Are the rear monkey or jump seats removable? Easily? If so, any diagrams or movies or pictures anywhere on how it is done? I have a Husky who wants to ride back there, and removing the seat would give her more room. Then I could build a lockable storage box, and put a cushion down for the dog. I don't really want to have to use wrenches to take out and put in the seat, and this would be a plus in my decision to buy one. Does this change from 97 to 01 in case I decide to go with used jeep? Anyone have a picture with the rear seat removed?
Also, does that "duster" top have snaps around the edges? If so, can you have it half done, so as to let the dog sit in half of the back space and leave the other half open? Is that cover waterproof so if I got the bikini top, it would protect the dash, seats (and occupants) and the back area?
I know I've been posting a lot of questions, but I really would love a jeep, and I want to make sure it fills my needs. I haven't bought a car since '92, and probably won't again for another 9 or 10 years.
The rear seat is very easy to remove. Just flip it forward and look down at the pivot point (you should be looking from the rear door area) and pull the clips out (one on each side). With the clips removed you will be able to slide the seat to one side and get the bar out of the plate. This will allow you to get your seat out.
All of our chats are moderated so that's part of the reason why there won't be anything more than a weekly chat. Town Hall and the chats are free of charge at this point :-) I wouldn't go as far as saying that we don't like you to join another chat topic, but I just hope that all of you won't abandon our weekly Jeep Wrangler chat here since it's really a place that newbies can interact with owners outside of the discussion topic :-). Take nkelly1 for example! Besides, aren't our chats fun? ;-)
BTW, Todd will be your chat moderator this week, I think. Drew Host Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
They are very easy to remove and carry. I remove mine regularly and carry them by myself up to the third floor of my apartment. However, I never replaced the pins after I took them out the first time. They seem unnecessary. I've had people ride in the rear seat numerous times with no pins and never had a problem.
Yes , our chats are great. That's why I want more than one hour per week.
I would love to be able to stay right here in "good old edmunds" to do all of my chatting. That's why I was hoping we could have a full time chat room. Why do the chats have to be moderated?
I never did post the outcome of Thelma's blinker problem, but it was taken care of in about two weeks. It took a long time for the dealer to locate the part.
The module that includes the multi-purpose stalk on the left side of the steering wheel had to be replaced. None of the DC parts depots anywhere in the country had the part, so the dealer had to check with individual dealers around the country via the computer to find one. One was located at a dealer in Oklahoma and shipped to the dealer that was doing the work for me. The whole process took two weeeks from my first visit until the new part was installed.
This has been Thelma's only mechanical problem in 8900 miles.
I got the new speakers swapped in last night. I posted pics and a writeup on the install on my mods page. An easy swap (1 hr 15 min) and they are better then the stockers. However, if I didn't have the factory sub, I'd spend the money on that aspect of the stereo before getting rid of the factory speakers. Suprisingly, the factory wiring is very good; much heavier gauge than I expected to find.
On the shift light... I'm going to get the dang thing out this weekend, even if I end up with a bunch of Jeep parts in the floor of the garage. I've made a few half hearted attempts at getting to the dash circuit board, but haven't been succesful... yet. Once I can get to the board, it's just a matter of removing the bulb. I'm going to have to order a factory service manual next time I'm at the dealer.
My mileage has been all over the board, ranging from 15 to 19. I've tried to be consistant in filling it up, so it must be our erratic driving! Overall we're at 16.6 and that's with mostly around town and "riding in the country" miles. We are leadfoots, so we're definitely on the bottom of the curve for the group.
I finally got over 17 on the last tank, but the one before was 15.9, and the one before that was 16.25. Here's hoping for 18 on the next one! I'm still hoping I'll get slightly higher mileage than those of you with the Sport - it was one of my mental consolations for not getting the 6 cylinder (however slight - along with the knowledge that I was then able to afford all the options I wanted).
I'm happy to report that my '01 Sport is averaging over 19 mpg so far. That's with about 800 miles on her odo. I hope the mpg gets better once she's fully broken in. I almost bought an '01 Sport off the lot with an auto trans, but decided to go with the 5-speed after comparing EPA mileage ratings on the sticker. I'm happy with my choice, the 5-speed and 3.08 axle ratio seem to work well with the six.
Hey, Yellowman, tell me more about your Wrangler! - tjray
Hello fellow jeepers! I have a couple of questions.
1. Is $22,500 a good price for a 2001 sarhara with dual tops, 5spd, 30" wheel package with traclok, all of the goodies except cruise and lockable trunk. Oh yea, it has 125 miles on it......this is from a dealer.
2. Will the inline 6 cyl eng still be available in the 2002 models or are they switching to the rumored V6?
I haven't had a chance to post in a while. I just picked up my new Jeep Wrangler Sport on Friday 5/25. It is awesome! The weather here in MD hasn't been all that warm but I was still able to put the top down twice. It's easier than I thought it would be. I got a chance to see how fast I could get it back up on Tuesday when it rained. On my first tank of gas, I averaged 17.49 mpg. This is better than I expected for a new Jeep. For anybody considering getting a Wrangler, just do it (and get the soft top or at least dual tops.
