...has got me thinking. More HP and torque is awesome. There have been times that I wished I had a big block V8. But, my Jeep has taken me to Moab, the Rubicon trail, and the Hammers. All with a 4.0L, I do have a Turbo City air tube and KN filter and a CAT-Back, but since my Jeep is reg in CA and I plan on going back, the SMOG laws limit what I can do to it.
But, I do have an OK crawl ratio. I put a TeraLow on and with 4.56s I have increased the crawl ratio by 150% over stock. It's now 81:1. Not bad. I may not be able to power up and over some things, but I sure can crawl over a bunch!
Of course that crawl ratio is nothing compared to what you can do, like take a SM420, an Atlas 4.3, a set of Klunes and 5.89s' and you can get a ratio of like 2857:1. Of course you will be red lined at like .0029 MPH!
"..Some of these so-called performance boosters may just "shift the curve,"....."
At best, that's just what they do. They're most effective on large capacity high revving engines, especially if using carburetion, and any power shift will be at the top end of the rev range. Neither Jeep engine is carburetted, nor high revving, especially the 4.0 I6.
Well, it's been a while since I've posted but it was high time to take a look back to where I started. First, wow, I've just spent about 3 days catching up on the posts, and I am so glad to see that the regulars like Mac, Twylie, Tom, and mtngal are still around... and a big welcome to all the newcomers, you've definitely come to the right place.
I've now had Buffy ('04 Rubi) for getting close to a year and a half and I love her just as much as when I first got her. No major problems thus far, and what there has been was covered under warranty (leak from rear main seal and speed sensor o-ring). I recently noticed some body rust when I took off the rear lights to put on light guards (will have to address this quickly). I've added some armor, cb, and am in the process of mounting a winch (oh yeah, and recently added my poseur toy - the clinometer, something fun for the passengers to look at). Done some mild to moderate offroading (including a good an' muddy Jeep Jam) where I got to use the lockers and the low gearing to good effect.
Anyway, some of the recent posts that caught my eye included a discussion on the limited slip option. Something that I think was missed was that the Rubi limited slip is a different design (helical gear) from other Wrangler models (clutch based). The difference being that the helical-gear based limited slip is a more rugged design and will supposedly last the lifetime of the vehicle, while clutch units wear out with extensive use. Not entirely sure what the average lifetime of a clutch based unit is, but I am sure someone will chime in...
There was also mention of the eternal discussion of auto vs. manual - there are pros and cons to going with either. I went with the manual and can positively say that in a few instances (all nasty downhills), the compression breaking was a beautiful thing compared to some of my buddies. Tires aside (I love those MTRs), where I crawled down the hill they comparatively flew. However, the low gearing can be detrimental in muddy situations... in 4 Low, I often find myself in 3rd gear (and sometimes 2nd), as otherwise I can't get enough spin to clean the lugs). But that's just one consideration.
You beat me to it regarding the helical. And helical type limited slips are becoming more and more prevalent in sports cars as well.
That reminds me, it was 1 year ago today that I picked up my Rubicon. When I pulled in the parking lot at lunch, I noticed the odometer was at 7700 miles exactly. I have not had one issue thus far, and I love it. What a shame it's going to be raining here the next two days and I can't take the top off.
Tom - I drove home on them as they were. I definitely noticed a difference after airing them down to the 28psi range.
"See if you can cut the bumpers down and reuse them" Mac - I thought about doing that. I would think it would be easiest on a band saw. I'll have to ask around and see if anyone I know has one.
One thing I forgot to mention earlier; With my old tires (31" 10.5 BFG Longtrail) I was getting some rubbing at full turn. Now that I have the BFG ATs I'm not rubbing at all :confuse: ?! I'm not complaining, thrilled actually. Just thought it was interesting.
I locked my keys in my door and as i was unlocking is with a hanger I heard a pin or bolt drop inside and then the key hole suddenly could be pull out a little and it would unlock the door. so I was wondering how your take of the door panels to get inside of it. thanks
I already took the emblem off the side of my Scout, it's a small IH, I will keep it in the future jeep. I hope the jeep has a rough noisy ride like my scout, I like to feel like I am driving!
