I think you'll be fine, you said you were changing over to Mobil 1 after 5000 miles so I don't think it's a big deal at all. My father has been in the oil business since the early 60's and I've never heard him mention a problem with mixing 5W30, 10w30, 10w40, 20w50, etc... The Mobil 1 is probably a good investment since we know how long you'll be keeping your Jeep! You may want to see if they offer any kind of an additional engine warranty though. Quaker State warrenteed my Ford Ranger engine for 250,000 miles, all I had to do was agree to change the oil and filter every 3000 miles. I'm pretty sure some other oil companies have started doing this also.
One question... Does anyone know for sure if Jeep is going to start putting the 3.7L V6 in the Wrangler next year or are they going to keep that motor exclusively for the Liberty for a year or two???
Thanks for the info. I never heard of that program you mentioned about an oil company gauranteeing an engine. Sounds interesting.
Whether Mobil has such a program or not, there's not much doubt in my mind that Mobil 1 oil will extend engine life. It may not be any better than other full synthetic oils, but it is the one that I have experience with. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, my '94 Z28 had quieter cold starts and got better gas mileage when I switched it to Mobil 1.
So, how's the Jeep shopping going? Did you see shuggins' post (#845) about the deal he got? That is by far the best deal I've seen posted, unless there was a trade-in involved and he took a beating on the trade-in in order to get the new Jeep at that price.
Hey everybody! Well I'm getting closer and closer to ordering my jeep and the anticipation is building every day! Despite the lease I'm stuck in until 7/31, I've finally been able to get my wife to negotiate on the ordering date (I'm sure you can relate tsjay!) :0). Originally we had agreed on 5/1, but now I've got her back to 3/1 and should really be able to order my TJ by mid Feb! I went to see the dealer yesterday to get everything set and he confirmed that the price would simply be $100 over invoice and that edmunds was right on the money as far as prices and options. Of course they were saying the time it takes from placing my order to delivery can take anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks, but with any luck I'll get it as fast as some of you all did in December and January, and of course once it's in, I'll pick it up right away and I'll be driving it and just letting the leased car sit around until its termination. Anyway, just thought I'd say hi and check in....hopefully I'll be in my TJ shortly!!!!!!!!
I didn't have a trade in it was a clean deal and I had my own financing set up. I had a 93 wrangler for 6 years. After college I traded my baby in on a 2000 vr6 Jetta last Dec. It was a piece. It was in the shop 60 days and about 10 times for engine problems. I got a Lawyer and they bought the vehicle back from me at full purchase price plus some! I am in the DC area and I did my homework. I turned in the Jetta to vw at lunch time and picked up my check. I came back to the office and called dulles jeep. I told them I had the money in my hand and was going to buy a jeep that night. I made one offer 23,800 out the door. I said if not I'm going to tysons jeep after work to pick up a sport. He said I'll see you after work. I went up there the jeep was cleaned up and I was out of there in less than an hour.
By the way there is no charge for the auto trans on the 2001 also. Some dealers were trying to charge me for it. I really like the auto and had a chance to try it off road a couple of weeks ago. I am getting about 14 miles per gal. that is hwy at around an average of 70mph. I get better mpg around town. My last jeep was a 4banger w/ 30inch swampers on it also got about 14 miles per gal. So those who want the 4 banger for better mpg don't kid yourself. Hwy was petal to the floor always and she would top out at about 75mph.
I have always wanted a Jeep. Now, I am thinking about trading in my UP truck and getting a 99 Wrangler Sport. My wife is o. with that as long as I can use it to pick up the kids if I need to. So, the question is whether there is seating for two adults and the kids (aged 10 10 and 8). Any advice?
Well, with 2 adults and 3 kids, you can all get in the Jeep and have enough room, just not enough seat belts. Only four seat belts. So, if that didn't bother you, you'd be fine with a Jeep.
I have a 95 Wrangler Rio Grande. I have loud screaching/squealing noise when I first start the vehicle. It usually goes away in a few seconds, after I rev the engine. That was until yesterday, I started the jeep and the screaching wouldn't quit. Finally after about 3 minutes it quit making the noise. My question is this: I assume that the cause of the noise is the drive belt slipping, and I may possible need to tighten it. I will check tonight. Or my other guess is a bad bearing in the alternator is making the pulley hard to turn and causing the screaching noise. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on how to diagnose this problem if it is not a loose drive belt?
So, only four belts. Can one add a belt to the middle of the rear bench, so that if occasionally need to have the three kids back there they won't fly out (which would seriously bum me and my wife--and the unlucky kid -- out)
I have a 95 Wrangler Rio Grande. I have loud screaching/squealing noise when I first start the vehicle. It usually goes away in a few seconds, after I rev the engine. That was until yesterday, I started the jeep and the screaching wouldn't quit. Finally after about 3 minutes it quit making the noise. My question is this: I assume that the cause of the noise is the drive belt slipping, and I may possible need to tighten it. I will check tonight. Or my other guess is a bad bearing in the alternator is making the pulley hard to turn and causing the screaching noise. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on how to diagnose this problem if it is not a loose drive belt?
My hat is off to you, my man. That was definitely the best deal on a Wrangler that I have ever heard of.
Only 14 mpg, huh? I'm getting 17 with Thelma Jane and am hoping for more after she breaks in a little more. She now has 2100 miles on her, so she may be about as broken in as she will get.
My driving is mostly highway, and I try not to get above 65 mph. This is my first Jeep, so I am still in the process of trying to break my old habit of driving 70 to 75 mph. I guess I ought to use my cruise control.
