make it back to the festival in the future.“My wife and I had a wonderful time (at the festival),” he said. “I loved the event and loved being with all those other Jeep owners.”
