James Ndungu

James Ndungu is a true enthusiast of Jeeps, you will find him in California, Utah, Colorado, Tennessee, Michigan, or Oregon in various Jeep Trails and State Parks indulging in Jeep off-roading activities, Jeep camping excursions, and Jeep Overlanding expeditions. Living in California, USA with his loving wife and children, James’ and his Family’s passion for Jeeps & the Jeep Lifestyle knows no bounds.

James is the owner and Founder of Jeep Runner where he documents his Jeep expeditions allowing him to have a comfortable space to document and share his experience on Jeep parts and accessories that he uses in his day-to-day Jeeping activities, He is a dedicated off-roader having competed and experienced the thrill of various Jeep Trails & Offroad Competitions throughout the United States, he enjoys Overlanding and camping in his Jeep, James has the love for the outdoors and you will always find him Camping and attending various Jeep events in the United States.

At Jeep Runner, James writes about various Jeep Parts and Jeep Accessories in his custom Jeeps, He also writes Jeep guides to help other Jeep owners to use their Jeeps to their fullest potential as off-road and Overlanding vehicles, He provided detailed descriptions of products that he uses and buys himself that he finds useful in his day-to-day off-roading, Overlanding, and camping adventures.

James aims to help other Jeep owners customize their Jeeps, maintain their Jeeps, and also plan their next off-roading, Overlanding, and camping adventures, he has more than 10 years of experience in off-road activities and has owned various Jeeps since he was 16 years old (first Jeep  1970 Jeep CJ-5), James is a valuable source of information for Jeepers looking to start and embark on the Jeep lifestyle.

Mr. James’ Epic Jeep Fleet

An Exclusive Tour of the Badass Off-Roaders in James Ndungu Possession!

Jeep Runner

James owns various Jeeps, Including the latest 2023 Jeep® Wrangler 4xe, 2019 Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon, Jeep Gladiator, and the Jeep Cherokee, He also owns an Old school 1970 Jeep CJ-5 that is more of a sentimental Jeep in that it was a gift from his father when James turned 16.

Now let’s talk about some of the Jeeps in James Garage:

Jeep® Wrangler 4xe

When it comes to plug-in hybrid electric SUVs, I like to keep them up to date with the latest trends and newest types of Jeeps, that’s why I always sell my old SUVs to invest in the new plug-in hybrid electric SUVs to enjoy the new technological features, for these reasons I own the 2023 Jeep® Wrangler 4xe that powers most of my short trips close to my home in California, USA.

The Jeep® Wrangler 4xe is different from the Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon that I also own in that the Jeep® Wrangler 4xe combines both a traditional combustion engine with an electric motor that delivers 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of instant torque.

The traditional combustion engine and electric motor allow the Jeep® Wrangler 4xe to run on both gasoline and electricity, this improves my fuel efficiency when running short errands close to my home which are more frequent, I also help to reduce the emissions on most of my city driving compared when I use my other Jeeps which are known to emit more CO2 to the environment.

I have customized my Jeep® Wrangler 4xe and also bought some aftermarket level 2 charger which allows me to charge my Jeep® Wrangler 4xe fast at home, in most cases I use the electric mode which can travel up to 25 miles making the Jeep® Wrangler 4xe ideal for short errands such as grocery shopping, picking kids from school, etc.

The Jeep® Wrangler 4xe also has off-roading capabilities having offloaded with it in various Jeep trails such as the Red Canyon Jeep Trail and the Miller Jeep Trail, I can attest to the Jeep® Wrangler 4xe off-road capabilities for adventure seekers for the ability of the Jeep® Wrangler 4xe to handle tough terrains.

I choose the Jeep® Wrangler 4xe for its fuel efficiency and its latest technology features such as the Uconnect infotainment system and the latest safety and technology features such as regenerative braking, responsive handling, and advanced driver assist amongst others.

My Jeep® Wrangler 4xe has allowed me to test and experiment with various hybrid Jeep aftermarket accessories such as chargers and also factory parts and accessories, you will find me writing about my Jeep® Wrangler 4xe fuel efficiency, features, accessories, parts, guides, eco-friendliness innovations and also write on Jeep guides and tips that I discover when using and experimenting with my Jeep® Wrangler 4xe.

Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon

My most customized Jeep is my 2019 Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon, which I documented on my custom Jeep Wrangler build post, this is the Jeep that you will always spot me in when it comes to Jeep off-roading activities, Jeep camping excursions, and Jeep Overlanding expeditions.

It’s a highly customized Jeep wrangler with exterior modifications, off-road modifications, and interior modifications, on the exterior I have installed all-terrain tires, custom front and rear bumpers from Smittybilt, and a roof rack that supports my camping tents. On the interior, I have upgraded the seat covers and installed a Jeep phone mount that I mount my communication and navigational accessories, and storage lock boxes amongst other interior customizations.

The Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon is my go-to off-roading Jeep, due to its high clearance, and customization I have done including installing super heavy jeep lift kits, that enhance the Jeep’s capabilities and performance when off-roading, it also makes my Jeep look rugged and allows it to conquer some of the most competitive terrains.