Thelma is a 5-speed, by the way.
Once again, congrats not only on getting a Jeep, but in getting such a great deal.
I live in Rockville, Maryland and am pretty much all set to order my jeep next month. I have been talking to Fitzgerald Jeep in Montgomery Village and have been assured a price of $100 over invoice. I've heard good things about Dulles jeep but it's about an hour away. It sounds like you bought your jeep off the lot...did you have any trouble getting all the options you wanted? I basically want a loaded sport and feel like $100 over invoice is fair....if I have to order it from the factory, do you think they'd still sell under invoice?
Dulles jeep is about a 40 min ride for me. I've been to all of them in the area. They usually have about 60 to 70 wranglers on the lot. When I bought my sahara last month they had 21 saharas sitting on the lot. Go talk to Bill. Tell him you spoke to Sean Huggins. They really want the repeat bus. What ever deal you can get they can beat it and they will have what you want on the lot. They can give you a better deal then you can get ordering one. They have a lot of 2000 models as well. Good luck. Keep me posted. I can fill you in on any of the other jeep dealers in Northern VA.
Fellow Jeepers, I have a Y2KTJ and I am about to hit 10K on it. I have had no problems nor complaints. Except the nut behind the wheel always pulls towards any mud hole. I am having a great time making this baby mine. I was calling it "the shortie" because I only have the 30in package. I am leaning toward the "TJ Pepper" I am known as Jalapeno round these parts. I have added tow hooks, CB, random decals... The best thing I did was join a local Jeep club. I am learning from the experiences & mistakes of others. Want to know more about me & my ride? http://www.angelfire.com/geek/jeep/
Looking at a 2001 Sahara- How is the 5-speed for someone with very little stick time? I live in Boston and am just wondering how long it will take me to get used to it before I'm comfortable with a daily commute in heavy traffic.
Also, any thoughts on ABS? I've always considered it a modern safety feature which no car is complete without. Yet I find them rarer than hen's teeth on dealer lots. Is there a reason for this?
Well, I've gotten some good offers, but now my credit union is a little hesitant to give me another car loan. I just bought a 1997 Miata this past September and still have about 10,000 dollars left to pay on it. Looks like I'm gonna have to pay that down a little more before I get another vehicle. Oh well, hopefully I can do it before next model year. I really want a Jeep with the 4.0 litre straight six, there will be no V6 Jeep for me!
If you are familiar with my story, you know that I was in the same boat. My trade-in value vs. payoff on the Grand Prix was way upside down, like about $10,000.00 upside down!
This old boy wanted that Jeep bad enough to take out a home equity loan to pay off some of that debt on the Grand Prix in order to make the deal on the Jeep. I know that that was not a financially sound move, BUT IT SURE CURED MY WRANGLER FEVER! I don't regret it a bit.
Actually, I read your whole story, you really wanted that Wrangler! No, I'm not getting rid of the Miata, after all, It'd be tough to Autocross a Wrangler with 30" tires! I'll be selling my Ford Ranger before I get the Jeep so I have a pretty good down payment. I don't think I'll ever get rid of the Miata, and I think a Wrangler will be the perfect compliment to it!
I don't have much experience in Jeep ownership, but I can tell you that I test drove a four cylinder Jeep and could tell that I just wouldn't be satisfied with the power. I have to do too much highway driving and sometimes take fairly long trips, so I need the power of the six cylinder. I think around town and offroading, the four would be ok.
As far as the transmission, I much prefer the five speed. I just enjoy driving one, but some people don't like shifting gears. I think you will have a little bit better power, better gas mileage, and less engine wear with the five speed. I drove my Jeep at a steady 65 mph in fourth gear, which is a 1:1 ratio and equal to third gear in the automatic. The RPMs were around 2800. I then shifted to fifth gear and ran a steady 65 mph, and the RPMs dropped to around 2150 or something like that. I posted the results of this experiment a while back, if you want exact numbers, but I don't remember right now. I do know that the 5th gear ratio is .78:1, so whatever RPMS I was turning in fourth gear, I was only turning 78% as many in fifth gear.
I would think your engine would have to last longer by turning so many RPMs less, and, of course, you should save some gas.
To try to answer some questions. Tranny: I have the auto just because I don't like to shift on hills, roll back. Plus they do better in the sand, don't have to push in the clutch which causes prescious loss in momentum on the sand. The 5-speed has more low end and higher high end, but I don't need to run 100+ so I'm going to gear down to 4.10 which is the same as the 5 speed. Off-road they are very similar if set up right. Engine: I have the 4.0L. If you plan on doing highway driving this is a must if you want to keep up with traffic. The 2.5 is great for short trips and around town, but if you ever plan on getting bigger tires, you'll have to gear down and loose alot of top end. As far as gas milage differance. It's really only about 2-4 mpg differance, so it's not a big deal. The slower you drive the more mpg you'll get. As far as year, 97's and up are pretty much the same. And as far as how they preform off-road. Pretty much equal. Both have low end that are the same, so 2.5's will keep up with any 4.0 off the road. Now for Tires: Can't help you on the 50's jeeps. sorry. But as far as something for on road and a fairly good off-road tire. Look into www.yokohamatire.com They have one called the Geolander. Look at the All-Terrain. They have a more aggressive tread than most A/T's but they are still pretty quiet on road, plus you'll get about 40K miles out of them. as far as what fits, all tires are different so just check with the manufactures. Other options of good road/off-road tire, look into BFG's or Baja claws, more of a mud tire though.
