Uh oh, I have been wanting a Jeep for awhile because truck prices are through the roof. What is stupid about them? Prone to repairs? Over-priced?
They just aren't that reliable is the big issue. What Jeep in particular are you looking at? The early 90s Wranglers are fine I think but are rare and you only want the manual model. You won't regret a truck, I almost guarantee it!
If you just need a small vehicle for going around town and doing some off-road tasks mini trucks are great actually... You can always get one used under 10k and they do have folding beds, which is a great feature. I don't know what your life looks like but after I retire (next 5-10 years probably) I'll work on getting a Suzuki Carry or something similar, maybe even do an electric conversion (I am energy independent except for gas so this would just save me money). A lot of people use mini trucks as hunting rigs and they get crazy fuel economy (40+mpg). Primary issue is they aren't the greatest for freeway driving at 70+ mph and they are right hand drive... If I remember correctly you were rural and if you're at home or are just getting to town and doing farm work they are ideal.
I would do some research though. I guess I really just need to know your needs before recommending something more conclusively. There are some other factors with mini trucks, namely if you are going hunting or doing serious off roading, which in that case you will need to lift it (which is not an issue, just something to factor in). They are almost exclusively 4WD so get your off road and snow tires.