I don't think dealers by me are offering low finacing, only the 2250 incentive including every day heros.
What colors are your jeeps?, has anyone seen the beryl green? I have not found one in a lot yet. Anyone seen it and opinion? Is there a picture post on this board of readers rides?
We were working the price up at the dealer and they subtracted the 2250 incentive from the price after tax, is that normal? They gave me a price of 23000 including tax out the door for stock unlimited with soft top and 6spd. You guys think I should go for it or look for a better deal?
Thanks for the info. I find it interesting that a different dealer is giving me a different story. I'll see what happens with the finance guy. By the way, this dealer is driving me crazy, the jeep has been in houston since Monday, but it still not at the dealer and will NOT be delivered tomorrow. The wait is killing me.
The only way to judge a deal is in relation to invoice. That doesn't sound like a bad deal, since it includes tax and license and the whole nine yards, but to really know for sure, we would need to know how close to invoice price you are getting that Jeep for.
Good luck.
Oh, and as far as color, we all know that a white Jeep with a black top is the best looking combination.
I haven't seen one on the road, but here's a link to a picture of a Rubi Unlimited. The great thing about Jeeps is, just about all colors look good. Mine is "Chili Pepper Red" (Maroon) with a Tan top. I love this color combo.
>I hope the jeep has a rough noisy ride like my scout, I like to feel like I am driving!
Normally I would say yes, but compared to a Scout? The Jeep interior might feel like a Porsche. Uninitiated friends who get in my Wrangler liken it to the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland, if that means anything.
>What colors are your jeeps?
Silver. With full silver doors and black soft top. My first new bike as a kid was a silver wheelie bike. Thought I'd keep the tradition going.
Has anyone recieved a recall on their 2005 Wrangler. I have a 05 Rubi Unlimited and recieved a recall yesterday regarding oil pump arm? and transmission anyone else recieved this recall or had it repaired.
YES!! I own a Beryl Green Rubi Unlimited and absolutely luv the color especially with the Kahkie top, it goes great together.......I have the soft top i like it, but kinda wish i had the dual tops. Its just the soft top is louder on the highway while the hardtop makes the wrangler more quiet and also for the security reasons and the easy open rear hatch for groceries and other stuff.......
Kind of new to the Jeep world. Looking at a 1999 Wrangler, Sahara package, automatic, hardtop, AC, cruise control, alloy wheels, tow package, aftermarket (?) transmission cooler. 49K miles, recently replaced rebuilt tranny. They are asking $13,900. I don't know what rear axle it has, but I am having my brother-in-law (big Jeep guy) look at it tonight.
Any opinions? I don't think it is worth the $13,900, so I am looking for any input. It is in pretty good shape but the interior needs some cleaning.
3 years ago today I signed on the dotted line for my Sienna Sport with tan interior and soft top. In the neighborhood of 24,000 miles on it and the only problem that I did not cause myself was with the driveshaft. It was replaced under warranty a couple of years ago.
On a good day 16 mpg or there abouts. On a bad day (wind) less then 11 mpg.
Have put lots of armor under it and went to BFG mud tires on AR767 wheels at around 500 miles. Thinking about a light bar on the bumper with some KC lights and maybe the OME kit for another 2 inches.
Took Brown Betty in to the dealer on Tuesday and had them do a tune up, rotate and balance the tires, change the fluids in both differentials and the transfer case, oil change and filter with Mobil 1 synthetic. Went to synthetic at around 16,000 miles. $420.03 for the whole shooting match.
Still a happy camper. I hope to be able to keep a Jeep around as long as I am able to climb up into it.
Yesterday I stopped and talked to a soldier who lives in the barracks across the street from where I work. He had a brand new Sport in solid black with hard top parked in the street. Said a Jeep had always been his dream car. He repeated that a couple of times. Guess I can understand that.
I am seeing more and more Jeeps on post since the folks have come back from Iraq.
Oh yea, I have met the Mayor in person and have actually driven Thelma Jane. Ross Allen is the brains in the bunch and also has the looks.
