Jeep Wrangler

mtngal · January 2003

Sounds like you have thought this through very thoroughly and you are well prepared. Go for it!

Just got back from the LA Auto Show. Auto shows are so much fun - you can look at all the cars you want without a salesman in sight!

I finally got to sit in a new Wrangler. The seats are different than the '98s, but not horrible, like many of the new vehicles.

I like the material they are now putting in the Saharas. For anyone (like me) who didn't like the material they used to use, check it out.

tsjay · January 2003

I live in western Ky, so I know all about the humidity and heat! I'll bet our climates are almost identical.

Thelma Jane was topless and doorless from early spring til end of September, and I didn't use the A/C. Might have turned it on a time or two, just to keep the seals lubricated.

If you have a garage for the Jeep and something else to drive as a daily driver, you could just leave the Jeep topdown and doorless all summer. You would have half doors, so maybe you wouldn't take the doors off? I think I would anyway, if it were me. I LOVE TOPLESS AND DOORLESS!

Ears, your reasoning is sound, I think. If the Jeep appears to be all the guy says it is, you can't get hurt for that price. If you get seriously into offroading, the Dana 35 could be a potential problem, not the four cylinder engine. Only on the highway is the four banger insufficient.

Lots of people wheel with a Dana 35, but you would want to keep your tire size reasonable, and just go easy on the gas petal. I think a lot of Dana 35 failures are driver-related.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

div2 · January 2003

Like Tom said, it sounds like you are thinking things through. I have had experience with the AC on and the top down; it does help. I drove my Sahara in several parades last summer and having the cool air blowing in your face helped a lot. It's not so helpful at speeds much over 25, however. I actually planned to sell mine after about six months but I think I'll keep it a lot longer...

barresa62 · January 2003

Just wanted to introduce myself. I just purchased a 03' Wrangler Sport tonight. It has the 5spd, A/C, 30" wheel group, Dana 44 rear axle, 4 whl disc brakes, dual hardtop/softtop, traction lok, cruise, floor mats. I will be adding a CD player and better speakers since it didn't come w/the option. The color is black (not my first choice, but, hey...a Jeep should be dirty, right?? LOL).

Any suggestions on CD player/stereo & speakers?

Thanks in advance for any advice & I look forward to posting here. (I've been lurking for a bit...) :-)

Stephen in Seattle

wheelerman · January 2003

hey tom, if you want to here about a trail ride gone bad go to robs site to trail reports and look for the iorn mt. run . i was almost pinned between my jeep and randy's .i slide out just as it pinched my leg. man was i in a lot of pain . it's still hard to walk on it .monday is my b-day i'll be 27 .

wheelerman · January 2003

for normal diving you should change the fluid every 37,000 miles.for hard driving or a lot of driving where it's hot or a lot of offroad you should change it every 24,000 miles .

mtngal · January 2003

Welcome to the Wrangler family! Your new rig sounds nice. The black is a good color on the Jeep, but plan on running the A/C more than normal. I even ran the A/C yesterday on the way back from the auto show - it's that hot in the valleys (like it was supposed to be 80). Mine is much like yours as far as options go, except I only have a hard top. It has never been off, since I don't have a garage to store it in. Good luck changing tops.

I'm still running the stock radio in mine. One of these days I'd like to get a sound bar (they weren't standard when I bought mine) and a better system, but it isn't a big deal for me. There are far more important things I'd like to get first.

barresa62 · January 2003

Thanks for the response. I did a trip to Olympia,WA from Seattle (about 130 mile roundtrip, mostly freeway) to see my folks today. I was surprised at how well the Wrangler held speed. I used the cruise most of the way as there was a lot of "officiale" presense. :-)

I will probably replace the speakers at a later date but really want to get a CD player as I have way too many CDs (& threw out or gave way all my old cassettes).

By chance, do you have a nickname for your Wrangler? Any suggestions for mine (especially since we have the same color)?

Super satisfied in Seattle,
Stephen

tsjay · January 2003

Well, this is my THIRD attempt to welcome and congratulate you. For some reason, when I click on "send my message," AOL boots me off the Net!

