Can you tell us a little about yourself and your Jeepin’ career?
I was born in Mexico and raised in Eugene, Oregon. I got my driver’s license when I was 18 in 1992, and my first car was a YJ. I have been driving Jeep Wranglers ever since.
As a veteran Jeeper, what advice would you give to someone new to the activity?
My advice would be to let them know what is important when beginning the process of upgrading their Jeep. Parts that affect the performance of their rig, like gears and winches, should be the focus at first — not lightbars and other parts that only affect the look of the Jeep.
When I got my Jeep, I started by spending lots of money on big tires. I ignored the gears and I ended up damaging them. I had to upgrade to the correct ones and now everything runs great.
What is special or unique about your rig?
I have grab handles on my Jeep that I actually make myself!
Tell us about your group, its purpose and the benefits to your members.
365JeepLife is more like a network, not a club or group. We have members from other [area] clubs as well as clubs from all over the world. The benefits of a Jeep network as opposed to a closed group are that you get to meet people from all over the U.S.A and other countries! We like to spread the culture and movement of being an active part of your community.
How long has your group been around?
I founded 365JeepLife in 2015.
How many members do you currently have and what is the process to become a member?
365JeepLife has 15,000 active members. The process is very simple, just join the page and you have access to all of the activities that you can attend. We just ask that all members be respectful to the community and respectful at group activities. Because our events are always family-oriented, we have zero tolerance for non-respectful people.
Do you have group trail rides?
We organize about six camping trips throughout the year as well as at least four to five trail rides for our members. We do our best to keep all rides and activities low-risk so everyone can participate. However, if there are individuals with more experience, we will hold more “hardcore” events as well as to help out those Jeepers with less experience.
Does 365JeepLife support any charities?
We support quite a few charities, including participating with Mission 22, JJ Lyon Guard Foundation, Krawln 4 the Fallen, the Rotary Club, and the Miracle Network.
What other types of activities do you have for your members?
We plan beach trips, out-of-state adventures to meet with other Jeepers, meet-and-greets, parades and the charity events I mentioned earlier. We try to do something at least once per month.
What sets your group apart from others?
I really focus on the group Facebook page to make it better for our members. I don’t compare us with anyone else. Every group has their own style, so everyone is unique, and that is what makes the Jeep community so great!
Nuts and Bolts
Jorge Martinez is the founder of 365JeepLife, a network of Jeepers that promotes family-friendly adventures and connecting with Jeepers across the country and around the world.