I was pretty close to getting a new 3 series convertible prior to ordering the Jeep. I know BMW offers a great deal to take Euro delivery and the Jeep will be just the opposite (mo' money overseas). In the states, I could have bought his n hers TJ's for the price of a 330CiC. Even so, I remain 100% happy with my decision to have bought the Jeep. I spent a winter in the Italian Alps and a Jeep is the perfect vehcle that terrain (aside from the $4 a gallon fuel costs).
Thanks for the well wishes. Still have to make a stop at my credit union to get the check to pay for the damn thing, but it's looking like I'll pick it up tomorrow morning or afternoon. And wouldn't you know, it's completely overcast right now with a 30% chance of rain tomorrow :-( Oh well, I guess that just means I'll be washing it down over the weekend if the weather clears up - good chance to get to know it a little more closely, I suppose. Still really excited - the salesman said it looks "beautiful" (although, what else would he say?!?) I'll get pix up in the next week.
I'm jealous... getting your jeep today.... congrats man.. hug that jeep for me.. i'm sure you will enjoy the fresh smog air of LA. lol...get those pics posted early now.. take care.. hope to see ya in chat tomorrow night..
Workin' late at our plant in Illinois and had to get my Wrangler IV fix before heading for the motel.
Yellowman, CONGRATS! HAVE FUN!
Desertfoxx, still worried about you, man! POST! You must have Rommel by now, right?
Tonkadave, howdy, Boy! How many days, hours, and minutes do you suppose it will be now????? Let's hope for one thing... that it doesn't take as long for it to come in as it did for you to decide to buy it!!!!!!!!!
Later everyone
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
P.S.
Had Thelma washed and waxed today. She's LOOKIN' GOOD!
Woohoo, I got my jeep back today with it's 3" Teraflex lift and 33x12.50 Goodyear M/T R's on black AR 767 wheels. OH man, all I can say is Boy is She big and beautiful. Doesn't really drive any different besides a little more sluggish and maybe a little stiffer, but they are new coils so I'm expecting a good outcome, and I LOVE being able to look down on people in those little cars. I'll get pics posted ASAP. But what can I say... she's already muddy. Oh and yellowman... Big Jeep wave from NC for that new Jeep of yours. Happy Jeepin'
Spyro - any estimate on how long the lift took you. How many people, etc. Also, keep us posted on how it's working for you. Doesn't look like you have to have sparx pulling you out anymore
Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I've been having too much fun in my new Jeep to sit down in front of the computer! Plus, I thought I'd drive my new TJ for a week or so and report my experiences to those of you still on the fence!
I picked up my TJ on Tuesday night, 3/27. It came in on Friday, 3/23, but I had already left to ski in Utah so my dealer didn't have the heart to call and tell me while I was away...I'm grateful, because I would have been dying to get back. Anyway, the new Sienna Pearl Coat is gorgeous! Dealer told me 5 people tried to buy my TJ while it sat waiting for me over the weekend and that 2 of them changed thier orders from other colors to the Sienna after seeing it!
Picked it up with 6 miles on it and now have over 300 miles on it already! Milage on the first tank was only 13.3mpg, but I expect that to change. Plus, I drive mostly short trips in heavy traffic so if I can get up to 16 I'll be thrilled!
For those of you trying to make a decision, what can I say other than JUST DO IT! I absolutely love my Jeep! It is everything I thought it would be and so much more! It's sooooooo much fun to drive and I have yet to even take it off road...although that's coming as soon as I get over 1000 miles on it Spyro...don't worry!
Only problem was a leaky seal on the drivers side, first hard rain and the floor was soaked, but I took it in, got it fixed and have been dry as a bone ever since. Aside from that, I haven't had a single problem.
We've finally started to have great weather down here in DC so I'm going to try to get the hard top off today and the soft top on so I can start going topless! Can't wait!
Anyway, that's it from here! I'll check in periodically....when I'm not out enjoying my Jeep to keep you all updated on my experiences. Hope all is well with everyone! Talk to you soon!
yellowman That is good to hear. I hope you get it soon.
spyrodragon Lets see some trails shots of that new setup. Sounds nice. Do you have the transfer case drop?
jrjeep I am confused from your last post. You said you are not getting the trac-lok and the trac-lok will not help you off-road? The trac-lok will help you, unless you don't want to get it and you want to buy a better aftermarket one. The 01s add a trunk are suppose to be made out of plastic or something now. They were not that strong to begin with. If you want a real secure trunk I would look at these. http://www.tuffyproducts.com/
ckingsbury I thought you had to get the Dana44 if you got the 30" package?
This is an erroneous conception which is reinforced I think by Edmunds' own Wrangler page, which says you need the Dana 44 for the 30" tires, the Trac-lock requires the Dana 44, and ABS doesn't work with the Dana 44. Trac-lok doesn't require the Dana 44, ABS won't work with the Dana 44, and the 30" tires require nothing.
Now, what you see on the lots is another matter- I had to go 200 miles to find a Sahara with automatic, trac-lok, 30" tires, and ABS, but I'm real picky
Just a reminder of the Jeep Wrangler chat tonight at 6-7pm Pacific/9-10pm Eastern. Yours truly will be hosting once again. Looking forward to it, and I hope to see some of you there!
The link to the chat is near the top of this page, just under the topic title.
Drew Host Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Twyle - Thanks for the quick reponse to my Trak-lok question. I'm going to order it with the Trak-lok diff. I stopped by a Jeep dealer last night and drove a 5spd Sport. It was awesome! I'm planning on ordering one by the end of the month before the $500 rebate expires. I was told it would take 4-6 weeks for a custom order. I definitely post it here when I place my order.
Georgetown, Connecticut actually. Probably didn't have to go so far, but my father (lives in Norwalk) had bought a Jeep from them a while back, and really liked them, so I checked and they had the Warnalger I would have ordered from the factory. They were by far the most professional, no-BS dealer I spoke with, that's probably what you get when you have that demographic of customer...
Only here at work for another 45 mins., then heading to the credit union. Got my insurance squared away this morning, so I'd say I'm about...3 hours away from the new Jeep! (the dealership is in Thousand Oaks, which is just outside L.A. County, about 35 miles from where I live and damn near 100 miles from here, where I work, on the other side of the County).
Just wanted to ask those who have purchased recently - did your sales contract include a $45 "document fee"? It appears right below my negotiated cash price, I think it's Line B. I asked my salesman about it, and he said it's a standard fee, since the sales documents need to be "generated". Seemed a little weird, but I didn't have much of an argument against it. Anyone else get charged this? And I have to pay tax on it too >:-(
these will vary from dealer to dealer. Some will charge zero, some will charge up to a few hundred. Any hopes of getting them reduced or eliminated are best pursued before you order, but $45 sounds pretty reasonable for outside of LA. Get ready, you're about to have a blast!
