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Jeep Wrangler

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Comments

  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I just talked to Gill, and he and his family survived Ivan just fine. He said other than a bunch of leaves all over his yard, there was no damage to his property.

    He is not sure about when the website will be back online. He had just gotten his power back at his house in Kinston when I called a few minutes ago. The server is at his computer shop in Opp, and downtown Opp is still without power. He said the power company is telling people that ask when the power will be back on that it will be anywhere from "3 hours to 3 weeks."

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Tom, thanks for passing on the news. Glad to hear he is doing okay. I got out of Alabama yesterday around noon, so I avoided the mess, but I know not everybody was so lucky. My thoughts are with everybody down there. I could see the hurricane as we flew west. Woah, it was huge!

    -Paul
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    I think the half doors are available as a no cost option, but have to be specifically requested. The full doors come standard on the Sport & maybe the Rubi for '05... Doesn't make much sense that they don't give you a discount if you select half doors for those models, but upcharge you to go from half to full on the other models.

    -twylie

    PS - I agree that the move to grey flares and tops is not a great one. Black is timeless and goes with everything
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Paul - I was thinking about you and wondering if you would get out before Ivan struck. Hope you are back in sunny, cool, California and enjoying this great weather.

    My color choice would definitely be different next year. I really like the bright green with the black but think it would look terrible with the grey. Same for most colors except for white - I thought that looked nice. Of course, my flares will be pretty grey in a couple of years - they certainly are on my Noble Black Steed. While it doesn't look as monotone and sharp as it did before, I don't think it looks horrible.

    It's been interesting getting this green Unlimited. The dealers keep telling me how unpopular the color is, so then I started wondering if I am crazy to be getting it. Maybe I should have gotten the light khaki. But I love Wranglers in bright colors - it is one of the few vehicles that I think look good in them. And I really like it - there was one parked at the front of Camp Jeep so I had a chance to look at it numerous times for 3 days. Each time I passed it, I looked at it and remarked how good it looked.

    I've left a deposit for the dealership to get it from the other dealership, so I'm committed. They should get it this evening so I'll pick it up in the morning.

    Tom - Hope you don't get drenched with left-over Ivan rain too badly. Now everyone gets to wonder what will happen with Hurricane Jeanne. Meanwhile I'm living in the land of perpetual sunshine, it seems. Sure wish winter would hurry up and get here, though now that a Wrangler is going to be my daily driver, I guess it doesn't matter when winter comes.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Don't forget Javier but it seems to be heading away from Baja. Could still send some rain your way Mtngal.

    Has Bama checked in lately by the way? Looking to be a damp Fall in the South.

    Steve, Host
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    I'm going to Ensenada this weekend to go sailing, so I hope it keeps heading away. Should get some good wind though. :)

    mtngal, yep I'm back. Don't let the dealer talk you out of the color you want. They are just concerned about selling it if you back out of the deal.

    -Paul
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Paul - Javier could be interesting. The weatherman I read who covers the San Joiquin Valley indicates that there's a slight chance of rain in SoCal and possibly even as far north as Tulare, so keep an eye out for rain this weekend.

    I haven't let them talk me out of the color - I've given them a big deposit to get it and unless it is messed up, it will be in my driveway tomorrow night! I can't wait - I'm finally getting my soft top!
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    CONGRATS! Yeeeeeeeeeehawwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!

    Of course, we are gonna need pics!

    Be sure and post tomorrow night and let us know how everything went.

    I think I like that Electric Lime Green too, if that is the color you are talking about. I was shocked by it at first and didn't think I would want any part of it, but I have never seen one in person. I am liking the pics of them better all the time. Sure wish I could see one up close and personal.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    is certainly a bright color. When I saw a photo of it I thought "no way!" They had several at Camp Jeep - an Unlimited parked at the entrance and a Rubi on the Rubi 101 course. I kept walking past that Unlimited parked at the entrance and eventually my other half said that he thought it was nice, especially with the black top and flares. In fact, the Wrangler is one vehicle is one of the few vehicles that looks really good with bright, bold colors - think of the red and solar yellow ones. I showed an internet photo (the Jeep website has one) to a co-worker, who said that mine would fit right in where I live - it is similar to the green on Forest Service vehicles.