So, if this works... WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS!

You are no longer "Jeepless in Seattle!"

That rig sounds like a sweet one! I like your option package, and black is a beautiful color, as long as you are willing to put the time in to keep it clean.

Be a regular poster and keep us up to date on how you are enjoying that Jeep.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · January 2003

Sorry, I can't help ya, since I have an 01 with the 4.0 six cylinder.

Just wanted to say hi and welcome. Stick around with us and be a regular, if you would like to. Hope you will.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · January 2003

Checked out your post and looked at the pics. Glad you got out of that without serious injury.

That snow looked awesome! What a beautiful place to wheel!

Oh, yeah, a few hours early, but....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · January 2003

?

Spill your guts! How bout that Jeep???

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · January 2003

Thanks for the gear info. It was good to hear from you again. I'm senile, but it seems to me that it has been a while since you posted.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · January 2003

Went to Turkey Bay yesterday and again today.

A guy drove all the way here from Dayton, Ohio, to wheel with me! He is in the Air Force at Wright Patterson AFB. It took him 4.5 hrs to get to my house, and then we had another hour and fifteen minutes to get to Turkey Bay.

His name is Todd, and I am going to try to get him to start frequenting this message board.

Turkey Bay was MUDDY!!! With the ground freezing and thawing, and with all the stupid rain we've had, the mud is abundant! Thank God for my good old BFG Mud Terrains and for that Detroit locker.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

mtngal · January 2003

I'm not very imaginative with names, but the Wrangler has been so reliable I've been calling it my Noble Black Steed. It seems appropriate because the Wrangler is such a tough little vehicle.

The I6 4.0 L engine can go faster than I feel comfortable driving the Wrangler. As you might have noticed (or not, depending on the weather) it is terrible in the wind. Since it is windy much of the time for part of my commute, I tend to keep the speed down. Also, I once figured (when gas was more expensive) that I could save 3 cents a mile by driving 65 instead of over 70 - that engine is very thirsty when you go over 70. If I keep it around 65, I can get a consistent 20 mpg on my commute to work (75 miles one way, 95% highway, with some of that very slow-n-go, and it also involves over 5,000 foot elevation changes). But there have been times I've kept up with those huge SUVs and sports cars on the I15 heading to Vegas. I don't particularly like driving that fast because the steering in the Wrangler is so quick. The fact that a Wrangler can turn on a dime and give you change is a definite liability at high speeds.

That tiny turning radius sure came in handy yesterday in the parking garage at the auto show.

ears · January 2003

Couldnt wait to check this Jeep out seemed like a good deal. I was ready to buy it. On the way down to look at it, we were discussing who got to ride in it on the way back.

We checked it over and it looked great. Its amber flame (which I already new), which looks really nice with the black soft top. It drove nice too. I drove up and down some hilly roads and around in a lakeside gravel area. Ive only driven a few jeeps but this drove nicer than any of the others much tighter. The manual transmission made it fun.

After we got back from our test drive, I checked it over some more and noticed that the tires extended further past the fender flares on side of the jeep than on the other. About an inch and a half further. We actually got out the measuring tape in our attempt to determine what was going on. The owner said he had never noticed that before. The jeep had been wrecked. The owner made the wreck sound very minor. Im concerned that it could have some frame damage (the body looks great).

Bottom line is that without a good explanation about the tire thing, I wasnt going to buy. The owner said he would figure out what was causing it (he was thinking it has something to do with the after-market wheels he put on it) and give me call. I have the feeling Ill never hear from him again, but well see.

The whole thing was a bit of a let down. Started to get my hopes up that this was the one. I also kinda got stuck on the color and bet I dont find another used one that color anywhere close.

Ill keep my eyes open there are some others that I may check into.

tsjay · January 2003

If that Jeep has a lift on it, it could just be that the track bar needs to be adjusted. That's what keeps the rear differential centered, so that the tires are even from side to side.

Was it only the back tires that didn't stick out the same amount?