My wifes 4cyl. 91 Wrangler was in for service recently & the mechanic said the slave cylinder was leaking and would have to be replaced. He didn't give us an estimate yet but said it would be expensive. Does anyone have a rough estimate on what this will cost?
Well, I now know who my mysterious Silverstone Jeep buddy that I meet every morning on my way to work is.
I have a doctor's appointment this morning, so I didn't go to work at my usual time. Instead, I went to the exit ramp, parked, and waited for my buddy to come by in the Silverstone. Sure enough, at about the expected time here she came.
It turns out that my buddy is a lady. (I couldn't tell whether the driver of the Silverstone was a guy or a gal, since we are on opposite sides of the median when we meet on the way to work.) She works at a Job Corps center right beside the exit, and, like I suspected, her hours are 8:00 AM til 4:30 PM, just like mine.
It was really nice to finally meet my buddy. She seemed like a really nice person (Well, duh! She's a Jeep owner, so what did I expect?). She really loves her Jeep, but under the circumstances, we didn't have much time to talk.
My daughter told me I was absolutely crazy for intercepting that Jeep like I did. She just doesn't understand Jeep people.
I have a question. This is my second Wrangler and I do love them. I had a 94 and was hit in it so I got rid of it. I bought a 2001, what a difference. I'm not saying that this is all good. I have had a lot of problems, first they forgot to put 4 bolts on the transfer case. Then just recently the following started, lots of grease in my rear wheel, my gas went from about 350 a tank to about 260. There was a loud bang in the rear. A few weeks later the engine backfired under the hood. That's when the gas mileage changed. I took it to the dealer and they told me the rear axel seal broke and they replaced my rear break. They can't seem to find anything wrong with the fuel system and told me to take it to a city where they have emission checks. When it rains hard the rear interior of the vehicle gets soaked. I have the hard top on it and the back is closed. What do you guys think about this mileage deal?
Back in september when I first got my Jeep it leaked too. I took it in and they supposedly fixed it. Now that we've gotten more rain I have once again noticed a leak behind the passenger seat. The first leak was under the rear seat. Hopefully when I take it in again they will get it fixed right.
Which is better in snow? I would think the manual since it won't shift at an inopportune time. I find that to be the case with Wanda Honda. Is this also true for JEEPs in snow? How about off road?
What about size of tires? Again, I will do mostly road driving, so want a quiet and durable tread, but I want something I won't get stuck in off road and which won't bruise on rocks, etc.. Also, should I consider 2 sets of tires? One narrow, tall set for winter and off road, and a fatter, regular set for highway/summer sand? sizes? 30X9.50R15, 31X10.5R15, 245/75R15, 255/70R15, or are there other sizes? ANYBODY know what the old tall ones were?
I thought that the 4cyl/5 spd would get pretty good gas mileage. Can anybody tell me what they get with that setup in a yj and what people get with the 6cyl/ 5 spd. Also what year did they switch from carb to fuel injection. Thanks, Dan
I am a fan of the 5-speed, but I've never had to drive in heavy, stop-and-go traffic on a regular basis. I can see where that would get to be a pain. I enjoy shifting gears, but working that clutch over and over in a traffic jam would get tiresome real quick. I've been in a few traffic jams with vehicles that had manual trannies, and I remember thinkning that I was glad that I didn't have to do that every day.
I don't think a Jeep is any different from other vehicles with manual transmissions. I haven't found mine to be any different. The clutch operates at about the same foot pressure as for other manual transmission vehicles that I have owned. The linkage on mine is smooth, and I have no trouble shifting.
So, I wouldn't make a distinction between a Jeep and other vehicles when you weigh the pros and cons of manual vs. automatic.
I can't think of any other situation where I would NOT want a 5-speed, other than the traffic jam scenario. (Well, OK, if I had a broken leg, maybe.)
Thelma Jane has 2200 miles on her now, and she has been 100% trouble free. That's not all that many miles, I know, but a lot of things would have shown up by now if she were not a reliable vehicle. I have no transmission noise in neutral with the clutch out, like some people complain about, no leaks, no oil consumption, and no other problems of any kind.
I think my mileage is picking up some, probably because she is breaking-in and also because I am learning to drive slower. Old habits are hard to break, and I used to drive 70 to 75 mph without even thinking about it. I am trying to drive Thelma 60 to 65 mph, and I am getting settled in at that range pretty well now. I could always use my cruise control, of course, but I just want to get the feel of driving at the lower speeds on my own.
Last tank gave me 18.4 mpg, the one before was 16.7, and the one before that was 17.9. My normal driving is somewhere between city and highway: I drive on four lane divided highway most of the way to work, but then I have to drive a little in town to get to my work place and to go to lunch.
I LOVE MY JEEP! I have not one regret in trading for her, even though I had a great little Grand Prix GT that only had a little less than 20,000 miles on it.
I haver never owned a vehicle that I have talked to before, at least not on a regular basis. I talk to Thelma every day!
Hello All, I just wanted to check in. I recently had to have my power steering hose replaced on the 99 SE. This is the same Jeep that at 9100 miles needed a new radiator and now at 10150 miles, needed a new power steering hose. It blew and shot power steering fluid everywhere. This Jeep has had numerous problems. The windshield washers did not work when I bought it. The break lights and turn signals like to quit working with no reason, and start again for no reason. The floor board on the passenger side always is full of water after every rain. The 2000 Sport has been behaving itself, the noise in the transmission has become tolerable. It does not leak and so far, nothing has broken or exploded. I would like to get rid of the 99 SE soon and get a more reliable, powerful and useful vehicle, most likely a full size 4x4 truck. The 2000 Sport will stay around for awhile, we like it a lot. Hope you all have a great day and enjoy your Jeeps.
