Many Jeep drivers love riding around with the wind whipping through their hair on fair weather days.
The modular roof functionality of Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators is probably these vehicles’ most distinct design feature, creating an image of adventurism and a sense of oneness with the outdoors.
However, as one Jeep driver recently learned the hard way (literally), Mother Nature isn’t always predictable. And it certainly doesn’t help that weather apps haven’t exactly been known for their accuracy as of late. Which means they’ve been caught off guard by unpredictable weather.
Austin Tate (@austinyc) recorded what this type of surprise can look like for Jeep owners. Tate posted a TikTok of himself braving the elements in his Jeep.
The video shows him getting thoroughly soaked while “Ode to Joy” plays in the background. A few seconds into the 14-second clip, the rain switches to hail.
The text overlay cautions, “If you’re thinking about getting a Jeep.”
His TikTok has accrued over 5.2 million views as of this writing.
Wranglers Caught In The Rain
Jeep sold 151,163 Wranglers in 2024, per Auto123. As of 2023, over 5 million units have been purchased since it was introduced to the market in 1987, when it replaced the Jeep CJ-7.
Some reports indicate that Jeep Wranglers can last upwards of 400,000 miles, which means that there are a lot of these boxy vehicles on the road today.
Austin isn’t the first and won’t be the last person to get rained on while driving their Jeep. One curious Redditor asked the r/JeepWrangler sub what they do about the rain when they’re rolling around with the top off.
One wrote, “I check the weather forecast and plan accordingly. If you think you’ll be soaking your Jeep regularly, I suggest removing as much of the carpet as you can and familiarize yourself with all the drain plug locations.”
Swapping the carpets out with all-weather mats or getting your Wrangler Rhino lined can also help with moisture buildup. If you do go with the latter option, this Rhino-lining user recommends allowing ample time for the fumes of the polyurethane agent to evaporate before stepping foot inside your Wrangler.
Another said they leave the stereo off until it dries. A third suggested a little sky water doesn’t make a difference to them. “Rain = wet butt,” they wrote. “That’s about it, man.”
Yet another said they keep spare clothing in their ride at all times, too.
One Redditor suggested Jeep drivers just embrace getting rained on while driving. “My YJ used to sit outside topless from the beginning of May til the middle of October. Just pull the floor plugs and hope it wasn’t raining when I came out of work. I drove home many times in the rain topless.”
People in a Facebook discussion offered other solutions in response to a similar question.
“Get a bikini top,” one person recommended, along with a picture of the add-on in question. Motor1 tested a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon in 2024 that came with a $220 Mopar-provided bikini top add-on.
Bikini tops or soft tops are generally designed to be unfurled and secured quickly and can be stowed on one’s vehicle, unlike the hard top attachments on a Wrangler. So if rain starts pouring on you while you’re riding around with an exposed roof, you can pull over on the side of the road and get some protection from the elements—including hail.
Motor1 has reached out to Tate via email for further comment. We’ll update this if he responds.