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · January 2003

Maybe you could run a carfax on that puppy?

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

mtngal · January 2003

Definitely run a carfax on the car.

Mine was involved in an "incident" about 6 months after I bought it. All the damage was body work, and it really was minor. It hasn't made any difference with the vehicle at all, except that the body shop gave me rims with the wrong off-set. I finally realized the rubbing happened only when one of the sets was on the front - and that only took me about 2 years to figure out.

Hopefully the problem is what tsjay says it is, not a major problem. The amber fire color is really spectacular, and it sounds like a reasonable deal otherwise.

wheelerman · January 2003

thanks tom i went to the doc. today and thay said i will be just fine.

tsjay · January 2003

Good deal! Glad you're OK.

And, since it is Monday now, I can say it officially....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEN!

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

barresa62 · January 2003

for the welcome.

I know what you mean about the black color. I got my first mud on it just driving up my parents gravel/mud driveway. Somehow, though I'm not obsessing as much about the mud as I did with my last two Subarus.

My first big trip w/the Wrangler is my yearly ski vacation in Whistler, B.C. in the beginning of Feb. Last year there was snow on the road about 20 miles out from Whistler. All of Whistler/Blackcomb had snow on the roads. Hopefully, there will be a repeat setting this year.

I do have a question about launching the 6cyl w/5spd from a dead stop. I find the 1st gear to be really low. It seems as soon as I shift into first it's time to hit second and it's not a smooth transition for me. There's so much torque that it seems easier to launch in second. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Stephen

tsjay · January 2003

I guess it wouldn't hurt anything to start in second, as long as you're not riding the clutch. I think you could just get used to the fairly quick shift to second, though, and go ahead and use first gear.

I don't remember thinking that there was anything unusual about Thelma Jane's shift points when I first got her.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

jerry61 · January 2003

I just bought a 2003 Wrangler X, 5 speed and I notice a high pitched whining sound that comes from the engine (?) when I first start the Jeep in the morning. The noise gets louder when I press the accelerator then stops completely within 1/2 mile of driving. What is the cause of this whining sound? Is it something I should be concerned about or is it just a Wrangler quirk?

tsjay · January 2003

This may not be necessary, but just in case some of you don't know it.... the four wheel drive system is part time. You are not supposed to operate the Jeep in either four wheel drive high range or four wheel drive low range on dry pavement.

Probably all of you knew this already, huh?

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · January 2003

Heck if I know. I don't think my Jeep has ever done that.

Hey, it's under warranty, so I wouldn't worry about it. I would take it to the dealer, and if they tell you nothing's wrong, keep you paperwork to show that you brought it in for them to check out. If it turns out later that it really is a problem, you'll have proof that you had taken it back to be checked out.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

shill3 · January 2003

I only shift out in second if the road is slick and I don't want to drop my Jeep into 4*4 (ex: rain). Was your previous vehicle a sport car or sporty sedan? It may be that this will take a little getting used to.

01r1 · January 2003

Jerry61- I have a 2002 X and it does what I think you are describing, if not, please disregard. Mine is just the fan making noise, pretty loud in fact, for about 1/4 mile or so every morning.

The fan is not an electric fan controlled by a temp sensor, it's mechanically driven by a belt and a clutch. Depending on the temp, that little fan clutch will either let the fan blades sit stationary or let them spin. When they spin, the cooler air hits the fan clutch, cooling it, and the clutch then slows or stops the fan blades. Plus, the clutch also needs this centrifugal force to reset things.

My situation is caused by the heat that accumulates after you shut off the engine. Since the fan clutch is totally mechanical, it never really stops "working" even if the engine it off. Once that preset temp is reached, the clutch disengages, thus locking the fan to the belt pulley. The next morning when you start it up, the fan is in full operation mode until it spins enough to get the clutch to engage. It doesn't help the heat dissipation being that I park it in a semi-heated garage with the engine hot.

I drive out of my neighborhood in first gear (~2500 RPMs) and by the time I pull out onto the main road (about 1/4 mile), the fan quiets down. If I drive off in the morning and get into second gear right away, it takes more like a 1/2 mile to stop.