Important point to check here. When an auto dies it usually dumps a load of crud into it's cooler located in the bottom of the radiator, usually necessitating the replacement of the radiator. Check to see if the aftermarket cooler has been plumbed in addition to the OE one at the bottom of the radiator, and not in place of it. Also check to see if the radiator is new. The cooler section can be cleaned, but it's not often successful.
An aftermarket cooler is a great addition to the original, but is nowhere near as efficient as the original one.
The seller stated that there was a complete radiator flush performed at the same time as when the cooler was installed. It was installed after the original transmission went out. The dealer put in a rebuilt transmission at about 44K miles.
I will ask about the plumbing arrangement and will check the radiator condition. That was good info. Thanks again!
Hi Gang - Ordered my Jeep yesterday. Made a couple posts on the pricing forum to check on "PPA" and "DAA" charges which seemed a bit steep to me and gave me a brief moment of buyer's regret last night (not for buying the Jeep but for maybe being too eager and agreeing to what I started to think was extra price padding I hadn't accounted for in my research). However, after checking a couple local dealers via email quotes this morning, I found both the other dealers appear to be charging for the same "PPA" (dealer code=L24) and "DAA" (dealer code=E24) charges. In fact, my dealer ended up being a few hundred dollars less than the lowest quote from the other two.
For those researching numbers to buy a Wrangler Unlimited, here are my details in hopes it helps...No haggle-prices using my company's Affiliate Rewards connection (aka Friends/Family/Partners - or FFP) which touts 1% under invoice. My dealer is in SE Michigan.
Prices below are from the two columns in a printout from my dealer listed as "MSRP" and "FWP" (supposedly invoice)...
Wrangler Unlimited White/Khaki 23,895 / 21,877 Automatic 825 / 726 Security Group 295 / 260 Locking Fuel Cap 15 / 13 Front Floor Mats 30 / 26 Dual Top 1,435 / 1,263 Bodyside Steps 150 / 132 8 gallons gas 0 / 15 Customer Loyalty Mailing 0 / 25 Detroit Metro - PPA/EB-PF 0 / 280 Detroit Metro - DAA 0 / 240
Total 27,305 / 25,517
FFP Price = $25,262 (1% under the FWP "invoice" price above) 6% Sales Tax = $1,515.72 (Michigan law requires paying tax on before rebate price) Title $23.00 Total Delivered Price = $26,800 Minus $500 former military Minus $750 (assuming it's still there when the Wrangler is delivered) Minus $1,000 Chrysler Finance (again, assuming they still offer that at deliverly)
Out the door price = $24,550
Minimum Chrysler Finance amount needed to get the $1,000 rebate is $2,000 for at least six months.
My concern about my price last night was because those gas, customer mailing, PPA, and DAA costs were not figured in the Affiliate Rewards price provided directly from the Jeep website. Their price was 24,722 before rebates, taxes, and fees. My dealers price was $540 over that amount due to those other charges. That's why my antenna went up even though my dealer insisted they have to recoup those charges on "invoice" deals like this. So you know, Jeep website shows the Preferred Discount due to the Affiliate Rewards at $2,583 off the sticker price before rebates.
Now, can I stand the three week wait???? I'm very excited to join the Jeep family...finally, after waiting almost 20 years!!
BTW, how can you order a Jeep and get it delivered in three weeks? I got Thelma Jane in three weeks and two days, but I thought that was supposed to be very unusual. Factory must be caught up with orders, like they were when I ordered Thelma Jane.
Welcome to all the new Wrangler owners! I can't believe how many new owners are here!
I have an electric lime green 04 Unlimited with black soft top. It isn't a real lime green - more of a true green, very bright. It is similar to the green the national forest uses, though brighter. I still really like it, and it certainly is distinctive!
As far as cost goes - all these people are going really well - probably better than I did in September. Mine was $24,500 out the door, before rebates of $1500 (ended up being $2000 because they gave me credit for a $500 coupon for attending Camp Jeep I received a couple of days after I bought it).
I also have a black hard top 98 Sport that looks two-toned - the flares are quite grey now.