FINALLY got the hard top off this afternoon and will be topless this evening and the majority of the spring summer and fall!!! It must be in the mid 60's if not 70 here in DC today...yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tsjay....no broken bones...the skiing was amazing, lots of cliffs, bumps and super steep terrain....great spring skiing....great snow and mid 60's....we loved it!!!!! I'll post when I can....but again, I'd much rather be Jeepin' than inside typing in this weather....watch the weather channel, you'll probably hear from me most when it's raining...hee hee hee....I'll try to post more....TJ's name....MAXX.......
Congrats on the lift!!! I have to admit, I'm jealous...I'm looking to get a TeraFlex system as well, just not sure I want to do it until I can afford a slip yoke eliminator. Did you have the transfer case lowered or get the slip yoke eliminator kit?? Did your transfer case shift lever change positions at all?
Keep us all posted on how things go. I am also a bit wary of the whole warranty thing. My Jeep dealer lifts jeeps at the dealership, but they are hybrid lifts (parts from everyone) and I drove one that they lifted and was not pleased with how the gearshift was positioned. Second gear was further back and lower...really weird.
Oh well...congrats!!! That is way cool. Chat at ya later!
sorry I missed the chat.. My son got a new learning game for the computer so I let him play it tonight. hope all of you had a great chat hope I didnt miss anything important.
Twylie: I actually didn't get to put the lift on myself because my dad wanted me to get it "Professionaly" installed... He paid for it so I'm not complaining. It took 3 days because they couldn't exactly figure out how to mount the shocks so I had to get in touch with James from Jeepers and Creepers who helped out a TREMENDOS about! Thanks buddy. If it's your first install, your looking at the better part of one day. Eight hours if there is 2 of ya. I took it home and crawled underneath with the instructions and looked at how everything was put together and how it works so that helped alot... didn't seem TOO hard, but glad I had a pro do it.
TexasJeep: I'll get those pics soon... I'm going to Uwharrie this weekend for a little froading trip so I'll stretch her legs there. Unfortunatly I do have the T-Case drop. I plan on getting an SYE and CV driveshaft, but heck I'm planning on a D60 in the rear and D44 up front, with an OX locker, so who knows.
Pizzadude: Yea man, I LOVE the lift. It looks AWESOME! I have an automatic so it didn't drop my shifter even with the the t-case drop. Don't know what it would do to the manual shifter... shouldn't be too bad though with a suspension lift. Unless you get a body lift, then it might get too low. Because with a suspenison lift your raising the tranny and body up together but with the t-case drop your only loosing about an inch. So far I'm really happy with the lift. The only vibes I've gotten are strickly tire and wheel related, which I'm getting fixed, and not driveline, so there's nothing extra I have to do, just get new tires for free. The suspension does ride a little stiffer than stock but not by much. I can sacrafice that for how big and cool she looks now. I didn't regear so there is a lose in acceleration, but I didn't really loose anything on highway speed because I'm running lower RPM's than I was before. I might go to 3.75 gears or something like that. I'll keep everyone updated on how she's doing after this weekend.
TJY: Hey man, honestly. I never planed on doing anything that I've done to my jeep when I bought her. She was going to be a light trail and mostly on road cruiser... until I starting dating Dragonfly03... she's the one that got me into froading, now I've got a BIG jeep... It's addicting, I warn you! LOL Glad your loving MAXX (cool name btw) so much... Keep enjoying
We were getting a little worried about you when I got your mail. I'm glad were able to get your installers straighten out about the shock mounts. Please let me know if you have any questions or problems and mail me a photo and we'll post it on our web site.
Hey i'm new to all of this.... i'm 19 and i drive a 1999 mercury cougar(please dont kill me because of this) the thing is that i dont want this car. I want a wrangler more than anything. ever since i got my license a few years ago i wanted one but my parents are stupid about it so when i went to buy a new car they pushed me away from jeeps and i liked the cougar, now the cougar sucks, its boring. is anyone from western massachusetts? maybe you can point me in the right direction of a good jeep dealer to help me out. there is a dealer a few streets from me that only sells jeeps but they are full of bondo and are extremely over-priced.
I'm still up here in Illinois and won't be going back to good old KY until tomorrow. I should be back in Wrangler IV tomorrow night sometime.
Glad to see there's some posting going on.
Tjy: I had forgotten about the name for your Jeep, but as soon as I read your post, I remembered your telling me that in one of our chats. See, that's why I need everyone to post in Meet the Members, cause I'm senile. I noticed that some certain person with a beautiful new sienna colored Jeep hasn't done that yet. Hint, hint.
Tonkadave: How's the waiting going? Should be chatting with you tomorrow night, hopefully.
Everyone: Big ole howdy from tsjay and Thelma Jane!
styles8675309 Welcome to the board. I wouldn't use a carsalesmen for info. They all lie. Just use them for the purchase. Post here and somebody can help you sort through the options and your questions. Jeeps hold their value real well. Here is a website with good and bad dealers. Based on individuals input, so keep that in mind. http://www.extreme-jeepin.com/jeepdealers.htm Good Luck
Pizzadude & spyrodragon t/c drop I haven't done it, but it should work on smaller lifts. Get a 1"BL and 1"MM lift and you should be able to get rid of the drop and be vibe free. A less expensive option vs SYE.
I've decided on the Sport and Sienna color with the Camel top and interior.
Now what I need to do is figure out what options I want. I definitely want the trac-loc, as many of you have suggested, and the ABS I even ordered the Consumer Reports Price service report. They basically give you the actual vehicle prices to the dealer, invoice minus hold back and incentives. It was $12, not bad but is still a rip off.
I've already had one dealer contact me with a price of $200 over invoice after the rebate. Not a bad starting point from them. The CP wholesale price is $16,786. I'll start from there.
What options have you been able to find cheaper on the internet vs buying with your Jeep? Anything you wish you bought or regret? I'm just trying to save money and get the best price.
I don't know about the tire and wheels, they're not that bad in price so maybe I'll get that from them. What about the add a trunk? Which axle ration do I choose? What's the difference?
What about the tire and wheels? I think I would eventually get bigger tires, but I should be able to use the same wheel. How about the Dana 44? I don't think I'll go bigger then a 31 Tire in the future. Dual top any comments? It seems like an inconvience and it's expensive. Thanks again.
