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The patriot blue X model is still there but as I've mentioned before I prefer the sienna. I'm going to try to get a hold of that guy again to get a figure nailed down as far as how much he can save me with the f&f discount.
Also, I drove that blue Jeep and I did notice a slight difference in the ride of the standard tires/wheels...but I want to save money so I may go with the standards and save for the wheels and tires of my choice.
My brother's church had a car show this past weekend and unfortunately there was only ONE Jeep...how sad There were alot of nicely restored cars and trucks but after MY baby comes I'll be entering my Jeep with a very big grin on my face.
I haven't seen any changes to the new Jeep.com site as to the 03's...I want build my own and compare it to the edmunds and other sites for invoice cost.
Took a closer look at that black Sahara...there's quite a few scratches to the paint, which makes me wonder how much they took care of this "fleet" vehicle.
OH Before I forget...I met the buyer of my old firechicken to sign over the title (thank goodness that's gone)...they told me that the altenator went out last week. She said it cost a little over $300 to fix...that's $300 not out of my pocket I sincerely told them I was sorry to hear that since I had taken it to both the dealer I bought it from and her mechanic and neither one caught the problem. Things may get kinda hairy at work so I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a new job...cause I don't need to be run into the ground and risk having it affect my grades in my education classes...so keep a good thought for me in the hopes that something better will come along.
Hug your Jeeps for me...til I get mine
dwrangler
My advice is hold out for the color and equipment you want. It will make it that much sweeter when you get it.
Dewars
I love Colorado. I have been out there four or five times, but not since 1988. I am way overdue for my Rocky Mountain fix.
I've been to RMNP a couple times, to the San Juans once, to a guest ranch for a week about 50 miles east of Gunnison, just off US 50 and not far from Monarch pass (what a wonderful week that was!), and one float trip down the Colorado River near Vail. My first ever trip out west was to a guest ranch near Ft. Collins when I was about 12 years old.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I've been reading the postings on and off ever since Tsjay joined the group and went through all the usual (and not so usual) pre-Jeep-owning agonies!
Dwrangler: Hang in there - eventually you will get your Jeepie! Don't give in on what you really want, and make sure you get the Jeep you want, not what your parents may want! I was 38 when I got Harley Jane.
There's no Walmart where I am, Bamatazz, but I think I'll check Sears Auto for seat covers. The guy at BJs said they had flowered covers for Wrangler seats 4 months ago, but they've been on backorder ever since.
Gotta pop the softtop back up to get HJ serviced on Thursday (oil change and exhaust manifold recall.) My husband has a Cherokee (2000) and he got the same recall notice.
Haven't been off road yet, but we plan to eventually relocate to the western part of the country. I hope to then be off road more than on!
Keep on Jeepin!
HJ (my Jeep and I have the same initials! Am I crazy?? When I move I plan on getting "HJJEEP" license plates - too expensive in NJ!)
A fellow jeeper I've met is going to show me some trails that lead to old ghost towns up in the Rockies and we might go to the Easter Jeep get- together at Moab next spring.
Dewars
I am sending Tom a little something for those folks who are curious. I'll have to wait and see if he posts about it once it arrives.
Whether he gets that one or not, he is definitely getting a Jeep.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I currently have a 2002 Sahara (you can call her Emily) with soft top after trading in a 99 Sport with dual top last fall (actually still have the hard top going unused). After removing the back seat to give plenty of room for the dog, no changes have been made. Finally went 'Full Monty' this weekend and, sure enough, am hooked. Only problem is I'm not exactly street legal. I've seen a couple sites discussing frame mounted mirrors. I need suggestions as to where I get the parts to complete. Suggestions as well as anything to avoid??
Also, I need to occasionally make room for 2 people, 2 dogs and accompaning gear/luggage. I have a large North Face duffel that should hold up to weather and highway wind. Suggestions on out of cabin racks to attach the duffel to allowing for easy access to interior?
-getting better and better
If I may...FAREWELL OLD FRIEND JACK BUCK!!! YOU WILL BE TRULY MISSED. BASEBALL, THE CARDINALS AND THEIR FANS AND THE ST. LOUIS AREA HAS LOST A BELOVED GREAT MAN!!!! JACK BUCK WAS THE GREATEST CARDINAL OF 'EM ALL!!!
