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Jeep Wrangler

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Comments

  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    lol. A bit of poser-ish in-duh-vidualizing of my ride I suppose. Plus, you never know when you may have a hankering to go snorkeling through a pond. ;-)
    Last thing I want to do is to get hydro locked...

    Thanks Mac, that does indeed make sense. As Tom suggests, I'll have to talk with the service guys at the local dealership. I'm not going to worry about mods for a while - I am sure the stock Rubi will be well beyond my meager capabilities for a long time to come! Plus, if I got a lift I wouldn't fit into my parkade!! Just very exciting to think about all the possibilities...

    Andrew
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    People generally fit snorkels to look cool (nothing wrong with that), but justify it by claiming they need it for deep water fording.

    In reality a snorkel is actually the last thing you'll fit for that purpose after having first sealed the HT electrics, LT electrics, PCM, airbag sensor, master cylinders, raised the axle and transmission breathers, swapped the fan for a switchable electric version, raised the exhaust outlet, sealed the battery, etc., etc., etc. I've seen lots of snorkels, but only half-hearted efforts at even a few items on the above list.

    Snorkels were designed for, and work very well at, drawing air in at the vehicle's roof level. The air at that level, in dusty conditions, is much cleaner than at the level of the standard intake. Snorkels are very effective at extending service intervals and engine life in places like the Australian outback, the dry season in many African countries, and of course, deserts all over the world.
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    I was about to mention the dusty conditions, etc., but you did go on to write about that...

    I totally concur that there is a lot more to be done in order to do deep water fording. However, even in not-so-deep water where the approach is steep, (I believe, and please correct me if I am wrong) you can accidentally suck in some water before the rest of the vehicle enters and "raises" the front of the vehicle enough so that the air intake is safe from taking in water.

    Andrew
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I hope you managed to get home all right this evening - and that your daughter wasn't out in that Wrangler. I heard on the radio that there were wind gusts over 80 mph around Mojave. They didn't say whether it blew up a sand storm or not, but that's some serious wind!

    My commute home was bad enough, and the wind on the Grapevine isn't as bad as out in the desert. The gusts weren't consistent and that drove me nuts.

    I did make some observations about the Wrangler's performance. The Wrangler seems to have some speed related performance thresholds - I've always found my gas mileage isn't bad as long as I don't drive over 70 mph.

    Tonight it seemed like if I kept my speed just under 60 mph the wind was tolerable. The wind was mostly a headwind, with gusts coming from either slightly left or right (varied). Above 60 and it was white knuckle time. Under and it wasn't so bad. This was driving through some SERIOUS wind - I wouldn't be surprised if there were some gusts close to 60 mph. Tumbleweeds were flying across the freeway, a difficult drive. At least there was still some snow at the house - it looks like we have over an inch left!
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Under the circumstances you describe, a snorkel could save you from water ingestion, but you would undoubtedly have bent the fan and ripped the radiator by that time. If you drop the front end into a submerged hole, the rule is to cut the ignition immediately.

    The recognized technique for transversing deep water of a constant depth is to first immobilize the cooling fan. Then, drive across at a steady five to ten mph. You form a bow wave (just like a boat will) which as long as you keep your speed steady will maintain an air pocket behind it. Conveniently, that's right where your air intake is! Actually, the whole front half of the engine compartment will normally remain dry.

    How do you ascertain that the water is of constant depth? That's what your passenger is for of course!

    ;--)
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    lol.

    Absolutely correct (both about the passenger and (from everything I have read) about the whole fording process). Hard to imagine that the front half of the engine actually may remain dry!! It's more of an extra margin of safety I would think... and in my case a bit of future individualizing of the vehicle (I'll admit, I love the look of it).

    It does beg the question though, don't the convolutions involved with the snorkel actually make air delivery more difficult? Does it affect performance in any way?