I hope you have as much fun as I've been having! Me and my better half drove almost 50 miles in light rain last saturday with the soft top down and never hardly felt a drop. Luckily we were on the hiway and kept moving. I've taken it pretty easy so far, broke her in by the book, no high speed freeway driving yet. I've discovered the joys of backroad {and off-road} driving. I never pay attention to the shift arrow, but I probably do shift up pretty fast. Also, for now my Wrangler only has stock 215-75r15 tires until I find some aftermarket ones I like. Happy Jeeping! - tjray
Since there has been discussion about gas milage - I have a '98 Sport and get 19-20+ mpg consistently on my commute to work. Of course, my commute isn't normal - it is 150 miles round trip, 98 percent highway, and goes from 6,000 feet to sea level and then back up in the evenings. There is a huge difference in gas milage between 60-65 mph and 70-75 mph. While everyone is passing me going 85-90 as I toil up the Grapevine doing 65, I just think "3 cents per mile, 3 cents per mile" which is about the difference in cost between going 65 and 75!
After quite a bit of research, I've decided to get my first Jeep. I'm thinking of an 01 Sport. I will be doing a lot of beach driving, as well as a short daily commute.
I have a million questions, so it might be good to start off soliciting links to good Jeep pages and FAQs. Next, I'll start.
1) Am I better off equipping it with the Jeep and dealer Mopar accessories or getting a base one and using aftermarket stuff?
2) Are there certain things you can install, e.g., lifts, that negate your warranty?
3) Any thoughts about whether I should get a manual or auto transmission. I've read a few negative things about the 3-spd auto, but have also read that an auto is better then a manual when it comes to driving in sand.
4) Other then ABS, any essential options I should get?
from what I've gathered so far (I don't have a Jeep, but am considering):
1.aftermarket is usually cheaper and better 2.someone else will help you here. remember, you can always take the parts off again and put it back to stock form 3.I would go with manual. more fun, better mileage and performance, stronger. sand shouldn't be a problem with 4WD jeep and decent tires and skills 4.I'd skip the ABS and go for limited slip rear end. Dana rear end. 5.not sure
wdubs - a public congratulations on getting that fine new Jeep. Get a pic up for us as soon as you quit driving around!.
mtngal - welcome to the group. Sounds like a lengthy but fun commute; coming out of and back into the mountains each day. 3 cents a mile for you has to at least cover insurance! Keep posting with us!
ghinson - welcome to the board. I'll try to reply to some of your questios, and you'll likely get a lot more good info from the group.
1. MOPAR or aftermarket - I think the MOPAR stuff is overpriced but you can be sure it will fit, and if the dealer installs it when you buy the Jeep, you get a warranty with it. It really depends on what types of accesories you are talking about. Get some catalogs from Quadratec and 4wd.com to get ideas about everything you can get to customize your Jeep.
2. modifications do not expressly void your warranty but the dealer may refuse to warranty a part if they state in writing and can prove that a modifaction you made led to a premature failure of a factory component. For this reason, many people choose to wait until the warranty has expired before doing any significant modification such as large lifts. There are also people on this board that will forego coverage to raise their Jeep up toward the skies. Also, if you install a large lift and huge tires, they can't deny coverage if your blinkers quit working, but they may have a case if you burn up your transmission. The mods and likelihood of damage caused by them must be related. Another option is to get it in writing from your dealer if they will cover you after you lift, etc. They may do this if they do the work, but it's not universal. You'll need to talk to your dealer and see what makes sense for you.
3. auto vs. stick - a matter of preference on this board. Auto is nice if you do a lot of city driving and can be better off road from a "crawling" standpoint. Also one less thing to worry about if you're in a difficult driving situation. Manual is more fun, and may get a touch better mileage. My experience in beach driving is that you're not shifting a lot anyway, but I'd talk to local beach drivers and see if they can give you some better expert advice. With Low range, you wont have any problem getting around in even deep, soft sand; just air down and don't get too aggresive with the throttle.
4. essential options - again, a matter of preference. For what it's worth, I don't know of anyone that regrets getting the 6cyl, factory sub, or soft top (especially if you'll be at the beach much). A/C is much cheaper from the factory than adding later. Trak-loc is probably a good option to get unless you plan to do lockers down the road. Trak-loc is $250 from the factory and will help out in most moderate off-roading. Cruise control if you take any long trips or are on the highway much. From a cost standpoint, it's generally better to get this stuff already on the Jeep than to try and add it later (I will eventually add factory Cruise Control to our Jeep but will pay a premium for not having it ordered that way). If you like the look and function of the factory options, get them, but realize you can add almost anything aftermarket with time and $$$. The other piece is that you may like aftermarket accesories better than the ones offered on the Jeep.
