Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Jeep Wrangler

1376377379381382455

Comments

  • mrnaturalmrnatural Member Posts: 21
    At my remote outpost in the desert (near the crossroads town of Mojave) gas is already over $3. Keeping in mind the fact that any disaster that happens here will most likely be an earthquake (but not discounting the possibility of nearly anything else but a hurricane) it is a certainty that it will be at least 5 days before outside help comes to provide any assistance, I feel it is prudent to keep some extra gasoline on hand in case I have to bug out in a serious way.
    I keep three five gallon metal cans with fresh mid-grade gasoline. These are stored near the garage door out of any possible sunlight and as far as possible from my water heater and my air compressor. An outdoor shed would be ideal but the gasoline will last longer stored in a cool place. Heat promotes the formation of shellacs in the distillate. If you wanted to keep it for months rather than weeks a can of fuel stabilizer from the parts store will enable you to keep it for a long time. I would NOT want to store gasoline for long in my garage in plastic cans. This way I have an extra 5 gal for each of my vehicles or enough to nearly fill one up for a dash to safety or whatever. My converted bus sits with a full 96 gal tank of diesel fuel and I surely don't relish the idea of filling it up again soon.
    The answer though is the metal cans. They will take a lot of abuse and the new EPA cans seal very tightly to prevent fumes leaking out.
    Hug your loved ones every day because you just never know...
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    Can someone give me a location that will host photos that can be posted here? Apparently the place I have my photos will not work.

    Thanks
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Give Photobucket a try. It's specifically designed for boards and forums. It also handily resizes large pics down to 250kb so they don't stretch off the sides of the screen when posted.
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    Here are a couple of pictures of the property. I had pictures of Elliemae on the property, but I deleted them by accident.

    Image hosted by Photobucket.com
    Image hosted by Photobucket.com
  • shawn1260shawn1260 Member Posts: 2
    Hi everybody,
    I just went to my Jeep dealer and they had the new 2006 Wrangler. There was four of them. (Carson City NV). No real changes that I could tell, just thought you would like to know. Shawn :)
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Nice looking property! You certainly have a whole lot more trees than I do.

    I've figured out just how important parking at the house with at least a half of tank of gas is this morning. As we were leaving Santa Clarita yesterday, we noticed a sign that said the freeway was closed ahead due to a brush fire. Immediately we started to consider our options, which all depended on where exactly the fire was. It was definitely "worst case scenario" - the fire was at Gorman (for those of you not familiar with SoCal, it is the exit before mine up in the mountains. All of the easy ways around closures of I-5 require going through Gorman). Now we are in my sister's Prius, not our Wrangler, which was a good thing,

    We drove home by way of Santa Paula, Ojai and Lockwood Valley Road - at least an extra hundred miles, and several hours longer because it was all very slow mountain roads. We get home to no power and also to the fact that not only is the freeway closed, the main road into our area is closed due to the fire. No problem - we're upwind and about 7 miles from the fire. I'm a camper so I have a propane stove for cooking. We all have laptop computers, so I can check the CHP website to see when they get the fire out.

    This morning I read that the fire is under control and all the roads are open. However, still no power. And now my laptop is running out of battery power. No problem, I can always just get the inverter and go for a drive to recharge my battery. Ooops - none of the gas stations around have power either, and they can't pump gas. So it looked like the closest gas was 40 miles away - no joy riding to charge the laptop's battery.

    We ended up taking the Prius down to USC (long story) and that charged the battery. Get home and still no power. Neighbor said they were saying 8:00 tonight - well, that's turned out to be optimistic. It's now after 8 and I'm typing on the laptop by monitor light, watching the battery indicator drop while everyone else reads by flashlight.
  • jpk257jpk257 Member Posts: 43
    Hi All,

    I havent posted in a while, but while I was washing my jeep this am I noticed a hole about the size of the tip of a ball point pen in one of my head lamps. I have an 05 unlimited that is only about 4 months old. A couple questions:
    Does this need to be fixed?
    If it does need to be replaced where is the best place to get a replacement lens?

    Thanks - Jeff
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    I sounds like your headlamp took a direct hit from a rock. Unlike 99% of modern vehicles, Wranglers use sealed beam headlamps. You'll eventually have to replace the entire unit. To prolong the life of the existing unit you might want to try to seal the hole with a small amount of clear silicone caulk. That said, it will eventually fail. I'd just wait until it dies. Then I would replace both lamps with some decent firepower-Hella E-Code lamps, for example.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    On the other hand, you could just splash out the $7 - $8 needed for a new sealed beam unit at your local Autozone or similar. :)
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Man, y'all talking about MDR and Lancaster has me missing Cali! I'm not driving the Wrangler a whole lot right now. I'm driving my other sedans right now.

