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Scott The Jeep Geek Turian can drop the top on a Wrangler faster than anyone he knows. Every spring he holds a clinic for new Jeep owners at Fairfield's Scap Auto to share his expertise.
If I take a Wrangler out to put some gas in it on a nice day, I might decide to drop the top. When I do, I try to race the pump. I almost always win, Turian says inside the showroom at Scap Jeep. A small crowd gathers near one of the Wrangler two-doors waiting for his next demonstration. It's early in the afternoon on a Sunday and Turian isn't there to make a sale. The group waiting has already bought Jeeps. They're there to learn how to get the most out of their purchases.
Turian goes over all the basics, offering tips such as push with your palm to avoid slipping and slamming your fingers and never crease the soft window panels.
Turian's love of Jeeps covers decades, back to when he was a teenager. As he demonstrates how to put the demo vehicle in sun rider mode, Turian points to customers and tells them what is different about their make and model without hesitation. He knows what each drives and he knows the specifics of each vehicle down to differences in latches and water channels.
The annual event arose out of simple logic. Customers who buy a vehicle in the winter or late fall don't have much reason to put the top down until spring. By then, most of what they would have been shown at purchase is forgotten. Turian and Scap Jeep invite them all in for one day of back-to-back instruction sessions to share his tips and tricks when they are more relevant. After each demonstration, he heads outside with the rest of the Scap team to help the owners practice on their own vehicles.
Turian says taking the top down is almost fast and easy. He says putting it back up should take someone with enough practice about three minutes.
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