I love my Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon due to its off-road and on-road handling capabilities, coupled with off-road tires my Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon can provide maximum traction and stability in rugged and off-road Jeep trails, some of the features that made me choose the Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon is the Rock-Trac® 4×4 system that includes the Dana axles, locking differentials, and transfer case.

The Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon came with heavy-duty skid plates from the factory, however, we have replaced them with aftermarket skid plates to be able to protect the undercarriage of the Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon.

Similar to the Jeep® Wrangler 4xe, my Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon has the latest technology features such as Uconnect systems which is an infotainment system that allows me to monitor the innovative Jeep off-road parts such as wheel articulation amongst many more amazing things, I also listen to my favorite artists such as Blake Shelton, AC/DC, Five Finger Death Punch, and Upchurch, I also stream Off-Roading Jams when off-roading or camping from my Jeeps Uconnect that is connected to the internet, Uconnect is not free but it’s worth it.

All these features make my Jeep ideal for Jeep off-roading activities, Jeep camping excursions, and Jeep Overlanding expeditions, plus I have added other Overlanding gear, Recovery gear, and Camping gear to make my Jeep expeditions, secure and enjoyable – did I mention its easier to get Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon aftermarket parts and accessories compared to the Jeep Cherokee or any other SUVs, I find it easier to customize my Jeep Wrangler due to the accessibility of parts than any other Jeep in my Garage.

My Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon is one of the most expensive Jeeps with the highest market value I own, due to the high customization parts and accessories added into it to make it the ideal off-roading companion for exploring the outdoors, I understand Jeeps last a long time, based on the years I have owned the 1970 Jeep CJ-5, and I plan to invest even more into my Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon, so keep checking Jeep Runner for more updates on the parts, accessories, and guides that I will add over my Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon ownership.

Jeep® Gladiator

Since James owns a Jeep Parts and Accessories store since 1989 located in Oakland, CA, United States, he needed a Jeep that he can use to transport his business inventories from manufacturers to his store, and also to the warehouse, for these reasons he needed a Pickup truck that is rugged and had to have off-road and powerful enough to haul and tow a trailer, fifth wheel or a cargo trailer.

The answer lied in investing in a Jeep Gladiator since he has experience in Jeeps for a long time, and knew and understood the capabilities of the Keep Gladiator.

The Jeep Gladiator is also a family truck for James, “In case I need to go off-roading, Overlanding or Camping with my family I prefer going with my Jeep Gladiator, James”

James’ Jeep Gladiator is equipped with a Jeep Gladiator rooftop tent that makes his family Overlanding more enjoyable and comfortable, there is various Jeep Gladiator Overland option that James has tried in his Jeep Gladiator, but currently, his Jeep has a Jeep Gladiator camper that he prefers instead of a roof top tent.

Since a family truck needs to be lifted to support the weight of James and his family, plus his various Jeep accessories mounted in his Jeep Gladiator, James has upgraded his tires with Jeep Gladiator 37 inches tires, and Steel wheels. James’s customization of his Jeep Gladiator coupled with the Jeep gladiator 3.6-liter V6 engine that delivers 285 horsepower, and four-wheel configuration makes the ultimate truck for James Business and his family which they can rely on the Jeep Gladiator for their day-to-day business trips and Family Adventures.

Jeep® Grand Cherokee

Another family SUV in James’ garage is a Jeep® Grand Cherokee, “I and my wife decided to buy a Jeep Grand Cherokee because of its design to be a family SUV, we have owned several generations of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, it’s one of the SUVs that we would use as a family trip SUV, either for vacation or any other family-oriented drives”

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is an Urban full-size SUV but has offroad capabilities, this means we can get to use it for family trips, and also use it as a daily driver it’s James’ wife’s favorite SUV and she gets to use it on a daily since the Jeep Grand Cherokee has 3^rd-row seating and the kids can easily fit in there alongside their dog, which has a dog barrier on the third row.

The reason we choose the Jeep Grand Cherokee as the ultimate family SUV is the wide range of safety features that we were looking for for the safety of our kids and ourselves, some of the features that won us over include blind spot monitoring, lane monitoring and forward collision warnings where the Jeep Grand Cherokee can apply emergency brakes to prevent front collisions, the interior is also massive and equipped with innovative technology just like the Jeep® Wrangler 4xe such as the Uconnect infotainment system that we entertain the kids with when on long drives.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Supercharged 6.2L V8 Engine is so powerful to accommodate all my family and various accessories we have included in the Jeep Grand Cherokee for a more comfortable and safe Jeep Grand Cherokee Overlanding and Camping Expeditions. Additionally, the Jeep Grand Cherokee engine offers an impressive towing capacity of 7,200 pounds, that ideal for towing our DIY trailer and other accessories such as our boats.

At Jeep Runner, you will always see updates from James recommending the Jeep Grand Cherokee as the ultimate family SUV, this is because the Jeep Grand Cherokee combines comfort, technology, and offroad capabilities into one ul; the ultimate full-sized SUV ideal for families. James uses his Jeep Grand Cherokee for urban drives and offroading, this means no matter how you use your Jeep Grand Cherokee you will find something just for you documented by James on Jeep Runner.

My Personal List of Jeep Recovery Tools.

• 30+ Essential Jeep Recovery Gear for Jeep Off-roading & Overlanding