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http://cartalk.cars.com/Columns/Archive/1996/September/10.html
My Chevy pickup manual says it could void the warranty. Still they tried to sell it to me, sigh. Scotchguard on a Wrangler ! ! ! Dirt is a badge of honor. Heck, the mayor is even putting dents in his ride.
Gary
Must... wait... patiently...
Andrew
- Cute pic Tom.
Andrew - it sounds like you've got a good deal on that Rubi so taking a bit of a hit (as long as you can afford it) wouldn't be that big of a deal. I'll most likely try to trade in my Taco when I can afford to - I'm not going to get much for it anyway, and I'd rather not have to try to sell it myself. When I sold the Nissan I put in the ad "after 6pm" and would come home every day to dozens of phone messages. I was really surprised how many calls I got on it - granted, I didn't ask much for it but I made a point to say it needed tranny work. In fact, I sold it the first day and it was towed off the next day (the tranny was VERY dead). The calls kept coming in for 2 weeks! If I can possibly afford it, I'd rather trade the Taco - I'm willing to "pay" for the convenience of the dealer getting rid of it.
Andrew
It has worked out real well for me to have that little S-10 to drive to work.
I can leave Thelma Jane topless and doorless and keep her in the garage, if it is raining or threatening rain.
I get better gas mileage, of course, with the S-10 too.
Also, driving the truck has kept the mileage down on Thelma Jane. I have put 33,000 miles on that S-10 since I bought it, and all of those miles would have been on Thelma Jane otherwise. So, instead of having a Jeep with 39K miles on it, I would have had a Jeep with 72K miles on it, if I hadn't had the truck.
Hey, Thelma Jane WAS my daily driver for the first seven months that I had her, and I had no problem at all using her like that. It's just that it made sense to put miles on an old truck instead of a new Jeep. The S-10 had 134K miles on it when I bought it, so depreciation really wasn't a factor at all as I racked up those 33K miles that I have put on it.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
So, TURN UP THE HEAT!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
P.S. Please stop using that darned Celsius scale for your outdoor temperatures! Geez! It says I can expect temperatures down to -18 degrees (with the wind chill factor)! That sounds WAY TO COLD! That converts to 0 degrees Farenheit, and even that doesn't sound good, so you don't have to make it worse!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I expect you already have it, but for anyone else interested, here's a link:
http://www.nthdegreemobility.com/tt.htm
We took a look at the new car dealers today and I really can't make up my mind. The new Prius looks very nice, has comfortable seats and you can't argue with 50 mpg with my 150 mile daily commute. On the other hand, that new Ford F-150 extended cab truck is very appealing - comfortable also, easy to handle and adjustable pedals are wonderful for "vertically challenged" people like me. But wait - I love the practical interior of the Element. And then there's the WRX that mixes FUN with the ability to get through snow easily. Now how's that for vehicles to compare??!!!?? If I can't make up my mind, perhaps I should just get a second Wrangler - at least I KNOW that I love them...
Turn up the heat? In Canada? In winter? They grow 'em potent down there, eh? lol. I haven't checked what the weather is supposed to be like down East, but in Edmonton it's chilly enough. No cold snaps yet, but those usually don't hit until late December and then in January. Have a good trip though... and remember, don't lick any metal posts while you're up here, eh?!
Mtngal, plenty of choices out there. Although I am not keen on the styling, you can also get some pretty decent mileage out of the Nissan Murano(?) along with room and awd...
Andrew
I'm hoping that my Wrangler will last the same way!
We'll be putting in some cleaner gas for a while, but at 1.99 9/10 per gallon, we'll probably go back to midgrade or the cheap stuff at Chevron.
As for the gauge, is there any way to fix it? Will it involved dropping the tank to fix something in there? If that is the case, we'll get used to using the trip odo.
-Paul
There was a fix for the sender on the '97. You can get a dealer to bring up on their computer whether it was fixed under warranty. However, it wasn't always successful. The fuel gauge isn't directly linked the sender in the tank. The fuel sender signals the PCM which in turn tells the fuel gauge what to display. Filling by odometer reading is a good plan. I like to do it when about a quarter of a tank remains.
Also, it was quite an adventure to find some 13" winter wiper blades at the local parts stores.
I am not used to having a vehicle climb over the snow instead of through it like my Ram. What a change!
I don't know about anybody else, but ice builds up awful at the bottom of the windshield. DC
should have put in some defrost elements in there!