For the guy that heard a lot of squeaking when he first started the engine. I would bet it's from a slipping fan belt because if the alternator bearing was bad it would be noisy all the time. You could adjust the fan belt by tighten it a little or rub a little soap on the belt. Some of the time you will just have to change the belt because the belt will have glaze and will squeeze no matter what you do to it.
only in a jeep, hose do fail and the radiator in the stock jeeps are garbage because they have plastic tanks. There is a service bulletin on the water on the passanger side (they will fix it for free)
I own a 2001 sport, 6 cyl/5speed. It's got only 300 miles on it, and on my first tank of gas, I got 18.25 MPG.
I consider that to be pretty good for a car that's a long way from being broken in. For comparison, I got about 12 MPG in my 98 Grand Cherokee on the first few tanks (same engine). It gradually improved to about 18 MPG.
Most of my driving (about 95%) is highway driving. With the shorter, higher C.G. Sport, I find that I am driving a slower 55-60 mph, rather than the 65-70 mph I do in the Grand Cherokee. I'm sure the slower speeds help with the gas mileage.
Any engineers in the group that can enlighten us on the effect of speed on wind resistance?
I have read somewhere or heard it said that wind drag goes up much more than just in straight proportion to the increase in speed. If I'm not mistaken, I think I have heard that it goes up in proportion to the SQUARE of the speed, other things being equal? In other words, going from 60 to 70 mph would result in not just a 16.7% increase in wind drag as it would be in straight proportion to speed (70/60 X 100), but would actually result in a 36% increase in wind drag (4900/3600 x 100). Is this correct?
I have also read that at highway speeds on flat ground and just cruising, not accelerating, that 80% of the engine's power output is being used just to fight wind drag.
If both of the above are true, then no wonder that slowing down helps gas mileage! Especially in a vehicle as unaerodynamic as a Jeep.
Somebody please tell me if I'm on the right track with this stuff.
Sorry to hear about your continuing troubles with the SE. Maybe you just need to get a new Sport in place of the '99 SE? Is the '99 yours or Mrs. Only's? I forget.
I guess you've read my posts and know that Thelma has behaved herself perfectly so far.
The 99 SE is more mine than my wife's. I bought it first for me and then we traded in her car to get the 2000 Sport. We trade Jeeps quite a bit, so that we do not give one more attention than the other. I have really been happy with the Sport, it has been a good Jeep. I has almost 7500 miles on it now and has given us little trouble. I am thinking that we may trade the 99 SE for a used Grand Cherokee. I was thinking about a truck, but the more I think about it, a GC would make a nice vehicle to have around.
I am happy that you have had a positive experience with your Jeep. They are a very fun vehicle and I have always enjoyed them. The one good thing about all of my Jeep problems is that my Jeep dealership has been very good to me and always gets my Jeep right in to fix it.
I had a '99 Grand Cherokee Laredo 4 X 4 that I bought brand new in Feb., 1999. It was the taupe frost metallic color, which to me was just a fancy way of saying metallic gray, although I could see some brown in it sometimes.
That was a great vehicle except for a few minor problems that were fixed with no hassle at a Jeep dealer in Illinois, where I traveled weekly on business. It had the I-6 4.0 L engine, like Thelma's, and the SelecTrac four wheel drive system. A lot of people that had the V8 and the QudraDrive system were posting complaints in the Grand Cherokee message boards. They had drive train problems, including rear end whine and "ghost bumps," which was a jerk in the drain train when they stopped for traffic lights (They said it felt like someone had bumped them in the rear.).
I had both front window motors replaced, the air conditioning control module in the dash replaced, and the front brake rotors replaced after they had been turned once and gotten warped a second time (back rotors were turned once too).
There's no doubt in my mind that the GC is a much better SUV than any of the others. They are better looking inside and out, have better four wheel drive systems, and have a better ride.
Despite the few problems I had, I would definitely buy another one if I were going to get another SUV.
You might want to stay away from the QuadraDrive system if you get one. Maybe they've got the bugs out of them now, though. I would check the Grand Cherokee message boards before buying.
That's too bad about your gas mileage and the other stuff you've had to deal with. I sure hope that once you get that gas mileage problem solved that you will have no more trouble with your Jeep.
How many gallons do you mean when you say a "tank?" Obviously, you don't run out the tank til completely empty, so I'm guessing you are talking about somewhere around 16 gallons, which leaves about three gallons still in the tank. When you were going 350 miles on a tank, if I'm close on the 16 gallons at fill-up, that would be right at 22 miles per gallon. That's higher than anyone has posted for their mileage in here. Now, if it's more like 17 gallons at fill-up, then you were getting around 20.5 miles per gallon, which is still better than most of us.
With the drop to 260 miles per tank, and using the 17 gallon figure for your fill-up, then you are down to 15 miles per gallon. If that is mostly highway driving, then you should definitley do better than that.
You didn't say whether your type of driving changed from the time you were getting 350 miles per tank. I'm assuming that it didn't, but if it did, that could explain a lot of the drop.
Hope you get it solved. Keep us posted on your progress.
Drove my 2001 sport to work last night in heavy rain. When I got there I checked the right side foot wells for water and found none - dry as a bone. I thought I lucked out with this leak thing.
