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Comments
quikkag, trust me I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL guy
I've wanted a Wrangler for a long long time.
Well, have a great week all.
Hug your Jeeps for me
dwrangler
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
yellowman
It was a good one. My best present was taking the top and doors off of Thelma Jane. I'm going to drive her to work today topless/doorless. (I normally drive my S10 Pickup to work.)
Have a good day, all of you. Keep up the posting.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
tsjay - happy birthday! Great to see you made it another year and are still enjoying Thelma Jane.
yellowman - well, we sort of live in the same area. I actually live in Kern County, not LA county, several thousand feet above you. Instead of living on top of someone else in a condo or an apartment, I live on a hillside and can pretty much only see a pine covered ridge. Instead of listening to sirens all night I listen to the wind blowing through pine trees (a distinctly different sound), the chatter of squirrels, and the squack of blue jays.
On the other hand, I get concerned about "brush" fires - the current one in the Los Padres National Forest is about 30 miles from us, so isn't a threat (and we seem to be upwind of it), but just an example of what could happen to us. There's a bunch of dirt roads and motorcycle trails on that pine covered ridge. It would only take one bike without a spark arrestor or a thoughtless illegal camper and our whole area could go up in flames. Last night my mother called from Las Vegas asking about the fire (I was watching a movie and didn't even know that there was a fire in Los Padres - the national forest is huge) and according to the report on a local TV station's web site it was only about 500 acres. This morning the news station put it at 2,500 acres.
exhaust manifold - My '98 started showing signs a year ago, and we finally did something about it several months ago. We went to a local shop but did not go with an aftermarket one - we shelled out for the official one. OUCH! There is no recall or even a TSB for the '98 manifold. When I checked on it, there was a TSB about the fact that the bolts break when you are removing it, but not about the manifold itself. And the guy who replaced mine said it is a very labor intensive job because the bolts break and have to be tapped out etc. So it is not a cheap fix.
goducks - Hope your Wrangler is doing better. I wonder if it could be something like an air or fuel line problem? That Opel I had started doing strange things when it had a dirty air filter. I also remember barely making it into work one time with my old Chevy truck - it didn't want to run, kept stalling and not running - but that was because of carburator problems. Not fun at all! What does the mechanic say? At least you don't have to worry about a timing belt breaking (that happened to me once, too!).
One more thing, it seems as though most of you have bought your wranglers for about 200. over invoice, is this what most dealerships are accepting? Thank you in advance for any help. Being a woman always makes this car buying process more challenging, I might as well be armed with more knowledge!
Hey, wait a minute! I was going to say the same thing about New England. Friday night I went to Foxwoods casino in CT, then the beach in RI Saturday, then hiking Mt. Monadnock in NH on Sunday.
Plus we get all 4 beautiful seasons here!
...All the better to drive one's Jeep in, of course!
venerable?
Merriam Webster:
One entry found for venerable.
Main Entry: ven·er·a·ble
Pronunciation: 've-n&r(-&)-b&l, 'ven-r&-b&l
Function: adjective
Date: 15th century
1 : deserving to be venerated -- used as a title for an Anglican archdeacon or for a Roman Catholic who has been accorded the lowest of three degrees of recognition for sanctity
2 : made sacred especially by religious or historical association
3 a : calling forth respect through age, character, and attainments; broadly : conveying an impression of aged goodness and benevolence b : impressive by reason of age
Seems since Tom is old as dirt he would fall under 3B from the Webster definition. I also think Tom falls under 3A as he is a character. He might even fall under 2 since he has been posting at Edmunds for quite some time so I see historical association.
I guess I will repeat myself and say I don't understand what you are implying.
Anyhow, I figured I'd share the research, especially in light of Tom's birthday.
venerable, huh?
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
YELLOWMAN & MTGAL
I think I need to visit LA..sounds like you got the best of both worlds out there. Ive heard that u west coast folks are kinda strange though
DUCKS!! Hate that about your Jeep..well, $500 is alot but it could have been worse. Keep us posted.
I got my recall today on the exhaust manifold IM gonna try to get it dont this week.
KEEP JEEPIN
KEEP POSTING
BAMA!
tsjay = venerable. Yeah, I'll go along with that.
Anonyumous02 - You did all those things on consecutive days, in different states, and in the summer. Here you can do all that in one day, and in one state. For instance, in winter I can start off from my house with several inches of snow on the ground. An hour and a half later, I am at my office where the high will be 70 degrees, listening to a co-worker talk about how good (or bad) the surfing is that day!