    Hey, div, had some questions for ya (not Jeep related). Is there a way for me to get a hold of you?

    -Paul
  • worriedmomworriedmom Member Posts: 2
    Hi! :)
    Ok - I have a spanking new driver in the house. :blush: He's too tall for every "cool" car out there (At 6'4" he practically wraps his knees around the steering wheels). But he fits in a the Jeep Wrangler.
    I have heard the horror stories of Jeep Wrangler's rolling over. :sick: Great for off roading but not really for highway travel. What is your honest experience with handling city and highway of your wranglers? Would you put your kid/mother in it? :confuse:

    Thanks,
    WorriedMom
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Any car will be dangerous with a new driver. IMO learning in a Wrangler with its higher center of gravity will teach safe driving techniques. My daughter DID drive a Wrangler until we bought her a Civic for school and I took over the Wrangler.

    Teach defensive driving and proper technique now, and he'll be a lot safer in the long run.

    -Paul
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    err YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

    Congrats Tom!

    If anybody deserves recognition for your promotion of a line of vehicles, it is YOU!

    -Paul
  • jpk257jpk257 Member Posts: 43
    Thanks for the suggestions! Jeff
  • guy21guy21 Member Posts: 129
    I'd highly recommend the BLL Xenon lamps from NAPA, around $10 each. Far better lighting than the BL Halogen that was standard in my '04.
  • embeedueceembeeduece Member Posts: 260
    Being 6'4" will give your driver an advantage in visibility -- he'll be able to see out of the Jeep very well. At 5'9" I think I run the low end of the spectrum on height vs. being able to still effectively see. My 5'4" passenger complains she feels trapped in the Jeep (when doors and top are on).

    As for flippage, sure you can roll a Jeep, if you try. But I don't think "tipping" has been a problem since the CJ models, which is to say 20-25 years ago. Take any corner sharp enough and yeah, you can flip, but these days Jeeps have very little in common with our Suzuki Samurai friends (another vehicle that tipped a lot).

    I think another safety feature of the Jeep is that you can't drive it like a sports car. You can't shift, accelerate, or maintain speeds like you're driving in NASCAR. The six cylinders move fast enough to keep up with highway traffic, but no one's going to mistake the Jeep for a Porsche (the four cyl. will slow it down even further). Which is to say, you can have peace of mind that your driver probably isn't doing anything stupid. Nobody drag races in a Jeep. Also, Jeeps take away all incentive for road rage -- why get upset if you can't do anything about it.

    You ask if I would put my kid/mother in a Jeep. While they've never driven it, I have my parents in the Jeep all the time, as well as my nephews & nieces. Car seats and all.

    As with anything in life, personal responsibility goes a long way. And you can't predict every scenario. That being said, the Jeep is about as safe as safe gets.

    Best,
    Mike

    P.S. For the record, my mom gave me the same "rolling" lecture when I bought mine. And I'm 34.
    :blush:
  • jefferson1964jefferson1964 Member Posts: 330
    im getting killed by high gas here......$3.19 for regular as of 9/06 this am on the way to work.....i thought oil prices were pre-Katrina levels but the gas prices have remained way up there.......
  • keatskeats Member Posts: 412
    Worriedmom, I love Jeeps, but I would never put a teenage driver in an SUV of any kind. When my children get to driving age they will be driving a nice, slow 4 door.

    Read this article.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    In that vein, these links may be of interest:

    A Car for Your Teen

    Best Cars for Teens and College Students (discussion)

    Steve, Host
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Tom certainly deserves all of the credit he gets, and then some more. He's been such a great asset for this board, and is one of the main reasons we have such a friendly crowd.

    Way to go, Tom!
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I hesitate to recommend a Wrangler to a young driver. They have a number of quirks because those things that make them so good off-road are liabilities at high speeds.

    Our daily driver is an Unlimited and our other car is an older Sport. Our commute is almost all freeway. I feel perfectly comfortable driving either Wrangler, though the Unlimited is much easier to drive (less skittish at high speeds and in the wind). The other thing is that it gets lousy gas mileage that gets worse the more you drive over 65. So I drive along in the right lanes doing 65 while others wiz by me.

    It has the aerodynamics of a brick wall so it can be hard to drive in strong winds (white knuckles to stop unexpected lane changes). Again, the trick is to slow down even further.