As I was getting ready to leave work this morning, I reached under the driver's seat for something, and guess what? The carpet under the left seat and in the left rear foot well was soaked. I too have the hard top, and there was no leak from above. There must be a hole in the floor somewhere allowing water to get in. (Yes, the floor plugs were in.)
Anyone else have this problem? What's the fix? Service bulletin info sfjeep?
In aircraft aerodynamics, parasite drag is resistance to airflow caused by poor streamlining, skin friction , and things sticking out into the airstream .
When airspeed doubles, parasite drag quadruples. Maybe this is what you heard.
I'm not an auto engineer, but it would seem to me that this principle would apply to a car also.
saenzski, Great Jeep! Enjoyed your story. I always had a thing for Daisy Duke too. (What guy doesn't.) Have you had any water leak problems? Or tranny noise?
Tsjay and everyone else - I was around here a few weeks ago asking about Jeeps because I may buy one later this year. Or else a pickup. Depends on what happens with my job situation. Anyone recommend some good places to buy Jeep parts/accessories? I'd like get an ideal of what's out there. Would an air deflector on a Jeep hood improve aerodynamics or make it worse? I've never owned a Chrysler product before so I'm still concerned about getting good service from them - I've heard some horror stories.
Finally I have to say you Jeep owner are probably the coolest bunch of people I've encounter on these message boards. There's quite a bit of flaming and bickering on some of the other boards. Thanks for the help. Later - Jeffer2
Glad you're back! I remember your posts, and I think I remember your saying that you would be waiting a while before getting anything.
As far as the air deflector, I assume you're talking about a bug screen? I don't know if that would help the aerodynamics or not, but I'll bet it wouldn't hurt it: I don't think you could make the aerodynamics of a Jeep any worse!
Hey, you don't buy a Jeep for gas mileage anyway. I wouldn't change anything about my Jeep, though, even if it gave me much more gas mileage. A Jeep is a Jeep, and they make no apologies.
I was asking the wind drag question just for the sake of understanding what's going on, not with the intent of trying to change anything. I guess I was just saying that slowing down when driving a Jeep is not only safer, but would also pay dividends in gas mileage.
I am getting about 17 to 18 mpg lately with my Thelma Jane, and that isn't too bad at all (for a Jeep).
Jeffer2, my man, you give up a lot of stuff when you buy a Jeep. You sacrifice gas mileage, smooth ride, room, and a quiet cabin. What you get in return is FUN! I am having more fun driving Thelma Jane than I've had with any other vehicle I've ever owned, and none of the others come close!
You sort of say "In your face" to practicality when you buy a Jeep. It's like dropping your pants and mooning Mr. Practicality! There's not one thing practical about owning a Jeep for most people's vehicle requirements. THEY ARE JUST FUN!
Just put the green down on a 2001 Sahara yesterday- my first Jeep and my first new car as well
What have people had good luck with for breaking these in? I have a 40 mile/day commute that covers city streets and expressway driving, but depending on how I do it I can weight it more heavily to one or the other.
Jeffer2, I think a Jeep is as reliable as any other vehicle you might choose to buy. They are crude, of course, but I think that they are reliable.
I have been to message boards for lots of different vehicles, and, almost without fail, the negative posts far outnumber the positive ones. You won't find that here.
In almost any other message board, there are a few people screaming about pursuing lemon laws and dealer buy-backs. There are people posting messages to the effect that they will never own another of the particular vehicle in question. Haven't seen that here.
There is an occasional post about a problem or two, but you don't hear people saying they are sorry for buying a Jeep or that they will never buy another one.
My only personal experience with a Wrangler is with my Thelma Jane, and I have had exactly zero problems in the first 2200 miles.
Whoa, ckingsbury! Don't just tell us you're getting a new Sahara: we like to hear you talk dirty to us, so give us the details.
What color? Hard top/ soft top/both tops? Auto or five speed?
Seriously, my friend, CONGRATULATIONS and welcome to the club!
Have you actually picked up your Jeep or did you order one? The way you worded your message sounds like the latter.
As far as break-in, you are going to hear all kinds of things, because everyone seems to have their own opinion. Some people say follow the owners manual to the letter, some say put the petal to the metal and don't worry about it, and some say drive it like you will be driving it under your normal conditions.
I guess my philosophy is sort of the "drive it like you are going to drive it" way of thinking. I do limit my speed for the first couple hundred miles, but I don't limit it to 50 mph, like the owners manual says. I just don't go to high speed and hold it there very long. A Jeep shouldn't be driven at 80 mph anyway.
One thing I am going to recommend from personal experience is that you go to Mobil 1 oil after the vehicle has a few thousand miles on it. I don't think you want to switch until about 5000 miles or so, but I would definitely do it then.
I had Thelma's oil changed the first time at 2000 miles, and they just put in regular oil. I am going to Mobil 1 at 5000 miles though.
I am a believer in Mobil 1 after what it did for my '94 Z28. When I switched that car to Mobil 1, I had quieter cold starts and got better gas mileage. I have used it in all of my vehicles since then (after they were broken in).
I don't really know if Mobil 1 is better than any other full synthetic oil, but I know it worked great in that Z28, so I have had no reason to experiment with others.
Try www.quadratec.com they have lots o' goodies. As far as the bug deflector, I say stay away from it. It doesn't improve anything, not even keeping the bugs off the window. I bought one and ended up with a scratched hood from where sand and other road debreis would get caught under it. Hope this helps.