    Andrew
  • chasingericachasingerica Member Posts: 102
    Well this is my first post, I've been reading the board for a few weeks and have read most of the posts from the last year so far (yeah it's alot, something like 3000). Well I've wanted a Wrangler since my first ride in one when I was 14. I'm almost 23 now and I've finally got the money to do it. I'm going out this weekend to most likely place an order since none of the dealerships around me stock anything but completely loaded or bare bones. I hope that everything goes well with it.
    The comradery(sp) of the people here has brought me to post. You all seem like a great group of people and I look forward to discussing more.
    Right now I'm looking at a Sport with the 30" tire package, Sentry Key (helps with insurance), and the upgraded speakers, soft top is a must for me I wont have it any other way, and half doors.
    Well I guess that's it for the first post I'll be back don't fear :)

    Tony

    Oh and to explain the user name it comes from the movie Chasing Amy. Since that user name was taken I replaced Amy with Erica, an ex-girlfriend that I never should have let get away. My jeeps name will be Amy though. Damn I haven't even placed an order and she has a name :)
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Welcome, Dude! Glad ya posted.

    Man, you HAVE spent some time reading, if you have read the posts for the past year! You should have found some very useful info in your reading (and some not so useful). :)

    Get that order placed, and we'll help ya make it through the waiting.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Test the principle to convince yourself. Next time you're in the pool get a square 'Tupperware' container base (or even a small square of plywood), and sweep it through the water at a constant speed. You'll be amazed at the size of the 'hole' you make in the water behind it. The faster it goes, the bigger the 'hole'. However, as soon as you stop, the 'hole' collapses.

    The ARB snorkel (the only one I know of for the TJ), is designed so that the intake faces forward, providing a 'ram air' effect. I've never heard of any performance changes, good or bad. Remember, increasing the efficiency of the air intake is only beneficial if it was restrictive in the first place.

    A couple of downsides are that it requires cutting holes in the bodywork that will be hard to fix if you remove it. Also, you'll find that it'll catch on trees and branches if you find yourself driving on tight trails.
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Sounds like you have Jeep fever all right. Best way to deal with it is to get a Wrangler as soon as you can get what you want. Wranglers are all about FUN, so have fun with it.

    Definitely get the 30 wheels unless you plan on going with bigger tires right away. I'm still running 30" tires after 5 years (though at the moment I have Bridgestone Dueller AT tires on it, not the Goodyears) and have been very happy with them.
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Welcome to the board! Looks like we'll be in similar straits very soon - awaiting the arrival of a brand spankin' new Jeep ride!

    Andrew
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Thanks. Given the whole "catching" on things bit, I may rethink the snorkel. I would suspect that there is far more likelihood of getting snagged on mountain trails around here than actually getting some use of it...

    Would you happen to know if the air compressor used by the Rubi is capable of being used to re-inflate tires (like the ARB compressor used by the ARB lockers), or is it insufficient for the task?

    Andrew
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    The drive home last night wasn't too bad. It was dry with just a bit of drizzle. We had the Grand Cherokee instead of the AWD BMW and we could definitely feel the wind. Didn't feel like 80 MPH though. No dust storms since the rain the night before kinda settled things down.

    We've had 5 dust storms at Dryden this year alone. Before that, none for about 20 years. GO figure.

    My daughter got home around 2:00 and we told her she won't go out, so she was fine.

    Wish we got more snow. It's already melted.

    -Paul
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    I don't know, but I doubt it. You can be sure that for the little it would cost for the fittings, DC would make a big song and dance about having an onboard tire inflation system if it were practical.

    An electric compressor like the QuickAirII, or a CO2 bottle and regulator are both practical solutions. If you need a continuous supply at high volume and high pressure then an engine driven compressor would be the way to go. It's a more expensive and complex solution though.

    image
    (An engine driven compressor on a late model TJ)

    image
    (A schematic to go with the above mentioned compressor)

    This site:
    http://www.onboardair.com
    will provide you with some interesting reading.
  • chasingericachasingerica Member Posts: 102
    Well thanks for the welcomes.

    Tsjay, yeah I've been doing a lot of reading, I'm a computer junky too and post on 3 or 4 forums and well lets just say I really haven't posted anything on them in the last few weeks :)

    Mtgal, Wrangler fever has fully set in, I've looked at other cars but never felt the urgency to go and buy one. Do you like the Bridgestone Dueller AT's better then the stock Goodyears? My uncle works for Firestone and I could get them cheap.

    Can't wait to get out to the dealerships and see what kind of deal I can work. Should be out this time tomorrow.

    Tony
  • wheelsdownwheelsdown Member Posts: 250
    I know what you mean about wanting one since you were 14. You had to wait a whole nine years. I wanted one since I was in the service in 1962. Got mine in January 2000. Let see, 2 from 0, borrow 1, makes 2 from 10, leaves 8.........

