I generally view the “Jeep wave” as a 4x4 culture thing. I will never initiate a jeep wave, usually because I’m too busy white knuckling the 40 to keep it in the lane I intend; but if the jeep looks like it’s built for wheeling and has some mud on it, and they wave at me, I wave back. If your jeep has an angry-eyes grille and under glow lights, and a windshield sticker, well, I probably wouldn’t have noticed you if you drove past me on fire, let alone waving.
Ironically, I get more recognition from guys in clapped out Cherokees and 4Runners than Wranglers - again, we are culturally aligned.
Also ironically - FJ Cruiser people unilaterally have no idea what my truck is or care to find out. Same with 99% of 100/200 series owners and 60% of 80-series owners. 40 and 60 drivers usually know what’s up.
That said, if you pass me in a 40 series or 60 series, I will practically dive out of my moving vehicle into oncoming traffic to wave at you. Lucky for me, there are virtually no 40/60 series around here…
On the trail, I don’t discriminate - I don’t care if you’re in a wrangler, Cherokee, Bronco, defender, Xterra, 4Runner, or LandCruiser - if you’re out there seeing what your junk can do and enjoying the trails, you’re good people. I even gave a jeep guy a gallon of oil on the trail once.
Peripherally related:
I still remember about 10 years ago, my FJ40 dumped its clutch slave cylinder at a red light so I limped it over to the shoulder and waited for a tow. Two (cute) girls pulled up in a topless wrangler and said “Hey! It’s a jeep thing!” They laughed and the light turned green.
To this day I’m still note sure if
1. They thought I was driving a jeep, and were commiserating that mine had left me stranded or
2. They knew it WASN’T a Jeep, the the “Jeep thing” was that their still ran…