I'm going this weekend to test drive, should be 70 plus degrees...
$200 over invoice sounds about right (NOT including the rebate). You may be able to argue lower if you are so inclined.
Dual tops are good if you are one of us souls banished to the northern climes, but if you are expecting 70+ weather this weekend I'm guessing that isn't you.
I personally think the 30" tire/wheel set is overpriced and went aftermarket. Others here disagree. You can fit 30" tires on the stock 7" wheels just fine. If you get ABS and track-lok you'll automatically get the 3.73 axle ratio. Axle ratios are the ratio of your engine turning to your rear axle turning. The higher the ratio, the faster your wheels turn, but too high a ratio means you'll run out of steam on the highway. 3.73 is fine for the size tires you listed.
My only regret was that I didn't order a/c. I later had a factory kit installed.
Well, finally got it. It's beautiful! Took a pic a few hours ago, so I'll have that up in the next day or two.
The first 3 hours of ownership were quite an experience. As many of you know, I'm new to driving stick-shift. About 6 weeks ago I rented a tiny Ford Aspire hatchback to learn. After a day of practicing, I felt like I had it. In fact, I drove it all the way from my place back to the rental place near the airport (about 15 miles) with nary a problem - a little rough around the edges, but I felt I had it just fine - very few stalls. Then comes time to drive my new Jeep off the lot yesterday afternoon. I don't know if it was the different vehicle, or nerves about the new sled, or just that it had been awhile, but I could not get the damn thing to move forward in first. This was SO EMBARRASSING!!! I stalled the thing 4 or 5 times until I finally jerked it into gear and drove it off the lot. I didn't even look behind me to watch all the salespeople laughing, which I'm sure they were. Anyway, finally got it on the road, and took it to my buddy's place about 1/4 of a mile away, and we drove around his neighborhood for a while, stalling and jerking all the while. Old men were walking their dogs and just kept staring at this beautiful brand new yellow Jeep jerking around. I can't tell you how (1) embarrassed, and (2) frustrated I was. What was worse, I was afraid I was messing up my brand new beauty before I even had a chance to enjoy it. Needless to say, after about 30 minutes of jerking and stalling, I started to get the feel for it. I took a break, made a couple phone calls, and decided to go it alone for awhile. Well, something must have clicked because all of a sudden I could basically do it. Then I finally started to have fun. I found an empty parking lot with some speed bumps and played around there as the sun went down, climbing over curbs, taking speed bumps, doing 360's with that AWESOME turn radius, and listening to some CD's I made.
Then drove it all the way home to show my parents, and my dad has been practically salivating ever since. Somehow I think he may want one of these in a few years when his car gives out. I've gotten better and better with the shifting, and I feel 90% comfortable with it. Still avoiding hills, and parallel parking has been tricky and involves a few stalls, but they say practice makes perfect. One other interesting thing - I loaded my friend and his girlfriend in this afternoon and noticed a big difference in the amount of gas I need to give before I can get into first with so much more weight in the car. Again I got the hang of it, just a slightly different feel. Overall I'm having a BLAST with it and am constantly looking forward to the next time I have to go somewhere. Not to mention dying for hot weather to come SOON so I can take the top off.
Other things I've noticed: * Reflections in the glass at night - I guess since you're higher up and there's so much glass around you, there are more reflections of other vehicles. At one point I thought a white car was coming up on my left, but then I realized it was a reflection of a car on my right. I think I'll get used to this and won't even notice it soon. * Lack of power - this was expected, especially since I opted for the SE. I'm already used to it, though, and have no problems with it. The other features, the look, and the overall "feel" more than make up for the power issue. * Noise - I don't think it's bad at all. Sure, it's louder than a car, but I think "louder" is an inaccurate term. I'd describe it as "less quiet" than a car. (of course, I have the hard top) I had the CD player going, and I was able to hear the music just fine, and hold conversations with no problem at all. * Bumpiness - Somewhat, but I like it. This is part of what makes driving the Jeep so fun - you can really feel the road. I tried riding in the back seat, and it's REALLY bumpy back there - almost like a roller coaster! Again, I dug it. * Sound - Decent, powerful, but pretty light on the bass. I might add the console-mounted subwoofer at some point. * Top - I'm really glad I got the hard top. I watched the video, and boy...There are SO many steps involved in putting on and taking off the soft top! When the instruction started and I saw the top canopy come over the top in one piece like a sports convertible, I started thinking about getting one. But then all the other snaps, zips, etc. just seemed to go on forever. I think I'll be sticking with the hard top/no top configuration. By comparison, it seemed the hard top was easy to take off and replace - as long as you have someone to help. Well that's it for now - I have a couple questions that I'll ask in the next post or two. I'm going to see a movie in about an hour - can't wait to take the ol' Jeep out again! Also might tackle Laurel Canyon or a similar hill tonight after midnight so there's no traffic. Then again, I might wait a week ;-) Thanks to everyone who answered my questions and queries while I was in the decision, ordering, and waiting phases - I really think this group is a valuable resource to have.
I noticed there are metal pins that look like small, fat hairpins around the bolts on either side of the rear folding seat. The instruction video says to remove these to fold the seat up. Can I discard them? They don't seem to serve a purpose.
I asked my salesman about removing the doors - he said he doesn't recommend it, because "you can strip the bolt" when unscrewing it. Anyone experience this problem? I was under the impression it's pretty simple to do. And whatabout scratching up the paint on the bolts? Is this necessary, or do people use a cloth as a barrier between bolt and wrench to protect the paint?
I noticed you need a small L-shaped wrench tool to take off the 6 nuts holding the hard top down. The instruction video says this tool is included, but I haven't noticed it yet. Any ideas?
Glad you are getting the hang of the 5 spd. I think you will really like it once you get used to it.
I believe the back seat pins need to be put back on. I think the seat could possible slide from side to side and fall out of the brackets without these. I have had my rear seat out a couple times and put them back on the pins when I replaced the seat.
The doors are just like you said.....You should put a rag or something on the nuts when you remove them to keep from scratching the paint. Make sure your local laws do not require an outside mirror to be legal. I bought a set of mirror movers from quadratec.com to be able to mount the mirrors on the winshield hinge when the doors are off.
My tool for the hard top was in the glove box....if you can't locate it, call your dealer.
lol, it's fun listening to your clutch stories. I had a CJ5 back in '74 and when I took it on the test drive, I almost ended up on the sideway--I was expecting the wheel to self-center after I negotiated the turn. Enjoy your ride:-) Steve Host Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Sounds like you're having a great time! A week from now, you'll look back and laugh at the clutch mishaps; it'll be second nature by then.
