Jeep Wrangler

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Comments

  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    Quadratec has windshields for right at $100, so see if you can get a local shop to come close to that on parts price.

    -twylie
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Guess Monday I'll start calling places around West LA and see what I can arrange. I didn't think the windshield would be as expensive as some - it isn't that big and there isn't all that much to it. If it isn't going to cost that much I'd rather not involve my insurance company, regardless of whether my policy covers glass without a deductable or not (my insurance is high enough as it is!). The funny thing is that the crack doesn't go through the stone chip I've had for years at all. It just started at the bottom of the windshield for no apparent reason, then spread up.

    I'll need to do something about it before another storm comes in. The snow has melted enough that we got the Taco out this morning for the first time this week. Sure have enjoyed driving the Wrangler all week but I guess all good things come to an end sometime...
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Hey, Harriet, if ya love driving the Jeep so much, just drive it! Don't wait for the road conditions to dictate when you drive the Jeep. Life is TOO SHORT to deny yourself such a simple pleasure. Wear out that Jeep and then get ya another one! :)

    I have alternate transportation too... that little S-10 pickup that gets much better mileage than Thelma Jane does. But, when Thelma Jane is topless and doorless, and the weather is nice, it seems that I forget all about the S-10 and drive Thelma Jane to work.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    They are talking about gas prices around here reachind $2.00/gal by this weekend. Think I'll be driving the Taco a whole bunch more and looking longingly at the Prius as a replacement for the Taco (sigh). Now if DC could design a Wrangler that looks and performs the same but would get 30 or more mpg, we'd buy it in a heartbeat!
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Dick, while driving around yesterday I could not find anything out of the ordinary in that rpm range (and then some). Might have to do with that particular unit, or the auto tranny (I'm running a manual) - sorry that I couldn't help more.

    Andrew
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    I have a question regarding a knocking noise I briefly picked up yesterday... so here is the story!

    I went to play in the snow yesterday but found the going fairly difficult as the daytime temps had reached above 3 C and the snow had become quite wet and heavy. I managed to free myself with a lot of snow flying every which way, and went forward to where my brother's H1 was stuck.

    At that point we decided to get at least one vehicle out of there before trying to recover the other. Being too deep to bother trying to turn around, I backed out the entire way. Feeling that I would need momentum to get past a few rough spots I kept the pace quick (funny to watch the SIL turning on while in reverse!). After about 50 meters I picked up quite the regular thudding noise as I mashed the gas pedal at a very rough spot which included a fair bit of wheel spin. However, once I came to a stop the noise went away and never returned (regardless of whether I was going forward, or in reverse).

    So, my question is... Any idea on what would have caused the noise?? Should I be worried?

    Andrew
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    The gas at the cheaper gas stations around me are running $1.73-1.75 per gal. so it isn't so bad. In fact, the gas there has been running cheaper than LA prices for the past year or 2 - about the same as Bakersfield or a bit more. I was reacting to what they were saying on the radio (LA radio station) this morning on the way to work. They said that some gas in West LA is running $1.90 plus already! Ouch!
  • jacknimblejacknimble Member Posts: 171
    I don't know if I missed something, but my 97 developed a crack just like you described from stress or incorrect installation. Chrysler covered it under warranty. If yours is out of warranty, it still might be worth a try (maybe there is a TSB on it now?)
  • go_ducksgo_ducks Member Posts: 22
    Hey mtngal, tsjay, and all y'all. Been over a year since I've been here but I was at the dealer today and it popped in my head to register and post. I was goducks1 but lost my password AND changed email addresses so I have to abandon that handle. Oh, and I have left the West Coast to return home to North Carolina. Long story. I'll drop in on Gill's chat at some point and fill you in.

    My '98 Sport is now 6 years old wiht 63K miles and I just had the first big repairs that needed to be done. I dropped it off at the dealer for maintainence: all fluids changed and a new battery and hoses (last time I had an independent shop change fluids, they broke the differential seal and I didn't notice it was leaking for 2 weeks, so I'm wary of that route now). Figured it would run $200 to $300.

    Unfortunately, it is not possible to walk out of a dealership without a limp. The dealer found that the rear pinion seal was leaking AND so was the radiator. So in goes a new radiator, and also a new serpentine belt. They had it for the day and now I am over $1000 lighter. At least it didn't break down on me when I drove across the country 2 weeks ago. Also, the infamous cracked exhaust manifold that plagues the '98s has yet to appear.

