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Jeep Wrangler

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Comments

  • mcrrtmcrrt Member Posts: 93
    Jeff,

    Yes, the Jeep softtop is made by Bestop company, however, as far as I can see the softtop is not available from anyone (Quadratec, 4WD Hardware, etc.) other than Jeep dealers. If you want an Unlimited, I would encourage you to buy it with the factory softtop, then add a hardtop later.
    1) After owning the softtop for awhile, you may decide you don't "need" the hardtop.
    2)DC has a patent on the Jeep folding hardware. You can buy aftermarket softtops from Bestop (for SWB Jeeps, anyway), but the hardware is different, and reputed to not be as easy to use as OE Jeep equipment.
    Buy the Jeep-you'll love it!

    Marcus
  • mcrrtmcrrt Member Posts: 93
    Koolbreeze,

    $500 over INVOICE, or over MSRP? Depending on the market you're in, $500 over invoice for a SWB Wrangler may not be bad, but given that we're at the end of the model year, I would think you could do better. If they truly want $500 over MSRP...run, do not walk, away! From what I hear, most folks can buy a SWB for invoice or a little more (not including current rebates), and I bought my Unlimited just 2 months after it's market introduction for just around $250 over invoice.

    "My momma told me, you better shop around."

    Marcus
  • koolbreeze2koolbreeze2 Member Posts: 252
    Thanks for the advice and conversation. Also, thanks to Marcus. I appreciate to information.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Hopefully, you meant $500 over INVOICE, not $500 over MSRP???? As Marcus said, NO WAY you should pay even MSRP, much less $500 over MSRP!

    If you pay $500 over invoice, you are not necessarily getting the rock bottom best price, but you are getting a "reasonable price."

    When you get down to that range, the dealership becomes more important than saving a couple hundred bucks or less, or at least for me it does. I would go with the dealership that I thought I could trust to take care of me after the sale, even if I had to pay a couple hundred more. (And please, dealership bashers, there really ARE some decent people in the car business who try to take good care of their customers. Sorry if you have never experienced such a thing, but I have.)

    Good luck! Keep us posted.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Nope, no commission from DC, but you know, I have been thinking lately how nice it would be if I could somehow make a living doing something pertaining to Jeeps. Some people in this world are fortunate enough to make a living doing something they love and something they believe in. That would be the case for me, if I could promote Jeeps or off roading for a living.

    Man, Jeff, hope you get that soft top. At least maybe you can get someone to help you to take the hardtop off and the doors off for a day or two. I wish you could park Nicole in a garage and drive something else to work. Then, you could leave her doorless and topless like I leave Thelma Jane.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Hi Yanksfan! Welcome to Edmunds Jeep Wrangler!

    Good luck in your pursuit of an Unlimited. You will love your Jeep, I PROMISE!

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I went wheelin' two days out of this three day weekend. Had good weather and a great time both Saturday and today.

    You know, a day of wheelin' is just about like a day in Heaven for me. I get out in the woods for the whole day; have my very best bud in the whole world with me, my "granddog," Ross Allen; drive Thelma Jane through some places that are fun and challenging; and have fellow Jeepers for company. How could it get any better than that?

    Yeeeeeeeeeehawwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Tom made me jealous with his talk of 'wheeling 2 days this weekend. On the other hand, I actually saw the sun shining in Monterey today - first time in 3 trips up there. We stayed up there too long to get the Taco washed on the way home so it will be a few more days before I can place the ad for it. Guess I'll drive it a couple of more days.

    I'm looking forward to getting back to using my Noble Black Steed as our daily driver, at least until we make a decision about the Taco's replacement. And since the Unlimited is one of our short listed vehicles, we might continue to commute in a Wrangler.
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Dave,

    I got the Torx set you mentioned from Sears. While all the sizes are there, you may find that they metal they used is a bit soft. I had a heck of a time getting my torx screws off when installing my mirror relocators and ended up bending the torx bit for it. I had to buy a harder metal one at Carquest. But for most cases, they worked great. In taking off my bumpers pontoons, it was no problem. Installing my steering skid was no problem either (had to remove the bumper bolts).