On the seat pins, leave them in unless you have to remove the seat and then put them in the console or glove box so you don't lose them. To fold the seat forward, just lift the lever from the rear of the rear seat, tilt the back forward and fold the whole thing forward up against the front seats. The pins stay in for just folding the seat. They need to be removed if you are going to completely remove the rear seat for extra room.
I've never heard of anyone stripping the bolts, but on the off chance you do, thay can't be too expensive to pick up a replacement if you do. Be sure to make sure you have a good place to store the doors once you take them off. The nuts on the bolts will probably scuff up and it may be difficult to remove them the first time. It's probably more important to make sure you don't knick the body paint when removing the door bolts. Probably best to have someone help you the first time to make sure nothing gets munged.
Hey Everyone...quick question regarding gas milager and RPM's. My first 2 tanks and 400 miles I only averaged 13.3 mpg. My Toyota Tacoma got its best milage around 2800 - 2900 RPM's and I've been driving my TJ around there too. Is that too high for this engine? Where is everyone else running at and what is the ideal? I've leased so many vehicles now, that I'm completely lost on proper break-in technique...I haven't had to care the last 3 or 4 cars. Also, this may be a dumb question, but after driving 400 miles at almost 3000 RPM's, am I now stuck at this mpg? Will I need to have the computer reset? Or if I run it at lower RPM's will my milage change accordingly? This is by far the most fun vehicle I've ever owned and plan to keep it for a very long time so I want to be sure it is broken in correctly. Thanks in advance for all your help.
Hello, I am not sure which Jeep motor you have the 2.5 or 4.0. I also am not sure which tranny you have but here goes. My wife and I have a 99 SE 2.5 and 00 Sport 4.0. We have never averaged more than 16 MPG on a consistent level in either Jeep. The sticker on the SE says that the average for City is 18 with a spread of 15 to 21 miles and Highway of 20 with a spread of 17 to 23 miles. The Sport average is City of 16 with a spread of 13 to 19 MPG and Highway of 19 with a spread of 16 to 22 MPG. If you have a 4.0 with 5 speed and drive mostly in the city, your mileage is about where it should be, you can't take the average number to be what your mileage will be.
I know there are others that are getting higher mileage than you, but if I understand correctly, tsjay mainly drives his on the highway and keeps his speed down. With those driving habits, his mileage will be higher than most, it is a lot higher than mine. I never shift when the little light tells me to, I have a lot of stop and go traffic and I have a lead foot. Your mileage will get a little higher over time, but not dramatically. The truth is that these Jeeps are not economy cars. They were not designed to get very good MPG and they don't You can drive it gently and squeeze a few more MPG out of it, but I would not enjoy driving it if I changed my driving habits. I new when I bought it the mileage would be poor and I have not been dissapointed. So, I would not be too concerned about your MPG, it is falling within the limits stated on the sticker if your Jeep has the 4.0. As long as you are enjoying the Jeep than try to overlook the mileage, because it is most likely not going to change unless you drastically change your driving style.
Sunfood: well, obviously this is a good spot for asking about used Jeeps, since most everyone here drives one.
yellowman: The salesman doesn't know what he is talking (surprise, surprise) about as far as "stripping the bolt." The only potential casualty is the paint on the nut. Use a 13mm socket to get it off, and put a little cloth b/w it and the door while loosening.
This is my first vehicle w/a stick too. You'll learn fast. Just don't pick up any bad habits like keeping the clutch depressed at lights (keep it in neutral) and you won't burn it out. Practice the starting-on-a-hill maneuver with the parking brake any place you can until it gets to be second nature. I know there are some hills around LA, if not inside the city itself...
Since someone with a brand new Jeep didn't post his details in Meet the Members, I can't remember if Maxx is an automatic or a five speed.
Your gas mileage will improve as your Jeep breaks in, Doc. Thelma's gas mileage improved up until she had 3500 to 4000 miles on her.
Your driving conditions will drastically effect your mileage too. I do almost all highway driving in Thelma, since I commute 27 miles one way to work each day, and at least 22 or 23 of those miles is on four lane limited access highways. I only drive between 60 and 65 MPH to get better mileage and to keep from getting where I'm going too soon (would have less time in Thelma if I got there sooner!). Thelma is a five speed, so I have the overdrive going for me.
It sounds like Maxx must be a five speed too, since you were asking about RPM's. I guess you wouldn't be asking that if he was an automatic (duh!).
If you are almost always in traffic around town and not out on the open road much, then you are not doing too bad at the 13.3 MPG rate. It should improve some as Maxx breaks in, but if you are going to be driving in town, then I don't think you'll ever see more than 14 to 15 MPG.
As far as your shift points, I think the engine will tell you what it likes, just listen to it. I don't really pay attention to the tach all that much when I am shifting. I don't shift too soon and lug down the engine, and I don't wind out the gears and over-rev the engine either. I SURE don't pay any attention to the stupid shift indicator light, and I wish Thelma didn't even have that stupid light!
I will try to remember to pay attention to the tach next time I go somewhere in Thelma, and I will just shift at the normal points that I usually do and let you know what RPM's I am shifting at. Not that I am necessarily doing it exactly right, but I have driven stick shift vehicles for many years, and I don't think my style has hurt any of them.
A favor, Doc??? Please post your personal info, including email address and the details on Maxx in Meet the Members. If you don't want your email public, then send me an email and then I will have your address. My email is in my profile and in my Meet the Members post.
Got a pic posted of the new ride in the Photo Gallery! Also, I'm loving this thing more and more every time I drive it. Some of that might have to do with getting more used to driving the stick, but overall it's great. I folded the seat up to put a big laundry basket back there today, then forgot to put it back down (and forgot to use the strap) so the next time I drove, I heard a big "thud" when the seat unfolded back down from the momentum of the car. Scared me for a second, I thought I had hit a huge rock or something, then I breathed a big sigh of relief when I saw what it was.
Thanks for the advice on removing the doors - hopefully I'll put it to good use soon!
Heavy rain (for SoCal anyway) last night, and no apparent leaks. As for breaking the car in, I've heard you shouldn't go above 50 mph for extended periods for the first 500 miles. What does "extended" mean? With all the freeways here, it's almost impossible to stay under 50 for less than 20-30 miles at a time. I've tried to hold back a little, but when I'm on the freeway, I'm usually between 55 and 65 just to keep up with traffic. I'm not doing damage, am I? I do mix in lots of lower-speed street driving too. I'm up to 168 miles of fun so far, and the shifting's getting better and better. I've had two successful parallel parking jobs in the past 24 hours :-D
Anyone use anything other than 87 octane regular unleaded? I'm getting ready to make my first gas station pit-stop, and I'll probably go with the cheapest as I normally do, unless I hear otherwise.