I've had this on several other rigs, and wouldn't worry about it. Being a Jeep, you hear things that you wouldn't normally hear as well in other trucks. As long as it's not doing it all the time, you should be fine.

-Pete

jerry61 · January 2003

Thanks, Pete. That could be it. I won't worry about it. I'm really hooked on the Jeep and have bought several books on Jeep history, 4 wheeling, etc. I cannot believe I got the Jeep bug! Now if I could find a Jeep plastic model for my desk, I'd be a real happy camper.

mtngal · January 2003

I also notice a difference between when I shift in the Wrangler and when I shift in the Taco (both are 5 speeds). I have on a couple of occasions started from a standstill in 2nd, but don't do it as a regular thing. There wasn't any problem (didn't need to ride the clutch or anything) but I wouldn't try it going uphill. I've gotten used to shifting to 2nd almost immediately, and really like the fact that I can crawl along in heavy traffic in 2nd gear. I'm constantly shifting from 1st to 2nd and back again with the Taco.

barresa62 · January 2003

Yeah, I had a WRX and the Wrangler is night and day different. :-) I'm getting better at shifting from 1st to 2nd the more I do it. I do like that the gearing is low. It really helps with the heavy traffic we have in the greater Seattle area.

Ok...another question (don't you just love newbies?), I see that the stereo has up & down buttons for a CD. Would it be possible to get a CD player or changer mounted in the console and still be operated by the stock stereo unit?

Stephen

wheelsdown · January 2003

ears-
I have a 2000 sport with stock wheels. Just for the heck of it, I measured the back tires compared to the flares. I get about 3/8" difference. Never been offroad or wrecked. I think Tom might be right about just needing an adjustment. Maybe someone else has an idea about how bad 1 1/2" is. You might also check where the owner had any damage repaired, see if they can tell you anything about how bad it was. You seem to like this Jeep and the price seems reasonable, it might be worth a few calls or even letting a mechanic check it out. I would hate to see it get away if there is really nothing wrong.

jerry61-
I bought a model Jeep for my desk at the parts department where I got my tj. Tell them to look in the accessories catalog. Part# A1161149. Cost me $34.99. This one is about 8 inches long. I also bought one at the local Hallmark Card shop just after Christmas last year. It is about 3 1/2 inches long, it was on sale for 1/2 price, I think about $10.00. It is in the Christmas ornament section, The little hook screws out. Both are pretty detailed.

Terry

kewlrobd · January 2003

Hello everyone. Well I finally picked up my new Jeep Thursday night. I am having so much fun already. I have a few questions that maybe some of you can help me out with.

I know you can take the doors off but I don't see anywhere in the manual how to do so. Do I just have to take the bolts out of the hinges? I was not sure if it was that simple and being that I am in the middle of a bad New York winter I wont be trying to do so for some time now.

Also does anyone have any suggestions for moving the mirrors off the doors. I have seen a few different types of kits to do so and was not sure what kind were best.

I watched that video that comes with the jeeps. It shows you how to take put the soft top down. He says that you should never take the car through an automatic car wash with the soft top up. Does anyone have any experience with this? I did not realize this when I purchased the jeep with only the soft top. I don't mind washing her by hand but I don't have a drive way and doing in on the street is a real pain. My friends girl friend has one of those geo trackers with a soft top and says she take if to the car wash and has not had any problem. I just wanted to hear from some jeep owners on the subject.

Anyway, I plan on taking some pictures of my new wrangler as soon as it stops snowing around here. Once they are up you will be able to check them out at www.kewlrobd.com. Right now that sight has pictures of my 2000 Yamaha V-star but I plan on changing it around and will include alot of info and pictures of the jeep as well.

jeep_boy · January 2003

"you should never take the car through an automatic car wash with the soft top up. Does anyone have any experience with this?"