    So go ahead and get em, but be ready to buy replacements if something gets bent. :)

    -Paul
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Well, I'm back from St. Louis. Spent Monday finally cleaning Kermit the Jeep (named for my departed dog and the fact that it is green) from my Camp Jeep back in mid-August. Man was it dirty!

    We nearly took it apart (dash, cages, seats, doors, etc) to clean everything we could. Sad part was though is that I took my safari top off and put my soft top back on, put the doors back on, and it is now ready for winter. :( Can still remove parts if I want, but I realized how much happier and fun it looks with tops and doors off! :)

    Congrats to all of you who have purchased new jeeps! I'm jealous, but hopefully I'll be able to add a Rubicon in the not too distant future (I'll stick with the SWB).

    -Paul
  • dave__dave__ Member Posts: 80
    Thanks Paul. I think I'll go ahead and order them. Tom, the description says Torx 'bits' but they really are sockets. Thanks for the advice.

    They're calling for a chance of rain all week so I had to put the top back up. It took me about 25 minutes to get it all together and most of that time was used getting it forward far enough to engage the clips at the top of the windshield. I suspect I'll get faster the more I do it.

    Yours in Jeep Coolness,

    Dave
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    Dave,

    Not sure how you were attaching the soft top header to the windshield, but I've found the best way it to open the latches, clipping the hook into the slot on the windshield frame. From here, go to the rear corners of the Jeep and pull down on the rear bow in the soft top. This should allow you to get the plastic lip on the rear sail corners under the tub edge. Once you have both rear corners secured, you can go back to the windshield and clamp the header latches firmly to the windshield. It will get a bit easier as you do it a few times. The warmer it is, the easier it can be done.

    -twylie
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    twylie is right. new tops are sometimes fussy about going back on. It is definitely easier to put the hooks on the windshield, but not clamp them down, then go back to the rear of the tub and press down on the bar and attach the back ones.

    I put my top on for the first time in 4 months. Winter is coming and it is cold here in the am (in the 40's).

    -Paul
  • dave__dave__ Member Posts: 80
    I was confused at first because my problem was getting the hooks onto the windshield in the first place. But I did that with the rear tub attachments already in place. I'll try attaching the windshield brackets first, but not locked, going around back and attaching the rear clips, then tensioning the windshield hooks. That sounds easy. The rest of the installation was quick and painless.

    I'll let you know how it goes.

    Dave
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Now I'm beginning to think I am - am I crazy to want to be a 2 Wrangler household? Shouldn't I be more practical and get something else besides the Unlimited? Granted, the Unlimited and the Sport do different things, but I'm just wondering if I'm being crazy to be getting a second Wrangler.

    Making a car decision is getting harder as I get older...
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    It just means you're addicted. :) Camp Jeep and driving one every day will do that to ya. heheh

    -Paul
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Tell me again, now what would be the problem with two Wranglers???

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    and over 2.10 a gallon. :)
  • bballjonesbballjones Member Posts: 8
    Does anyone know how much the hard top on the Unlimited weighs. I just purchased my first Jeep this weekend and decided to go with the Unlimited with the hard top. I wanted the hard top just in case of bad weather here in So. Cal and figured I would get the more expensive of the tops at time of purchase. Of course, now that I have finally have a Jeep, I want that top off. I want to get one of those Harken Hoisters to lift it off but I am not sure which one to get, the 90, 145 or the 200lb one.

    Thanks!
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I can promise you that the top weighs more than 145 lbs. The hard top on a regular Wrangler is about 140 lbs, so the extra length of the Unlimited top would probably add another 20 or 30 lbs.

    Congrats on that Unlimited! Pics? Details? Color, etc.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • 99tj99tj Member Posts: 187
    Paul, (or anybody else)

    Did you have problems with the bolts on those bumper pontoons? When I tried to take mine off, at least one bolt on each corner "broke free" underneath. The plastic, the bolt was attached to, is just spinning :( I think my only option is to break the head off the bolts.
  • bballjonesbballjones Member Posts: 8
    Thanks Tom. Any other advice on the hoist would be appreciated. Sounds like some people went to e-bay so I will probably check that out. I got a '04 white unlimited. I would have loved the Rubicon but am so busy with the kids and work, I would have felt guilty keeping it all cooped up on asphault.