I paid $25,800 out the door for my 05 rubi unlimited soft top. Pretty good deal i thought but if i waited just 2 months coulda picked it up even cheaper as the incentives had increased, but ya never know what the incentives will be unless ya got inside knowledge. I luv the jeep wave its like having an extended family, lol. In the short time ive been a wrangler owner i have had many people wanting to see the rubi unlimited and many others express their desire to own another or their first wrangler. It seems that somewhere deep inside lots of people want a wrangler just not everyone takes the jump to ownership.......
Yep, you're not alone, many 05's and very late 04's Rubicons have been hit with this recall. I have not received one on my '04 so far, but there is a thread several pages long on the Rubicon forum I frequent...
I haven't received a recall letter by mail yet, but checked on jeep.com in the owners -recall section and it says a recall was issued 3-21-05 for the oil pump drive gear on my 2005. It states that the gear may wear out prematurely. I've got an appointment monday to drop off my unlimited at the dealer. I took the cover off the camshaft position sensor/oil pump drive shaft assembly and I found that it has about .030 of backlash in the gear and about .075 end play on the shaft if I lift up on it. The .030 backlash is probably a little much but the .075 end play seems to me to be way to much to me anyway. The notification states that it's about an hour fix unless the gear on the cam is damaged, then it turns into an all day job. I'll let ya know what they fixed when they get' er done..
Does anyone else feel that they may have the worst luck when it comes to their vehicle?
It seems as though my Jeep waits until I'm broke before it breaks, no matter how much money I spend dressing it up. This morning the oil pump went out on me and I dont exactly have the money to replace it.
Anyways, the question I was gonna ask is should I get the standard factory replacement, or the high flow replacement? Or does it really even matter?
I love my Jeep, but its getting to that point where I'm tired of fixing it.
Are you sure that the oil pump has gone bad ? Did you get a check engine light, check gauges light or something like that? Sometimes the gauges or the sending units go bad. One on my wifes car went bad, double checked oil pressure with a mechanical gauge then replaced the sending unit, fixed for about 40 bucks.. But if you did lose oil pressure and ran the engine much at all damage could be far more than an oil pump . there are probably several other things that could cause low oil pressure and a good manual may help if you dont already have one.
I have aftermarket duels on my 85 cj-7 .All the emissions stuff is just hanging under the hood and causing vacuum leaks galore! I want to get rid of what I can. What about the old wiring?
Okay, gotta play with that photo upload feature, so here is a pic from today's wheelin'. I was at Turkey Bay, as usual, and this is a little creek crossing that is kinda fun. It gets you nose down BIG TIME and even a little off camber for additional thrills.
Tomster
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
EDIT
Either the feature has not been activated yet, or I don't know how to use it. I'll try again later.
Well, something is still wrong. Now it seems like the program is trying to work, whereas before, things just went so fast that it was obvious that no file transfer was taking place.
Thanks for all the great info regarding my past post.
I have noticed that the newer 2005 Unlimiteds have different side windows on the soft top. Anyone else notice this? Looks more like the regular TJ with the split canvas through the window. Anyone now if they changed the design already from the full windows of the 2004 model year? I like the original design, reminds me of scout, I hope they did not change it. Anyone now whats up?
my 05 unlimited was built 12/04 with the dual top package and the soft top has solid quarter windows no canvas, but I've seen some recently at dealers with the canvas running through them. I was wondering why myself.
There's a problem with the system for getting members to upload pictures. The hosts' version has been in place for a while and debugged. Our computer people are working on it and it should be working soon. Did I just hear you volunteer to test it also?
Thanks for the info - I got an email a couple of days ago asking me to help test it. I didn't want to say anything until I tried it out (and anyway, I was in Vegas this past weekend so didn't have my computer hooked up to the internet). I'm always happy to have new toys to play with!
Getting back on the Wrangler topic - I had long ago figured out that there was a huge difference in gas mileage between 60-65 and above 65-70 with the Sport. The Unlimited did not have a similar pattern - there was little difference between those speeds. However, Thursday when we drove to Vegas the weather was terrible so we slowed down to 55-60. We got about 2 mpg more going that much slower (we even got 21 mpg on the downhill part - we usually get 19). With the price of gas the way it is, it's nice to know how slow I have to go to save money.