    And just think - I won't have to worry about forgetting where I parked next year at Camp Jeep. It won't be just another black Wrangler in a sea of black Wranglers! I know I won't have much competition - I'm buying the only one left in SoCal!
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Is this the color?

    image

    :--)
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    And the more I look at it, the more I LIKE it. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure, but that Electric Lime Green might be my color choice if I were buying a new Wrangler today. (You pay extra for it, you know.)

    Tomster
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I STILL cannot get over what DC has done on the flares and tops!

    People complained ( I guess ) that the pretty black flares faded to an ugly gray color. So, DC sees the logical thing to do is to make the flares the ugly gray color to start with.

    GAG A MAGGOT! YUCK! YUCK! YUCK!

    BRING BACK THE BLACK

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    And I do really like it - I can't wait to see mine at lunch today.

    The only reason that I can think of why they have gone to the grey is that they couldn't figure out how to keep the black flares black. They figured they would be forever fighting with people, so they are temporarily going with the grey to avoid future problems.

    I don't think the grey is bad with white. I'm not sure I would mind it so much with black - I'm kind of tired of the monochrome black look and haven't bothered doing anything about my now-grey flares.

    On most other colors I think it is going to be the grey top that bothers me the most. I would have preferred them go to a brown top and flares for most colors. In some ways I was disappointed that they had discontinued the dark green exterior with brown interior combination a while ago - I thought that was sharp and I'm sort of tired of the black/dark grey interior at the moment. But not enough to get something else (obviously).
  • keatskeats Member Posts: 412
    You said it, Tom. I can't imagine how crappy grey flares would look on my Rubicon. That's the odd thing, too. The flares on Rubicons are actually painted--I think they're the same flare as the Sahara. There not like the flares on the other models so why paint them grey? Khaki and dark khaki with grey flares? WTF?

    mtngal, congrats on the Unlimited. Going to be a 2 Jeep family like us. Although, our other is Jeep is a Grand Cherokee.
  • dave__dave__ Member Posts: 80
    My 2004 X is a Columbia Edition which comes with grey flares although they call it Graphite. My flares are grey but they're painted grey with a real nice deep metal flake paint and I think it looks good against the flame red. I suspect the grey we're talking about on the 2005 is different?

    Yours in Jeep Coolness,

    Dave

    P.S. I guess one option is to keep it covered in mud all the time! :-)
  • keatskeats Member Posts: 412
    Yes, Dave, the color on the Columbia edition is different. This grey of these new flares looks rather flat--almost battleship grey. I suspect your flares are also the Sahara/Rubicon paintable type. The Columbia edition is pretty cool. I love those wheels--very sharp.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    From the pictures I have seen of the new gray flares, what you said above is correct. Your flares are a nice dark gray, and I like the looks of the Columbia Editions. But, the new standard gray flares are UGLY. They are BUTT UGLY!

    Although not quite as light as the gray that black flares fade to, the new flares are much lighter in color than your flares, Dave.

    What was wrong with the black flares? When they faded, if people were all that worried about it, they could bring the black back by various means.

    GEEZ!

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • keatskeats Member Posts: 412
    If I had bought an 05 the first thing I would do is order replacement flares in black!
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    You got that right! And, have the hard top painted! Or, have the soft top dyed. (Depending on the body color, a guy might want a black top, but I DO like that dark khaki top on khaki and on Patriot Blue)

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • keatskeats Member Posts: 412
    Checked the tracking on my XM radio order and it should be here today.
    My question is what is the easiest way to wire the permanent 12 volt power supply? I'm thinking of tapping into the "Switched" wire behind the glove box. Would there be any problem doing that? I've never done in wiring in a car before besides speakers, so this all new to me. I would hate to burn up my electrical system!
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    if you could get the hard top in black from the dealer, then order a Bestop top from them directly and get it in black then...

    You can order OEM replacement flares from places like 4wd.com for 115.00 or so and they are black. That is what I have on my TJ and I suspect the flares are the same on the Unlimited as what is put on a standard TJ.