    No pictures yet but it is the std. white one with black top. Any thoughts on names would also be appreciated.

    Yes, I actually did go out and hug my Jeep today.
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    "bad weather in SoCal" - What bad weather in SoCal? There isn't such a thing - the weather is always perfect - just ask someone living in Florida...

    And right now is when you want to be driving topless - this weather is lovely! I can't help you with the hoist - my hard top has never been off my Sport due to the lack of a garage.

    Did you just go to a local dealership? I was looking at the inventory of a couple of the SoCal dealerships (it seems like the jeep.com site links to inventory lists for 5 star dealerships) but didn't find an Unlimited listed in the color I'd like (I like the electric lime green - don't laugh everyone). I was wondering how up to date the listings were, and what your experience was.

    The Taco got washed on the way home tonight and I parked where My Noble Black Steed usually is (not directly under the sappy cottonwoods). I'll get some carpet cleaner (a couple of coffee stains) and goo gone this weekend and then run the ad. I'm still debating the price - how fast do I want it gone versus how much money can it bring.

    What's even better than the thought that the Taco could be gone shortly is the thought that tomorrow is a Jeep day and we'll become Wrangler commuters once again.
  • yanksfanyanksfan Member Posts: 7
    At work I am able to get a discount on all daimlerchryler vehicles. The website that we have says that we get any new vehicle for 1% less than invoice or what the dealer buys it for or something like that. Has anyone used a discount like this when purchasing their Wranglers? And if so, about what was the final price that you paid when everything was said and done? Thanks.
    -Brian
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    If it is what makes you happy why worry about. If you can do everything you need to do in a Wrangler, and you love driving it then enjoy…Life is too short to try and be practical if you do not have to.
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    Get the 200# one.

    I bought a manual “Hoist-A-Top” then modified it by replacing the set screws with bolts (I did not trust the cheep set screws they provided). Then I bought a 2000# ratchet winch to make it easier to raise and lower the top. I leave it hanging in my garage. I use two ratchet tie downs to hang the top form four 150# hooks I placed in the ceiling (I have trust issues).

    It’s good to hear some one else form So Cal is on this site.
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    Talk to the internet sales manager at Don-A-Vee. He found Ellie'Mae in the San Diego area for me. I really feel he took good care of me...and I don't say that about many (maybe 2 in the last 20 years) car sales men, especially after 9 months. If you want his name send me an e-mail and I will give it to you.
  • bballjonesbballjones Member Posts: 8
    Thanks. I am really close to Don-A-Vee so that would be great if I could get what I need from him. I did not see your e-mail address but mine is listed.

    Thanks.
  • bballjonesbballjones Member Posts: 8
    Sorry my sarcasm getting the better of me about the harsh So Cal weather. Getting the hard top was the practical side of me coming out, however after reading some of these posts "after the fact" it sounds like the soft top would have been more practical.

    Oh well, it will cost me but now I am going to remedy the situation so I can enjoy the remainder of the Summer & Fall.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I'm going to place an order with Quadratec today for a "Hoist a Top." I'll get the electric version rather than the manual one. A Jeep buddy who has one recommended the electric one, since you can operate the controls with one hand and use the other hand to position the top.

    Now, I'm not sure if the standard Hoist a Top would work for an Unlimited top or not. You could call Qtec and ask, I suppose.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Nope, I didn't have any problems with mine and it is a 97. There are only a few little clips holding the bolt into the pontoon.

    If you are wanting to take them off and don't care how they look, the plastic wouldn't take too much effort to break and would probably be easier to work than dremeling or cutting the head off. :)

    Before you do any additional ones, use a bit of penetrating oil to help loosen the threads.

    -Paul
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    You can't go wrong with either top. :) Having both gives you more flexibility. I have the soft top only, but there are times when I wish I had the hard top.

    I may be moving soon to an area that can get hail and severe weather. I'd rather have the hard top for that than worry about hail coming through my soft top (if I can't get it in to the garage for some reason).