Comments
One question... Does anyone know for sure if Jeep is going to start putting the 3.7L V6 in the Wrangler next year or are they going to keep that motor exclusively for the Liberty for a year or two???
Whether Mobil has such a program or not, there's not much doubt in my mind that Mobil 1 oil will extend engine life. It may not be any better than other full synthetic oils, but it is the one that I have experience with. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, my '94 Z28 had quieter cold starts and got better gas mileage when I switched it to Mobil 1.
So, how's the Jeep shopping going? Did you see shuggins' post (#845) about the deal he got? That is by far the best deal I've seen posted, unless there was a trade-in involved and he took a beating on the trade-in in order to get the new Jeep at that price.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Alee and Sparx
http://sparx.muddyyellowjeep.com
Tbanks
Tbanks
Only 14 mpg, huh? I'm getting 17 with Thelma Jane and am hoping for more after she breaks in a little more. She now has 2100 miles on her, so she may be about as broken in as she will get.
My driving is mostly highway, and I try not to get above 65 mph. This is my first Jeep, so I am still in the process of trying to break my old habit of driving 70 to 75 mph. I guess I ought to use my cruise control.
Thelma is a 5-speed, by the way.
Once again, congrats not only on getting a Jeep, but in getting such a great deal.
tsjay
How is each better or worse in: snow, sand, mud, highway? again, 4&6 cyl and various years.
I am considering a JEEP, and want to weigh used versus new, and what tranny and engine.
Also, nobody answered my tire question from before.
I have a Y2KTJ and I am about to hit 10K on it. I have had no problems nor complaints. Except the nut behind the wheel always pulls towards any mud hole. I am having a great time making this baby mine. I was calling it "the shortie" because I only have the 30in package. I am leaning toward the "TJ Pepper" I am known as Jalapeno round these parts. I have added tow hooks, CB, random decals...
The best thing I did was join a local Jeep club. I am learning from the experiences & mistakes of others.
Want to know more about me & my ride? http://www.angelfire.com/geek/jeep/
Later...
Al
Y2KTJ
Also, any thoughts on ABS? I've always considered it a modern safety feature which no car is complete without. Yet I find them rarer than hen's teeth on dealer lots. Is there a reason for this?
TIA,
-cwk.
This old boy wanted that Jeep bad enough to take out a home equity loan to pay off some of that debt on the Grand Prix in order to make the deal on the Jeep. I know that that was not a financially sound move, BUT IT SURE CURED MY WRANGLER FEVER! I don't regret it a bit.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Maybe a 98 Miata in 2002, and a 2000 Wrangler in 2001? Just gotta trade in the '92 Civic. Have wifey's 96 Jetta also.
Hmmmmm.
Still no answers on tranny/engine/tire choices....
Did you read my poem in Thelma Jane's web page? Maybe you could read it to your wife, but be prepared to duck.
http://members.aol.com/tjoh298765/thelma.html
Seriously, I do hope that things work out for an early order and delivery of your Jeep.
tsjay
As far as the transmission, I much prefer the five speed. I just enjoy driving one, but some people don't like shifting gears. I think you will have a little bit better power, better gas mileage, and less engine wear with the five speed. I drove my Jeep at a steady 65 mph in fourth gear, which is a 1:1 ratio and equal to third gear in the automatic. The RPMs were around 2800. I then shifted to fifth gear and ran a steady 65 mph, and the RPMs dropped to around 2150 or something like that. I posted the results of this experiment a while back, if you want exact numbers, but I don't remember right now. I do know that the 5th gear ratio is .78:1, so whatever RPMS I was turning in fourth gear, I was only turning 78% as many in fifth gear.
I would think your engine would have to last longer by turning so many RPMs less, and, of course, you should save some gas.
Just my humble opinion.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Tranny: I have the auto just because I don't like to shift on hills, roll back. Plus they do better in the sand, don't have to push in the clutch which causes prescious loss in momentum on the sand. The 5-speed has more low end and higher high end, but I don't need to run 100+ so I'm going to gear down to 4.10 which is the same as the 5 speed. Off-road they are very similar if set up right.
Engine: I have the 4.0L. If you plan on doing highway driving this is a must if you want to keep up with traffic. The 2.5 is great for short trips and around town, but if you ever plan on getting bigger tires, you'll have to gear down and loose alot of top end. As far as gas milage differance. It's really only about 2-4 mpg differance, so it's not a big deal. The slower you drive the more mpg you'll get. As far as year, 97's and up are pretty much the same. And as far as how they preform off-road. Pretty much equal. Both have low end that are the same, so 2.5's will keep up with any 4.0 off the road.
Now for Tires:
Can't help you on the 50's jeeps. sorry. But as far as something for on road and a fairly good off-road tire. Look into www.yokohamatire.com They have one called the Geolander. Look at the All-Terrain. They have a more aggressive tread than most A/T's but they are still pretty quiet on road, plus you'll get about 40K miles out of them. as far as what fits, all tires are different so just check with the manufactures. Other options of good road/off-road tire, look into BFG's or Baja claws, more of a mud tire though.
I have a doctor's appointment this morning, so I didn't go to work at my usual time. Instead, I went to the exit ramp, parked, and waited for my buddy to come by in the Silverstone. Sure enough, at about the expected time here she came.
It turns out that my buddy is a lady. (I couldn't tell whether the driver of the Silverstone was a guy or a gal, since we are on opposite sides of the median when we meet on the way to work.) She works at a Job Corps center right beside the exit, and, like I suspected, her hours are 8:00 AM til 4:30 PM, just like mine.