Hug your Jeeps for me til I get mine and my thoughts and prayers are with the Buck family
dwrangler
Hug your Jeeps for me
dwrangler
Deb, I thought the soft top was a no-no?! I say go for it though. Who needs the hassle of taking off a hard top when it's nice (no offense Tom) As always, good luck! I think all us Edmund's people need to get together and have a giant party when you finally get that Jeep!!!
Go to www.quadratec.com and search for mirror movers. They run $28.95 a pair.
That makes it legal to drive w/out doors. Some states even consider the rearview mirror sufficient.
They also have racks for the interior, rack for the top above the driver and passenger and racks that cover the top of the Jeep. I would get a catalog from quadratec.com and jcwhitney.com . Avoid anything steel horse.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1836044116
Hey Tom,
I hope he isn't looking at my black '93. It was a piece of crap.
You do have him looking for a 6 cyc?
Don't you have a procomp lift now? I would look into getting new shocks. The ones the kit comes with are suppose to be very harsh. I would go with Rancho RS9000s. Look into it and see if people running procomp lifts found this to be correct. Don't upgrade your shocks if you plan on going to a bigger lift soon. You will need longer shocks.
Are you Wheelin or modin this weekend?
I hope to be out on the Colorado river this weekend.
dwrangler
Glad to see you are getting closer to getting that Jeep. I think you are making the right move going with the soft top.
Good suggestions on the racks. I'm looking at the Olympic mountaineer rack since we don't use the back seat, but that wouldn't work with dogs back there. One consideration is the weight limit various racks will have. Anything that mounts directly to the tailgate will be limited to 75lbs or less unless you go with the "footers" option that places some of the load directly on the bumper. The rear racks that use the reciever hitch mount can support more weight. A relative had a metal shop weld his so that it's elevated to improve delparture angle. He can still open his tailgate with it on there, but it has to be unloaded first. We're still mulling over the idea of a rack. We have a need for one, but want to make sure we take all these factors into account. Ideally, we'd have a mountaineer style rack for when it's just the two of us and then a receiver rack for if we needed to free up the back area. I have some calls into local fab shops to see if I can get an estimate on some custom racks similar to the ones available through the catlogs.
-twylie
Those shocks aren't too bad that I got with the Procomp lift. I think I'll just stay with them, even though I know better ones are available. I have spent more than I needed to lately on Thelma, so I am just gonna chill and enjoy what I've got for a while.
Get to Gill's tonight and chat with us! That goes for all of you guys. Come on! Jeez! The place was deserted last night. And one certain Mr. Quikkag is hogging all the enjoyment of a new Jeep instead of sharing it with his edmunds buddies! Shamey, shamey, shamey! Let's be posting here and chatting in Gill's, Quik!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Not knowing much about your situation, I have some fairly universal advice.
One, the resale value of these vehicles are so high, that, if you can afford it, buy new.
And be aware of the downsides and buy according to your tastes. Everyone on this board loves their Wranglers, but they also know what makes them fun gives them, shall we say, character...
For example:
Convertible top means more road noise.
Great off-road means trucklike highway ride.
Incredibly small turning radius means cramped back seat with little cargo room.
Give us more details and we will look forward to hearing about it!
Are you asking what years are lemons or do you not know what a lemon is? A lemon is bascially a piece of junk. It is a car that has numerous problems or ususally the same problem that can not be fixed or repaired.
Not knowing more about your situation I would only say go with fuel injection. I believe all '91 and newer are fuel injected.
mtngal
If you regret it and you do want a soundbar, just buy one and have it put in. They are not that expensive. Heck, if you post a picture showing you driving your Jeep with it TOPLESS and DOORLESS, I will buy it.
For someone that lives in the moutains and loves the outdoors, I don't see how you couldn't love it. Just pull the top off for a weekened and take it out on some trails or to some good hiking areas.
CJ, YJ and TJ are all specific models of Wranglers, and reflect different years. I don't know when the models changed from CJ to YJ. I think that the TJ's first year was '97, I have a '98 and it is definitely a TJ. They have a better suspension system for on-road comfort. The guys can probably give you better historical information about previous versions and the years they changed.
Thanks
It's no longer being updated, but it's still a good intro.
CJs are the "original Jeep" vehicle that eventually became the Wrangler. The last model year for the CJ7 (same dimensions as a Wrangler) was 1986, about the same time Jeep/AMC became part of Chrysler. They have round headlights and a leaf-spring suspension.