It warms my old heart to read your posts about your love for that Jeep! Believe me, I KNOW what you're talking about, cause that's the way I love my Thelma Jane, and the good news is that the fun doesn't wear off! After four months with Thelma, she is still as fun to drive as she was the first day. I STILL look forward to any occasion to drive her. My many, many other new vehicles ceased to have the excitement about them after I had owned them for a few weeks, but that is not the case with Thelma.
Your gas question: go with 87 octane. There is absolutley NO reason to go with anything else. Your engine was designed for that octane, and any higher octane is just a waste of money (some people say it can even be harmful to the engine).
Congrats on getting that clutch figured out to the extent that you have. I test drove an SE, and even though I have driven stick shift vehicles all my life, it was a little tough for me to get used to the clutch on the SE. I kept over-revving the engine, because on the Jeep that I drove, you had to let the clutch out much further than I was used to before it actually began to disengage. My Thelma is not that way, but she has the 4.0 L engine and probably a different clutch too.
With the good torque of the 4.0 L engine, I can actually let the clutch out in first gear slowly and not even give her any gas at all. She will take off smoothly without stalling the engine at just idle RPM's in first gear. I don't usually do this, but I tried it as an experiment a couple times.
Break-in: I don't think you have too much to worry about if you are not getting above 65 MPH. After about 250 miles, I wouldn't worry at all about 65 MPH.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
P.S.
Keep posting! I love to hear how much fun you're having.
P.P.S.
I just checked out your pic. That is a beautiful Jeep! What are you naming him/her?
Just got back from Uwharrie National Forrest in NC. Took my new lifted Jeep out for her first run. All I have to say is, HECK YEA!! I love it man... She's rockin' The suspension felt great, wonderful flex, even a great road ride. My photos are getting developed and I'll pick them up tomorrow so hopefuly I'll get some picks up soon. James if your reading this. I LOVE the lift, thanks for putting up with all my questions and problems, she works wonderfuly! Thank you so much.
Well as I posted a couple days ago, my engine light had come on and I was taking my new jeep to the dealer for service. I took it in thursday morning and that afternoon I got a call that it was ready to be picked up. It turned out that the light was on because the computer detected a misfire most likely because at one point on startup the engine got a little too much fuel and flooded it, this is what the service department said. So what they did was replace all six spark plugs and reset the computer and it's running great.
Comments
Even so, I remain 100% happy with my decision to have bought the Jeep. I spent a winter in the Italian Alps and a Jeep is the perfect vehcle that terrain (aside from the $4 a gallon fuel costs).
-twylie
Thanks for the well wishes. Still have to make a stop at my credit union to get the check to pay for the damn thing, but it's looking like I'll pick it up tomorrow morning or afternoon. And wouldn't you know, it's completely overcast right now with a 30% chance of rain tomorrow :-( Oh well, I guess that just means I'll be washing it down over the weekend if the weather clears up - good chance to get to know it a little more closely, I suppose. Still really excited - the salesman said it looks "beautiful" (although, what else would he say?!?) I'll get pix up in the next week.
getting your jeep today....
congrats man.. hug that jeep for me..
i'm sure you will enjoy the fresh smog air of LA.
lol...get those pics posted early now..
take care..
hope to see ya in chat tomorrow night..
saharanut
Terry
Yellowman, CONGRATS! HAVE FUN!
Desertfoxx, still worried about you, man! POST! You must have Rommel by now, right?
Tonkadave, howdy, Boy! How many days, hours, and minutes do you suppose it will be now????? Let's hope for one thing... that it doesn't take as long for it to come in as it did for you to decide to buy it!!!!!!!!!
Later everyone
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
P.S.
Had Thelma washed and waxed today. She's LOOKIN' GOOD!
Happy Jeepin'
-twylie
I picked up my TJ on Tuesday night, 3/27. It came in on Friday, 3/23, but I had already left to ski in Utah so my dealer didn't have the heart to call and tell me while I was away...I'm grateful, because I would have been dying to get back. Anyway, the new Sienna Pearl Coat is gorgeous! Dealer told me 5 people tried to buy my TJ while it sat waiting for me over the weekend and that 2 of them changed thier orders from other colors to the Sienna after seeing it!
Picked it up with 6 miles on it and now have over 300 miles on it already! Milage on the first tank was only 13.3mpg, but I expect that to change. Plus, I drive mostly short trips in heavy traffic so if I can get up to 16 I'll be thrilled!
For those of you trying to make a decision, what can I say other than JUST DO IT! I absolutely love my Jeep! It is everything I thought it would be and so much more! It's sooooooo much fun to drive and I have yet to even take it off road...although that's coming as soon as I get over 1000 miles on it Spyro...don't worry!
Only problem was a leaky seal on the drivers side, first hard rain and the floor was soaked, but I took it in, got it fixed and have been dry as a bone ever since. Aside from that, I haven't had a single problem.
We've finally started to have great weather down here in DC so I'm going to try to get the hard top off today and the soft top on so I can start going topless! Can't wait!
Anyway, that's it from here! I'll check in periodically....when I'm not out enjoying my Jeep to keep you all updated on my experiences. Hope all is well with everyone! Talk to you soon!
P.S. - I can finally hug my Jeep tsjay!
You didn't mention any broken bones, so I guess the ski trip was a good one.
Now, my friend, let the Jeep sit a few minutes once in a while and get on the puter and post some messages!
What's his/her name?
Doubt if I'll be in on the chat tonight, but you never know. I worked late last night and was able to get on the net for a little while.
Gotta go.
CONGRATULATIONS, DOC!
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
spyrodragon
Lets see some trails shots of that new setup. Sounds nice. Do you have the transfer case drop?
jrjeep
I am confused from your last post. You said you are not getting the trac-lok and the trac-lok will not help you off-road? The trac-lok will help you, unless you don't want to get it and you want to buy a better aftermarket one.
The 01s add a trunk are suppose to be made out of plastic or something now. They were not that strong to begin with. If you want a real secure trunk I would look at these.
http://www.tuffyproducts.com/
ckingsbury
I thought you had to get the Dana44 if you got the 30" package?