I really don't have any experience with this but I would think that if you are going to use an automatic car wash it would be better to have the top UP. J/K I know this doesn't help but I couldn't resist the urge.

tsjay · January 2003

Like old Jeep_boy, I don't have any experience with a soft top either, but I would strongly advise you to go with what DC says. I know if I had a soft top, I would NOT go through an automatic car wash with it. [Nor would I go through an automatic car wash without it.

]

Congrats on the new Jeep. Let us know when the pics are ready.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · January 2003

Oh, I forgot about your door removal question.

All you do is remove the nuts from the bottom of the upper and the lower hinges. This takes a 13MM wrench, and I recommend a boxed end wrench, so that it is less likely to slip off the nut and scratch your Jeep. Some people say you can use a rag over the nut before putting the wrench on it and prevent scratching the paint off the corners of the nut, but that didn't work for me. Hey, it's so much fun to go doorless, that it was worth it to me to have some paint come off the nuts.

Once the nuts have been removed, just lift straight up on the door until it clears the hinge brackets. (Oops... remove the strap that limits how far the door opens first.)

CAUTION! CAUTION! CAUTION! If you have the full doors, those puppies are HEAVY. Be SURE you go straight up with them, and go slowly. If you are not VERY careful, those exposed threads on the hinge bolt will do a job on your paint. JUST GO SLOW!

To keep the interior light from staying on all the time with the doors off, remove the #4 fuse from the fuse box behind the glove box.

Guess it will be a while, like you said, before the weather is fitting for doorless Jeepin'. You might want to bookmark this post for future reference.

I just do without side mirrors when I am doorless. It's legal here in Kentucky to do that.

I have heard that some folks aren't real happy with the mirror relocators that they have bought. Hopefully, someone here will help you pick the right kind.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

wheelsdown · January 2003

What I got from the video and owners manual was you should not take the soft top through a car wash because the brushes will scratch the plastic windows. I live in the Chicago area. In the winter, they use a lot of salt here and it really gets on everything very heavy. It doesn't get warm enough to hand wash it. So, on a day when the temperature is above freezing, I take it to a local "touchless" (no brushes) car wash. I use the van bay to keep the spray on the top a little softer. I have been doing this for three years and have not noticed any damage to my top. I do give the top a good auto top soap washing first thing in the spring with an application of "303" protectant.

mtngal · January 2003

Is the Wrangler in addition to the WRX or in place of it? Main reason I'm asking is that I'm seriously considering adding a WRX to the Wrangler. I had a huge grin on my face after test driving the WRX - almost as big as when I drove home the Wrangler! Just based on the test drive - the gearing is so totally different - the pickup at the low end of the WRX isn't anything great, but the high end sure is. The Wrangler seems to me to be good through the whole range, especially at the low end. The gas mileage is MUCH better if you keep the RPMs down. Instead of thinking about keeping the RPMs up to where the turbo kicks in, think of shifting around 2,000 (depending on conditions) - it will save you money and does not hinder performance at all. Is the transition between the 2 that significant that I might want to rethink this and go for the Outback or a Liberty? I really would like a commuter car that is as fun to drive as the Wrangler.

I would rather be trudging through the foot and a half of snow we had 2 weeks ago than what we have at the moment. The Santa Anas are blowing like crazy, it was 70s-80s in the valleys (60s at the house) and it is once again fire season, with brush fires breaking out in a number of different spots. My Noble Black Steed is once again parked waiting for the weekend to go play.

jimmyczech · January 2003

I own a 98 Acura Integra GSR, and I have some thoughts about these types of cars. If I had to do it all over again I would get the Volkswagen GTI with the VR6 engine. My friend has one and it is way more fun to drive because of the torque at low rpms. My car (and the WRX) are fun at high RPMs where the turbo or V-TEC operate, but the GTI is fun everywhere. It isn't AWD, but it has a very good traction control system. Just my 2 cents. I am contemplating trading in that Acura on a new Wrangler though...

likalar · January 2003

I have been away for awhile, but came in here snooping around tonight and went over to the Wrangler photos section......Great pictures, tsjay! I know you got a digital camera recently, but you sure figured it out! Nice job, good eye, great scenery, real nice looking Jeep! Thanks!
Likalar ('00 red Sport; tow vehicle)

ears · January 2003

Wheelsdown, thanks for taking the measurements. On the SE Jeep, there is a 1.5 inch difference on both the front and the back. The tires on the left side (front and back) extend past the fender flares more than the tires on the right side (front and back). The accident was on the right side. The owner did tell me that the Jeep was taken to a frame shop which checked it out, made minor repairs and did a four wheel alignment. I havent heard back from the owner. He knows Im interested and just need an explanation.