My Unlimited finally came in on Saturday and I am sooooo happy to finally have it. I went into the dealer, signed the paperwork and drove off a very happy man.
As for the design on the soft top windows - I think it was a design change that took place mid-year. All new unlimiteds (including mine) have this. For me it was a bonus because I like the way it looks, but I did find it surprising Jeep changed the design in the middle of the model year.
Thanks for everybody who posts on this board - I received alot of good info leading up the time I ordered my jeep.
Sorry for the late update, it was a very busy weekend.
I took delivery of my Wrangler on Saturday. It was drizzling, which sucked. Very amped none the less.
I have put 220 miles on her and no signs of trouble, although at first there was a slight squeak from the drivers seat. It seems to have cleared up but I will keep an ear on it.
I think the factory and dealership screwed up, I ordered dual tops in the dark khaki color. My hard top looks black (as coal) to me and the soft top looks like "dark khaki". Gonna have to call on this one.
My two biggest gripes are the fact that DC does not include:
1. the T30 and T40 bits to remove the hardtop/softtop ($27 after taxes to get a 8 piece set at the local hardware store) and
2. the spare tire does not have a security lug nut. The manual states the "add-a-trunk" has a holder for the tool (which it does). What the heck for if you don't get one!?!?!?
I also see that the utility straps are no longer included? No big deal as I never used the ones on my 2000 Sahara. Jeeze, DC, come on!
Thanks for letting me rant. Overall I am happy and will be tooling around with a big grin on my face!
>The manual states the "add-a-trunk" has a holder for the tool (which it does).
Do you mean for the lug nut key or the T30/40 bits?
Yeah, that's a pain that DC doesn't offer all those things, but one way to spin it is that there's no end to the toys/accessories you can buy for your Jeep. (2005 and a cigarette lighter and coat hanger aren't standard?!). Think of the fun you'll have!
I've seen a bunch of Wranglers lately in a color I like. Don't get me wrong, I love my Silver Sport, but my second choice would have been this blue -- sort of a steely blue, or even an Air Force blue. They didn't offer it in 2004; I think it might have been last seen in 2003. Any one know exactly what they called this color? Just curious. Thx.
Comments
But, I do have an OK crawl ratio. I put a TeraLow on and with 4.56s I have increased the crawl ratio by 150% over stock. It's now 81:1. Not bad. I may not be able to power up and over some things, but I sure can crawl over a bunch!
Of course that crawl ratio is nothing compared to what you can do, like take a SM420, an Atlas 4.3, a set of Klunes and 5.89s' and you can get a ratio of like 2857:1. Of course you will be red lined at like .0029 MPH!
At best, that's just what they do. They're most effective on large capacity high revving engines, especially if using carburetion, and any power shift will be at the top end of the rev range. Neither Jeep engine is carburetted, nor high revving, especially the 4.0 I6.
Well, it's been a while since I've posted but it was high time to take a look back to where I started. First, wow, I've just spent about 3 days catching up on the posts, and I am so glad to see that the regulars like Mac, Twylie, Tom, and mtngal are still around... and a big welcome to all the newcomers, you've definitely come to the right place.
I've now had Buffy ('04 Rubi) for getting close to a year and a half and I love her just as much as when I first got her. No major problems thus far, and what there has been was covered under warranty (leak from rear main seal and speed sensor o-ring). I recently noticed some body rust when I took off the rear lights to put on light guards (will have to address this quickly). I've added some armor, cb, and am in the process of mounting a winch (oh yeah, and recently added my poseur toy - the clinometer, something fun for the passengers to look at). Done some mild to moderate offroading (including a good an' muddy Jeep Jam) where I got to use the lockers and the low gearing to good effect.
Anyway, some of the recent posts that caught my eye included a discussion on the limited slip option. Something that I think was missed was that the Rubi limited slip is a different design (helical gear) from other Wrangler models (clutch based). The difference being that the helical-gear based limited slip is a more rugged design and will supposedly last the lifetime of the vehicle, while clutch units wear out with extensive use. Not entirely sure what the average lifetime of a clutch based unit is, but I am sure someone will chime in...