This is an erroneous conception which is reinforced I think by Edmunds' own Wrangler page, which says you need the Dana 44 for the 30" tires, the Trac-lock requires the Dana 44, and ABS doesn't work with the Dana 44. Trac-lok doesn't require the Dana 44, ABS won't work with the Dana 44, and the 30" tires require nothing.
Now, what you see on the lots is another matter- I had to go 200 miles to find a Sahara with automatic, trac-lok, 30" tires, and ABS, but I'm real picky
-cwk.
The link to the chat is near the top of this page, just under the topic title.
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
looks like a good opportunity to go muddin'!!!
woo hoo!!!!
where did you go? Ware?
-cwk.
Only here at work for another 45 mins., then heading to the credit union. Got my insurance squared away this morning, so I'd say I'm about...3 hours away from the new Jeep! (the dealership is in Thousand Oaks, which is just outside L.A. County, about 35 miles from where I live and damn near 100 miles from here, where I work, on the other side of the County).
Just wanted to ask those who have purchased recently - did your sales contract include a $45 "document fee"? It appears right below my negotiated cash price, I think it's Line B. I asked my salesman about it, and he said it's a standard fee, since the sales documents need to be "generated". Seemed a little weird, but I didn't have much of an argument against it. Anyone else get charged this? And I have to pay tax on it too >:-(
Mike
Just make sure your wallet is empty and you don't have a visible checkbook for them to see.
;-)
Oh, and congratulations.
-twylie
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
tsjay....no broken bones...the skiing was amazing, lots of cliffs, bumps and super steep terrain....great spring skiing....great snow and mid 60's....we loved it!!!!! I'll post when I can....but again, I'd much rather be Jeepin' than inside typing in this weather....watch the weather channel, you'll probably hear from me most when it's raining...hee hee hee....I'll try to post more....TJ's name....MAXX.......
Congrats on the lift!!! I have to admit, I'm jealous...I'm looking to get a TeraFlex system as well, just not sure I want to do it until I can afford a slip yoke eliminator. Did you have the transfer case lowered or get the slip yoke eliminator kit?? Did your transfer case shift lever change positions at all?
Keep us all posted on how things go. I am also a bit wary of the whole warranty thing. My Jeep dealer lifts jeeps at the dealership, but they are hybrid lifts (parts from everyone) and I drove one that they lifted and was not pleased with how the gearshift was positioned. Second gear was further back and lower...really weird.
Oh well...congrats!!! That is way cool. Chat at ya later!
-pizzadude
My son got a new learning game for the computer so I let him play it tonight.
hope all of you had a great chat hope I didnt miss anything important.
yellowman $45.00 doc fee... not too bad..
16.50 here..
take care of that jeep
saharanut
terry
I actually didn't get to put the lift on myself because my dad wanted me to get it "Professionaly" installed... He paid for it so I'm not complaining. It took 3 days because they couldn't exactly figure out how to mount the shocks so I had to get in touch with James from Jeepers and Creepers who helped out a TREMENDOS about! Thanks buddy. If it's your first install, your looking at the better part of one day. Eight hours if there is 2 of ya. I took it home and crawled underneath with the instructions and looked at how everything was put together and how it works so that helped alot... didn't seem TOO hard, but glad I had a pro do it.
TexasJeep:
I'll get those pics soon... I'm going to Uwharrie this weekend for a little froading trip so I'll stretch her legs there. Unfortunatly I do have the T-Case drop. I plan on getting an SYE and CV driveshaft, but heck I'm planning on a D60 in the rear and D44 up front, with an OX locker, so who knows.
Pizzadude:
Yea man, I LOVE the lift. It looks AWESOME! I have an automatic so it didn't drop my shifter even with the the t-case drop. Don't know what it would do to the manual shifter... shouldn't be too bad though with a suspension lift. Unless you get a body lift, then it might get too low. Because with a suspenison lift your raising the tranny and body up together but with the t-case drop your only loosing about an inch. So far I'm really happy with the lift. The only vibes I've gotten are strickly tire and wheel related, which I'm getting fixed, and not driveline, so there's nothing extra I have to do, just get new tires for free. The suspension does ride a little stiffer than stock but not by much. I can sacrafice that for how big and cool she looks now. I didn't regear so there is a lose in acceleration, but I didn't really loose anything on highway speed because I'm running lower RPM's than I was before. I might go to 3.75 gears or something like that. I'll keep everyone updated on how she's doing after this weekend.
TJY:
Hey man, honestly. I never planed on doing anything that I've done to my jeep when I bought her. She was going to be a light trail and mostly on road cruiser... until I starting dating Dragonfly03... she's the one that got me into froading, now I've got a BIG jeep... It's addicting, I warn you! LOL Glad your loving MAXX (cool name btw) so much... Keep enjoying
Happy Jeepin'
Happy Four Wheeling!
James
www.jeepersandcreepers.com
I'm still up here in Illinois and won't be going back to good old KY until tomorrow. I should be back in Wrangler IV tomorrow night sometime.
Glad to see there's some posting going on.
Tjy: I had forgotten about the name for your Jeep, but as soon as I read your post, I remembered your telling me that in one of our chats. See, that's why I need everyone to post in Meet the Members, cause I'm senile. I noticed that some certain person with a beautiful new sienna colored Jeep hasn't done that yet. Hint, hint.
Tonkadave: How's the waiting going? Should be chatting with you tomorrow night, hopefully.
Everyone: Big ole howdy from tsjay and Thelma Jane!
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
good luck
Welcome to the board. I wouldn't use a carsalesmen for info. They all lie. Just use them for the purchase. Post here and somebody can help you sort through the options and your questions.
Jeeps hold their value real well.
Here is a website with good and bad dealers. Based on individuals input, so keep that in mind.
http://www.extreme-jeepin.com/jeepdealers.htm
Good Luck
Pizzadude & spyrodragon
t/c drop
I haven't done it, but it should work on smaller lifts. Get a 1"BL and 1"MM lift and you should be able to get rid of the drop and be vibe free. A less expensive option vs SYE.
Now what I need to do is figure out what options I want. I definitely want the trac-loc, as many of you have suggested, and the ABS I even ordered the Consumer Reports Price service report. They basically give you the actual vehicle prices to the dealer, invoice minus hold back and incentives. It was $12, not bad but is still a rip off.
I've already had one dealer contact me with a price of $200 over invoice after the rebate. Not a bad starting point from them. The CP wholesale price is $16,786. I'll start from there.
What options have you been able to find cheaper on the internet vs buying with your Jeep? Anything you wish you bought or regret? I'm just trying to save money and get the best price.