It was really nice to finally meet my buddy. She seemed like a really nice person (Well, duh! She's a Jeep owner, so what did I expect?). She really loves her Jeep, but under the circumstances, we didn't have much time to talk.
My daughter told me I was absolutely crazy for intercepting that Jeep like I did. She just doesn't understand Jeep people.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I don't think a Jeep is any different from other vehicles with manual transmissions. I haven't found mine to be any different. The clutch operates at about the same foot pressure as for other manual transmission vehicles that I have owned. The linkage on mine is smooth, and I have no trouble shifting.
So, I wouldn't make a distinction between a Jeep and other vehicles when you weigh the pros and cons of manual vs. automatic.
I can't think of any other situation where I would NOT want a 5-speed, other than the traffic jam scenario. (Well, OK, if I had a broken leg, maybe.)
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I think my mileage is picking up some, probably because she is breaking-in and also because I am learning to drive slower. Old habits are hard to break, and I used to drive 70 to 75 mph without even thinking about it. I am trying to drive Thelma 60 to 65 mph, and I am getting settled in at that range pretty well now. I could always use my cruise control, of course, but I just want to get the feel of driving at the lower speeds on my own.
Last tank gave me 18.4 mpg, the one before was 16.7, and the one before that was 17.9. My normal driving is somewhere between city and highway: I drive on four lane divided highway most of the way to work, but then I have to drive a little in town to get to my work place and to go to lunch.
I LOVE MY JEEP! I have not one regret in trading for her, even though I had a great little Grand Prix GT that only had a little less than 20,000 miles on it.
I haver never owned a vehicle that I have talked to before, at least not on a regular basis. I talk to Thelma every day!
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I just wanted to check in. I recently had to have my power steering hose replaced on the 99 SE. This is the same Jeep that at 9100 miles needed a new radiator and now at 10150 miles, needed a new power steering hose. It blew and shot power steering fluid everywhere. This Jeep has had numerous problems. The windshield washers did not work when I bought it. The break lights and turn signals like to quit working with no reason, and start again for no reason. The floor board on the passenger side always is full of water after every rain. The 2000 Sport has been behaving itself, the noise in the transmission has become tolerable. It does not leak and so far, nothing has broken or exploded. I would like to get rid of the 99 SE soon and get a more reliable, powerful and useful vehicle, most likely a full size 4x4 truck. The 2000 Sport will stay around for awhile, we like it a lot. Hope you all have a great day and enjoy your Jeeps.
Have you screamed at your Jeep today?
I consider that to be pretty good for a car that's a long way from being broken in. For comparison, I got about 12 MPG in my 98 Grand Cherokee on the first few tanks (same engine). It gradually improved to about 18 MPG.
Most of my driving (about 95%) is highway driving. With the shorter, higher C.G. Sport, I find that I am driving a slower 55-60 mph, rather than the 65-70 mph I do in the Grand Cherokee. I'm sure the slower speeds help with the gas mileage.
I have read somewhere or heard it said that wind drag goes up much more than just in straight proportion to the increase in speed. If I'm not mistaken, I think I have heard that it goes up in proportion to the SQUARE of the speed, other things being equal? In other words, going from 60 to 70 mph would result in not just a 16.7% increase in wind drag as it would be in straight proportion to speed (70/60 X 100), but would actually result in a 36% increase in wind drag (4900/3600 x 100). Is this correct?
I have also read that at highway speeds on flat ground and just cruising, not accelerating, that 80% of the engine's power output is being used just to fight wind drag.
If both of the above are true, then no wonder that slowing down helps gas mileage! Especially in a vehicle as unaerodynamic as a Jeep.
Somebody please tell me if I'm on the right track with this stuff.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I guess you've read my posts and know that Thelma has behaved herself perfectly so far.
Keep a stiff upper lip!
tsjay
I am happy that you have had a positive experience with your Jeep. They are a very fun vehicle and I have always enjoyed them. The one good thing about all of my Jeep problems is that my Jeep dealership has been very good to me and always gets my Jeep right in to fix it.
Happy Jeeping!!!!!
That was a great vehicle except for a few minor problems that were fixed with no hassle at a Jeep dealer in Illinois, where I traveled weekly on business. It had the I-6 4.0 L engine, like Thelma's, and the SelecTrac four wheel drive system. A lot of people that had the V8 and the QudraDrive system were posting complaints in the Grand Cherokee message boards. They had drive train problems, including rear end whine and "ghost bumps," which was a jerk in the drain train when they stopped for traffic lights (They said it felt like someone had bumped them in the rear.).
I had both front window motors replaced, the air conditioning control module in the dash replaced, and the front brake rotors replaced after they had been turned once and gotten warped a second time (back rotors were turned once too).
There's no doubt in my mind that the GC is a much better SUV than any of the others. They are better looking inside and out, have better four wheel drive systems, and have a better ride.
Despite the few problems I had, I would definitely buy another one if I were going to get another SUV.
You might want to stay away from the QuadraDrive system if you get one. Maybe they've got the bugs out of them now, though. I would check the Grand Cherokee message boards before buying.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
How many gallons do you mean when you say a "tank?" Obviously, you don't run out the tank til completely empty, so I'm guessing you are talking about somewhere around 16 gallons, which leaves about three gallons still in the tank. When you were going 350 miles on a tank, if I'm close on the 16 gallons at fill-up, that would be right at 22 miles per gallon. That's higher than anyone has posted for their mileage in here. Now, if it's more like 17 gallons at fill-up, then you were getting around 20.5 miles per gallon, which is still better than most of us.