    Terry
  • dchristo1dchristo1 Member Posts: 59
    TSJAY/ERICKPL and all.

    I truly appreciate the help. This is a lifetime dream that I have had since I was a little rascal and now I'm in the mid life crisis zone and am taking action. I am planning on using the Jeep as a pleasure vehicle to hit up some off road parks and to just tool around in. My leaning to a TJ with a 6cyl is that I hear that on road performance with a load of wife+2kids and weekend baggage on an safari rack is good. The nearist decent off road area is about 1 1/2 hours away so a 1947 CJ2 is not even in the picture!

    I am lucky and live in a major market that has quite a few Jeep dealers so I am leaning new at this point for the exact reasons that TSJAY pointed out.

    The Wrangler Sport is probably going to win out due to the combination of options it has already on it vs what I plan on buying from J.C. Whitney etc.

    I'll let you know the outcome.

    Again many thanks to the excellent advice.1
  • texasjeeptexasjeep Member Posts: 270
    I don't have a rubicon but I don't think the compressor for the lockers would work. I think the actuator needs 5psi.
    I heard some arb owners complain about their compressor for tire inflation. I like the belt driven ones but it can be expensive and with Kilby you have to lower your alternator some.

    One thing I don't like about snorkels is that you can't lower your windshield with one.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Don't know where ya live, but it would sure be cool if you could get over to Turkey Bay and wheel with me sometime. I would be glad to show you around.

    Check out my website about Turkey Bay...

    http://home.earthlink.net/~tsjay49/

    I would definitely go with the Sport or the X, so that you get the power of the 4.0 L inline six cylinder engine. Since it sounds like you will be doin' some wheelin', then the Sport might be the better choice with the Dana 44 rear axle. You won't automatically get the Dana 44 just because you are getting the Sport, though... it's an option. A great way to get the Dana 44 is to get the AAS package, which gets you the 30" tires, Ravine alloy wheels, gas shocks, and the Dana 44. For $850, it's a KILLER deal!

    Tom

    Have y0ou hugged your Jeep today?
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    The AT Duellers were definitely better than the Goodyears for the first year. They stick to the road better and just generally had better traction. Now that they have a lot less tread, probably about the same as the Goodyears. They are a nice compromise for quiet on-road and decent off-road use. If you don't mind super noisy tires, there are better off-road tires available - I wanted something that had some nicer road manners than true off-road tires can give you.

    Many people like one of the BFG AT tires (and they look really cool). Tom had them on Thelma Jane for a while, so he can tell you more.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Keep us posted on your Jeep shopping. Good luck!

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • chasingericachasingerica Member Posts: 102
    Terry, I hear you about waiting years. It seems that quite a few people here have had to do that, the reason I'm jumping in now is so I don't have to wait. I'm not very good at waiting.

    Mtngal, since I'm probably going to be doing more on-road driving then off I might see what kind of a deal I could get worked out for some Duellers. There aren't too many places around my house that I know of to wheel but I know that there are a few out in western Maryland, don't get there often but if I start I might have to make more trips.

    Tom, I'll let you know how tomorrow goes when I get the chance. Heading out around noon and don't know how long it'll take. I've got to work tomorrow night (bartender in a night club) so I wont be in till early morning. Hey gotta pay the bills some way, and this is a damn fun way to do it :)

    Hey by the way, do you guys think the 4wheel disc brakes are worth it? I know that they are free but you have to get the Trac-Lok option to get them and that is another $285 I think. So is it really worth it?

    Tony

    Have a fun weekend everyone.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    The BFG All Terrains are hard to beat for a good on road tire that still does a fair job off road too. People get a LOT of miles out of those puppies. I had a set on Thelma Jane, but as I got into wheelin' and had mud to contend with, I traded the ATs in for some BFG Muds. No doubt the Muds are better for mud, since they were designed for mud ( think that's why they call em mud tires??? :) )

    No experience with the rear disc brakes, so can't help ya there.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • dchristo1dchristo1 Member Posts: 59
    LBL is where I am planning on heading to this summer. I went to your website and noticed that LBL is changing hands so I sent an email to focuslbl and politely mentioned that the Off Road Vehicle Area should remain open.Also, I put my name on the mailing list to be kept updated.

    I suggest we all do this as last time I looked, there really wasn't a "Jeep" lobbying group in DC.
     