    Still, the Jeep has been paid for for over 2 years now. I'm just thinking of it as a few car payments that I've had to make. These are the only repairs I've had to pay for on the Jeep except for that coil that went out 1.5 years ago, excluding things I've done to it myself offroad like knocking it out of alignment etc.
  • go_ducksgo_ducks Member Posts: 22
    Hey, does anyone have one of those Rock Gear soft tops? I need a new soft top, the Bestop Sunrider gave up the ghost last year and I'm currently running the hard top 'cause it is like way colder here in NC than it was in California. And, like, it rains. What's up with that? It's like being in Oregon again, though at least you see the sun around here some.

    Anyway the Rock Gear tops look like the ticket. No messy hardware to get in the way, just uses the roll cage for support, and converts into a safari top too. Looks like it would take only two or three minutes to put up or down. Pretty minimalist, but maybe the right thing for convertible season. I am not a big fan of soft tops that need a lot of finangling to raise and lower.
  • bamatazzbamatazz Member Posts: 311
    After I FINALLY figured out how to post pics on here. You guys get all "follow the rules" on me.
      Help us out, man!!

    Gas prices.. 2 bucks a gal!! I thought 1.49 was high.. 2.00 too high for this southern boy.

    I dont know about you guys, but I cant wait for spring, get this hard top off tazz.. Its time for some topless weather..

    Keep Jeepin'
      Bama!
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Boy, why did ya drop out of sight on us like that????? Man, we missed ya!

    I'm sure glad you came back. How bout emailing me and giving me your new email, if you didn't make it public in your profile. (I'll check in a second.)

    Welcome home, Scott!!!!

    Tom

    P.S. I have had an email addy change too. No more AOL! My email is public in my profile, but to save you the trouble..

    tsjay49@earthlink.net

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • wildbl1500wildbl1500 Member Posts: 48
    Boy, you don't check-in for 24 hours and so many topics are covered.

    I agree with Bama. I post a couple pics and then the man steps in.

    I am loving having snow on the ground. It thins out the bad drivers. We also have another storm on the way this weekend!

    I paid $1.54 today at a little gas station in LA (Lewiston/Auburn)that drops their price about 7 cents every Monday afternoon through Tuesday night. It's very nice of them.

    I haven't had any problems w/ my Wrangler- major ones anyway. I had that headlight vs. rock problem and the other day my OEM switch for the rear wiper broke. It wasn't fun with ice encrusted outside mirrors to lose the use of my rear-view. But, the part was ordered and should be here tomorrow.

    Also, my amp should arrive tomorrow (according to UPS' tracking service). I am going to mount it just to the right of the steering column - as Twylie suggested. There is huge amounts of space directly above the gas pedal. I already stopped into Home Depot today to get some aluminum strips and sheet metal screws to fab up a minimalist bracket running from the fire wall to the support for the bottom edge of the dash. I'll probably borrow a digital camera and post the install pics (on itsajeep).

    -Bill
  • chasingericachasingerica Member Posts: 102
    Man, I'm glad I live here in MD. Gas is still hovering around 1.60-1.65 for the most part. Hopefully it wont get that much more expensive. Sorry for you all on the West Coast.

    Bama: It's only been in the 40's here this past week but I've been fighting myself from taking Amy's top off. I'm sure as soon as we get to 50 she'll be topless for at least a day or two. Personally I'm hoping for more snow before it gets warm. I love the snow.

    Tony
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    He was one of the guys who was here when I first started thinkin' about gettin' a Jeep and came to this forum. He was one of the regulars, and he posted frequently.

    He was definitely an asset to this board, but I think he needs his "asset" kicked for disappearing for so long! :)

    Tom
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Did ya find a place to rent a Jeep when you come to Turkey Bay???

    Everything still lookin' good for our get together? I am PUMPED about this! I hope it really happens.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • go_ducksgo_ducks Member Posts: 22
    Tsjay, you gotta stop posting your email address like that. You wanna avoid getting more spam? Spell it out phonetically. My email address is goducks3620 at yahoo dot com. Prevents the spammers' programs from picking it off the board. The days of posting your email freely, like we used to do on usenet in the mid-90s, are long gone. I'll send you an email today.

    I started posting here around '98 or '99, so I think the only person here as long as me is mtngal. And I remember quite well when tsjay was looking to dump his Grand Am and get a Jeep. I think I advised against it, only because you were upside-down on your trade-in value. Luckily you didn't listen to me.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Hey, got a good spam filter with Earthlink.