5. QuickAir makes good (not cheapo Wal-Mart) 12v compressors in both hard mount and portable versions. Prices from $200-400. Many good reviews and they would be fine for airing up after coming off the beach. If you want to run air tools, you will need a tank to go with them.
HTH and join in the chat tonight at 9EST if you want to talk to some other Jeep owners/fanatics.
After quite a bit of research, I've decided to get my first Jeep. I'm thinking of an 01 Sport. I will be doing a lot of beach driving, as well as a short daily commute.
I have a million questions, so it might be good to start off soliciting links to good Jeep pages and FAQs. Next, I'll start.
1) Am I better off equipping it with the Jeep and dealer Mopar accessories or getting a base one and using aftermarket stuff?
2) Are there certain things you can install, e.g., lifts, that negate your warranty?
3) Any thoughts about whether I should get a manual or auto transmission. I've read a few negative things about the 3-spd auto, but have also read that an auto is better then a manual when it comes to driving in sand.
4) Other then ABS, any essential options I should get?
I dont have a jeep yet either..but..i have about 6 months of research.. 1. probably aftermarket will be cheaper..but.. not sure about labor. Plus ask if will void your warranty. Some Modifications will. 2. Ask 1st. 3. Manual Vs. Auto..big debate here..Auto for me.. most serious offroaders like Auto better 4. Skip ABS..they are some times that you will want your brakes to lock. Go for Dual top option. Or the Soft top only. 5. ???? not sure
I had to look in Meet the Members to refresh my memory as to the color and other details about your Jeep.
SILVERSTONE! AWESOME!! That was such a close second choice for me that I had to delay my order by a whole day (and if you don't think that was hard for me to do after all the struggling that I did just to get to the point of placing an order, better think again).
Forgive me if this is an old topic, but Edmund's search engine leaves a little to be desired. My Jeep dealer has what has to be the coolest looking Jeep. It's a conversion package from Landrunner. New Wrangler with the altered body (squashed hummer), roof rack, lift, Mickey Thompson's, winch and more. They have a sticker of $36,700, which seems ridiculous, but the salesman implied to me that I could get it for $29,900. Any takes on the Landrunner conversions? I can't get Landrunner's web site to open on my Mac. How should evaluate this price? Thanks.
1) Being a convertible fan (I'm trading in a Miata), I'd like to spend most of my time with the top off, but putting it on for weather is a bit more complicated then for my Miata. What do others do for ease of on and off and weather protection?
2) If I pack my wife and 2 sons and get ready to go off to the beach, where do I put the cooler? I'm interested in learning about everyone's carrying mods.
I think this depends on what you want to do with your jeep. I REALLY wanted a soft top, but my other half wouldn't go for it. Now that we have had it a couple of years, I'm very glad. For about 3 months of the year the Wrangler is our daily vehicle (the Toyota pickup 4x2 always seems to end up on a patch of ice and require either pushing or waiting until it melts, and besides, half the time it won't go over the snow banks left by the snow plow). The hard top doesn't have a problem with the occasional large snowfalls we have up here (one night this February I went to sleep with no snow on the ground. We woke up at 4:30 am with 3 feet!) In the summer it always seems too hot to be driving around without air conditioning, so we just never bother to take it off (no garage either). The scratches from low branches etc. doesn't seem to bother it much (and better the Jeep's top than my top). About the only time I REALLY wanted to be topless was the time we were wandering around the Sierra National Forest and there was this incredible view...
On a different topic - if it weren't for the gas mileage, I would be happy with the Wrangler as an only vehicle. It is noisier and bouncier than the Toyota Tacoma, but the seats are much more comfortable, and I prefer how it is geared. Both vehicles are 5 speed manuals, and with the Wrangler, I just put it in 2nd gear for driving in slow and go traffic on the freeway (I drive over the Sepulveda Pass and the 405 freeway daily). The Tacoma won't go that slow in 2nd so I have to shift more often. When we went on a 3,000 mile vacation this spring we took the jeep even though we knew we wouldn't be going off road. The seats are that much more comfortable (and as we expected, we did run into some snowy roads). So the extra money we paid in gas was worth the extra comfort. In fact, if I could afford to dump the 2000 Tacoma for something else, I would.
So far our Jeep has had only the dash light problem and we have 90,000 miles on it. I'm planning on keeping it for at least another 100,000 miles or more.
You are one lucky person to live in such a nice place! I assume you live in or near the Sierras from what you have said in your posts.
As far as the hard top/ soft top question, I would like to have the soft top if I were only going to have one or the other. I ordered my Thelma with the hard top only, which I regret.
Dual tops would be fine, but having only one top, I wish it were a soft top.
The IDEAL situation would be to take my hard top and doors off once in the spring and put them back on in the fall, but I don't have another vehicle to drive when there is rain or a chance of rain.
I would love to hear more about where you live! Are you actually right in the mountains?
I can get a new sport for $21,900 with 4.9% fin. But I like the look of this one. The 2001's are not in Edmund's or Kelley Blue Book's guides yet, so I don't know about the pricing.