-Bill
Don't turn up the heat, crank up the snow!
Mtngal, we definitely have enough to share if you can find a way to come pick it up.:)
Rich
Don't have any info for ya on the kayak rack, but I just wanted to welcome you and congratulate you.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
The only product I have found is Lange Original's "The Rack" on 4wd.com . Looks like a good product, (it should be for the price- $367.95) but having the rack rest on the spare tire seems like a hassle. I'm thinking of getting a heavy duty light bar for the front and possibly have someone weld me up a bar to slip into the receiver hitch in the rear.
Post a note if you find a inexpensive product that will work and I'll do the same!
-Bill
Hey, has anyone attended a Jeep Jamboree? I am thinking of attending the Maine Mountain Jamboree next October. I don't really have any off-road experience, just some rough logging road driving. It seems kind of expensive to attend the event though. I guess I have enough time to save my pennies.
-Bill.
Welcome aboard!
-Pete
-Paul
http://www.ewylie.com/images/kayak/destin020916/P9191601.JPG
-twylie
I have some pics and video and hopefully I will get some posted soon.
I think Mayor Tom needs to go on one. They have 3 in KY. I will drive up for it if he does. Tom could also find a bunch of other Jeepers to go wheeling with on the weekends.
Here's hoping that the timeline is feasible.
Andrew
I guess you're gonna track the progress during the shipping phase? You been to twylie's site and found out how to track the rail shipment?
Keep us posted!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Walt
AIN'T NO OTHER VEHICLE IN THE WORLD THAT I COULD OWN FOR THREE YEARS AND STILL BE SO EXCITED ABOUT!
Yeeeeeeeeeehawwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just made payment #36, so still two years to go. It feels so good to have a vehicle that I can pay completely off and know that I will still be thrilled with it at the end of the payments.
I can see some serious mods coming when the payments are done with. Still want to keep her very much street worthy, but there will be some goodies for her.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Tom - Congrats on the 3 years! What a difference between vehicles - you are now celebrating the fact that you are over half way to having her paid off and owned outright. I, on the other hand, recently celebrated the 3 year anniversary of the buying the Taco. I'm excited about that because I am getting closer to being on the right side of the note and I'll be able to finally dump it...
Aren't Wranglers so much fun! I celebrated getting the pink slip for my Noble Black Steed by fixing the dash gauges, and perhaps this weekend he'll get a bath (he needs it after the St. George trip). It's a Jeep day forecast today - they are talking snow levels at 5,000 feet. Hooray!
Thanks in advice.
Future Jeep Junkie
Not that I am aware of. I'm sure you've done this but are you sure you're clicking the "accept" settings link after you've done the login? You might also try clearing your browser's cache as that occasionally can lead to problems.
tidester, host
It was not in perfect condition, but workable. The biggest issue was the exhaust manifold, which was cracked and had a leak. I had to replace it, then a week later, the catalytic died. That was not fun. But other than that, I've done all my repairs myself.
97 and 98's had the most issues with the exhaust. After 98, I think things are a lot better. With the repairs and mods I've done, the Jeep is a good reliable vehicle.
Here's what I've done, some required, some not:
1. Replaced top (leaking) with Sailcloth Replace-a-top.
2. Replaced carpeting
3. Added Seat Covers
4. Installed Soundbar with 6x9's
5. New Stereo
6. Door Sill Guards
7. Repair - Valve Cover Seals - EASY
8. Repair - Replaced leaking Radiator - EASY to Moderate (fixed with tightening hoses better)
9. Replaced SE Wheels with Canyons and 30x9.5 BFG AT KO's
10. New lights and fog lamps (install soon, but ordered)
You can see the car at http://community.webshots.com/user/skimblz_ to see how it ended up.
Once those repairs were done, it has been driving great. I suspect most of those repairs came about because previous owners didn't do routine maintenance, so when looking, check into that.
Based on my experiences, when you look at a used TJ, check for:
1. Scraped underside to indicate offroading
2. Check the differentials (both on the pumpkin side and on the driveshaft side to check for leaks. That may be an issue for tranny reliability, IMO.
3. Check the engine compartment to check for other leaks (oil, coolant, etc). Some may be easy to fix, some may not be - it depends.
For a best bet, a stock TJ would probably represent a better value. A modded TJ would probably have been used offroad and you may not necessarily know how much it had been abused.