I don't know about the tire and wheels, they're not that bad in price so maybe I'll get that from them. What about the add a trunk? Which axle ration do I choose? What's the difference?
What about the tire and wheels? I think I would eventually get bigger tires, but I should be able to use the same wheel. How about the Dana 44? I don't think I'll go bigger then a 31 Tire in the future. Dual top any comments? It seems like an inconvience and it's expensive. Thanks again.
I'm going this weekend to test drive, should be 70 plus degrees...
Dual tops are good if you are one of us souls banished to the northern climes, but if you are expecting 70+ weather this weekend I'm guessing that isn't you.
I personally think the 30" tire/wheel set is overpriced and went aftermarket. Others here disagree. You can fit 30" tires on the stock 7" wheels just fine. If you get ABS and track-lok you'll automatically get the 3.73 axle ratio. Axle ratios are the ratio of your engine turning to your rear axle turning. The higher the ratio, the faster your wheels turn, but too high a ratio means you'll run out of steam on the highway. 3.73 is fine for the size tires you listed.
My only regret was that I didn't order a/c. I later had a factory kit installed.
Well, finally got it. It's beautiful! Took a pic a few hours ago, so I'll have that up in the next day or two.
The first 3 hours of ownership were quite an experience. As many of you know, I'm new to driving stick-shift. About 6 weeks ago I rented a tiny Ford Aspire hatchback to learn. After a day of practicing, I felt like I had it. In fact, I drove it all the way from my place back to the rental place near the airport (about 15 miles) with nary a problem - a little rough around the edges, but I felt I had it just fine - very few stalls. Then comes time to drive my new Jeep off the lot yesterday afternoon. I don't know if it was the different vehicle, or nerves about the new sled, or just that it had been awhile, but I could not get the damn thing to move forward in first. This was SO EMBARRASSING!!! I stalled the thing 4 or 5 times until I finally jerked it into gear and drove it off the lot. I didn't even look behind me to watch all the salespeople laughing, which I'm sure they were. Anyway, finally got it on the road, and took it to my buddy's place about 1/4 of a mile away, and we drove around his neighborhood for a while, stalling and jerking all the while. Old men were walking their dogs and just kept staring at this beautiful brand new yellow Jeep jerking around. I can't tell you how (1) embarrassed, and (2) frustrated I was. What was worse, I was afraid I was messing up my brand new beauty before I even had a chance to enjoy it. Needless to say, after about 30 minutes of jerking and stalling, I started to get the feel for it. I took a break, made a couple phone calls, and decided to go it alone for awhile. Well, something must have clicked because all of a sudden I could basically do it. Then I finally started to have fun. I found an empty parking lot with some speed bumps and played around there as the sun went down, climbing over curbs, taking speed bumps, doing 360's with that AWESOME turn radius, and listening to some CD's I made.
Then drove it all the way home to show my parents, and my dad has been practically salivating ever since. Somehow I think he may want one of these in a few years when his car gives out. I've gotten better and better with the shifting, and I feel 90% comfortable with it. Still avoiding hills, and parallel parking has been tricky and involves a few stalls, but they say practice makes perfect. One other interesting thing - I loaded my friend and his girlfriend in this afternoon and noticed a big difference in the amount of gas I need to give before I can get into first with so much more weight in the car. Again I got the hang of it, just a slightly different feel. Overall I'm having a BLAST with it and am constantly looking forward to the next time I have to go somewhere. Not to mention dying for hot weather to come SOON so I can take the top off.
Other things I've noticed:
* Reflections in the glass at night - I guess since you're higher up and there's so much glass around you, there are more reflections of other vehicles. At one point I thought a white car was coming up on my left, but then I realized it was a reflection of a car on my right. I think I'll get used to this and won't even notice it soon.
* Lack of power - this was expected, especially since I opted for the SE. I'm already used to it, though, and have no problems with it. The other features, the look, and the overall "feel" more than make up for the power issue.
* Noise - I don't think it's bad at all. Sure, it's louder than a car, but I think "louder" is an inaccurate term. I'd describe it as "less quiet" than a car. (of course, I have the hard top) I had the CD player going, and I was able to hear the music just fine, and hold conversations with no problem at all.
* Bumpiness - Somewhat, but I like it. This is part of what makes driving the Jeep so fun - you can really feel the road. I tried riding in the back seat, and it's REALLY bumpy back there - almost like a roller coaster! Again, I dug it.
* Sound - Decent, powerful, but pretty light on the bass. I might add the console-mounted subwoofer at some point.
* Top - I'm really glad I got the hard top. I watched the video, and boy...There are SO many steps involved in putting on and taking off the soft top! When the instruction started and I saw the top canopy come over the top in one piece like a sports convertible, I started thinking about getting one. But then all the other snaps, zips, etc. just seemed to go on forever. I think I'll be sticking with the hard top/no top configuration. By comparison, it seemed the hard top was easy to take off and replace - as long as you have someone to help.
Well that's it for now - I have a couple questions that I'll ask in the next post or two. I'm going to see a movie in about an hour - can't wait to take the ol' Jeep out again! Also might tackle Laurel Canyon or a similar hill tonight after midnight so there's no traffic. Then again, I might wait a week ;-) Thanks to everyone who answered my questions and queries while I was in the decision, ordering, and waiting phases - I really think this group is a valuable resource to have.
Mike in the NEW Solar Yellow SE!
I asked my salesman about removing the doors - he said he doesn't recommend it, because "you can strip the bolt" when unscrewing it. Anyone experience this problem? I was under the impression it's pretty simple to do. And whatabout scratching up the paint on the bolts? Is this necessary, or do people use a cloth as a barrier between bolt and wrench to protect the paint?
I noticed you need a small L-shaped wrench tool to take off the 6 nuts holding the hard top down. The instruction video says this tool is included, but I haven't noticed it yet. Any ideas?
I believe the back seat pins need to be put back on. I think the seat could possible slide from side to side and fall out of the brackets without these. I have had my rear seat out a couple times and put them back on the pins when I replaced the seat.
The doors are just like you said.....You should put a rag or something on the nuts when you remove them to keep from scratching the paint. Make sure your local laws do not require an outside mirror to be legal. I bought a set of mirror movers from quadratec.com to be able to mount the mirrors on the winshield hinge when the doors are off.
My tool for the hard top was in the glove box....if you can't locate it, call your dealer.
Hope this helps.
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
On the seat pins, leave them in unless you have to remove the seat and then put them in the console or glove box so you don't lose them. To fold the seat forward, just lift the lever from the rear of the rear seat, tilt the back forward and fold the whole thing forward up against the front seats. The pins stay in for just folding the seat. They need to be removed if you are going to completely remove the rear seat for extra room.