With the drop to 260 miles per tank, and using the 17 gallon figure for your fill-up, then you are down to 15 miles per gallon. If that is mostly highway driving, then you should definitley do better than that.
You didn't say whether your type of driving changed from the time you were getting 350 miles per tank. I'm assuming that it didn't, but if it did, that could explain a lot of the drop.
Hope you get it solved. Keep us posted on your progress.
tsjay
Drove my 2001 sport to work last night in heavy rain. When I got there I checked the right side foot wells for water and found none - dry as a bone. I thought I lucked out with this leak thing.
As I was getting ready to leave work this morning, I reached under the driver's seat for something, and guess what? The carpet under the left seat and in the left rear foot well was soaked. I too have the hard top, and there was no leak from above. There must be a hole in the floor somewhere allowing water to get in. (Yes, the floor plugs were in.)
Anyone else have this problem? What's the fix?
Service bulletin info sfjeep?
In aircraft aerodynamics, parasite drag is resistance to airflow caused by poor streamlining, skin friction , and things sticking out into the airstream .
When airspeed doubles, parasite drag quadruples. Maybe this is what you heard.
I'm not an auto engineer, but it would seem to me that this principle would apply to a car also.
Great Jeep! Enjoyed your story. I always had a thing for Daisy Duke too. (What guy doesn't.)
Have you had any water leak problems? Or tranny noise?
Tsjay and everyone else -
I was around here a few weeks ago asking about Jeeps because I may buy one later this year. Or else a pickup. Depends on what happens with my job situation.
Anyone recommend some good places to buy Jeep parts/accessories? I'd like get an ideal of what's out there. Would an air deflector on a Jeep hood improve aerodynamics or make it worse? I've never owned a Chrysler product before so I'm still concerned about getting good service from them - I've heard some horror stories.
Finally I have to say you Jeep owner are probably the coolest bunch of people I've encounter on these message boards. There's quite a bit of flaming and bickering on some of the other boards. Thanks for the help. Later - Jeffer2
As far as the air deflector, I assume you're talking about a bug screen? I don't know if that would help the aerodynamics or not, but I'll bet it wouldn't hurt it: I don't think you could make the aerodynamics of a Jeep any worse!
Hey, you don't buy a Jeep for gas mileage anyway. I wouldn't change anything about my Jeep, though, even if it gave me much more gas mileage. A Jeep is a Jeep, and they make no apologies.
I was asking the wind drag question just for the sake of understanding what's going on, not with the intent of trying to change anything. I guess I was just saying that slowing down when driving a Jeep is not only safer, but would also pay dividends in gas mileage.
I am getting about 17 to 18 mpg lately with my Thelma Jane, and that isn't too bad at all (for a Jeep).
Jeffer2, my man, you give up a lot of stuff when you buy a Jeep. You sacrifice gas mileage, smooth ride, room, and a quiet cabin. What you get in return is FUN! I am having more fun driving Thelma Jane than I've had with any other vehicle I've ever owned, and none of the others come close!
You sort of say "In your face" to practicality when you buy a Jeep. It's like dropping your pants and mooning Mr. Practicality! There's not one thing practical about owning a Jeep for most people's vehicle requirements. THEY ARE JUST FUN!
Hope you join us sometime and get in on the fun.
tsjay
Have you hugged your gas guzzling Jeep today?
What have people had good luck with for breaking these in? I have a 40 mile/day commute that covers city streets and expressway driving, but depending on how I do it I can weight it more heavily to one or the other.
TIA.
-cwk.
I have been to message boards for lots of different vehicles, and, almost without fail, the negative posts far outnumber the positive ones. You won't find that here.
In almost any other message board, there are a few people screaming about pursuing lemon laws and dealer buy-backs. There are people posting messages to the effect that they will never own another of the particular vehicle in question. Haven't seen that here.
There is an occasional post about a problem or two, but you don't hear people saying they are sorry for buying a Jeep or that they will never buy another one.
My only personal experience with a Wrangler is with my Thelma Jane, and I have had exactly zero problems in the first 2200 miles.
tsjay
What color? Hard top/ soft top/both tops? Auto or five speed?
Seriously, my friend, CONGRATULATIONS and welcome to the club!
Have you actually picked up your Jeep or did you order one? The way you worded your message sounds like the latter.
As far as break-in, you are going to hear all kinds of things, because everyone seems to have their own opinion. Some people say follow the owners manual to the letter, some say put the petal to the metal and don't worry about it, and some say drive it like you will be driving it under your normal conditions.
I guess my philosophy is sort of the "drive it like you are going to drive it" way of thinking. I do limit my speed for the first couple hundred miles, but I don't limit it to 50 mph, like the owners manual says. I just don't go to high speed and hold it there very long. A Jeep shouldn't be driven at 80 mph anyway.
One thing I am going to recommend from personal experience is that you go to Mobil 1 oil after the vehicle has a few thousand miles on it. I don't think you want to switch until about 5000 miles or so, but I would definitely do it then.
I had Thelma's oil changed the first time at 2000 miles, and they just put in regular oil. I am going to Mobil 1 at 5000 miles though.
I am a believer in Mobil 1 after what it did for my '94 Z28. When I switched that car to Mobil 1, I had quieter cold starts and got better gas mileage. I have used it in all of my vehicles since then (after they were broken in).
I don't really know if Mobil 1 is better than any other full synthetic oil, but I know it worked great in that Z28, so I have had no reason to experiment with others.
Give us some details on that Sahara!
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?