There was also mention of the eternal discussion of auto vs. manual - there are pros and cons to going with either. I went with the manual and can positively say that in a few instances (all nasty downhills), the compression breaking was a beautiful thing compared to some of my buddies. Tires aside (I love those MTRs), where I crawled down the hill they comparatively flew. However, the low gearing can be detrimental in muddy situations... in 4 Low, I often find myself in 3rd gear (and sometimes 2nd), as otherwise I can't get enough spin to clean the lugs). But that's just one consideration.
Lovin' it,
Andrew
$5000. 4 payments to pay it off with no penalty.
That reminds me, it was 1 year ago today that I picked up my Rubicon. When I pulled in the parking lot at lunch, I noticed the odometer was at 7700 miles exactly. I have not had one issue thus far, and I love it. What a shame it's going to be raining here the next two days and I can't take the top off.
Jeff ....Sales said minimum to finance was 5000 for the 1000 rebate.
You need to make payments for 4 months .....after that..... should you pay
it off , there will be no penalty.
"See if you can cut the bumpers down and reuse them"
Mac - I thought about doing that. I would think it would be easiest on a band saw.
I'll have to ask around and see if anyone I know has one.
One thing I forgot to mention earlier; With my old tires (31" 10.5 BFG Longtrail)
I was getting some rubbing at full turn. Now that I have the BFG ATs I'm not rubbing at all :confuse: ?! I'm not complaining, thrilled actually. Just thought it was interesting.
-Dan
I already took the emblem off the side of my Scout, it's a small IH, I will keep it in the future jeep. I hope the jeep has a rough noisy ride like my scout, I like to feel like I am driving!
I don't think dealers by me are offering low finacing, only the 2250 incentive including every day heros.
What colors are your jeeps?, has anyone seen the beryl green? I have not found one in a lot yet. Anyone seen it and opinion? Is there a picture post on this board of readers rides?
We were working the price up at the dealer and they subtracted the 2250 incentive from the price after tax, is that normal? They gave me a price of 23000 including tax out the door for stock unlimited with soft top and 6spd. You guys think I should go for it or look for a better deal?
Thanks again!
Jeff
Why don't you call the guy in charge of finance and ask him over the phone?
Tell him your getting a different story from another dealer. I'm sure they will
be concerned about the other dealer (that being my dealer
name of the dealer (Mt Joy, PA). hope that was ok to post.
Lew
The only way to judge a deal is in relation to invoice. That doesn't sound like a bad deal, since it includes tax and license and the whole nine yards, but to really know for sure, we would need to know how close to invoice price you are getting that Jeep for.
Good luck.
Oh, and as far as color, we all know that a white Jeep with a black top is the best looking combination.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
White with black top? I had a 91....give me
Yellow with black top :shades:
I haven't seen one on the road, but here's a link to a picture of a Rubi Unlimited.
The great thing about Jeeps is, just about all colors look good.
Mine is "Chili Pepper Red" (Maroon) with a Tan top. I love this color combo.
http://carinfo.autofi.com/cardealers/vehicle.aspx?category=1&dealerid=31&stockno=CN34135&s- - i=AZCarDealers
-Dan
Normally I would say yes, but compared to a Scout? The Jeep interior might feel like a Porsche.
>What colors are your jeeps?
Silver. With full silver doors and black soft top. My first new bike as a kid was a silver wheelie bike. Thought I'd keep the tradition going.
-Mike
Kind of new to the Jeep world. Looking at a 1999 Wrangler, Sahara package, automatic, hardtop, AC, cruise control, alloy wheels, tow package, aftermarket (?) transmission cooler. 49K miles, recently replaced rebuilt tranny. They are asking $13,900. I don't know what rear axle it has, but I am having my brother-in-law (big Jeep guy) look at it tonight.
Any opinions? I don't think it is worth the $13,900, so I am looking for any input. It is in pretty good shape but the interior needs some cleaning.
On a good day 16 mpg or there abouts. On a bad day (wind) less then 11 mpg.
Have put lots of armor under it and went to BFG mud tires on AR767 wheels at around 500 miles. Thinking about a light bar on the bumper with some KC lights and maybe the OME kit for another 2 inches.
