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Comments
stubag - I have yet to meet someone who regretted buying a Wrangler. I've met people who don't like them, and wouldn't be caught anywhere near one, but they would never buy one. Somehow those of us who actually buy them love them. I've had more fun with mine than I had expected (didn't think that was possible). Glad to hear that it has surpassed your expectations too!
It was a long and aggrevating day today (especially from 3pm to 5pm) going to the bank that I HAD the loan through. The woman and her son met me at the main bank (as the satelite branch wasn't helpful in the least)and we got the bill of sale notarized and signed, had copies of all important documents, gave the originals to her son and took them to the closest license office to get temporary tags so they could get insurance for it. I'm soooooooooo happy,I'm one step closer to me dream vehicle ...of course it's a Jeep
Thanks to bamatazz, mntgal and the rest for your support...I may be getting a second job to be able to put more money back so I can get what I want...I may have to order it to get the color scheme I want...but I've come this far I think my patience will be well worth the wait.
Well I'll keep ya up to date on the details and hopefully have time to chat and post with ya...
Have a safe Memorial Day weekend and hug your Jeeps for me
dwrangler
Hey now I may have to consult with the other person that has a log in name close to mine...a suggestion-like maybe make the first letter a capital letter so others don't get confused...thanks
Steve
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SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
http://makeashorterlink.com/?H23412FE
Your getting closer to it...We are all behind ya. I hate you might have to get a 2nd job. But, your able to do it WHY NOT?. Try wal-mart, they will work with ya and thier starting pay is resonable. (11 years with Wal-Mart here)
MADMAN.. GREAT pics..
im gonna try doorless this year..Just bought the mirror relocation brackets. Just wait for my Hard top hoist to come in..I'll be ready!
Keep Jeepin
BAMA
Quick Story. About 3 years ago my wifes '98 Sahara console was broken into. The stupid thing was the doors and console were all unlocked. All the thief had to do was push the button and the console would open. (with a softtop we never leave anything of value in it anyway...)
But, this moron apparently didn't know how to open a console, and pried the top off and ripped a hole out under the lid and bent the hinge. (I guess you don't have to have brains to apply for the job of thief... )
Anyway, I'm finally looking to replace the console and had an idea.
I would like to replace the 1998 console with a 2002. I like the fact that it has 2 rear cupholders and brackets for 2 extra 6 1/2 inch speakers. Looks like it would take up extra legroom in the back, but since we rarely use the back seat, I don't think it will be a big deal.
Couple questions...
1- To those with new Wranglers with full consoles, how do you like them?
2- Has anyone had experience replacing a console, and how easy is it?
3- Has anyone changed consoles (Ie, early TJ Full Console Vs redesigned Console) and how different and difficult is that change?
Any and all responses are welcome!
AppState88
I am currently on an "extended business trip" to Tampa Bay, Florida. Although I am making some "overtime," and can now afford the 3inch lift and 33inch wheels on AR767s, I don't have a way to install them here. And I don't want to pay someone to do it for me.
So it looks like the lift and tires/wheels will have to wait till I get back to Colorado, which could be as late as October.
madman
So, good old Thelma Jane, Ross Allen, and Tom were in the company of two very experienced Jeepers who serve as trail guides. They both had lockers front and back and both Jeeps were lifted, one 2" and one 4".
My Bud, Mike, took me through some places that were tougher than anything I had been through before, and that sweet little Thelma Jane made it through every single place! She went everywhere those two trail guides with their locked front and back differentials went! Not bad for just a little 2" lift and open differentials, huh?
I did have to make three tries at a very steep climb up a narrow wash (ravine). There was a big rock that went straight up like a step on the left side, and it broke my momentum the first two times. I was trying to crawl up that wash in first gear, but I had to back up that last time and use second gear to get up some speed. That's where lockers would have come in handy. I could have crawled up that wash like those other guys instead of depending on speed.