The thing that you have in New England which we don't have is the lovely changing leaves - all those reds and oranges, etc. We have either green or brown. The trees in the mountains are mostly coniferous and so don't change at all. But they are pretty when covered with a layer of heavy snow.
goducks - at least it is cheaper than replacing the exhaust manifold! I didn't think that a coil would be that expensive, even with the plugs, wires and tune up. On the other hand, I rarely use the dealers (other than when I want something under warranty), so I don't know what the going rate would be. At least it is all stuff that is minor - not a blown engine or something like that! I can think of worse places to be stuck in than San Diego. Beats being broke down in Baker, CA!
Canyon Tire and Wheel Group $748 (30 inch tires, 15x8 wheels, dana44, better shocks)
CD Player versus cassette $110
Sound System with 7 speakers vs 4 $260
Floor Mats $26
Sentry Key System (has a chip) $66
Bodyside Steps $66
Speed Control $220
All prices are invoice off the Edmunds site.
The Sahara also has fender flares that are the same color of the vehicle and I think they are a bit wider. I am not sure about window tinting or if a spare tire cover is included. The seats are also different than what is in the Sport.
I went with standard tires and wheels since I did not like any of the packages and went after market a week or so after I took my Sport home.
When I was shopping for my Jeep, I was keeping up with the posts in here, and I knew that about the best deal anyone was getting was $200 over invoice. That's what I got when I made the deal for mine.
Good luck! You are doing the right thing by getting a Jeep, but I guess you know that.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I see him as an older, wiser, Jeep-mentor (and general car-care guru) because his was some of the first information I read about when I started looking at this board way back about a year and a half ago, a couple months before my own Jeep purchase. I was initially really impressed with the fact that he actually scanned in his invoice and posted it on his web page, complete with coffee stains and all! I said to myself, now *this* is a guy who pays attention to detail! (twylie's another one, among many others here) His posts have been quite useful to me and I even remember someone suggesting that he should be nominated as President or Chairman of the Wrangler board! If there was such a thing, I'd certainly vote for him. Venerable indeed! Happy b-day again, tsjay.
yellowman
You get that nice yeller Jeep off the pavement yet? Ya gotta try it sometime!
When are you going to join us in gill's chat room again? It has been AGES!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Thanks for the advice on the Tuffy console. You have given my several options I hadn't thought of. I will let you know what I decide to do.
JeepSister,
When we went to buy my wifes Wrangler, we didn't really care whether we got the Sport or the Sahara. Pam had to have the 6 Cylinder and air. I insisted on Cruise.
So when we went to buy, the Sahara they had on the lot just happened to have everything we needed.
But the key to getting a good price is not to want it too bad (Which is really hard with Wranglers!) I did the negotiating, not because it is the manly thing, but because it wasn't my vehicle. So I was very willing to walk away.
I have to say though, my wife did a very good of acting disinterested even though she was dying for her Sahara!
So, long story short we got it for $50 over invoice minus a 500.00 rebate. And we bought it about this time of year, which is good for lower prices if you are willing to buy off the lot.
Hope this helps!
BTW, my wife is from Whidbey Island!
AppState88
I had the ignition recall job done about three weeks ago or so, and now I am through with those recalls.
The mechanic probably spent about 30 minutes on the ignition recall job and a little less than that on the manifold shield.
One advantage to living in this area is that the service departments are kind of laid back, and they don't mind customers hanging around right where the work is going on. I was able to look over the guy's shoulder during each of these jobs.
The "fix" for the manifold debris build up problem is just a flimsy metal foil shield that they install. The throttle linkage has to be disconnected and also the rail for the fuel injector wiring. I think there were just two bolts that had to be taken out plus the throttle linkage being disconnected.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Thanks,
Larry
Anyway, to your question. I am currently in Tampa, Florida, where the temps have been in the 90-95 degree range. I've had my top and doors off for a while until the rains came. I can tell you that the A/C helps, but only when standing still, and only if you have your doors on and windows up. Once moving, there is so much air "turbulence" that you really don't feel the A/C. Now this is in the middle of the day, with the sun beating down on you. What helps greatly is having your top up (even with the windows out), or even better, having a bikini top. It seems that just a little bit of shade will cool you off immensely.
Just my opinion, of course. Enjoy Texas!
madman
Another question: how effectively do the seat covers resist water? If I have a top on, but sides open, and it rains while I have the Wrangler parked at work, will I drive home with soaked seats? And will I be able to take the carpeting out so it won't get wet when it rains?
madman, when you're here later in the year, will you have your Jeep here?