    -Paul
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Wish I could help you, but my Roady came with the cigarette lighter power supply that includes the FM modulator. I'm now trying to decide whether to get something like the Alpine unit to replace the radio or see if the radio has a plug in on the back so I could get an adapter to plug the Roady directly into the radio. The FM modulator works very well at the house and for about half of my commute, but as soon as I get past Santa Clarita there are no clear channels. I never that problem with the Taco because it had a cassette deck, and XM never has static - you either have a signal or not. One more hour to go until new Jeep time, but who's counting, right?
  • dave__dave__ Member Posts: 80
    One more hour! You've got to be going crazy. When I found my Jeep on the internet it was late on a Saturday so I couldn't go that day. Sunday, the dealership was closed and Monday night I had a church meeting so I went on Tuesday. It was like Christmas Eve when I was 5. I couldn't sleep and I was pretty useless at work. I'll bet you've been really productive this morning. :-)

    Yours in Jeep Coolness,

    Dave
  • keatskeats Member Posts: 412
    Yeah, mine has a cigarette adapter, but I want to hardwire the power and keep the cig adapter for our other cars.

    I know you must be excited about the new ride! I bought mine sight unseen on a Monday night after they located exactly what I wanted at another dealer. They had the right color and all options I was looking for so I didn't have to order it, but it still took another two days before I could get it. I nearly went crazy! To this day, when I'm padding around the house I go out to the garage and take a peek.
  • mcrrtmcrrt Member Posts: 93
    mtngal,

    Well, by my watch, you should have that Unlimited by now-Congratulations! I remember when I got mine they had to bring it in from another dealership, and they wouldn't have it ready until the next day. I waited until late in the day when the dealership was closed and I was sure it should be there, then the wife and I drove over to make sure it had "gotten there okay". It was so exciting to see it sitting there, even though I couldn't get in it or drive it! I'll admit I'm not too sure about that Lime Green color, but I can't wait for you to post some pics! Any mods planned?

    Marcus
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Just called the salesman that I bought my Thelma Jane from, and he is upset about the gray flares too. He said he is hearing grumbling from other Jeep dealers about it also.

    He said he wouldn't be surprised if DC backs off of that idea before the 05 model year ends.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    It is now parked in the parking garage near my office building. The trip from the dealership, to the parking kiosk where I could buy a parking permit for my lot and then back to my parking lot (all of 10 miles total, I think) was quite harrowing. Definitely convinced me I'm SO glad I don't live in Santa Monica!

    Everyone at work has admired it, even in the dark parking structure. I can't quite believe it is mine.

    My dealership also had to get it from another dealership about 100 miles away. It was the only Lime Green Unlimited soft top in SoCal. So the first time I saw it was when I pulled into the parking lot and parked behind it today. The first thing I noticed was the front. There was chrome around the grille, which I hadn't noticed on any other Unlimited that I had seen. The original dealership had added it on, but hadn't told my dealership before the trade. We had already agreed on the price and my dealership stuck by the price they originally quoted me. I'm delighted because I really like that extra bit of chrome on the front - it dresses it up. I'll post some photos tonight.

    Can you see my beaming smile back east? It hasn't gone away since I got behind the wheel.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Congrats Mtngal!

    Maybe you can cruise by Edmunds.com's headquarters there in Santa Monica a few times and blow your horn :-)

    Steve, Host
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    CONGRATULATIONS!

    Yeeeeeeeeeeeehawwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Forgot to ask ya... how does it feel driving an auto?

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I should take you up on that, but I have no idea where they are located and I actively try to avoid driving much around this area. Work isn't far from the 405 freeway - only a couple of lights and a couple of stop signs - and that's all the urban driving I want to do. Give me a dirt road out in the middle of the mountains any day!
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I'll let you know tonight - so far no big deal (though I did have to think about it).
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    YaY!!!

    tidester, host
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    welcome to the unlimited club!! our numbers are growing

    jeff
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    bolted a hitch to her rear end. a couple grab handles from ranglier, and some husky floor liners for the front floor.

    i had to remove the factory tow hook to put the hitch on. i saw on the warn site they sell "shackle bracket" http://www.warn.com/truck/accessories/shackle.shtml to use as a tow point from the receiver hitch. the hitch is rated at 3500 #s, question for those that have seen more vehicles pulled out of mud holes / creeks / rivers than I have, is the hitch strong enough or do i need to rig something else up. (not planning to get stuck anytime again soon, but want to be prepared if I am)

    jeff

    ps,, I like the bright green!!
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    That puppy in the link you posted ought to work fine. I wonder why the hitch itself is only rated for 3500 lbs, though?