Went back and read most of the messages last night and noticed that several of you use the Garvin roof rack. I found the Pioneer one online and it seems to simply latch on to the roll bad and might be easier to get the soft top on and off. Any thoughts/experiences? Thanks, and sorry about all the questions lately.
Hello everyone! I'm new to the group, but I am a fellow Jeep lover, and I just purchased my first Jeep... I have finally ARRIVED!
I am going to change out my bumpers in the very near future. I was looking at an ARB Bull Bar, but it is a little out of my price range. I've been looking at the Aztec A-Frame Bumper (http://www.trailquest.com/bumper.shtml). Has anyone purchased/installed one of these bumpers on their Jeep? And if so, how do you like it? And do you have a pic?
I have two kids also and will probably get the Garvin Industries Wilderness Rack that mounts over the spare tire. Its not very big, but will hold enough for a days outing. They also make a large expedition rack that mounts over your entire jeep and can tilt out of the way. For my needs I think the Wilderness rack will suffice for a cooler and some small bags.
Just checked the site and its called a Trail Rack and can hold up to 250 pounds. I have a Garvin Expedition rack on my Ford Exploder. I have had it several years and its very well made and holds up well to the elements.
tsjay - I don't live in the Sierras, I live in a sort of nameless set of mountains south of there. They are sometimes called the Kern County Mountains. I like to think I live in a heavenly island in the middle of the desert called Southern California, but that isn't exactly true. I don't like LA - but I work there. We moved up there because we were spending much of our weekends up in the area hiking and off-roading (there is a state OHV area 20 minutes from the house, and I am surrounded by national forest dirt roads). If given a choice, I think I would rather live in Kentucky than California, but our jobs are here, and that view of the pine covered (and often snow covered) ridge out my window keeps me sane.
The Wrangler has only had a problem getting through the snow one day - and that was the day we heard that 120 cars were stranded on the freeway. The conditions were so bad they couldn't get to them with 4x4's - they had to use snow cats. I'm glad we got high centered on the road outside our house - if we had made it onto the freeway we would have been there a long time! As it was, I got to dig out the jeep, then help dig out a couple of neighbors. And then dig out our driveway again after the snow plow!
Welcome to the group! I think if I had to drive the 405 for 75 miles one way, every day, I'd start to hate it too. My parents live in the Valley, which isn't too far from where you are. Are there any simple trails up there? Something a Stock Wrangler SE could handle? Maybe a rating of 1 or 2? Let me know if you know of any. I'd like to at least look into offroading on a simple level.
There are all kinds of them up where we are! The ones we take are fine for stock Wranglers (what we have, by the way). There are several books by the same author that covers California dirt roads. I can't remember the author but the one covering our area is "California Coastal Byways." There is one on the Sierra Nevada, and one on the deserts. One of the easy trails I take often leads to a very nice hiking trail. In the spring it is fun to drive because you have to ford Piru Creek a couple of times. It's off of Lockwood Valley Road. Look up my email address and send me a note - I'll send you directions (will be this evening - the email address is the one to the house, not work).
There are also a number of simple drives in the Angeles National Forest. Unfortunately, I guess the National Forests have been hit hard by people trying to limit 4x4 access because some of the roads that were open a few years ago are now closed. For instance, you used to be able to drive up to the top of Mt. Pinos and the wildlife viewing point, but the dirt road portion (2 miles) is now closed (an OK walk to incredible views!).
I am suffering through the torture of watching Wranglers drive by me daily and I think I'll never see the day I can get my own Wrangler Sahara with the soft top (with tinted windows). I am going to school part time after my full time job and getting a Wrangler at this point is a distant dream. But I warned a salesman at the closest Jeep dealer that I would be a regular visitor until I could afford to get a Wrangler of my very own. I've driven them from time to time and am very impressed by the smoothness of the ride from then to now. I plan on getting a black Sahara with tan interior. I hope that it doesn't drive me crazy in the process! Can I be a honorary member of the Wrangler owners group til' then?
"2) If I pack my wife and 2 sons and get ready to go off to the beach, where do I put the cooler? I'm interested in learning about everyone's carrying mods."
In their lap? Between them? Look (ask) over on the Isuzu Trooper board for a device which plugs into trailer hitch which has a shelf for just such purposes.
Just some of the local offroaders have told me they like auto better...they say you got toomuch to tink about..rather than swicthing gears..
Dwrangler hey guy i;m in the same boat as you.. i dont have a wrangler yat either.. Give us all the specs you are looking for.. Your welcome here anytime.
Mtngal Hello..welcome to the forum..give us all the specs you your wrangler.. sounds like you enjoy it alot..
One of the great Wrangler debates. Here are the two top ones. 1. Auto Vs. Manual 2. Hardtop Vs. Soft top vs. dual tops
I like my Auto Trans. It can be better offroad for a novice driver as you can hold your position going up and down hills or while rock climbing. Im sure someone skilled in Shifting can handle it just as well.