     I noticed that Thelma Jane is painted White. My other 2 vehicles are white as well and I have found that this color seems to wear pretty well so I am considering a white Sport with the Dana 44 for my impending purchase. Although....I saw a 98 Sahara in mint condition with 51k on it in last night in my most favorite Jeep color scheme..Forest green with Tan interior...

    Stay tuned...the saga continues!

    Thanks again,

    David
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Man, that would be TOO COOL, if you could make it over to TB and wheel with me! Let's plan on it!

    If you are bringing your family, check out the link on my links page on my website about local attractions. There's lots of stuff for the family to do in the Kentucky Lake area.

    White is a great color, if you are gonna do much wheelin' on tight trails. The scratches from tree branches don't show very much on white. I guess silver or any other light color would be good too. I think white looks REAL good, and it has that advantage about not showing scratches.

    Smart choice to get the Dana 44 rear end. This keeps open the possibilities for future build up of your Jeep. You can go with bigger tires and slap a locker back there without being afraid of snapping an axle shaft. If you neve go with bigger tires or a locker, a stronger rear end sure isn't going to hurt anything.

    Man, keep us up to date on how the shopping is going! This is exciting! :)

    Where do ya live? How long would your trip to TB take ya?

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?

    P.S. Man, I really appreciate your support in emailing the Forest Service concerning the new management plan. WAY TO GO! It's gonna take all of us sticking together to keep our wheelin' areas open.
  • dchristo1dchristo1 Member Posts: 59
    I live in the NW suburbs outside of Chicago.(Damn Yankee that I am)so the trip is probably 6 ish hours. Before I hit the boards here I checked out jeep.com and found LBL and have dug up info. off the web. Also, I drive to Florida to visit the oulaws once a year and have passed the signs for LBL and have wondered what the heck it was about.

    We completed a family vacation in our 1 week old Honda Odyseey to Yellowstone this year. Left with 587 miles on returned with 4,800+ miles. Thank God for DVD with wireless headphones!Saw big time Jeep territory and the fire was relit.

    Then I checked with my financial advisor (aka wife) and bartered away for some honey do's....very long list... hence the need for a new Jeep and not a project.

    Also business seems to have picked up so spending a bit more to get what I want isn't too big an issue..I wonder how long the honey do list would be for a Rubicon. Hmmmm....

    David
  • mullins87mullins87 Member Posts: 959
    That list would probably go on FOREVER!!!

    I bought a used Jeep back in the fall and Tom and I have been wheelin' in the LBL several times. You will love it!!! My youngest son, Barrett age 3, is hooked. It seems everytime he picks up a Hotwheel now, it's the red Jeep with the black top, just like mine. He will play for hours with that Jeep pretending he is in the LBL. He doesn't know it, but Santa is bringing him a Powerwheels Jeep. He will be so excited!!! This is definitely a family oriented activity. Bring the whole family and make a week of it. Heck, there is a nice campground in the south end of the LBL where we camp. Maybe we could hook up?
  • chasingericachasingerica Member Posts: 102
    Well I just got back from the dealer. Didn't do anything today, told him I would call him Monday. The closest one they could find with what I want is at least 2 hours away. The only problem it doesn't have everything, it has full doors instead of the half. I really want the half doors.

    I asked what would happen with rebates if I ordered from the factory and he said that I would get whatever was being offered when the Jeep came in? Is that true, I thought I had read somewhere in here that you get what ever rebate is better, delivery time or order time? I'm going to call DC and ask Monday but I thought you guys might know.

    He quoted me a fair price I think $22,900 (before rebates) for a 5spd Sport with, 30" tire package, 7 speaker stereo, Sentry Key, and it had A/C (I don't really care about that but if it's there). Do you guys think that's a fair price?

    He asked what I wanted as a monthly payment and I came back with I want to spend $23K, payments I can work with I have a bottom line. He started at 24,500.

    I guess that's it for now, will continue on Monday. He also said that to order the half doors it would cost close to $2k total. (don't really want to do that.

    If I find out that the rebates stick I'll be placing my order on Monday. Hopefully that's the way it is.

    Thanks for all the help so far. This board has made some option choices much easier then they would have been without it.

    Tsjay: I'll look into the BFG's but I'm guessing that I can still get a better deal on the Duellers.