    I think you should be OK. The hitch mounts to the frame, right? And the shackle bracket goes right into the receiver of the hitch. As long as the frame is taking the load when you are being pulled out, you should be OK.

    It is sometimes necessary to "jerk" a badly stuck vehicle out of the mud, so the shock load should be taken into account.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Yup, you'll have to try hard to break that one!

    image

    However, are you sure you have a Class III 2" receiver in the hitch you fitted? If it's rated at 3500lbs it may be a smaller Class I or II.
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    its a class II, ACME out of Kansas City. they didn't have a class III for wranglers. bolted to the frame on both sides with one grade 5 bolt and one grade 8 bolt.

    jeff
  • jpk257jpk257 Member Posts: 43
    Hi-

    Does anyone have a link to pics of the 2005 unlimited. I am very curious to see what the gray flares look like as well as any of the other cosmetic changes.

    Thanks,

    Jeff
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    I guess that combination of bolt grades is to cover the bases. Grade 8 being stronger but less flexible than the Grade 5.

    Actually, it's more likely that the hitch will bend if you need a heavy 'snatch' to pull you out, than the bolts will fail.

    However, you should measure the size of the receiver to see if the 2" Warn insert will fit.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    I posted a couple of pics last month in #13881.

    mac24 Aug 21, 2004 1:25pm
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    my hitch says its class II (3500 gross towing weight) the heaviest hitch they had for wranglers. Mine has a 2" receiver. I looked at reese's website & drawtite's site, their class III hitches only show a gross towing weight of 3500#. reese and drawtite have a 1 1/4" receiver on their class II receivers. 2" on their class III hitches.

    are they rating the hitches to align with the vehicles rating??

    jeff

    bought the hitch not knowing it would require taking off the tow hook or I would have kept looking for different hitch, or better yet convinced myself to get a different bumper with the receiver incorporated into the bumper. Whats up with those cheap / cheesey end caps on the factory bumper? the rest of the jeep is so well built then they put those things on there.

    oh yeah,, and I bought a CB on Ebay tonight, the highly recommended (by Paul) Cobra 75WXST; Tom, 3 weeks ago when i was asking all the questions about buying a jeep, why didn't you tell me I'd be spending so much on all the extras???
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I took a couple of photos at the dealership when I picked it up. I haven't decided if it will be a guy or a girl - maybe girl this time since the Sport is a guy. I'll take more when in the morning - we stopped for dinner and it was too dark when I got home. The 2 I took are at:

    http://community.webshots.com/album/188823439kZLZAP?281

    It was cloudy (marine layer never really burned off) so the color is a hair more blue than it really is. Hopefully tomorrow's photos will be better.

    I found out one of the ways they have made the Unlimited quieter - they have added fairly thick padding to the carpet (there isn't any on my NBS). The back carpet didn't fit on mine - it was a bit short, so the dealer swapped it out with carpet from another one on their lot (an advantage for one color interiors), and I took a good look at it while we were changing it out.

    The soft top is definitely hard to manage. The person showing me how the top folded back fixed it that way while we were signing our life away, then showed us how to put the part by the doors into the channel. I tried to take it out and couldn't get it off! It's going to take a while to get used to it.

    The soft top Unlimited is both quieter and noisier than my '98 hard top Sport. It doesn't have as much road noise (tires, engine), but I hear traffic around me more. It isn't necessarily a bad thing - it is easier to tell what is around me.

    I like the automatic - it is still geared low in first so I can just creep along in slow-n-go traffic and not use my brakes much. The tranny is very smooth but it did go in and out of overdrive more than I liked going up the Grapevine. I used the switch to turn it off on the steepest parts. Looks like a tranny cooler is going to be a good idea.