What a GREAT DAY! So proud of my little Thelma!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
tsjay - Sounds like you are having such a blast with Thelma Jane. It always amazes me how easily the Wrangler does things just as a stock vehicle.
div2 - getting 16 mpg for mixed city/highway is probably about normal. I usually get about 20 mpg with almost all highway driving. Let us know how you like the forest service roads. My Wrangler knows all of the ones around me, especially the ones leading to my dog's favorite hiking places...
Steve
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SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
But you are all right...I'm that much closer to officially being a Jeep owner
Hug your Jeeps for me
dwrangler
When you say you are getting the Dana rear end, I assume you mean the Dana 44? The choices are Dana 35 or Dana 44. The 44 is supposed to be a much stronger rear end and is especially a good choice if you think you will ever run 33" or larger tires.
Good move on the 3.73 gears (especially if you think you will go to larger tires).
I guess you know that the Dana 44 is not available in the X model, so you will need to go with the Sport for that.
Good luck, and I promise you , you will not regret getting a Jeep, if it is FUN you are looking for!
Check out my Jeep and the story about my purchase of her at http://members.aol.com/tjoh298765/thelma.html
Welcome to the board, and feel free to ask any questions. If you would like to chat with me, my AOL instant message username is tjoh298765. Email is tjoh298765@aol.com.
I don't pretend to be a technical guru or anything, but I can talk all day about how much fun a Jeep is, and I have been through the experience of choosing options and ordering a Jeep. I have just gotten into offroading, so I can tell you a little about that.
Oh yeah, you are welcome to join the gang at http://itajeep.org
Go to the chat room and you can chat with other Jeepers, several of which are members here in this message board.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Tom
Stop by!
Anyway, back to your questions. Auto or manual is really more of a personal choice. They both have their pros and cons. The auto would be great for city (traffic) driving, although it is just a 3 speed. Both are great for off-roading and can definitely "hold up" to off-road use. The manual is cheaper (and to me, more fun to drive), and can save you some money for other things.
You didn't say if you were getting the 4-banger or the I6. I'm assuming you are going for the I6. If you choose the 4-banger, I would definitely get the manual, which would maximize the available power (just my opinion).
One other thing, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the auto is available with 3.73 gears. I think it comes with 4.10. Not really a problem, just letting you know.
Regarding the Dana rear axle...as tsjay said, I'm assuming you are talking about the Dana44. It is the heavy duty axle designed to better withstand the heavier loads of larger tires (33inch and up). It is great for off-roading, and likely will increase your resale value.
That being said...I got the standard Dana35. Although I do go off-roading, I do not do anything extreme. Additionally, I do not plan on going larger than 33 inch tires. Finally, even with the larger tires, and even doing some moderate to heavy off-roading, as long as you are easy on the gas pedal, and do not have a rear locker (the Trac-Lok is really a limited slip), the Dana35 is as stout as you would need. Here also, I went with the cheaper option, which left me some $$ for other things.
Sorry so long, but I hope this helps. Keep the questions coming. I know once you get it, you'll love your Jeep, whatever you decide to get.
madman
The 4 banger with a five speed has the 4.11 gearing, but I don't know what the 4 banger autos have for gearing.
Why haven't ya been to gills lately???
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Cruised for most of the trip on I35. At times I looked at the speedometer and I was doing over 80 keeping up with traffic. No problem keeping it on the road at any of the speeds I hit. This thing sure handles a lot better than my old CJ5.
I am old, fat, have a broken tail bone and a bad back. No problem with the seats being uncomfortable, they felt great.
Put the back seat down and carried my bud who is about 6'4" back there and he said it was not a problem. He said it was a comfortable ride and he had enough leg space. Better him than me back there.
Finally cranked on the air and did not notice a loss of power even with three adults in the vehicle. That was the first time I had used my air.
I was looking for mud, but did not find any since the grass was to high where I went and it just matted over. Found lots of soft sand so I ended up getting dusty instead of muddy.