    Tony
  • colorado1974colorado1974 Member Posts: 177
    The way rebates work is that the main consumer cash/APR is sold order protected meaning that you are guaranteed that amount. Now if the rebates goes away when you take delivery of it, you are guaranteed the rebate that was in existance when you ordered the Jeep. If the rebates get better, you are eligible for them instead.

    The only rebates that are not order protected are the bonus cash incentives they offer from time to time. If they expire, they expire for good.
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    If the only thing that was holding up the deal was the full doors, I'd be tempted to go with the full doors, then get either all cloth aftermarket doors for summer, or get half doors aftermarket. That way you have the choice of which you want, especially in cold weather.

    AC is VERY nice. I'm too old to do without it any more (I've had 2 vehicles over the years without AC and ended up putting it in the second one).

    If you can get a good deal on the Dueller AT tires, then get them - they are nice both on and off road. If they are the same price then flip a coin or go with the one you think looks best (I think most people prefer the looks of the BFG AT tire).

    I would be happy to go out to LBL if it were closer. But I haven't managed to get further east than Las Vegas, where I am now. Isn't it such a hard life - having family in Vegas?
  • sean810sean810 Member Posts: 3
    I am really bummed. I was out shopping around for new tires this afternoon. Then I got rear ended by another car today while waiting to make a right hand turn, The only damage seems to be a dented rear bumper. It seemed to drive fine on my way home from the accident. But there seems to be kind of a grinding noise coming from the rear somewhere when I drive over any bumps. This totally sucks. Oh well, at least nobody seemed to be hurt at all. I just wanted to vent to some people who would understand how having to be without my Jeep until it is fixed will be painfull. My wife might be glad to have it out of the garage while it's repaired, I think she is getting jealous of the attention I give my Jeep!
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Sorry to hear about your accident. Wranglers often get rear-ended without apparent damage. It's not until the spare wheel is removed some time later that a dent in the tailgate is sometimes discovered. Worth checking.
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Mac - thanks for all the info. Looking at all that, and given my extensive knowledge of installing such things, I suspect something like the QuickAirII is a more likely option in the near future! ;-)

    TexasJeep - I never really thought about not being able to lower the windshield... that does it, the snorkel is out!

    Tony - according to the dealer I am working with, you get the best of both worlds as far as finance rates are concerned, but incentives (cash rebates, no payments for 90 days, etc) are limited to time of pickup. Err, wait, just go with what Colorado1974 said - sounds much more concise. ;-)

    Sean810 - Sorry to hear about your accident. Thankfully no one was hurt.

    Both of my acquaintances here in Edmonton who own Jeeps have recently been involved in accidents (no injuries in either case). One hit a deer on the highway while heading home (quite the extensive repair bill on his TJ, luckily covered by insurance) and the other hit an ice patch and slid into the rear end of a mini-van. Funny part is, the only thing you can see on the YJ is a minor dent in the bumper, the mini-van didn't handle it as well...

    Andrew
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Sorry to hear about your accident. We had one about 6 months after we bought our - we were going along in a quickly moving carpool lane of the freeway when someone in the next lane pulled in front of us. We hit the wall and him (his insurance paid - illegal lane change) but it took a couple of months to get it back. The only thing that made it bearable is the fact that we had a rented Cherokee. That was kind of nice, but I was still glad when I finally got my Noble Black Steed back. It had quite a bit of body damage, but nothing much mechanically. I was glad we were in the Wrangler rather than the Tacoma - those little Jeeps are really tough.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Man, whatcha gotta do is talk INVOICE with the dealer. Make him show you the invoice and agree to some amount in relation to invoice for a selling price. I got Thelma Jane for $200 over invoice, and I got a copy of the invoice from the dealer. When I bought her, not many people were getting any better deals than $200 over invoice.

    If the $22,900 is for a soft top Jeep, then I'm not sure how good that deal is... maybe OK, but, once again, it should be judged in relation to invoice. How much OVER INVOICE?

    I got Thelma Jane for $22,100 give or take some change. That was with a hard top with dark tinted windows, which is about $900 more than the standard soft top. I know prices have most likely gone up over the last three years, so your deal might not be too bad.

    So, you are going to order rather than take one off the lot? I think that would be a WISE choice... get EXACTLY what you want. You know it will have your name on the window sticker, if you order from the factory, right? That's a cool little side benefit.