Ive also identified another possible used jeep. This is at a dealer in Tulsa (about 2 hours from where I am). The dealer bought it at auction. I went ahead and ran a CarFax on it and it came up clean. Unfortunately CarFax does not give the names of the prior owners (appears to have had two prior owners). This one is a Sport, manual with a/c and alloys and 43K miles. It has Canyon wheels. Anyone know what the wheel size is?

barresa62 · January 2003

Ok...you're the first one to know this on Edmunds (not even the Subaru Crew knows yet...), but I traded my WRX wagon in for the Wrangler. I loved my WRX but I went with an aftermarket performance pkg install done through my local car club. I should have taken it to a pro-shop for installation. As it was, I developed several exhaust leaks, mainly where the new uppipe attached. The car never really ran smooth after either w/o getting an additional piggyback electronics above the unichip installed. I also missed things like a sunroof and true off-road capability, etc. I'm sure I will miss a lot about the WRX but right now I'm enjoying my new Wrangler. I've slowed down and am enjoying my new, higher view on life (to clumsily mix some metaphors, LOL). I'm also enjoying a lil' bit lower payments too. The WRX is a great little car though. :-)

I certainly don't plan on any engine mods to the Wrangler, just stereo and maybe some exterior pieces.

I'm looking forward to participating in the Jeep Chat as well.

Well, got to get some sleep now...

Signing off in Seattle,
Stephen

twylie · January 2003

First, a belated welcome and good luck in your search. Don't rush and you'll eventually find the right Jeep!

On the Sport you're looking at, since it has the Canyon wheels, it's a 2000 or newer I'm guessing. I think 2000 was the first year for the Canyon wheel group. The actual wheel size of the Canyon alloys is 15x8 and it came from the factory with the 30x9.5 Goodyear GSA tires. The really nice thing is that I think the Canyon group when ordered with the 5 speed gets you the D44 rear axle. Great for wheeling and good for resale down the road.

One thing you might want to try on these used Wranglers is getting the build sheet from DC to find out how the Jeeps were equipped when built at the factory. You can get this via the customer service link on the Jeep site. tsjay may have detailed instructions he can provide. This will tell you if the Jeep has been modified and may provide details the seller is unaware of. You just need the VIN to get a build sheet sent to you. Once you get the build sheet emailed to you, I'm sure you can find one of us on here to help you decipher the codes and match them to the options.

-twylie

tsjay · January 2003

Man, it's great to have you back! Stick around this time!

I appreciate the kind words about the pics, but I think you might be talking about 01r1's (Pete's) pics.

If you are talking about the beautiful mountain scenery, those are Pete's pics. He also has a white Jeep, and he lives near the Cascades. (The lucky dog!)

Anyway, welcome back!

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay · January 2003

Man, what a bummer about that SE! I think you are wise to go slow on that one. That doesn't sound good, now that you say front and back tires on the one side stick out more than on the other side. I originally thought you meant that maybe just the back tires stuck out more on one side than the other, and I thought if that was the case, it might have just needed a trac bar adjustment as the result of a lift.

Also, the fact that it has been to a frame shop is kind of scary. If the accident was so "minor," why did it need to go to a frame shop?

You'll find one, Pal! We're all rooting for you.

Like twylie said, the Canyons are 15" x 8" wheels, and they have 5.5" backspacing. Backspacing determines how far the wheels and tires stick out, in case you are not familiar with the term. Higher backspacing means the tires are pulled in closer and don't stick out as much. Lower backspacing makes the tires stick out more.