Larry
-twylie
Again, as far as the tops go, if it's raining, or threatening rain, and you don't want any water at all, it's best to keep the top up, and the A/C going. It works very well (as does the heat in the winter). But like I said, the bikini will give you some shade and definitely cooler than without. Although it is definitely more "comfortable" with the A/C, nothing can compare to driving top down and doorless!
About the seats, you asked about seat covers. Are you talking about after-market seat covers, or the ones that come with the Jeep? The vinyl seats on the SE are actually better at resisting the water than the semi-cloth seats in the Sport or Sahara, although they get much hotter (and colder). The Sport seats are sort of water resistant, but they will absorb water and get your butt wet when you sit in them. Having the back windows out (all 3) is not too bad in the weather if you have your driver and passenger windows up. As Twylie said, folding your seats up will help keep them dry.
As for the carpet, if you even order it, it is very easy to take out. It is held down with plain old velcro. I yanked mine out in a matter of minutes when I took my top and doors off. And put it all back in when the rains came (top, doors, windows, and carpets).
Enjoy...
madman
About the seat material, are the Sahara trailcloth seats better at resisting water than the Sport's Nomad cloth? I was told that the trailcloth wears much more quickly than the Nomad cloth. Any truth to that?
Larry
Let's see...
2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT (bought new in March 2000- traded in on Thelma Jane December 8, 2000) 9 months
1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo (bought new Feb 1999 and traded in on Grand Prix) 13 months
1995 Ford Explorer (bought used in November 1997, traded in on Grand Cherokee) 14 months
1994 Camaro Z28 (bought used, and can't remember the month that I bought it, but I only had it about a year)
1996 Cavalier Z24 (bought new Dec 1, 1995, and traded in on the Camaro about a year later)
The story goes on, but I can't even remember all the trades. I can remember all he vehicles, but not the dates.
The point I am trying to make is just this: I HAVE FOUND WHAT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR!
I LOVE MY JEEP!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I was hoping to get some input on what you guys do for the above topics.
I have a soft top, so I'm not looking to secure items in the Jeep, just secure that the Jeep doesn't get stolen. I didn't get the factory Sentry key and am looking for a good aftermarket alternative. Does anybody have a good reccomendation for the Club, or something like that?
I'm due for my first oil change in the next few days, and was wondering if anyone uses synthetic oil, such as Mobil 1 - is it worth the extra money? I plan on keeping her a long time, so I'm willing to invest in it if it's worthwhile.
K&N Filter- supposed to give a little better mpg, which I could use. Any ideas?
Tire rotation- I'm looking to get my spare rotated in so it doesn't rot away on the tailgate (can't use a cover b/c I have a bike carrier on) -I have heard that it is NOT a good idea since I have Trac Loc and the tires need to be exactly the same size, etc. I have about 2700 miles on the tires, so I don't know how much they have worn down.
Sorry for this being so long- if you've read this far, I appreciate it! Thanks in advance for the great feedback I know I'll get.
Just wondering what to do about peeling grey paint on steel wheels of my 1997 Sport. Will any grey paint work?
Also, what about the mirror brackets? It seems to be some sort of white metal (zinc?) underneath, but I don't like the look of the metal, so want to paint it black. I might just use some rustoleum.
comments? ideas?
Want to remove doors.
What is best option for mirrors?
(I am cheap, and $25+ S&H seems high to me.)
It seems that one could fashion something using some round stock, the door hinge hole, and an inexpensive generic mirror. Has anyone done this? Have any suggestions? Pictures?
http://www.jeepgirlclub.com/
But that hard top hanging from my garage doesnt look too safe to me. I am gonna have to figure out a way to make it a litte more safe. PLus I cant figure out how to get it down now..I Prcticed SEVERAL times before loading the hard top, now with the hard top on the hoist I can get it down. Ohh well im sure I will figure it out.
Tsjay..Is synthetic oil REALLY that much better?
I really dont see how its does that much good.
Seems if you stay on schedule with changing it the regular ole stuff will be just as good.
Ive got the mirror relocation brackets. I will work on installing them later. That hoist BEAT me today.
Then Next month will be overhead security & CB radio.
Dont ya just love jeeps?