Took Brown Betty in to the dealer on Tuesday and had them do a tune up, rotate and balance the tires, change the fluids in both differentials and the transfer case, oil change and filter with Mobil 1 synthetic. Went to synthetic at around 16,000 miles. $420.03 for the whole shooting match.
Still a happy camper. I hope to be able to keep a Jeep around as long as I am able to climb up into it.
Yesterday I stopped and talked to a soldier who lives in the barracks across the street from where I work. He had a brand new Sport in solid black with hard top parked in the street. Said a Jeep had always been his dream car. He repeated that a couple of times. Guess I can understand that.
I am seeing more and more Jeeps on post since the folks have come back from Iraq.
Oh yea, I have met the Mayor in person and have actually driven Thelma Jane. Ross Allen is the brains in the bunch and also has the looks.
I've always suspected the former (as my dog is much smarter than I am), and the latter has been apparent since the first pictures were posted. :P
Important point to check here. When an auto dies it usually dumps a load of crud into it's cooler located in the bottom of the radiator, usually necessitating the replacement of the radiator. Check to see if the aftermarket cooler has been plumbed in addition to the OE one at the bottom of the radiator, and not in place of it. Also check to see if the radiator is new. The cooler section can be cleaned, but it's not often successful.
An aftermarket cooler is a great addition to the original, but is nowhere near as efficient as the original one.
The seller stated that there was a complete radiator flush performed at the same time as when the cooler was installed. It was installed after the original transmission went out. The dealer put in a rebuilt transmission at about 44K miles.
I will ask about the plumbing arrangement and will check the radiator condition. That was good info. Thanks again!
For those researching numbers to buy a Wrangler Unlimited, here are my details in hopes it helps...No haggle-prices using my company's Affiliate Rewards connection (aka Friends/Family/Partners - or FFP) which touts 1% under invoice.
My dealer is in SE Michigan.
Prices below are from the two columns in a printout from my dealer listed as "MSRP" and "FWP" (supposedly invoice)...
Wrangler Unlimited White/Khaki 23,895 / 21,877
Automatic 825 / 726
Security Group 295 / 260
Locking Fuel Cap 15 / 13
Front Floor Mats 30 / 26
Dual Top 1,435 / 1,263
Bodyside Steps 150 / 132
8 gallons gas 0 / 15
Customer Loyalty Mailing 0 / 25
Detroit Metro - PPA/EB-PF 0 / 280
Detroit Metro - DAA 0 / 240
Total 27,305 / 25,517
FFP Price = $25,262 (1% under the FWP "invoice" price above)
6% Sales Tax = $1,515.72 (Michigan law requires paying tax on before rebate price)
Title $23.00
Total Delivered Price = $26,800
Minus $500 former military
Minus $750 (assuming it's still there when the Wrangler is delivered)
Minus $1,000 Chrysler Finance (again, assuming they still offer that at deliverly)
Out the door price = $24,550
Minimum Chrysler Finance amount needed to get the $1,000 rebate is $2,000 for at least six months.
My concern about my price last night was because those gas, customer mailing, PPA, and DAA costs were not figured in the Affiliate Rewards price provided directly from the Jeep website. Their price was 24,722 before rebates, taxes, and fees. My dealers price was $540 over that amount due to those other charges. That's why my antenna went up even though my dealer insisted they have to recoup those charges on "invoice" deals like this. So you know, Jeep website shows the Preferred Discount due to the Affiliate Rewards at $2,583 off the sticker price before rebates.
Now, can I stand the three week wait???? I'm very excited to join the Jeep family...finally, after waiting almost 20 years!!
The minimun time to finance is roughly 3 weeks, or as long as it takes to assign an account number. That is the official rule.
What is taking place is that since nobody has researched the rules, nobody knows. Since they don't know, they make something up that sounds good.
SUPER! I'm happy for ya, Dude!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeehawwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!
BTW, how can you order a Jeep and get it delivered in three weeks? I got Thelma Jane in three weeks and two days, but I thought that was supposed to be very unusual. Factory must be caught up with orders, like they were when I ordered Thelma Jane.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I have an electric lime green 04 Unlimited with black soft top. It isn't a real lime green - more of a true green, very bright. It is similar to the green the national forest uses, though brighter. I still really like it, and it certainly is distinctive!