I am completely satisfied with my softop. Im surprised at how tight the air in the vehicle is with the soft top. When I turn my A/C on you can see the windows bulge out from the pressure inside. It would be nice to have a Hardtop for winter use, but then I would have to take up my storage space in the garage. Im sure my kids would try to make a fort out of it and climb all over it.
I have a '98 black Sport with a manual, hard top with tinted windows (a very good idea for California heat), and limited slip differential (which did not stop me from getting stuck in 3 feet of snow). I have been constantly surprised about how tough it is without modification - my husband took our 4x2 Tacoma over a dirt road that didn't require using 4 wheel drive in the Wrangler, but got my knuckles white in the pickup. It's pretty loaded for a Sport (the 30X9.5R tires, heavy duty shocks etc.). It has the basic radio without a sound bar, which is fine with me since I'm not a big audio person (when in LA I listen to an all news station to catch the constant traffic reports). Since my budget is limited, I'd rather use my money for more performance related things such as fog lights.
I'm glad I got the manual for a couple of reasons. I bought it because they are fun. I'm glad because after we moved up here on our mountain top, I went through 2 auto transmissions in a year in our Nissan 4 cylinder pickup. One of our neighbors went through 7 transmissions in 5 years in an Explorer. Since I can't afford a new transmission every year or so, it seemed better to get a manual. Maybe I'm reacting too much to this - does any one out there have any experience with this type of driving? I was thinking of maybe making sure I had a transmission cooler if I ever bought another automatic. Would this make a difference?
When it was only about 8 months old when we were involved in an accident on the 405 - we grazed both the wall and another car who illegally moved into the carpool lane just in front of us. The other truck had to be towed but we drove away with only some body damage and chewed up rims and tires (those Goodyears were missing a fair amount of rubber, but still held air!). I believe that if we had been in a compact pickup or a regular car it would have been totalled.
The air conditioning works well keeping a black vehicle comfortable. The only problem it had was last Friday - I was getting off the freeway in Baker, California, when it quit working. I know it wasn't working because the air coming out of the vents suddenly turned to 106 degrees! At least, that is what the thermometer at Baker said. When we got going after our break it was working again. I don't know why it quit, and I'm not going to worry about it unless it happens again.
well I have had my new wrangler for four months now and it has 1700 miles, which is not much but that is because I also owned a 99 grand cherokee up until last week. And that is what I am writing about. Last week I made a decision that the jgc had 50k miles on it and maybe it was time to trade it, Well I ended up getting a new 2002 ford explorer. WHAT A MISTAKE, at first I thought I kind of liked it, but I have to say it is not near as nice to drive as my grand cherokee was and I really miss it after only a week. I am so sorry I traded that thing in.
TSJAY, This brings to mind the stories you have told about going and getting a vehicle and not being quite happy with it and ending up trading it. Its not that I am having any trouble with the explorer I just don't like it as much. But at least I still have my wrangler and its a blast to drive.
Hey, Dude! I see that you have posted your info now in Meet the Members. Thanks.
I understand what you're saying about the difference between the GCL and the Explorer. I traded in a 95 Explorer on that 99 GCL that I had, and there was a world of difference! They aren't even in the same league!
If the GCL's had the reliabity to go along with their good looks, ride, four wheel drive system, and power, they would be SUPER! I always thought it was a crime that the new GCL's had so many problems, as good as they were in every other department. I felt so sorry for all the people posting about their serious drive train problems.
That one of mine was fine except for the brake rotor problems.
Now, get out and drive that Sahara! Only 1700 miles in four months! That's just 5K per year.
For the proud owners of automatic trannys. If you use your vehicle for towing, rock crawling or long hill climbs, get the biggest tranny cooler you can find. The worse thing for auto tranny is heat. As a mechanic I was told for every 1 degree a automatic transmission is over the recommend operating temperature (180 degs) you will lose 1000 miles off the life of the tranny.
Thanks for the info. From what you say I gather that I should most likely continue to drive manuals. By the way, does the size of the engine make a difference also? I always wondered if I would have burned out the transmission as fast with a 6 cyl. instead of a 4. My uneducated thought was that if the engine had an easier time climbing up the freeway, it wouldn't have to shift as often and therefore the transmission wouldn't have to work so hard. On the other hand, I know the engine doesn't have anything to do with the gear ratios, so maybe this logic doesn't hold up. Thanks for any help!
Comments
Also, does that "duster" top have snaps around the edges? If so, can you have it half done, so as to let the dog sit in half of the back space and leave the other half open? Is that cover waterproof so if I got the bikini top, it would protect the dash, seats (and occupants) and the back area?
I know I've been posting a lot of questions, but I really would love a jeep, and I want to make sure it fills my needs. I haven't bought a car since '92, and probably won't again for another 9 or 10 years.
Thanks.
BTW, Todd will be your chat moderator this week, I think.