    I LOVE the auto dimming mirror with compass and temperature. It was fun to watch the temperature go from 89 down to 68 at the house. And there are lights on it! I was really surprised by the internal lights in the Unlimited - SO much better than the Sport! I'm just now starting to read the owners manual to figure out all the changes to the controls (there are more than I expected - great fun!).
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    I’m fugal, and didn’t think I wanted to spend the $$ on the fancy mirror,, its just a mirror after all right?? Guys never get lost, whats the compass for? Well that’s what she had on her, so I took it and I absolutely love the compass, I cover 4 counties for my job, its so nice to see that I am headed in the right direction if I’m trying to get to a house out in the country…

    Your comment about coming in / out of overdrive was exactly the opposite of my initial feelings about the tranny. My 4 runner would bounce in / out of OD all the time I was so happy when I was driving the jeep home from the dealership and it didn’t shift down coming up out of the river bottoms though the cut in the bluff.

    jeff
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    "...are they rating the hitches to align with the vehicles rating??"

    Undoubtedly, probably after legal advice. Don't get me started on that subject!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I use heavy duty Olympic bumpers, front and rear, with integrated receivers. Gives me lots of options.
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    another interesting tidbit about towing rating and lawyers is that the short wheel base Wranger is rated at 3500lbs in almost every country BUT the USA.

    -twylie
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Exactly! Though to be fair, the higher ratings granted elsewhere are usually for braked trailers.

    The mechanical components of the Wrangler are quite capable, witness the Unlimited's 3500lb rating, it's the wheelbase that worries the lawyers.

    Should you dare to exceed the 2000lb limit here in the US, even with a low profile correctly balanced braked trailer, you run the risk of a fine, denial of insurance coverage and severe financial exposure should you happen to be involved in an accident, even if it's not of your own making.

    A vehicle/trailer combination that's perfectly safe and legal in most parts of the world suddenly becomes an illegal deathtrap when it turns a wheel on an Americaqn highway!

    (Hmmm........ I think I said something previously about not getting me started!)

    ;--)
  • guy21guy21 Member Posts: 129
    Every time I go through the '05 Wrangler brochure, something new jumps out at me. This time it is the option content of the SE models.

    A base SE comes standard with the 2.4L I-4 engine and six speed manual transmission. However, when the four speed automatic is specified as an option the package includes the 4.0L I-6.

    Per Edmunds new car pricing, this option would appear to cost $2,105 and you would still have an SE trim level Wrangler. Will they be ditching the 4 cyl and SE completely next year?
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    Congratulations!!!!

    I wish my wife like the Wrangler as much as I do…The other night I picked her up at the train station because she was sick. On the ride home she said to me, “I know you love this vehicle, but it really sucks when you are sick.” I told her (very sympathetically), “I wouldn’t know, I don’t drive it when I am sick.” I am glade I have a wife who loves me.

    mtgal: I know what you mean about the Santa Monica area. I lived in Mar Vista (near the 405 and Washington Blvd) for 1 year to the day…I could not wait to move out of LA. The traffic, the noise, and the fact that someone tried to still my car twice (once out of my parking garage) did not make it an enjoyable place to live.

    Glen
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I've added a couple of more photos to my album (see post #14352). I'll see about getting one in the sunlight tomorrow - part of my problem is that it is almost too shiny!

    Some more impressions - we found out that the sentry key system works - the second key didn't work this morning. I finally let my other half drive this morning. We had left the Sport at work last night so we only had one car at the house, and we were leaving early this morning to do the American Heart Association walk and pick up the other Jeep. He started the car, it ran for a couple of seconds and shut off. Initial panic - what's wrong with our brand new car!?! Then I remembered the owners manual said this was normal for an unprogrammed key. So not only did the other dealership stick my dealership with a carpet that was cut wrong, but they had probably lost the key and while they cut a new one, they didn't bother to program it! A quick trip to my dealership (since we were already in West LA) and both keys now work.

    We watched the video (excellent source of information) and then, using the book, we figured out how to use the sunrider option on the Unlimited. Very nice, though 68 is a bit cool for sunroof driving. I think that I'll probably use this more than going completely topless. And I'm not sure what all the straps they give you are for, though I did figure out which one to use for the sunroof right away.

    The soft top Unlimited is MUCH better than a hard top Sport in the wind. It is more stable all the way around and so much easier both in the city and on the highway. It seems quite a bit thirstier than the Sport - the first tank was only 16 mpg. I sure hope it gets better as time goes on. Granted, this tank had more city driving than usual, and there are only 350 miles on it (137 miles when I got it - they drove it from the other dealership).

    What do others do to keep their extra straps in one place? I'm probably just going to use a ziplock bag in the side pocket, but wondered if anyone had come up with a better way of doing it.
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