I've never heard of anyone stripping the bolts, but on the off chance you do, thay can't be too expensive to pick up a replacement if you do. Be sure to make sure you have a good place to store the doors once you take them off. The nuts on the bolts will probably scuff up and it may be difficult to remove them the first time. It's probably more important to make sure you don't knick the body paint when removing the door bolts. Probably best to have someone help you the first time to make sure nothing gets munged.
Have a great weekend and keep enjoying that Jeep!
-twylie
Doc
I am not sure which Jeep motor you have the 2.5 or 4.0. I also am not sure which tranny you have but here goes. My wife and I have a 99 SE 2.5 and 00 Sport 4.0. We have never averaged more than 16 MPG on a consistent level in either Jeep. The sticker on the SE says that the average for City is 18 with a spread of 15 to 21 miles and Highway of 20 with a spread of 17 to 23 miles. The Sport average is City of 16 with a spread of 13 to 19 MPG and Highway of 19 with a spread of 16 to 22 MPG. If you have a 4.0 with 5 speed and drive mostly in the city, your mileage is about where it should be, you can't take the average number to be what your mileage will be.
I know there are others that are getting higher mileage than you, but if I understand correctly, tsjay mainly drives his on the highway and keeps his speed down. With those driving habits, his mileage will be higher than most, it is a lot higher than mine. I never shift when the little light tells me to, I have a lot of stop and go traffic and I have a lead foot. Your mileage will get a little higher over time, but not dramatically. The truth is that these Jeeps are not economy cars. They were not designed to get very good MPG and they don't You can drive it gently and squeeze a few more MPG out of it, but I would not enjoy driving it if I changed my driving habits. I new when I bought it the mileage would be poor and I have not been dissapointed.
tsjay:
Where do you go in Illnois?
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
yellowman: The salesman doesn't know what he is talking (surprise, surprise) about as far as "stripping the bolt." The only potential casualty is the paint on the nut. Use a 13mm socket to get it off, and put a little cloth b/w it and the door while loosening.
This is my first vehicle w/a stick too. You'll learn fast. Just don't pick up any bad habits like keeping the clutch depressed at lights (keep it in neutral) and you won't burn it out. Practice the starting-on-a-hill maneuver with the parking brake any place you can until it gets to be second nature. I know there are some hills around LA, if not inside the city itself...
Since someone with a brand new Jeep didn't post his details in Meet the Members, I can't remember if Maxx is an automatic or a five speed.
Your gas mileage will improve as your Jeep breaks in, Doc. Thelma's gas mileage improved up until she had 3500 to 4000 miles on her.
Your driving conditions will drastically effect your mileage too. I do almost all highway driving in Thelma, since I commute 27 miles one way to work each day, and at least 22 or 23 of those miles is on four lane limited access highways. I only drive between 60 and 65 MPH to get better mileage and to keep from getting where I'm going too soon (would have less time in Thelma if I got there sooner!). Thelma is a five speed, so I have the overdrive going for me.
It sounds like Maxx must be a five speed too, since you were asking about RPM's. I guess you wouldn't be asking that if he was an automatic (duh!).
If you are almost always in traffic around town and not out on the open road much, then you are not doing too bad at the 13.3 MPG rate. It should improve some as Maxx breaks in, but if you are going to be driving in town, then I don't think you'll ever see more than 14 to 15 MPG.
As far as your shift points, I think the engine will tell you what it likes, just listen to it. I don't really pay attention to the tach all that much when I am shifting. I don't shift too soon and lug down the engine, and I don't wind out the gears and over-rev the engine either. I SURE don't pay any attention to the stupid shift indicator light, and I wish Thelma didn't even have that stupid light!
I will try to remember to pay attention to the tach next time I go somewhere in Thelma, and I will just shift at the normal points that I usually do and let you know what RPM's I am shifting at. Not that I am necessarily doing it exactly right, but I have driven stick shift vehicles for many years, and I don't think my style has hurt any of them.
A favor, Doc??? Please post your personal info, including email address and the details on Maxx in Meet the Members. If you don't want your email public, then send me an email and then I will have your address. My email is in my profile and in my Meet the Members post.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Got a pic posted of the new ride in the Photo Gallery! Also, I'm loving this thing more and more every time I drive it. Some of that might have to do with getting more used to driving the stick, but overall it's great. I folded the seat up to put a big laundry basket back there today, then forgot to put it back down (and forgot to use the strap) so the next time I drove, I heard a big "thud" when the seat unfolded back down from the momentum of the car. Scared me for a second, I thought I had hit a huge rock or something, then I breathed a big sigh of relief when I saw what it was.
Thanks for the advice on removing the doors - hopefully I'll put it to good use soon!
Heavy rain (for SoCal anyway) last night, and no apparent leaks. As for breaking the car in, I've heard you shouldn't go above 50 mph for extended periods for the first 500 miles. What does "extended" mean? With all the freeways here, it's almost impossible to stay under 50 for less than 20-30 miles at a time. I've tried to hold back a little, but when I'm on the freeway, I'm usually between 55 and 65 just to keep up with traffic. I'm not doing damage, am I? I do mix in lots of lower-speed street driving too. I'm up to 168 miles of fun so far, and the shifting's getting better and better. I've had two successful parallel parking jobs in the past 24 hours :-D
Your gas question: go with 87 octane. There is absolutley NO reason to go with anything else. Your engine was designed for that octane, and any higher octane is just a waste of money (some people say it can even be harmful to the engine).
Congrats on getting that clutch figured out to the extent that you have. I test drove an SE, and even though I have driven stick shift vehicles all my life, it was a little tough for me to get used to the clutch on the SE. I kept over-revving the engine, because on the Jeep that I drove, you had to let the clutch out much further than I was used to before it actually began to disengage. My Thelma is not that way, but she has the 4.0 L engine and probably a different clutch too.
With the good torque of the 4.0 L engine, I can actually let the clutch out in first gear slowly and not even give her any gas at all. She will take off smoothly without stalling the engine at just idle RPM's in first gear. I don't usually do this, but I tried it as an experiment a couple times.
Break-in: I don't think you have too much to worry about if you are not getting above 65 MPH. After about 250 miles, I wouldn't worry at all about 65 MPH.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
P.S.
Keep posting! I love to hear how much fun you're having.
P.P.S.
I just checked out your pic. That is a beautiful Jeep! What are you naming him/her?
Happy Jeepin'
Keep us posted.
tsjay