The Sport rode well for the entire trip and even handled the pig trails (that they call county roads in Oklahoma) with no problem.
My bud was asking lots of questions about the Sport and would like to trade in his old Cherokee on one. His wife did not ride with us so I am pretty certain how that will turn out.
There are two things which I would like to see changed and that is the gas mileage and I drive with my knee pushing against the transfer case shift lever. I guess I can put up with both.
For my first trip in the Sport I was quite satisfied. I would say to go for it if you are wavering about the comfort on the road and how it handles.
Loved it! We found a little trail that led up away from the road and it took us up about 500 ft above the main road where we stopped for a picnic. We could see the cars far below us.
On another road (trail) we started down I thought it would come out where some people were camped, but when reached we the bottom we couldn't get across, so had to turn around and start back up.
I have been around 4x4 all my life but this trail made me thankful I had the winch on the front. I shouldn't have worried, Red never spun a tire. We crawled right up out of there.
I can't wait till next trip !
dewars
The 5 speed is easy to drive for us short folks. The clutch feels like many cars, rather than truck-like so is easy on the leg. The throw is longer than many cars, but not much different than the '69 Opel Kadet that I learned on. Because it is geared low, it is easy to drive in slow-n-go traffic - I use either 1st or 2nd, depending on how fast the traffic is going. If you have a million stop signs or lights I'd probably get the auto. Many off-roaders prefer the auto, since you aren't as likely to spin your tires. Others prefer a manual because you can control things more.
dewars - your trip sounds like so much fun! We ended up taking the Taco this weekend so I didn't have a chance to play this weekend. Oh well, there is always next weekend.
-twylie
When I bought my 97 Wrangler, the console latch was broken -- I suspect the owner had the same problem you did, some thief decided to pry up the whole mechanism instead of just popping the button to open it.
So instead of replacing the whole console, I bought a Tuffy TJ Security Console Insert from OffRoadToyStore.com for about 110 bucks including shipping. It's a 16-gauge steel box that fits inside your OEM console, preserving the factory look and feel, while being VERY VERY tough to break into.
Security's my main concern, because I too have a soft top. No one's messed with the Tuffy so far, and it looks stock, so I didn't have to deal with any sizing or looks issues.
If you decide to go with the newer console, remember that it's longer than the one you have now, and your carpet kit may or may not fit properly, plus you'll have the audio wiring issues to the subwoofer.
I recommend just adding a Tuffy box to your console...it just replaces the guts of your console lid, and the install's pretty straightforward.
Cheers, and good luck!
Rob
Arlington VA
des'
When you bought your Jeeps, how old were you?
My Mom made the comment after having dinner at my brother's house, "I'm embarrassed, she's 38 and Jeep's are driven by younger kids...she needs to get something sensible(her idea of sensible is a Ford Taurus )." My sister-in-law came back with, "Is she single? Does she have any kids? Let her get what she wants." I don't always agree with my sister-in-law, but that comment I did.
Let me know so I can use it to show them that it's just not the younger set that are driving Jeeps!
My sympathy to any Maple Leaf fans...I thought they'd pull it out.
Hug your Jeeps for me
dwrangler
I don't know when that offer will end, but it's a biggie that should be taken advantage of, if there is any possible way to do so.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Since I'm posting a message I have a question too.
I need the fuel line replaced for my 1990 YJ. My repair guy said that Jeep told him they don't make it any more and they would have to custom make one if they can't find it somewhere else. I'm assuming they're going to make one out of steel tubing but, the original is some kind of mesh tube which, I assume is better. I've tried searching the internet for the part with no luck. Anyone know where I might find it?
Thanks
Jayorion
As you have probably guessed by some of the comments oceantoad and I have made about driving Army jeeps, I ain't a young thing any more. I bought my TJ new in '98, and that year I was comparing notes with a co-worker. She is 3 years younger than I am and was talking about becoming a grandmother for the second time.
jayorion - that means you aren't the oldest on the board. Do you remember Jan & Dean? I may not be a true "little old lady from Pasadena" (grew up in Pasadena) but my hair is telling me that it won't be long now!