    Chitown? I grew up in Hammond, Indiana. How 'bout that? We would have been almost neighbors. :)

    Oh yeah, GET THE A/C! I think you will be very glad that you did. Remember, every day ain't a top down day. It can be awful hot and muggy on rainy days too, ya know. Also, your defroster will work better if ya have A/C.

    How bout you guys that have recently bought new TJs helping David out, and tell him how much you paid in relation to invoice for your Jeeps??? I know that info really helped me to know what kind of deal to hold out for when I bought Thelma Jane.

    Oh yeah, if you look up invoice price here in Edmunds, the total will not include the ad fees the dealer has to pay DC. At least Edmunds didn't USED to list those ad fees, since they vary by region. My invoice shows two lines for ad fees, one national and one regional. The total between the two of them was close to $300. I think these are legitimate costs that the dealer has to pay, since they DO appear on the invoice.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Sorry, Dude, about the accident. Glad no one was hurt, and I hope the damage to the Jeep turns out to be as minor as it sounds. Jeep are tough, so your baby probably wasn't hurt much.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I read too many posts before responding, and I have stuff for Tony and stuff for David in the same post. I forgot who asked what or who said what.

    So, Tony and David, read my previous post to David and take what you might use from it.

    Old people shouldn't be allowed to post messages! :)

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    I'm sure your son will love the Power Wheels Wrangler. My son also got one for Christmas when he was three(six years ago-time DOES fly). Our driveway is a 1/2 mile long gravel farm road and my son loved to drive the Jeep up to the gate and back as my wife and I walked along with him. Those Power Wheel are durable as well; I've only had to replace one fuse and one switch since we bought it. div jr. and a friend even flipped it over onto the roll bar trying to climb a retaining wall. Even though my son has outgrown it, the little Jeep still has a place of honor in our heated garage; neither one of us wants to part with it.
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    Are you getting much snow down your way? We had to go to a couple of Christmas Parties and I took the Wrangler. Driving home the snow was pretty heavy and the flakes were HUGE. I kept it in 2WD 99% of the time and I had no problems.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Man, I was driving home from Turkey Bay at about 30 MPH! It was snowing so hard that the lights from my headlights was being reflected back into my eyes, and I had a heck of a time seeing where I was going. ( We didn't leave TB until almost dark. ) I used low beam, too. like you're supposed to.

    It stopped here after maybe just an inch or two of accumulation. So, we didn't get much of a snow, but it sure was coming down hard when it WAS snowing.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • chasingericachasingerica Member Posts: 102
    Sean: Sorry to hear about your accident hope that everything works out well with it. I recommend going and getting yourself checked out, known too many people that didn't and then had something come up later, that really sucks.

    Mtngal: I was thinking that but I can't find anywhere that sells the doors at a reasonable price. The dealer said that it would probably be around $2k to get the half doors after paint, fabric uppers, and inside trim panels. That's a bit too high for me considering if I order the Wrangler from the factory they are a $0 option.

    Tom: I think I got most of what you were saying. If I price it here at Edmunds the invoice is $22,000 give or take $10. So if I add the $300 you said for other fees that puts me only at about $500-600 over invoice. I know that's a little more then most people but hey this is a guy that on the first try came down over $1500, he started at almost $25k and I told him no way.

    Colorado: So if I get what you are saying the $1500 cash back they are offering now will be locked in? But the added $400 college grad wont be? I just want to make sure because I'm pretty sure I'm going to order and get exactly what I want. As you could imagine I'm less concerned about the 400 but definitely don't want to loose the 1500.

    Thanks for all the help everyone, definitely gives me more confidence when walking in there.

    Tony
  • mullins87mullins87 Member Posts: 959
    We didn't have any accumulation here. The forecasters were saying 3-5. LOL!!!! I'm glad you saw some.
  • chasingericachasingerica Member Posts: 102
    Well I just got some news that may help me get a better deal. It appears that my stepfather knows the owner of a Jeep dealership about 20 minutes away from my house. He has also been known to help out other family members in getting a good deal. Now why this didn't come up earlier when we were talking about Jeeps I don't know. He said he would try and get in touch with someone tomorrow, hopefully I'll be able to stop by mid week and see what they can offer.

    Tony
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I know what you mean about driving in snow and not seeing where you are going. If it is dark I find the fog lights help a great deal, better than low beams by themselves and they don't go out very far so they aren't lighting up the white coming right at you. But it is still hard.