As far as cost goes - all these people are going really well - probably better than I did in September. Mine was $24,500 out the door, before rebates of $1500 (ended up being $2000 because they gave me credit for a $500 coupon for attending Camp Jeep I received a couple of days after I bought it).
I also have a black hard top 98 Sport that looks two-toned - the flares are quite grey now.
I paid $25,800 out the door for my 05 rubi unlimited soft top. Pretty good deal i thought but if i waited just 2 months coulda picked it up even cheaper as the incentives had increased, but ya never know what the incentives will be unless ya got inside knowledge. I luv the jeep wave its like having an extended family, lol. In the short time ive been a wrangler owner i have had many people wanting to see the rubi unlimited and many others express their desire to own another or their first wrangler. It seems that somewhere deep inside lots of people want a wrangler just not everyone takes the jump to ownership.......
It seems as though my Jeep waits until I'm broke before it breaks, no matter how much money I spend dressing it up. This morning the oil pump went out on me and I dont exactly have the money to replace it.
Anyways, the question I was gonna ask is should I get the standard factory replacement, or the high flow replacement? Or does it really even matter?
I love my Jeep, but its getting to that point where I'm tired of fixing it.
However, as Scott said, are you sure it's the pump that's the problem?
Tomster
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
EDIT
Either the feature has not been activated yet, or I don't know how to use it. I'll try again later.
Tomster
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I have noticed that the newer 2005 Unlimiteds have different side windows on the soft top. Anyone else notice this? Looks more like the regular TJ with the split canvas through the window. Anyone now if they changed the design already from the full windows of the 2004 model year? I like the original design, reminds me of scout, I hope they did not change it. Anyone now whats up?
tidester - since it worked for you, can you email me and let me know how you got it to work.
tidester, host
Getting back on the Wrangler topic - I had long ago figured out that there was a huge difference in gas mileage between 60-65 and above 65-70 with the Sport. The Unlimited did not have a similar pattern - there was little difference between those speeds. However, Thursday when we drove to Vegas the weather was terrible so we slowed down to 55-60. We got about 2 mpg more going that much slower (we even got 21 mpg on the downhill part - we usually get 19). With the price of gas the way it is, it's nice to know how slow I have to go to save money.
As for the design on the soft top windows - I think it was a design change that took place mid-year. All new unlimiteds (including mine) have this. For me it was a bonus because I like the way it looks, but I did find it surprising Jeep changed the design in the middle of the model year.
Thanks for everybody who posts on this board - I received alot of good info leading up the time I ordered my jeep.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Pics! Gotta have some pics!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I took delivery of my Wrangler on Saturday. It was drizzling, which sucked. Very amped none the less.
I have put 220 miles on her and no signs of trouble, although at first there was a slight squeak from the drivers seat. It seems to have cleared up but I will keep an ear on it.
I think the factory and dealership screwed up, I ordered dual tops in the dark khaki color. My hard top looks black (as coal) to me and the soft top looks like "dark khaki". Gonna have to call on this one.
My two biggest gripes are the fact that DC does not include:
1. the T30 and T40 bits to remove the hardtop/softtop ($27 after taxes to get a 8 piece set at the local hardware store) and
2. the spare tire does not have a security lug nut. The manual states the "add-a-trunk" has a holder for the tool (which it does). What the heck for if you don't get one!?!?!?
I also see that the utility straps are no longer included? No big deal as I never used the ones on my 2000 Sahara. Jeeze, DC, come on!
Thanks for letting me rant. Overall I am happy and will be tooling around with a big grin on my face!
Semper Fi,
Mike
>The manual states the "add-a-trunk" has a holder for the tool (which it does).
Do you mean for the lug nut key or the T30/40 bits?
Yeah, that's a pain that DC doesn't offer all those things, but one way to spin it is that there's no end to the toys/accessories you can buy for your Jeep. (2005 and a cigarette lighter and coat hanger aren't standard?!). Think of the fun you'll have!
-Mike