KEEP JEEPIN
BAMA
I would agree with bamatazz about the oil. If you want to change every 3,000 or so miles (like I do) then it doesn't really matter, as long as you use the appropriate type of oil for the weather (found that out the hard way when I used the wrong oil and my Mustang had all kinds of problems when it was cold). If you are going to change less frequently, then switching to synthetic is better. I used ordinary oil in my old Nissan, changed it at Jiffy-Lube every 3,000 miles and the engine was still in excellent condition when I sold it at 290,000 miles (tranny was gone for a second time, but the engine was good). I've been doing the same thing with my Wrangler and while I've had the exhaust manifold replaced, the brakes and rotors need to be done and the A/C needs servicing, the engine is running great. I haven't put many miles on it recently (got the Taco fixed) and don't want to drive much until the brakes are done, so I only have 102,000 miles on it.
As far as painting the mirrors, basic black should be OK, but you may want to take them off, sand them down, and then paint.
I paid $28 for my mirror relocating brackets from a local shop. They are easy to put on. Just be careful with the Torx bolts, as they are easy to strip. The only down side is when you put your doors back on. If you leave the mirrors on the windshield, as I have, and you have the full doors, you won't be able to see the passenger mirror.
I'm sure there are cheaper ways to rig your own, but for me, this was the best way to go. Good luck.
madman
thanks,
-twylie
Thanks,
-Chris
It has 16,xxx miles on it and has tan interior, black hard top, has an automatic tranny and it rides well. The engine looks good and the only rust I saw was on the drive shaft. Whether it's new or used I'll probably have to finance it for five years and hope I have a teaching job after three years to pay for both the Jeep and pay off my other bills .....The white Sahara that I drove a few months ago at a honda dealer had 46,000 miles and the asking price was 16,5xx or there abouts and the salesman said he could go alot lower. I don't know if the Jeep dealer now would go that low. But I still need to call the guy at the dealership closest to me and see how much he can save me. I was planning on doing that today, but I had to (with the help of a co-worker) to rescue a young goat that had wondered on to the print shop's back lot. I have worried about that poor thing since I heard it was around five days ago. I held it while we took it to the Humane Society. They told me if no one claimed it they'd probably take it out to the Purina Farms Visitors Center in Grey Summit MO. It felt good to do that when things have been so discouraging car plan wise that is.
Anyway, sorry for the rambling...it's been a long day. I saw a Sport with the exact color combo I wanted drive by me today...oh man (except it had a soft top) but the soft top won't fly, nor will the cost of the sport so I'll have to figure out how to work this out.
I know Robster....just go get the darn thing
I may go buy the dealership and drive a sport with the canyon tires just for inspiration
Whether it's an X model, Sport or used Sahara WHEN I get my Jeep it will be worth all the aggrevation and hearing me ramble on and on and on...... But I've seen many times on this site that I haven't been the only one
Hug your Jeeps for me
dwrangler
You will find posts in there with links to technical data comparing dino and synthetic oils. Actually, there's far more info in there than most people would care to know.
I like the Mobil 1, but one thing I will NOT do is go with extended drain intervals. No one will convince me that synthetic oil does not get dirty!
When I was driving Thelma Jane as my daily driver and making those 54 mile round trips to work and back five days a week and I was NOT offroading her, then I DID go 5000 miles between changes.
Now that I am taking her offroad and am not driving her to work everyday, I have gone back to 3000 mile intervals, even though I am using synthetic oil. If I were going offroad anything like once a week or more, I might even shorten the oil change interval to 1500 or 2000 miles. If I did go to those much shorter intervals, no way could I afford to keep using Mobil 1. I would have to go back to dino oil.
If a vehicle is used only for short trips, the moisture in the crank case never has a chance to be driven off, and that is not good. That's another reason for shorter oil change intervals.
I think I would have to agree with those who say the synthetic vs dino factor is much less important than the change interval, and the change interval should be determined by the type of use the vehicle gets.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I look at pricing a little differently. It comes down to "do I (me, myself and I, nobody else) want this car more than I want the money?" If the answer is yes, then buy it and enjoy it. I seriously considered getting a car that was horribly over priced on a deal that would mean I would have to pay for the car for 7 years just because my husband really wanted it. I ended up getting mad at the salesman and walked (I didn't like the car THAT much)!
And yes, it will be worth every bit of cents and sweat you are putting into it!
http://www.jeepmod.com/TopHoist/top_hoist.htm
http://forums.vmag.com/jjwrangler999/messages/1209.html
(I will probably just use milk crates or 2x4's out in the backyard, myself)