    Will your son have the discipline and experience to drive it within it's capabilities? If so, then he'd be OK. Many teens don't have that discipline and experience (unless they are off-roaders also) to keep their speed down - occasionally doing LESS than the speed limit if conditions require that.

    In town the Wrangler is very nice. It has a small turning radius so it's easy to park anywhere (that's one of the things that makes it skittish at high speeds).

    It isn't as tippy as it feels - about 6 months after I bought the '98 Sport (new) I was in an accident on I-405. We were in the carpool lane and ended up climbing the cement lane divider a bit. I was sure we were going over, but we didn't (my hubby kept the wheels straight and it came down the wall). We drove away from the accident while the guy who caused it had to wait for a tow truck. They really are tough little vehicles.

    An inexperienced driver can get into trouble in just about anything and an SUV does make it worse. Maybe the answer is for all teens to drive something like the '69 Opel that I learned how to drive in. It couldn't go any faster than 45 mph!
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    and 45 MPH would be a death trap on any of LA's highways when traffic is flowing. :)

    -Paul
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Alan - I've been meaning to say welcome! It's great to have another SoCal person, even if you are way out in the Mojave. How well I know Hwy 58 and 14! It's just that I get distracted easily, and this weekend was certainly full of distractions. Your Wrangler looks quite nice right now, and that location is fabulous.
  • mrnaturalmrnatural Member Posts: 21
    Thanks MtnGal, This seems like a pretty tight forum and haven't seen any flame wars yet. Good information and interesting discussions by a lively and interesting group. I get over to Frazier once in a while too. Got a couple of friends in the area.
  • worriedmomworriedmom Member Posts: 2
    I appreciate all the input regarding buying a Wrangler for my young son. You basically expressed a lot of the thoughts that I was having. You also gave me some resources I had not checked on.

    I think he can get himself a Jeep when he gets a bit older (and more experienced). In the mean time I'll be looking for a car with ABS and safety features.

    Thanks for allyour help! Happy & Safe Driving!
    Not-So-WorriedMom
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Where abouts are ya? I used to live in Tehachapi and drove my TJ from Tehachapi to Edwards AFB daily when I worked there.

    Even got to meet mtngal at Camp Jeep CA last year before moving out east. I get to wheel with Tom now (hopefully this weekend if people here can stop panicking about gas!).

    -Paul
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Thanks for your congratulatory messages about my being in the "owners club spotlight."

    I know I have been pretty quiet lately, but I have still been checking the board every day. I am glad to see that this place is doing just fine without the old Tomster making half the posts in here. :)

    I'll still be posting, but maybe not as frequently as I used to. I really enjoy reading other people's posts.

    Tom
    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • redrocker15redrocker15 Member Posts: 102
    Tom:
    Speaking for myself, and hopefully many others, you shouldn't play too minor a role in the postings at this site! You carry a lot of weight with the regulars here, and your posts have definitiely helped to set the tone of this forum. It may not be fair for me to say this since I've tended to be more of a lurker, but you are an awfully big part of this entire site. At least fire off an occasional YEHAW!

    You and I go back to similar beginnings here (at least time-wise); though you've obviously posted tons more than me. Personally, when I visit the site and see days without a post from tsjay, it somehow doesn't seem as complete.

    Oh well, I don't want to dwell on this too much. Many of us feel that you are the "mayor" of Wrangler-ville; a few posts a week seems minimally appropriate! (Besides, how else can newbies learn about tire sizes and backspacing!??!?!)

    In the kindred spirit of Wrangler-lovers everywhere,
    G
  • mrnaturalmrnatural Member Posts: 21
    Howdy Paul,
    I live in Cal City in the area south of the Twin Buttes. Actually closer to Hwy 58 than the center of town. Mr Natural used to belong to a guy in Tehachapi and I'm up there myself a couple times a week. I belong to the ham radio club there, my Dr is there, the only theater in 50 miles is there, Kasagiri is there...well you get the idea.
    I've always hankered to have a jeep but all my life I spent my money on sports cars, airplanes and wild women. I have always managed to have something with 4WD around though, usually trucks, a couple of Broncos and an Exploder or two. My wife Diana finally said "Go find a Jeep you won't be happy otherwise!"
    I'm happy now except I need to spend about 3 or 4 grand to get ecstatic.
    Cheers
    Alan
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    Today I drove up the hill to Running Springs for a meeting. I past several Wranglers during the drive up and made an interesting observation. All the male drivers waved as they past by; but none of the female drives did. In fact the female drivers seem to not even notice me (my Wrangler).

    Is the Jeep wave a guy thing or is just not a California thing?