    Tony - good luck getting a better deal. I don't worry about getting the BEST possible deal - I just try to get a fair deal.
  • chasingericachasingerica Member Posts: 102
    Not worrying about the best deal, just wandering if they would be a little more willing to order one then the dealer I'm working with now. I understand why he doesn't want to order one, hell that means he has to wait until it gets delivered until he gets paid. But this being my first new car I want to get exactly what I want, no compromises.

    Tony
  • colorado1974colorado1974 Member Posts: 177
    the $1500 is locked in. the college grad is like the military bonus, they have always offered it and have no reason to quit. I am talking about the year end sales drive bonus cash, that is what will go away 1/2/04. That is not locked in.
  • embeedueceembeeduece Member Posts: 260
    I recently bought a Jeep, ordered from the factory. I ordered it the first week in September, and it was delivered October 11. I got a '04 Sport, soft top, 30" package, 7 speaker, etc. MSRP was $25,170. Invoice was $23, 380. I paid $100 over invoice. I faxed various dealers and told them I wanted a "house sale" from the fleet manager, and let them make me an offer. One dealership came in with the "hundred over invoice" bid, and I was there the next day to place the order.

    There should be no penalty for ordering a Jeep. I don't fully understand it, but even though you're not buying from dealer stock, it still helps volume sales or something like that. Also, the Jeep you order won't be sitting on their lot for a year, costing them money.

    Still, they gave me the run around on incentives. I would have to accept whatever was in effect at time of delivery. They quoted me a worst case APR of 5.9%. That's, of course, ridiculous. So I got financed thru my bank, but when the Jeep arrived in October, the 0.9/1.9/2.9 or $1500 cash back was in effect. So it all worked out.

    There's no getting around the advertising fee. I also couldn't get rid of the 20 dollar loyalty mailing. On the bright side, the dealer sent me a thank you plant via flowers.com.

    Also, a nice perk of ordering is that the Jeep shows up with a window sticker bearing your name. Kind of cool.

    Hope that helps a bit. Good luck.

    -Mike
  • embeedueceembeeduece Member Posts: 260
    Ugh. Sorry to hear about the accident. I just got my Jeep back from two weeks of vandalism repairs. I feel your pain.

    You know, I've seen a lot more accidents on the road lately. I've been driving these same roads/freeways in L.A. for 15 years, and it's only been the past few months that it seems like the drivers have gotten worse.

    Of course, it could just be me being hyper-paranoid since getting my Jeep.

    -Mike
  • texasjeeptexasjeep Member Posts: 270
    I was surprised to see that the half steel doors do run about $1500 and probably more from the dealer. If you get the full steel doors you can buy full soft doors for $340 aftermarket.
    I prefer half steel doors over full steel. I am going to buy full soft doors and if I like running them all the time, I will sell my half steel doors. (espically if I get around 1k for them.)
    I like being able to take my top halfs off and throw them in the back. They are more open when you fold the window down vs just rolling down the window in full steel doors.
    The window is a pain to zip up and down when moving or even with the door closed. I usually just open my door to enter a security gate code or use a ATM. The half steel doors have more wind noise because they don't seal as well as full steel doors. I prefer my half steel doors but it will vary depending on the person.
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    I installed the new lights on the TJ this weekend.

    I went with the IPF headlamps with the green afterglow Magic Bulbs (matches the car). I also installed some IPF968 offroad/fog/driving lamps. The IPF replacements lamps fit right in with no problem. The 968's are 6.5 inches - nearly the size of the headlamp itself! Man, that combination is BRIGHT!

    I aimed the 968's down for fog lamp usage. The pattern on the reflective part directs the light quite well for fog lamp use. I wired them so that they can be run independently of the head lights, so if snow were to get heavy, we could switch on the running lamps/taillights, then the lower mounted fogs/driving. They are THAT bright.

    The default bulb in the 968's are 55W. This promotional verison from DPG Offroad came with 110W as well. I'm saving those as the stock bulbs are enough for what we need. Installing them was quite simple - the hardest task was determining which way to run the wiring from the relay around the engine bay and through the firewall. Used lots of tiedowns to keep the wiring from bouncing and chaffing.

    I didn't get a chance to aim them very well, but the housings didn't move much when swapping out the lamps, so it shouldn't be off by much. Maybe down just a bit.

    Thanks to twylie and mac for all the input.

    -Paul
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