    It was a Grand Prix, not a Grand Am that I was trying to trade for a Jeep. And, you talk about UPSIDE DOWN! Try $8000 upside down! :)

    So glad you are back! Now go find texasjeep and drag him back. Then we can have a family reunion.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tjmuddertjmudder Member Posts: 9
    Anybody have any experience with 1.25" wheel spacers? My 32" tires rub a bit inside front and rear when off road. I figure moving them out slightly would fix the problem and spacers would be cheaper than getting wheels with the correct offset.
  • redkey1redkey1 Member Posts: 270
    I am having a few things going on here at work that may postpone my new car purchase for a few weeks. It will happen but I have to wait to see how things play out. Maybe this will give you some time to lobby your wife.

    I did not get a chance to take pics, but I will make sure to do so this weekend. She is a stock TJ sport w/ all options except the sentry (security) key. I put in a kenwood in-dash cd player and upgraded the soundbar with Boston Acoustics speakers. It has full hard doors, canyon wheels, 7 speakers w/ sub. Just under 22.5k miles, mostly highway as I have a 2mi RT commute to the train each am.
  • jacknimblejacknimble Member Posts: 171
    I remember you when you first posted as well. Welcome back. I've been lurking for a number of years.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Anything to report on your "thudding noise?"

    I sure don't know anything to suggest as a possible source of that noise, unless you just had a stick or something temporarily hung up under your Jeep.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Tom,

    I am starting to think that it may have been something as simple as the tires spinning and catching traction (given the varied resistance they were encountering at the time). I have tried to reproduce the problem by driving around in 4wd reverse and nothing... Buffy is driving just fine with no new unexpected noises, so for the time being I'm not worried. Still loving the driving!!! I am just about at 1000 Km!

    Andrew
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Welcome back! I don't think I've been around as long as you. When I bought my Noble Black Steed back in '98 I was just a lurker. It took me a couple of years before I really started posting.

    By the way, I really liked North Carolina when I lived there for a couple of years. I didn't take the opportunity to travel much, which I really regret. I would have loved to spend time up in the Smokey Mountains, but it was a bit far from Fayetteville for short trips. And I'm amazed that you haven't had problems with your exhaust manifold - though I think I started having problems at 75,000 miles or more (don't really remember).

    Andrew - glad to hear that your noise has gone away. I'll have you know that your photos of Buffy out on the snow was what gave me enough courage to drive up my snowy ridge last weekend. I've always been too afraid of the shear drop-off to try it in winter. So thanks for the incentive - I sure had fun!
  • bamatazzbamatazz Member Posts: 311
    Good to see ya again my friend.. I agree with tom get texas back in here and good ole tonkadave too. Good Family reunion.. I'll bring the BBQ ;). Well, I got me a new buddy today. Wife & I got a solid white siberian husky. He will look good in my Black Jeep ;)
  • jamesfletcher2jamesfletcher2 Member Posts: 127
    I just got an e-mail response from Jeep that said they will NOT offer half-doors on the Wrangler Unlimited. I really am a fan of half-doors and am still waiting to see the Unlimited before making a decision about what Jeep model to purchase for replacement my old Wrangler. It seems like forever that I have been waiting to see the Wrangler Unlimited (or Scrambler as originally stated).

    Jeep seems to be really going overboard with the "30% quieter" on the Unlimited which seemed to nix the half-door option. It seems like the two modes with the Unlimited will be full-doors or no doors! I can't help but wonder if the current Wrangler half-doors and zip-outs will fit the Unlimited soft top?

    JF
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    best pricing I've seen on wheel spacers...

    http://www.weirdharoldscoolparts.com/

    -twylieb
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Glad you took your Noble Black Steed to play in the snow... it's a ton of fun! Of course, I had no sheer drop-off anywhere in sight (or at least not anywhere accessible) - still, it's nice to know that Buffy and I can be inspirational! ;-)

    This weekend my brother and I are hoping to make an exploratory trip north of the city to see if we can find some fresh grounds. Apparently there are some pretty good trails to be had about 40 minutes out!

    Andrew
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I'm envious, your weekend sounds fun. I'm going to be leaving my Noble Black Steed at home (sigh) and heading in the (hated) Taco to visit family (sigh again). Now don't let me totally mislead you - my family lives in Vegas. The only thing I'm sad about is that I can't justify the extra expense of driving the Wrangler (there are all kinds of dirt roads out there just begging to be explored).
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Tom,

    Yep, but I'm still a bit flaky on the dates, but it will be a Tuesday-Wednesday training, so I will hopefully fly in to Nashville, then fly out of Huntsville after training.