    On a different note: today I bought a set on Rubicon tires and wheels for my Sport. Tomorrow I have an appointment at 11:00 am to have them mounted.

    I had a chance to buy a set of Rubi wheels (with 20,000 miles on them) a couple of months back for $900.00, but I waited too long and someone else I work with snapped them up. But since all things happen for a reason: Last Wednesday I was in the tire store asking about new tires for Elliemae (my Jeep). I was leaving when a guy stopped me and told he has a set of tires in his garage, that he took off his 03 Rubicon (with only a 1000 miles on them), and would let me have for $800.00.

    Glen
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Ahh... yes... Kasagiri! Been there on many occasions. Hitching Post Theater is okay, but we went to the Carmike by Jethawk stadium in Lancaster by taking Tehachapi/Willow Springs to 90th W (aka backroads). Unfortunately, there really are not a lot of places in Tehachapi to get in to 4-lo and see what a Wrangler can do. I have a friend there who is in the HAM club as well (his brother is in Lancaster and also a HAM).

    As for the Jeep Wave, most women are probably uncomfortable waving at a complete stranger (especially a guy!). They don't want the guys thinking they're hitting on em. :)

    -Paul
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    The Jeep wave isn't as common in California as it is elsewhere, I think. Frazier Park is near a couple of big off-roading areas (Hungry Valley and an area that belongs to the national forest near Lockwood Valley) as well as a couple of small ones. I've been sort of surprised at how few return my wave. Maybe they just can't believe that someone would be driving a Jeep that color, or maybe they think it belongs to the National Forest Service, since the color is not that much different (just brighter).
  • sbfd405sbfd405 Member Posts: 1
    I read this forum and I'm not even a Jeep owner. (yet) I've been lurking for years and really enjoy the friendly atmosphere and shared technical knowledge that y'all have surrounding the Wrangler. Believe me, when the time comes, and I'm able to get my own, I will have the hard vs. soft, auto vs. stick, and 4 vs. 6 questions already researched and answered. I'll also know the modifications I want to make and where to get them. Who knows, maybe I'll get an '06 depending on how drastic the changes for '07 will be.

    Tom, kudos on the recognition! And others, keep up the great forum!!!

    -Randy
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    OK, a few folks have posted concerns about me, and a couple of you have even emailed me asking me if I am OK and wishing me well. Jeeps Buds, you don't know how much that means to me. Thank you so much! We truly are family here, aren't we?

    Because you are my friends and because some of you may be going through something similar, I will tell you guys that I have gone through a bout of depression. I am now on an anti-depressant, and I'm feeling good again. Peeps, if you need some help, go get it! Don't be ashamed. Depression usually has a physical cause, and it can be treated.

    This is not the place for religious discussions, but I will tell you that I have started back to church, and I am no longer neglecting the spiritual aspects of life. I was out of church for years.

    I'll be glad to discuss this privately, if anyone wants to email me about it.

    In conclusion....

    Yeeeeeeeeehawwwwww!!!!!!!!

    I feel good again, and I will be posting quite a bit more.

    The Tomster is BACK! :)

    Tom
    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • keatskeats Member Posts: 412
    Good to see Tom doing a little posting. Tom, I'm inching my way closer to TB. Finally ordered my Cobra 75 WXST with cable, firestick etc--which reminds me, I need to settle on the mounting bracket. Anyone out there using the Teraflex mount?

    On another note, a buddy of mine from work was T-boned in his Wrangler SE on Monday. The collision smashed the driver's side up from the middle of the door all the way back, knocked off the rear wheel and bent the frame. It's a 2000 so it might be totaled. Anyway, he promptly went out and bought a patriot blue '05 X. I think he was looking for an excuse.

    I know there is no good crashtest data on side impacts on Wranglers, but his held up very well with no cabin intrusion.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Mark:

    Let's set something up! I'm not going to be going every weekend any more, since the gas prices are what they are. I would definitely go whichever weekend you can be there, though, if there is any way possible.

    Tomster
    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    I've got a rocky road antenna mount, it mounts on the spare tire carrier. its easy and its solid.

