jeep wave explained

What is Jeep Wave [The Unknown History and Rules Explained]

Jeep wave has become a really iconic gesture in the jeep community (wranglers to be precise) it has a rich history and stood the test of time, even today, new wrangler owners are fond of the wave.

In this article, you will learn more about the jeep wave, without wasting any more time let’s go straight to it.

History of the Jeep Wave

In 1945, when Willy’s decided to bring  CJ or the Civilian Jeep, the gesture came along with the soldier coming back home. As Jeep had a special place among the soldiers they wanted to own one at home.

This slowly became a trend among the WWII soldiers and the wave became a way to acknowledge each other. Today, after 80 years, the Jeep Wave has evolved in a gesture that signifies Kinship among Jeep owners.

It is a necessary action in the Jeep Community that shows respect and honor towards each other and the people who fought in the war for the country’s freedom.

Well, even though the trend remained, the method sure has changed. To do a Jeep wave today, there are various ways to go about, all of which depend on the area you live or the Jeep you drive.

The classic way of doing a Jeep Wave would be by simply lifting two-finger (the pointer and the middle finger) making a peace sign with the same hand on the steering wheel.

In case you have a Top-off, you can do so by raising your hand and waving “Hi”. You can also do the Jeep Wave by literally waving “Hi” through your window or inside your jeep.

Jeep Wave Rules that Need to be Followed

While there are several ways to do the Jeep Wave, there are certain rules that should be followed when initiating a wave.

  1.  A Jeep Wave is generally practiced by the owners of CJ, TJ, JK, YK, JL, and Gladiator. However, all Jeep owners are required to follow the tradition.
  2. In the beginning, this was strictly for Wranglers but now Jeepers are required to wave back to even if the other jeep is a Grand Cherokee, Compass, or any other Jeep model.
  3. Waving back to Hummers and FJs are forbidden.
  4. The one initiating the wave should be the one with a lower-scoring Jeep or Jeep lower in the hierarchy.
  5. The Jeep wave can be ignored in case the other Jeeper leaves negative print or is not worth scoring.
  6. When unsure of the hierarchy or the score of the other Jeep, the Jeep Wave should be initiated as quickly as possible.

Is the Jeep Wave Only for Wranglers?

Initially, the jeep wave was strickly for jeep wrangler, any jeep wrangler would qualify to do the wave and other jeep models like Cherokee were forbidden to do the wave but things have changed over time and most jeeps now do the wave.

Jeep Wrangler Wave Etiquette

The Jeep wave has gotten so famous among the Jeep owners that Jeep literally offers a special customer care package to the Jeep owners called Jeep Wave Program.

Under which the Jeep owner enjoys specific benefits over any ordinary customer. A Jeep Wave membership gets you dedicated 24/7 customer support regarding any questions, issues, or scheduling services.

You also get free oil changes for the first three-time, 36 months of tire rotation service, and 24/7 roadside assistance for 5years.

A Jeep Wave member also enjoys VIP treatment at any Jeep Brand events across the country and access to their exclusive events.

Conclusion on the Jeep Wave

Over the years, Jeep had become more than a brand, and the Jeep Wave holds way more emotions than just a simple tradition. With the younger generation getting more interested in buying cool looking Jeep, it is our job to introduce them to the tradition, and teach the core values behind them.