You CAN find a great TJ even in the 30-50k range. I live in soCal and I put 30,000 on a car per YEAR! My 2002 BMW already has 52,000+ on it, my 2000 JGC has 82,000. Mileage isn't always an indicator on wear. Almost all my miles are highway (80+ percent). My 1999 Civic had 94,000 miles on it when I sold it, but it had the original brake pads with over 60% of the pad left. Go figure.
Good luck and let us know what you find.
-Paul
Tom, I did check out Twylie's site... I just might try and track it that way. Almost willing to let it be a surprise (I'd hate to get my hopes up and then encounter a delay)... Last but not least, congrats on passing the 3 year mark.
In regards to mods... what sort of mods can you put in without voiding the warranty? I haven't looked into it, but suspect I may have to go pretty well mod-free for the duration of the warranty (and an extensive one that is). Was thinking that eventually I'd like to put in the EMU HD lift, ARB bull bar (I like the look of it and it has a great location for mounting the winch), the Safari snorkel (don't ask!), dual battery mount... and probably a ton of others that escape my mind (like seat heaters for our cold, cold winters).
Also, does anyone know if you can use the Rubi's lockers air-compressor to air up tires? I know this is a possibility with the ARB locker compressor, but aren't sure if that is the case with the Rubi.
Thanks in advance,
Andrew
For example, you're struggling back to the dealer with a blown 'u' joint on your factory drivetrain, when your aftermarket high output alternator fries itself and PCM (powertrain control module). There should be no problem getting the 'u' joint and any related damaged parts replaced under warranty. However, the alternator, and all the expensive related parts, will not be covered.
Conversely, you're struggling back to the dealer with a blown 'u' joint, but you recently fitted a lift and larger tires. On the way, your factory alternator fries itself and your PCM. This time it's unlikely you'll get warranty coverage on any of your drivetrain parts, but the electrical repair will be picked up under warranty.
It's a fairly commonsense system that's fair to both the customer and the manufacturer.
-Paul
Thanks for the help
The exhaust manifold is a very expensive repair - cost me $800 and I've heard of dealers asking $1200 for it. If you go with a '97 or '98, make sure you check it! They redesigned the part in something like 2000 so later models (and ones where it has been replaced) won't have the problem.
Mine has something like 115,000 miles on the odometer and it is still great. In fact, we drove it today since they were talking about a 5,000 foot snow level. I missed it, though (urrr!). The snow started after I got to work, and it will probably all melt before I get home (looked like it was clearing off on the webcam). Oh well, it gave me a great excuse to drive the Wrangler today!
P.S. The rubber on the back tailgate has dried out and needs to be replaced. That is probably due to our very dry climate, so I wouldn't worry about it if you live in a more humid spot.
You should buy new, if there is any way you can afford it. I say that not because I am afraid of the reliability of the TJs, but because of all the current incentives, not the least of which is the 7 year/ 70,000 mile warranty.
Also, you will find that a used Jeep Wrangler holds its value very well, which is good if you are selling one, but not if you are buying one.
If you do go used, there is no more risk in buying a TJ than there would be with any other used vehicle, and maybe even less. I think the reliability is just fine.
If you plan on ever doing more than mild off roading, you probably should make it a point to get a Jeep that has the Dana 44 rear end. They are stronger than the Dana 35s and will allow you to install bigger tires and a locker without being in constant fear of breaking an axle shaft.
If you can afford the time, reading a LOT of the old posts in here should give you a real good education on what's important and what's not so important as far as model choice and options.
Ask any specific questions you may have, but in order to give you a good answer, we will need to know how you plan to use the Jeep. Will it be on the pavement almost exclusively? Will it get off roaded much? How severe will the off roading be? What is the climate where you live? Will the Jeep be driven mostly in town, or will it see lots of highway miles? All of these things are factors that need to be considered in your choices.
We'll help ya any way we can. We LOVE to talk Jeep around here!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
You DO bear the risk of being denied warranty coverage for a problem that legitimately can be attributed to a modification that you have made. That is only reasonable.
There is even a law here in the US (don't know about up there in Canada) called the Moss-Magnusson Act that prevents dealers from denying warranty coverage unless they have a legitimate case that a modification made to the product caused the failure. I'll bet there is a similar law in the books up there in Canada too.
It's a good idea to establish a good working relationship with the service manager at a dealership nearby. Those guys can really go to bat for you and do you some favors. They are blasted by lots of people on the Net, but there are some very competent, very friendly service managers out there that are willing to go out of their way to help you.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?