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
yellowman
I would love to be able to stay right here in "good old edmunds" to do all of my chatting. That's why I was hoping we could have a full time chat room. Why do the chats have to be moderated?
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
The module that includes the multi-purpose stalk on the left side of the steering wheel had to be replaced. None of the DC parts depots anywhere in the country had the part, so the dealer had to check with individual dealers around the country via the computer to find one. One was located at a dealer in Oklahoma and shipped to the dealer that was doing the work for me. The whole process took two weeeks from my first visit until the new part was installed.
This has been Thelma's only mechanical problem in 8900 miles.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
On the shift light... I'm going to get the dang thing out this weekend, even if I end up with a bunch of Jeep parts in the floor of the garage. I've made a few half hearted attempts at getting to the dash circuit board, but haven't been succesful... yet. Once I can get to the board, it's just a matter of removing the bulb. I'm going to have to order a factory service manual next time I'm at the dealer.
My mileage has been all over the board, ranging from 15 to 19. I've tried to be consistant in filling it up, so it must be our erratic driving! Overall we're at 16.6 and that's with mostly around town and "riding in the country" miles. We are leadfoots, so we're definitely on the bottom of the curve for the group.
-twylie
yellowman
is averaging over 19 mpg so far. That's
with about 800 miles on her odo. I hope
the mpg gets better once she's fully
broken in. I almost bought an '01 Sport
off the lot with an auto trans, but
decided to go with the 5-speed after
comparing EPA mileage ratings on the sticker.
I'm happy with my choice, the 5-speed and
3.08 axle ratio seem to work well with the six.
Hey, Yellowman, tell me more about your Wrangler!
- tjray
What kind of driving conditions are getting you that good gas mileage?
My Thelma gets 18 MPG, but it's all highway driving at about 60 to 65 MPH.
Thelma has the 3.73 rear end, so it stands to reason that you would do better than I do on gas mileage. Thelma is also a five speed.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
1. Is $22,500 a good price for a 2001 sarhara with dual tops, 5spd, 30" wheel package with traclok, all of the goodies except cruise and lockable trunk. Oh yea, it has 125 miles on it......this is from a dealer.
2. Will the inline 6 cyl eng still be available in the 2002 models or are they switching to the rumored V6?
thanks in advanced......
Me and my better half drove almost 50 miles in
light rain last saturday with the soft top down
and never hardly felt a drop. Luckily we were
on the hiway and kept moving. I've taken it
pretty easy so far, broke her in by the book,
no high speed freeway driving yet. I've
discovered the joys of backroad {and off-road}
driving. I never pay attention to the shift arrow,
but I probably do shift up pretty fast. Also,
for now my Wrangler only has stock 215-75r15
tires until I find some aftermarket ones I like.
Happy Jeeping! - tjray
I have a million questions, so it might be good to start off soliciting links to good Jeep pages and FAQs. Next, I'll start.
1) Am I better off equipping it with the Jeep and dealer Mopar accessories or getting a base one and using aftermarket stuff?
2) Are there certain things you can install, e.g., lifts, that negate your warranty?
3) Any thoughts about whether I should get a manual or auto transmission. I've read a few negative things about the 3-spd auto, but have also read that an auto is better then a manual when it comes to driving in sand.
4) Other then ABS, any essential options I should get?
5) Know of a good on-board air compressor?
Thanks!
Greg
1.aftermarket is usually cheaper and better
2.someone else will help you here. remember, you can always take the parts off again and put it back to stock form
3.I would go with manual. more fun, better mileage and performance, stronger. sand shouldn't be a problem with 4WD jeep and decent tires and skills
4.I'd skip the ABS and go for limited slip rear end. Dana rear end.
5.not sure
good luck
mtngal - welcome to the group. Sounds like a lengthy but fun commute; coming out of and back into the mountains each day. 3 cents a mile for you has to at least cover insurance! Keep posting with us!
ghinson - welcome to the board. I'll try to reply to some of your questios, and you'll likely get a lot more good info from the group.
Jeep FAQ - http://www.visi.com/~tam/tjfaq.html I have also posted some buying info and on my Jeep site: http://www.ewylie.com/jeep.htm
1. MOPAR or aftermarket - I think the MOPAR stuff is overpriced but you can be sure it will fit, and if the dealer installs it when you buy the Jeep, you get a warranty with it. It really depends on what types of accesories you are talking about. Get some catalogs from Quadratec and 4wd.com to get ideas about everything you can get to customize your Jeep.
2. modifications do not expressly void your warranty but the dealer may refuse to warranty a part if they state in writing and can prove that a modifaction you made led to a premature failure of a factory component. For this reason, many people choose to wait until the warranty has expired before doing any significant modification such as large lifts. There are also people on this board that will forego coverage to raise their Jeep up toward the skies. Also, if you install a large lift and huge tires, they can't deny coverage if your blinkers quit working, but they may have a case if you burn up your transmission. The mods and likelihood of damage caused by them must be related. Another option is to get it in writing from your dealer if they will cover you after you lift, etc. They may do this if they do the work, but it's not universal. You'll need to talk to your dealer and see what makes sense for you.