YJs were the first-generation Wranglers. They also have a leaf-spring suspension and square headlights. Stay away from the pre-1992 models, they do not have fuel injection and can be unreliable. The last year model for the YJ was 1995.
TJs are the second- and current-generation Wrangler. They have round headlights (bigger than the CJ7's) and a coil-spring suspension. The first year for the TJ was 1997. Most of us here currently drive TJs, though several of us (including myself) used to own YJs or CJs. Jeep owners tend to be lifetime fans because they are very fun and unique vehicles to own, though they do have their quirks.
You are probably looking for a late-model YJ or an early-model TJ, something made between 1994 and 1998, given your budget of 7 to 9 grand. I'd spend some time reading the old posts here--someone who recently bought a Wrangler took a few hours to browse several thousand old posts here and found it to be useful. Wrangler are neat vehicles, but not for everyone.
Steve
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Thanks.
Any advice on the safety issue and general buying advice is appreciated.
Thanks...stefanella
Stefanella, I wouldn't be too concerned about rollovers. Yes, they do have a higher center of gravity but so do all suv's. As long as you aren't taking corners like a race car driver you'll be fine. I think the rollever thing is a major misconception on the non-driving Wrangler public. Maybe some other's here will have an opinion as well.
If either of you would like to chat live and ask more q's your welcome to come to Gill's, there's alot of knowledge in there....I think?! http://itsajeep.org
I have been traveling for work a lot lately and just got back to catching up on all your new Wrangler posts. I am still waiting for the day when I will actually be able to get my new 2003 Rubicon. However, in addition to the Rubicon link from Jeep that I posted in April, I have gotten the following information on 2003 Wrangler changes.
The biggest story is that the 2.5 liter Power Tech inline-four will no longer be available. The engine is now used exclusively in the Wrangler. Jeep will switch to the 2.4 liter Power Tech inline-four used in the Liberty (and other Chrysler vehicles) as the base engine for the Wrangler. This will mean better power for four cylinder Wranglers. In addition, as some of your recent post have noted, the Wrangler will finally be available with a four-speed automatic. Absolutely no change is planned for the Wrangler 4.0 liter inline six.
Also, the Wrangler will have new front seats have more travel and higher seat backs. The rear seat is redesigned for easier folding. It now has a high center-mounted handle on the seat back instead of the current side mounted latch release. A new lever on the side of front passenger seat will make it easier to fold the seat forward. There is also some new corner pods to be located just behind the B-pillar on both sides of vehicle to house interior lamps providing "theater lighting" and a location for speakers.
I hope this is helpful to anyone considering a 2002 versus a 2003 Wrangler.
God willing I will be driving my new Rubicon to later then April of next year.
Jim Fletcher
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the info on 2003 - any word on whether or not they'll be keeping the Solar Yellow color option on SE, X, and Sport models?
yellowman
Check out the value quoted here on Edmunds and on kbb's web site (the last time I looked at values for my Tacoma they were different). The bottom line, though, is you personally. Would you rather have the car than the money? I wouldn't buy a new CRV for 2 cents, and many CRV drivers wouldn't give 2 cents for a Wrangler.
Thanks for the info about the 2003s. I like the idea of additional spot lighting - I often read on the way to work (my other half drives mornings, I drive evenings) and have to use a book light. The map lights in the Tacoma offer enough light for me to read by, but don't disturb the driver (at least not my husband). Maybe it will still be that way when we get around to replacing our Wrangler in a couple of years.
Thanks."
Like Bigkahuna said, take advantage of the price guides here in Edmunds and in other sites. Check your local papers for similar vehicles to compare prices.
Without going through the steps myself, I can tell you right up front that the price the guy is asking sounds pretty good. Getting both tops is a biggie. The mileage is really good for a '99, since the '03s are almost out now. The time must be nearly out on the original warranty, even though the miles are still below the 36K. You can buy an extended warranty on it, if that would give you some peace of mind.
Welcome to the group, and I hope you will stick around. Ask any questions you may have. You can only come here once as a stranger, so now that you've been here, you are one of us. This is a very friendly group of people who help each other all they can.
Feel free to email me if I can help you. I am not an expert on used Jeeps, but I can tell you about my experience with my Jeep.
If you have never owned a Jeep before, you are in for a real surprise as to how much fun they are!