    -Paul
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I put some photos in an album that were taken a couple of years ago. They are of my front yard and show some of that SoCal winter sunshine. If you ever wander up here, you might be very glad that you have the hard top. Photos are located at:

    http://community.webshots.com/album/185228274SzKakt?469
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    I've heard from a few sources that the Wrangler will have a new 6-speed manual gearbox for the '05 model year. Is that true? If so it will surely increase the Wrangler's already excellent versatility, both on- and off-road.

    Will it also get the new 5-speed automatic that's being put into the GCs and Liberties for '05?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    The six speed manual is for sure, but I don't think the five speed auto is in the works for 05.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • blakewdblakewd Member Posts: 10
    I too get this discount. It states that it is 1% below invoice and any other offers can be applied. I would really like to know if this is a good deal or not. It sounds like 1% below guarenteed (dealer has to give proof) is a great way to get what I want quickly with no hassle. Now as soon as the Unlimited Rubi comes out mmm...?

    Say does anyone have a clue when the Unlimited Rubi comes out. For me that is the best of both worlds!
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    One percent below invoice is an EXTREMELY good deal, if all rebates still apply, and you say they do.

    I doubt if you could ever beat that. GO FOR IT!

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • dave__dave__ Member Posts: 80
    Today was an average day at work, not great but not particularly bad either. I finished up on time and headed out to get my haircut. My sister in-law manages a salon and cuts my hair for the family discount so I never go anywhere else because I'm kind of cheap. It's a nice bonus that she's a really good stylist too.

    I told her I needed to go a little shorter this time because I have a convertible now and gave her the news about the new Wrangler. She said, "Wow, you'll have to go wheelin' with my brother. He has a Wrangler with a winch and a snorkel and he takes it out all the time!" Cool, now I have an in with someone who has a little experience. And since he's my wife's brother's wife's brother, we're practically related!

    So I left the shop, which I won't call a beauty salon, and headed home. At the last minute I took the back way and came across a windy country road that should have been repaved about 10 years ago.

    I need to stop here for a minute and tell you a little bit about my first vice, Hang Gliding. When you fly at altitude there are two kinds of naturally rising air that you can work to keep you up for hours. One is ridge lift which is caused by a horizontal wind hitting a vertical surface, like a mountain, and vectoring upward. This rising air will support you for as long as you want and can be very smooth. The other type of lift comes from thermals. Rising bubbles or columns of warm air that you can circle in and gain hundreds or even thousands of feet. Thermals tend to be rougher and more turbulent than ridge lift. In most non-coastal areas the air is a combination of ridge and thermal lift and can be anything from baby butt smooth to shake your teeth out turbulent. When hang glider pilots talk about turbulence they often refer to the air as being textured. In fact, the ability to feel the texture of the air is what draws a lot of people, me included, to Hang Gliding as opposed to flying sailplanes or even powered flight. Texture is good, it's what attaches you to the air and makes soaring a zen-like pursuit.

    So what's that got to do with my Jeep? Well, on that little country road, I felt, for the first time in anything other than a hang glider, texture. Not just bumps, they are what I've felt on that road in my old truck or my other sister in-law's Z3. Bumps are exaggerated and reverberate. The Jeep followed the contours in the bad pavement, no more, no less. It was texture but it was solid at the same time. I've never experienced that feeling before.

    All too soon my little country road merged into a more civilized and maintained road. But now that I knew what to feel for I could tell it was still there.

    I don't think I'm going to get bored with this anytime soon.

    Yours in Jeep Coolness,

    Dave
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Dave:

    I would LOVE to have you come over here and go to Turkey Bay with me! Man, you think that Jeep is fun... well, it IS, but taking a Jeep off road is THE ULTIMATE!

    YEEEEEEEEEEHAWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?

    P.S.