3. auto vs. stick - a matter of preference on this board. Auto is nice if you do a lot of city driving and can be better off road from a "crawling" standpoint. Also one less thing to worry about if you're in a difficult driving situation. Manual is more fun, and may get a touch better mileage. My experience in beach driving is that you're not shifting a lot anyway, but I'd talk to local beach drivers and see if they can give you some better expert advice. With Low range, you wont have any problem getting around in even deep, soft sand; just air down and don't get too aggresive with the throttle.
4. essential options - again, a matter of preference. For what it's worth, I don't know of anyone that regrets getting the 6cyl, factory sub, or soft top (especially if you'll be at the beach much). A/C is much cheaper from the factory than adding later. Trak-loc is probably a good option to get unless you plan to do lockers down the road. Trak-loc is $250 from the factory and will help out in most moderate off-roading. Cruise control if you take any long trips or are on the highway much. From a cost standpoint, it's generally better to get this stuff already on the Jeep than to try and add it later (I will eventually add factory Cruise Control to our Jeep but will pay a premium for not having it ordered that way). If you like the look and function of the factory options, get them, but realize you can add almost anything aftermarket with time and $$$. The other piece is that you may like aftermarket accesories better than the ones offered on the Jeep.
5. QuickAir makes good (not cheapo Wal-Mart) 12v compressors in both hard mount and portable versions. Prices from $200-400. Many good reviews and they would be fine for airing up after coming off the beach. If you want to run air tools, you will need a tank to go with them.
HTH and join in the chat tonight at 9EST if you want to talk to some other Jeep owners/fanatics.
-twylie
I have a million questions, so it might be good to start off soliciting links to good Jeep pages and FAQs. Next, I'll start.
1) Am I better off equipping it with the Jeep and dealer Mopar accessories or getting a base one and using aftermarket stuff?
2) Are there certain things you can install, e.g., lifts, that negate your warranty?
3) Any thoughts about whether I should get a manual or auto transmission. I've read a few negative things about the 3-spd auto, but have also read that an auto is better then a manual when it comes to driving in sand.
4) Other then ABS, any essential options I should get?
5) Know of a good on-board air compressor?
Thanks!
Greg
1. probably aftermarket will be cheaper..but..
not sure about labor. Plus ask if will void your warranty. Some Modifications will.
2. Ask 1st.
3. Manual Vs. Auto..big debate here..Auto for me..
most serious offroaders like Auto better
4. Skip ABS..they are some times that you will
want your brakes to lock. Go for Dual top
option. Or the Soft top only.
5. ???? not sure
I had to look in Meet the Members to refresh my memory as to the color and other details about your Jeep.
SILVERSTONE! AWESOME!! That was such a close second choice for me that I had to delay my order by a whole day (and if you don't think that was hard for me to do after all the struggling that I did just to get to the point of placing an order, better think again).
I LOVE SILVERSTONE!
YOU GOTTA POST SOME PICS!
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
2) If I pack my wife and 2 sons and get ready to go off to the beach, where do I put the cooler? I'm interested in learning about everyone's carrying mods.
Thanks again.
Drink all the beer BEFORE you leave, and let your wife drive. Then you won't need the cooler, and the kids won't bother you as bad either.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
P.S. Join us in the chat tonight!
...at 6-7pm Pacific/9-10 pm Eastern.
http://www.edmunds.com/chat/jeepchat.html
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
On a different topic - if it weren't for the gas mileage, I would be happy with the Wrangler as an only vehicle. It is noisier and bouncier than the Toyota Tacoma, but the seats are much more comfortable, and I prefer how it is geared. Both vehicles are 5 speed manuals, and with the Wrangler, I just put it in 2nd gear for driving in slow and go traffic on the freeway (I drive over the Sepulveda Pass and the 405 freeway daily). The Tacoma won't go that slow in 2nd so I have to shift more often. When we went on a 3,000 mile vacation this spring we took the jeep even though we knew we wouldn't be going off road. The seats are that much more comfortable (and as we expected, we did run into some snowy roads). So the extra money we paid in gas was worth the extra comfort. In fact, if I could afford to dump the 2000 Tacoma for something else, I would.
So far our Jeep has had only the dash light problem and we have 90,000 miles on it. I'm planning on keeping it for at least another 100,000 miles or more.
As far as the hard top/ soft top question, I would like to have the soft top if I were only going to have one or the other. I ordered my Thelma with the hard top only, which I regret.
Dual tops would be fine, but having only one top, I wish it were a soft top.
The IDEAL situation would be to take my hard top and doors off once in the spring and put them back on in the fall, but I don't have another vehicle to drive when there is rain or a chance of rain.
I would love to hear more about where you live! Are you actually right in the mountains?