Please keep us posted on your progress in buying a Jeep.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Any advice on the safety issue and general buying advice is appreciated.
Thanks...stefanella"
Stefanella, ANY vehicle has its limits. Probably the best cornering American car would be the Corvette. They have great suspension systems and low center of gravity. They have a test for cornering ability called the skid pad test (I think that's the name of it anyway), and a Corvette would have a very high rating. But, I would venture to guess that more Corvettes lose control and roll over in corners than Jeeps do. Why? Because ANY vehicle has its limits, and when the driver exceeds those limits, accidents happen.
A Jeep must be driven like a Jeep, and when it is driven within its limits, it is as safe as any vehicle. Since the limits are at lower speeds on a Jeep, a Jeep gets driven slower than other vehicles, and I think that actually makes them safer! Speed is a factor in almost all accidents.
Hope this helps.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I do not have any information on color offerings for 2003. However, by next month dealers should have visibility to the colors and new options from Jeep. I believe that the future of colors like Solar Yellow typically depends on how well they are selling.
Do you have any idea of how popular Solar Yellow is?
Jim
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Personally, I always liked yellow as a color for a vehicle. It seems to stand out a little from the standard car colors of black, red, white, and the occasional dark blue or dark green. (not that there's anything wrong with those!) I also always thought Jeeps were cool, so when I saw that I could get a yellow Jeep and read about all the improvements on the TJs in recent years, I was sold.
And I can honestly say I haven't had even one second of regret since April 4, 2001 when I picked it up off the lot. The negatives (road noise, bumpiness, poor gas mileage) have either been acceptable or had far less of an impact than I anticipated.
You know, I've gotten a number of comments from total strangers saying things like, "Hey nice Jeep!" One girl even mouthed those words at me from a few lanes over the other day. Man...I'm going to go get this thing washed today! :-)
yellowman
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
TomHave you hugged your Jeep today?
The best information I have seen is that the next redesign of the Wrangler would appear as a 2005 in either October 2004 or April 2005. Some of the information I have read says that it may borrow heavily from Jeepster and Willys concepts. I am not sure that sets very well with me but that is just my 2 cents worth.
As for the 2003 Wrangler, I do not know of any good comprehensive Web sites. My information has just come from little readings and a little bit of insight at Jeep in Michigan.
Jim
Hug your Jeeps for me...til I get my own
dwrangler
Tom et al, sorry I have not been posting lately. I've been very busy with work, then have been pretty sick since Thursday. Getting better, though. I'll be back at work tomorrow. I am soooo glad I sold the Tribute (which is really an excellent vehicle) and bought the Wrangler. Like you all told me, it is more fun to drive than words can describe. I don't ever want any vehicle other than a Wrangler. I've received all kinds of compliments on it. I'm surprised to say that I haven't had it open-air since the day I drove it home from the lot, but I don't mind that at all, contrary to my expectation. I'm quite happy with the soft top, even though I have a bikini top and tonneau ready to go on when I have the time and inclination.
I'll post again when I'm able. Happy Jeepin'!
Larry
Hope to see posts from you in here and to catch you in Gill's once in a while.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
2003 Sport
4-speed automatic (the wife won that one)
Air
30" tire and wheel group
4 wheel disc brakes
dual tops
auto dimming mirror with compass and outside temperature
sentry key
side steps
7 speakers and sub woofer
deep tint windows
trac-lok
I ordered the Inca gold which will have the gray interior and black tops. They don't have any prices yet. I was glad to see that the 4 wheel disc brakes were available to order on models other than the Rubicon. I also was hoping that you could order the 4.10 gears, like the Rubicon, but the 3.73 are as low as you can go. The '03's will start production July 22 according to another site so it will still be a while. Already planning a 4" Skyjacker lift and 33 x 12.50 tires. It's been a long time coming! Now the wait. Tom
-twylie
For a '99 Wrangler from a dealer with 4.0 liter, factory CD, 28K miles, AC, alloy wheels, manual, cruise, glass windows, and everything else stock, Edmunds TMV shows $15,123. Kelley's Blue Book shows $17,795. The dealer wants $17,800.
I can understand some price differences but the gap is a little too large. Anyone have any ideas why the two are so far apart, which is more right, and where else I can look to triangulate?
Trey beat the rest of us on the mandatory "keep us posted" request. :-)
Larry