Ears, keep posting with info on Jeeps that you find. The folks in here are a great source of info, and maybe we can steer you onto just the right Jeep.

Good luck!

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

mtngal · January 2003

ears - One minor thing about the 30X9.5 tires on a Wrangler - you can't use chains on it (too wide). That probably won't bother you, since you are sort of near Tulsa - I never even thought about chains when I lived in Texas - but it is something to know.

jimmyczech - Thanks for the suggestion. But I really need AWD or 4x4 for the winter and a wagon for a variety of reasons. Otherwise I'd just stick with that seriously disliked, uncomfortable Taco for a commuter car and use the Wrangler for bad weather and snow. If the Wrangler got better gas mileage I'd go with just it, but it doesn't, so I continue thinking about getting something else to replace the Taco.

barresa62 - Thanks for letting us know why you are changing. The lack of low end torque of the WRX does bother me some, but not much (I'm looking for a highway vehicle, not an off-roader - that's why I have the Wrangler). I know you will enjoy your Wrangler - it really is lots of fun to drive, especially off-road. There are places I go with ease in 2WD with the Wrangler that leaves me white knuckled in the Taco. If you do lots of more difficult off-roading you might want to think about getting additional skid plates. The stock one under the gas tank dents easily (mine did, at least).

stomper1 · January 2003

Hi!! :-)

About starting out in second gear - I do it all the time in normal driving situations, but I have 4.11 gears. I used to do the same thing in my '85 Mustang GT convertible. I do use first like mtngal to creep along in backed up traffic (or to pull into the garage once I have opened it) though.

Tom - Sounds like Ross Allen made out like a bandit!! Good for him!! I just got "the gentle leader" for Oakley so she does not pull so much on walks.

mtngal - If you are looking for an all wheel drive vehicle you might consider the Dakota (I had a Quad Cab and it was WONDERFUL!!), a Durango, or any full size Chevy. All of those are offered in full-time 4wd with a low setting also.

Take care!!

jeephead · January 2003

kewlrobd, I bought mirror movers from quadratec.com last summer(product number # 13125 00). These are brackets that you put on the frame, and then move the stock mirrors into the frame. They were very easy to install (Less than 10 minutes, the very first time). I loved them when the doors were off, but had mixed feelings with the doors on, since the right mirror is hard to use (the full steel door blocks about half of the mirror, vertically.), and the doors swing into the mirrors (I did a couple of twists with the door straps so the doors wouldn't swing as far.). It made a big difference with the doors off...I never realized how much I used the mirrors until I took the doors off and didn't have any! I left the mirror movers on all summer, and took them off for the winter season.

-Jeephead

texasjeep · January 2003

Why wouldn't you go through a car wash without the softop? Just need a snorkel, face mask and a couple of pink flamingos.

http://www.wsu.edu/~rgriffin/wash.htm

mtngal,

I thought you signed something about not using chains? If so for who and where? Just wondering.

I just saw chains for sale for tires up to 36" and not sure on the width but I am sure 12.50 at least. I will try to find it.

barresa62,

Thought about getting a CD/MP3 player?

Infinity and Polk both seem to have good speakers and I prefer sony's stereos. I would consider a deface stereo.

ears,

Branson, MO is where camp Jeep was held last year. I know they have some trails there. It is being held on the east and west coast unfortunately this year.

You may want to look up a Jeep club. Most of them are good guys and will help you out and it is always better to wheel with more than one Jeep if possible.

stomper1,

I am surprised to see you punctured a MT/R? sidewall. Those are some tough sidewalls.

div2,

The extended life oil is not a separate additive. It is a 'special' oil for vehicles over 75,000 miles. All of the major oil manufacturers are putting their own version out now. I am just looking into it.

div2 · January 2003

OK; I assume you're talking about Maxlife or similar? I'd still go with Mobil 1 10W-30 and 6K-7.5K drains, but that's just me. Everyone has their own comfort level when it comes to brands of oil and the frequency of changes.

Jeep Wrangler

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