    I had one that mounted on the windshield hinge,, I couldn't get the torx bolt out of the windshield hinge,, so I sent it back and got this one.

    jeff

    ( there is cuss'n and discuss'n of the windshield torx bolts several months ago for any of you that are new to the forum )
  • drewmeisterdrewmeister Member Posts: 168
    What about range/performance? I have two firestik's in the garage, as well as my older radio shack cb. I used to have this in my XJ, and I had a rear mount that went in between the tailight and the body. With the black and red firestik, it looked really cool, and was low enough not to tangle in brush, but it's performance was pretty poor. I wound up buying a cheapie magnetic antenna for the roof. Since my old XJ was an ex-security jeep (parking lot patrol) it had an easy path to run wires up the A-pillar already there. My cb-range doubled over the expensive setup, though the sound in low parking garages of the antenna whacking the roof was terrible. I know that cb antennae need a "trampoline" of metal to jump signal off of, so the hood would seem the best mount, but that would be buggin', to use the vernacular. What to do?
  • jeff62301jeff62301 Member Posts: 310
    I don't use mine on the HWY much, the few times I have it seems to reach out reasonably well, I don't remeber how far. I usually just use mine on trails and everyone is so close it never matters.

    jeff
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    I have the arizonarockyroad.com mount as well and really like it. Initially I had a Firestik II 4' antenna on it, but the height over the roofline was BEGGING to get damaged at TB. So on the way up on a trip, I picked up a Wilson 2' antenna. It turns out the Wilson actually receives and transmits a LOT better than the 4' Firestik. I will grant that I have NOT tuned the antenna with an SWR (NOT paying the 30+ from Radio Shack for a one time thing). I still have the Firestik II if you want it. Come to TB and get it! :) You can buy me dinner after wheeling to pay for it!

    -Paul
  • keatskeats Member Posts: 412
    Yeah, the 4 ft model was the one I went with. It was a package deal, and they guy said the 3' model might not work well with the hard top on.

    We need to set up an Emunds Jeep Forum Jamboree at Turkey Bay and Tom can be the Grand Marshal.
  • randyacerandyace Member Posts: 96
    Tom:

    I guarantee you'll get many replies to your post, either publicly or privately (as I have just done via e-mail).

    But, publicly, I'm sure I speak for all your Wrangler Friends who admire your courage for speaking out, and sharing with us all. Many people suffer from this illness, and you're not alone. We're all here to help however we can, as I'm sure your family will. Keep us posted, and God Bless.

    Randy
  • mmb48179mmb48179 Member Posts: 5
    Has anyone out there had any recent experience - bad camshaft (ref Mac24) problem in 2005 Wranglers???
  • keatskeats Member Posts: 412
    Just ordered the TeraFlex cb mount. I think it's going to be easier to run the coax using it. I hate that I'll be drilling into the tub, but I can't imagine ever needing to remove it anyway.
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    SO glad you're getting better - there's nothing worse than that "down-and-out" feeling, no matter what causes it. My most recent bout of that was caused by back problems where they talk about "management" not "cure." It's the first time I've ever had a medical condition that won't get better, and that's just not an idea I was willing to accept (still can't but at least it's managed at the moment and so I can ignore the whole thing).

    I've been thinking about the problem with inexperienced drivers. I'm sure everyone here has heard about a serious accident or fatality where inexperience played a big part (2 of mine are: the girl who was doing the highway speed limit in an Explorer, put a tire onto a dirt shoulder and rolled, and the boy who was playing around (legally drunk) with a bunch of people in the back of a pick-up, clipped a curb and rolled, killing the occupants in the back of the truck). In both these cases the inexperience of the drivers played a big part. I sometimes wonder how all of us older drivers (especially me!) ever managed to grow up!
  • keatskeats Member Posts: 412
    Tom, can't wait to make it up there. We just need to juggle the Ole Miss footbal schedule and grad school stuff around.
  • embeedueceembeeduece Member Posts: 260
    It's not just the young, or old for that matter. I can't tell you how many times in a given day I see people driving around in some state of ignorant bliss. Usually, it's one hand on the wheel, one on the cell phone. And more often than not, their driving performance is obviously impared. Coming over the lines, drifting into another lane, stopping and starting with no rhyme or reason. Irritating to know my loved ones share the roads with these people. It'll never happen, but I'm of the opinion we need a law -- state, federal, whatever -- mandating hands free headsets with cell phones. That would cut down on a lot of this. But nothing will solve those who no longer obey stop signs, or traffic lights, or general rules of the road, etc. And from what I've seen, there's no constant with regard to age, race, gender. The only commonality is stupidity behind the wheel. And it's getting worse.

    -Mike
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    mandating hands free headsets with cell phones

    The few studies I've read about indicate that there's no advantage with a hands free cell; talking on either is more or less equivalent to drunken driving. Here's one fwiw.

    Steve, Host
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    I too have the Rocky Road antenna mount as well as the CB mount. In fact I just in stalled the antenna mount this afternoon (with only one good shoulder) in less then 20 minutes. Looks good and feels solid.
Sign In or Register to comment.