Mtngal, I thought that you were way older than me!!!!!!!
Got my CJ5 at 22 and got this one at 48. Hope to have a Wrangler for as long as I can get up into it without help from another person. A ladder would be ok.
I think you are more of a Ford Escort kind of person. By the way, don't you think your jeans are a bit to tight and your dresses are a bit to short?
When I was driving my Triumph TR4 my Mom wanted me to get a Jeep since it would be so much more safer to drive. 32 years later I listened to what my Mom had told me.
Ain't it fun being bad. Be an outlaw and go for it. Do it before the hips and knees go:)
And yeah, I always did like the old Karman Ghias. And I actually had an autographed pic of Jan & Dean at one time. Still got my OEM knees though :-)
Steve
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SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
oceantoad - I laughed about the TR4 comment; my first car was a '71 MGB that I bought with my paper route $. Dad helped me check it out when I bought it and mom was horrified that I'd get killed in it. My dad told her it was the safest car I could ever own, because it would never be running and I'd always be working on it in the driveway. Pretty ironic since my dad had TWO Peugeots that ran almost as well as one real car. My 'B ended up being a great car and ran without any real trouble (once I learned to change the points every 6 months!). The Peugeots on the other hand...
-twylie
The Opel Kadett was (as you said) a German car. GM imported them (and the Rally) for a few years, late 60's and into the very early '70s. The '69 I used to drive had originally been bought by my parents for my sister. They told her she either had to graduate from college or pay for the car. She didn't do either - she got married so the car went back to my parents. With 3 cars and 3 drivers, you can guess who got the stick without air conditioning! But I loved it! Great for dirt roads that didn't need 4x4 because it had pretty good ground clearance.
Speaking of demographic questions, does anyone know where on the web you can find information about the demographics of car buyers? I know there has got to be someplace that tells you how many Wranglers are sold each year, median age & income of buyers, etc.
In my opionion, safety depends on how you drive it. It is not a sports car, and cannot be driven as one. But that is true for many SUVs (remember the suzuki samurai, and even the isuzu trooper?). As with any car, you should know what the limits are, both car and driver, and avoid exceeding them.
But some things are beyond your control. And even the most "perfect driver" can be involved in an accident. Luckily, the Jeep Wrangler does well in crash tests. Take a look at the following links:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/NCAP/Cars/2001SUVs.html
(you can compare the Wrangler to other SUVs)
http://www.crashtest.com/jeep/
(snapshot of Wrangler's scores)
Hope this helps.
madman
PS--sorry about missing out on Gill's. I've been working nights and my schedule doesn't really give me time to hang out in Gills in the afternoon or evenings. I'll be there when I can.
tidester
Host
SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
As for the Wrangler being "for kids", I'd say that of the 10-20 Wranglers I see each day, the bulk of the people behind the wheel are older than I. Besides, as far as I can tell, so long as you are still young of heart, that is all that should matter. Anybody who tells you otherwise is just jealous because they can't come up with a way to justify getting one themselves;)
Steve
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SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
When i was "younger" I a;ways bought the sensible
car.. But when I got that JEEP bug I had to have it. The Jeep makes no sense at all. But if that is what you want, go for it. To me its a bigger waste of money paying for something you dont like.
I dont mind at all paying for TAZZ (well when they get the payment). ohh I was 33 when I got tazz..umm that was last year.
KEEP JEEPIN
BAMA!!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
des'
Terry
It really says something about this little vehicle. We have such huge differences - age, location, and uses for our vehicles. And the really great thing is that we all seem to be able to get along. We don't have the same taste in options/configurations, but all agree that's why we love such an impractical vehicle!
Steve - I was thinking of that article - it is so true!
BTW, I got mine at 23 years old. 1st job = 1st jeep.