    I will be coming out 2/28 or 3/6 (both are Saturdays). I'll have that Sunday and most of Monday to relax, then train Tuesday or Wednesday.

    redkey, sounds good. You can send to my email listed in my profile. Look forward to seeing the pics.

    I looked at used Wranglers here in Huntsville. Prices are quite reasonable for a dealer, especially compared with CA.

    -Paul
  • wildbl1500wildbl1500 Member Posts: 48
    I installed my amp last night. Couldn't put it under the dash like i had planned- the amp was just a little too big.

    I mounted it under the driver's seat. There is just barely enough room for it and it is still out of the way enough to not get kicked and be out of sight. I am trying to decide if I want to flip the little flap of carpet over it for more protection or to leave the carpet under it to cushion the amp from vibration.

    Now, it is even more of a joy to use my Wrangler as my daily driver vs. my Ram 1500- plus the mileage is a whole lot better with the 4.0 5 speed over the 5.9L w/ auto.

    -Bill
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Well folks, it appears that my weekend trip may be in jeopardy - Buffy appears to have sprung a leak. Suspecting something in the t-case as my CSI skills directed me towards the skid plate which has a nice coating of a greasy substance... the puddle underneath was a dead giveaway too.

    Hopefully it's something minor like a seal but won't know until Friday when they can take her in to have a look. If she isn't back by Sunday, it will make for some disappointment to say the least! Am now wondering if it has anything to do with that thumping I heard the other day. Will update as I learn more.

    Andrew
  • chasingericachasingerica Member Posts: 102
    There's another Rubicon forum I've been posting on (wont name it here, if you want the name send me an email). It appears that there are a lot of people with a problem similar to yours. Was the fluid red? If it was you might have a leaking T-case, which is most likely being caused by a bad seal. It seems that the bore in the rear of the T-case is too big for the shaft and for some time now people have been having problems with them leaking.

    Good luck and I hope you get to get out there and have some fun this weekend.

    Tony
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    I just sent you an email, but I do recall having seen something about this before. I am hopeful that this is all it is (the fluid that I actually saw seeping out from about the t-case is indeed red), but I'll have them check it over a little more as the majority of the puddle is forward of the t-case. The floor is quite messy given the snow melt we've been having so once it hits there I can't tell anything aside from it being oily!

    If a large enough number of people are having the problem perhaps there is a TSB for it? Is there a handy site that lists current TSBs anywhere? Might make for an interesting read...

    Andrew
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    One spot to find TSBs is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov - it lists the TSBs and recalls, but doesn't go into great detail. Lots of other good info on it. I would think that the Canadian goverment would probably have a similar web site?
  • tjmuddertjmudder Member Posts: 9
    Thank you, way better price than Spidertrax. How you manage to find these sites? You must have a better search engine than Google.

    Glen
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Thanks, good site to bookmark...
    I haven't found a Canadian site like that yet, but then you have to take into consideration that in some ways Canada seems to lag far behind the US in a number of regards. To give you a car specific example, I don't believe any of the provinces actually have anything remotely like the "Lemon Laws" that US citizens can resort to.

    Andrew
  • chasingericachasingerica Member Posts: 102
    There's no TSB out for it yet. I sent you a reply back. People have asked others with Cummins engines that use the same 241 T-case and they seem to even have the same problem.

    Tony
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    One would imagine that eventually one will be issued... probably more cost-effective than having a bunch of owners continually coming back to have seals re-fitted and fluids topped up! Just got to give it time.

    Andrew
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    There was a person on another board metntioning that - it really surprised me. I've never thought that Canada lagged behind the US at all. In fact, when things get too crazy here in SoCal I ask my other half if he would like to move back up to Canada. He hasn't taken me up on my offer yet, but there are days...
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    lol. Normally I wouldn't say we lag behind in any way either, but there are definite exceptions - this (lemon laws) having been one of them. I suspect that things are quieter up here, but that's probably more due to the lower population numbers than anything else...

    Andrew
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You may not have lemon laws, but I bet most provinces/territories have sufficient consumer protection or warranty laws to rely on if need be. Canadians just need to get more sue happy like your (mostly) southern neighbors :-)

    There's at least one manufacturer funded arbitration organization too (CAMVAP).

    Steve, Host
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    No doubt, they're out there if you look hard enough. Luckily I haven't had the misfortune of needing any yet... lol. Let's hope I don't end up eating those words later! It's one of those cases that you don't really start looking for something until you need it.