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
2001 Sport, soft top, 13K mi, Dana, Tracloc, K&N filter, 4" lift, 32" BFG ATs...$18,500.
I can get a new sport for $21,900 with 4.9% fin. But I like the look of this one. The 2001's are not in Edmund's or Kelley Blue Book's guides yet, so I don't know about the pricing.
I am going to change out my bumpers in the very near future. I was looking at an ARB Bull Bar, but it is a little out of my price range. I've been looking at the Aztec A-Frame Bumper (http://www.trailquest.com/bumper.shtml). Has anyone purchased/installed one of these bumpers on their Jeep? And if so, how do you like it? And do you have a pic?
Thanks!
http://www.garvin-industries.com/
The Wrangler has only had a problem getting through the snow one day - and that was the day we heard that 120 cars were stranded on the freeway. The conditions were so bad they couldn't get to them with 4x4's - they had to use snow cats. I'm glad we got high centered on the road outside our house - if we had made it onto the freeway we would have been there a long time! As it was, I got to dig out the jeep, then help dig out a couple of neighbors. And then dig out our driveway again after the snow plow!
Welcome to the group! I think if I had to drive the 405 for 75 miles one way, every day, I'd start to hate it too. My parents live in the Valley, which isn't too far from where you are. Are there any simple trails up there? Something a Stock Wrangler SE could handle? Maybe a rating of 1 or 2? Let me know if you know of any. I'd like to at least look into offroading on a simple level.
yellowman
There are also a number of simple drives in the Angeles National Forest. Unfortunately, I guess the National Forests have been hit hard by people trying to limit 4x4 access because some of the roads that were open a few years ago are now closed. For instance, you used to be able to drive up to the top of Mt. Pinos and the wildlife viewing point, but the dirt road portion (2 miles) is now closed (an OK walk to incredible views!).
dwrangler
(owner to be)
That is contrary to what I have heard.
In their lap? Between them? Look (ask) over on the Isuzu Trooper board for a device which plugs into trailer hitch which has a shelf for just such purposes.
Dwrangler
hey guy i;m in the same boat as you..
i dont have a wrangler yat either.. Give us all the specs you are looking for.. Your welcome here anytime.
Mtngal
Hello..welcome to the forum..give us all the specs you your wrangler..
sounds like you enjoy it alot..
Take care all
Snut
1. Auto Vs. Manual
2. Hardtop Vs. Soft top vs. dual tops
I like my Auto Trans. It can be better offroad for a novice driver as you can hold your position going up and down hills or while rock climbing. Im sure someone skilled in Shifting can handle it just as well.
I am completely satisfied with my softop. Im surprised at how tight the air in the vehicle is with the soft top. When I turn my A/C on you can see the windows bulge out from the pressure inside. It would be nice to have a Hardtop for winter use, but then I would have to take up my storage space in the garage. Im sure my kids would try to make a fort out of it and climb all over it.
and dual tops...
I will be covered both ways
Snut
I'm glad I got the manual for a couple of reasons. I bought it because they are fun. I'm glad because after we moved up here on our mountain top, I went through 2 auto transmissions in a year in our Nissan 4 cylinder pickup. One of our neighbors went through 7 transmissions in 5 years in an Explorer. Since I can't afford a new transmission every year or so, it seemed better to get a manual. Maybe I'm reacting too much to this - does any one out there have any experience with this type of driving? I was thinking of maybe making sure I had a transmission cooler if I ever bought another automatic. Would this make a difference?
When it was only about 8 months old when we were involved in an accident on the 405 - we grazed both the wall and another car who illegally moved into the carpool lane just in front of us. The other truck had to be towed but we drove away with only some body damage and chewed up rims and tires (those Goodyears were missing a fair amount of rubber, but still held air!). I believe that if we had been in a compact pickup or a regular car it would have been totalled.
The air conditioning works well keeping a black vehicle comfortable. The only problem it had was last Friday - I was getting off the freeway in Baker, California, when it quit working. I know it wasn't working because the air coming out of the vents suddenly turned to 106 degrees! At least, that is what the thermometer at Baker said. When we got going after our break it was working again. I don't know why it quit, and I'm not going to worry about it unless it happens again.
TSJAY, This brings to mind the stories you have told about going and getting a vehicle and not being quite happy with it and ending up trading it. Its not that I am having any trouble with the explorer I just don't like it as much. But at least I still have my wrangler and its a blast to drive.
I understand what you're saying about the difference between the GCL and the Explorer. I traded in a 95 Explorer on that 99 GCL that I had, and there was a world of difference! They aren't even in the same league!
If the GCL's had the reliabity to go along with their good looks, ride, four wheel drive system, and power, they would be SUPER! I always thought it was a crime that the new GCL's had so many problems, as good as they were in every other department. I felt so sorry for all the people posting about their serious drive train problems.
That one of mine was fine except for the brake rotor problems.
Now, get out and drive that Sahara! Only 1700 miles in four months! That's just 5K per year.
He must be feeling neglected!
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
HAPPY 52nd BIRTHDAY TSJAY!
Now, don't you all feel better after having done that?
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?