    Yes, Dave, it is ALWAYS going to be a thrill to drive that Jeep, especially on nice days when you are doorless and topless.
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    but not very far off; look at these pictures!

    http://share-dell.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeKMWLhq2aMNe

    jeff
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I can see that beaming smile all the way across the country! And yes, it stays that way for a very LONG time. It is a wonderful fun feeling that only a few other cars can give you.
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    It looks like you didn't need to go very far to get into trouble. I had a friend who was a big off-roader (drove a '76 Land Cruiser - the ones that looked more like the Wrangler than they do now). He said that the main thing 4WD does is get you more stuck further away from help. But it's still great fun! By the way, how did you get out?
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    Honest, all I was doing was going down to the river to take a few pictures of Nicole out on a point at the river. I let one of my friends drive, he hadn't driven her yet. As we got close to the river i reached over, pulled it down into 4WD and told him just head out across some rip rap and what looked to be dry dirt.

    Well it wasn't dry, the top was, underneath wasn't, she sank.

    Of course I was still wearing the clothes I had on from work, I had a tow rope, but no shovel. Tried backing out, she was stuck. Initially had some traction but not enough, so she dug in deeper. Gave up, called a friend to come try to pull me out with his 2WD chevy, (we were still very close to the parking lot) smoked his tires and didn't budge Nicole.

    About that time a very nice chevy 4WD owner was coming in from fishing, he just laughed and said give him a minute to get his boat out. Got her right out, and all he asked was that I be sure to stop and help the next person I see stuck. I promised him I would.

    jeff
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    I had trouble getting into 4L.

    Are they all hard to shift into 4L?

    Unable to get into low, sitting there stuck, with not much else to do I read the owners manual about shifting into 4L. It says sometimes you might need to be moving 2 - 3 miles / hour.

    Once I was up on the road I was able to get it into low,(still with difficulty) but it seems that it might have helped if I could have done it about 30 minutes earlier.

    jeff
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    I felt exactly the same way (while i was driving, not stuck) but had nothing else to compare it to.

    jeff

    Actually being stuck was probably a good thing, its ok now if she gets muddy, it washes off.
  • 99tj99tj Member Posts: 187
    "my wife's brother's wife's brother"

    Say that 10 times, fast! :)

    -Dan
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    It sometimes gets easier once you've done a few miles, but it shouldn't really be a problem. Make sure that you have the main transmission in neutral and the engine at idle. It's a little quieter at 2-3mph, but it should engage while stationary as well.

    Finally, there is no downside to engaging 4wd (high or low) a little before you need it.............as you found out!

    :--)
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    If you were high centered, then it wouldn't much matter if you were in four hi, or four lo, or what type of tires you had.

    If you were NOT high centered, then you would have been much better off with some mud tires, instead of those Get Stuck Anywheres (GSA's).

    A good mud tire will self-clean as it spins, throwing the mud out from between the lugs as it goes around, so that the tread is clean when a particular section of tread rotates back around to the bottom. You can actually be better off in four hi in mud, so that the tires will spin faster and clean themselves better.

    Like Mac said, it does help to be rolling slowly when you engage four wheel lo. I hope the tranny was in neutral when you were trying to engage four lo??? You said you bud was driving and you pulled the lever up for for lo, but you didn't say anything about the tranny being in neutral.

    Proud of ya for gettin' that puppy off the pavement, Jeff! Your Jeep will love you for stuff like that.

    Jeff, while those GSA's are new, you should be able to get a real good trade-in allowance on them, if you would like to get a better tire for off road situations.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Sorry if I am telling all of you new Jeep owners something that you already know, but...

    Wranglers have a part time four wheel drive system ONLY. If some of you folks have owned other four wheel drive vehicles, you may be used to having a full time four wheel drive operating mode, but Wranglers DO NOT HAVE THAT FEATURE.

    You can damage your drive train and wear out your tires by driving in four wheel hi or four wheel lo on dry pavement. Four wheel drive is for off road or slick roads only. The tires need to be able to slip a little to prevent binding in the drive line.

    I know most likely ALL of you knew this, but I would rather state the obvious than hear about someone messing up their Jeep by driving in four wheel drive on the pavement.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    my problem was that it was dark enough that I couldn't / didn't see the pattern on the 4WD shift lever, I wasn't pushing it to the right then down to get to 4L. I was trying to pull it straight back.

    With my toyotas I had always been in neutral or park and completely stopped when shifting to 4L. It was unusual to see that it said to be rolling to shift to 4L.

    Anyway, tried it this morning. Works fine.

    jeff
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