    Andrew
  • guy21guy21 Member Posts: 129
    I'm intrigued by the concept, but have a couple observations that need to be confirmed. First, find profile views of the Unlimited and a regular Wrangler. Sure, it looks 15" longer with 10" between the wheels and 5" in back. But what about the extra (soft) top length. Look at the angle of the rear vertical bars of the roll cage. Pretty much straight up and down on the Wrangler, about a 45 degree angle on the Unlimited. With full hard doors and the extra soft top fabric yardage, how can it be quieter unless the fan is on HI and pressurizes the cabin?
  • wheelsdownwheelsdown Member Posts: 250
    I went to the Chicago Auto Show this week. Got a good look at the Unlimited. The one they had was red with full doors like my 2000. You can really tell the difference the extra length and wheel base makes. This one had the top off (neither top mounted). First impression from the side is it has a slight pickup look. I talked to a sales guy from a local dealer that said he understands the 30% quieter thing has to do with placing a little insulation.

    The soft top should be about the same as far as noise. It will probably bunch up a little more when it is down.

    In my opinion, the Unlimited will take a little getting used to. It will definitely fill the need for additional passenger room and hauling ability.

    If I had to choose today, I think I would go with the Wrangler.

    Terry
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    5 on 4½" pcd.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    This is KILLING me! Couldn't find anyone to hook up with and was afraid to just drive down there and hang out (odds of finding a wheelin' buddy by just driving down and hanging out at the entrance are not good this time of year).

    Oh, well.

    Maybe I can find the energy to do my taxes today.

    Gotta watch that Busch race at 11:30 CST though. Gotta root for the 37 and the 27 (both Brewco teams).

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • wildbl1500wildbl1500 Member Posts: 48
    I was beginning to think everyone was out wheelin today- no posts since yesterday morning.

    Sorry Tom, I have to route for #38, Kasey Kahne- leading the Dodge camp. Or maybe just Earnhardt Junior.

    -Bill
  • greenmeaniegreenmeanie Member Posts: 14
    Hey There!

    I am a new poster, I have just received an offer for a new 2003 Sport and going to take the Wrangler plunge. It looks like you have quite an active group here and I thought I would ask some questions (of course).

    The new Shale Green 5 speed manual Sport I have been offered by a hometown dealer has the 25D package, with 30" T&W group/Dana 44/3.73/Khaki Dual Tops/Deep Tint/Side Steps/Cruise/CD 4spkr Audio/Floor Mats. The sticker is 25,405 and I am being offered it at $20,002 plus T&L, after rebates and military disc.

    This sounds like a good deal to me, any feedback? I am currently overseas and have solicited mulitple web quotes including PX and other buying services.

    Also, it is not clear to me if the 30" group includes disc rear brakes/track loc/ABS. I have tried some different web configurators (Jeep/Edmunds/KBB) but cannot tell how this group is configured.

    Any feedback is appreciated. I look forward to becoming an active member of the group and owners club member!

    SSG Thomas
  • go_ducksgo_ducks Member Posts: 22
    Forget about the rebates for a minute. To figure out the price you should be paying, look up the invoice price with the options you specified. You should be paying right around invoice, no more than $200 or so over. THEN apply all the rebates and add taxes, shipping etc. You can negotiate this way with a dealer--that's how I bought my '98. I brought in a list with the invoice prices for all options and told him I'd buy right now (actually, put the order in right now, I had mine built) if he'd sell for $200 over invoice. Negotiations took 30 seconds. He opened up the books to show his numbers matched mine, we summed up the invoice price with options, added shipping (no sales tax in Oregon, ha!) and subtracted a $400 rebate I was eligible for as a graduate student. Then we negotiated the price of my trade-in, I wrote him a check for the deposit, and watched him put the order in over his computer. Jeep came a month later. No stress.

    Note that this was the SECOND dealer I dealt with. The salesman at the first tried every stunt imaginable to confuse me: kept figuring out "payments" instead of price after I repeatedly asked for a straight price, did the good cop/bad cop routine with the salesman/manager, etc. So I walked, after an hour of wasting his time and mine. BUT I DIDN'T BUY FROM HIM and I will never forget the look on the salesman's face when I walked out of his office. You do not have to put up with anything from a car dealer, ever. You have all the power. You don't have to buy ANYTHING from ANYONE and can walk at any time. They will always call back. They need you. So cut to the chase. Do your homework and know invoice prices. Tell the dealer what you are willing to pay in relation to invoice, then deal with rebates taxes shipping etc. The second dealer, the one I bought from, was willing to play ball, and he got to sell a car for less than 10 minutes work.
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