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Jeep Wrangler

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Comments

  • bmg132bmg132 Member Posts: 28
    Not sure I'm sold on the Ravines, Canyons had a much smoother look to them.

    Think there is any chance my dealer will want to swap wheels?
  • bmg132bmg132 Member Posts: 28
    I'm off the fence, I have to say that the canyons are much nicer looking. I can deal w/the Ravines if I have to, but I'm trying to get my hands on a set of Canyons. They just seem to complement the vehicle all the better.

    I have my dealer scouting an '03 to pillage the canyons off of. Bad news is that he thinks switching wheels can have some warranty implications, and is looking into it first. Good news is that he heard rumors a delivery might be coming in today, which (if true) would have my Jeep on it.

    Hopefully by the end of the day I'll be able to say that I hugged my Jeep today!
  • bcmalibu99lsbcmalibu99ls Member Posts: 625
    I think it's just obscene for a dealer to drive anything but a car he sells. It shows he has no trust in the quality and/or value of the cars on his lot. It's worse than a Coke deliveryman drinking a Pepsi at a client's store during the delivery and while wearing a Coke uniform (and he was fired for that!!!)
  • boredbored Member Posts: 300
    Most Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge dealers do switch wheels if you request. You may have to pay the difference between the two, if there is one. The key is just finding a dealer that will do it. Last I checked, there was no warranty issue. My mom has done it on several of her previous Chrysler products, and will continue to do it again, on the purchase of her......... Liberty. :-( (Yeah, I don't like it.)

    As for the Ravine wheel, I can't say that I like it yet. The Canyons looked better, but is that because that's all we're used to looking at? Kevin, did you find any pics of the wheel from an angle? I can't believe this is coming from a company who designed the Canyon and Rubi wheels, which mate to the Wrangler so well. Maybe it looks better on the Liberty? Who wants me to Photoshop tonight?

    Hug your Jeeps for me. :)
  • bmg132bmg132 Member Posts: 28
    dealer just called me, my wrangler just came in.

    he is saying that the dealership no longer switches wheels, radios, etc... because it goes against manufacturer's policy.

    he did however offer to do it for a small fee (i have him looking into just how large or small that fee will be).

    otherwise, looks like i will at least be test driving it today.
  • boredbored Member Posts: 300
    Congrats on the new Jeep! It's nice to know yet another person has a Jeep! May you have several years of enjoyable service from it!

    No switching? Sounds odd, I can't even count the number of times this has been done, even throughout my family. Radios too!

    Could the "small fee" be the difference? I know they can't just switch them, you must pay.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I wonder what the backspacing is for the Ravine wheel? I know the Canyons have 5.5" backspacing.

    We have determined that the Ravine is a 15 x 8" wheel, like the Canyons, I believe? That leaves the question of backspacing still open. My guess is that it will be the same, 5.5".

    For those not familiar with the term, backspacing is the distance from the mounting plate (the center piece of the wheel with the 5 holes for the lug studs to go through) to the inside edge of the wheel. This determines how much the tires are pulled in toward the frame or pushed out away from the frame when they are mounted. The higher the backspacing, the more the tires are pulled in toward the frame and the less they stick out from the vehicle.

    When I had my Canyons, with their 5.5" of backspacing, and was running the BFG 31 x 10.50 All Terrain tires, I did not have much room to spare between the inside of the rear tires and the rear spring perches.

    Another potential problem, which it turned out that I didn't have, was rubbing of the inside of the front tires at full turn. I must have been very close to having this problem, although I never found any evidence of a rub.

    Moral of the story... if you are going to get new tires, be sure and get them in widths that are compatible with the backspacing of your wheels.

    If you are going to get new wheels AND tires, make sure they are compatible with each other and with the vehicle they are intended for.

    When I got my AR767 wheels and the 31 x 10.50 Mud Terrains, I went with 4" backspacing on the AR767s. This makes my tires stick out more than they used to, but it gives me plenty of room on the inside. I like the looks of the tires sticking out past the flares too.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    CONGRATULATIONS!

    YEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAWWWWWWWWWWWW!!

    Happy for ya, Dude!

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • bmg132bmg132 Member Posts: 28
    I forget who pointed it out a few days ago but YES, it is soooo cool to see that window sticker have your name on it, even on the faxed copy in hand.

    While I was not given techical specs, I was advised that the backspacing appeared to be the same as the Canyons. The wheels do not appear to stick out further or less than before. Which is good, that squatty look is a little tough to deal with.

    And finally, it appears that I will be settling for the Ravines afterall. They will not switch me out to Canyons, I would have to buy my own set (get zero credit for the Ravines) and have them swithced. Then have a set of Ravines to sell off...

    Maybe down the line, but not today.
  • 2003wrangler2003wrangler Member Posts: 24
    I would guess they are still 5.5 backspacing in order to get the tires even with the outer edge of the flares.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Now's your chance to get a real nice trade-in on those Goodyear GSA's, if you would prefer a different type of tire. Maybe not where you live, but around here those brand new GSA's have a killer trade-in allowance, if you want to go to something like 31 x 10.50 BFG AT's or Muds.

    I have had both 31 x 10.50 BFG AT's and 31 x 10.50 BFG Muds on Thelma Jane, and I really like the Muds for their performance on the trails and for their looks. Jeeps just plain look "Jeepier" with mud tires on them.

    You'll never have a better chance to swap tires than you have now, while those factory tires are brand new.

    Maybe you will be happy with the GSA's, especially if you won't be going off road with your Jeep (which would be a terrible fate for your Jeep, by the way :) )

    Once again, congrats!

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today? (Bet you will be soon!)
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    I've seen sets of Canyons for anywhere from $225-400 depending on how quickly the seller wants to get rid of them. Email me if you want some links to BBS that have active for sale forums. Ebay is much more expensive than the BBS. You may be able to buy Canyons and sell yoru Ravines on eBay at a net profit.

    My wife loves the look of the Canyons. Aside from AC and half doors, it was the most important thing to her when we ordered the Jeep... OK, honey, twist my arm into getting the D44!

    -twylie
    happy with his rock rashed Canyons!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    New buyers and tire kickers, please post your experiences in the Jeep Wrangler: Prices Paid & Buying Experience discussion. Thanks!

    Steve, Host
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    I'm looking at wheels for my daughter's SE. If I could find a set of Canyon's or the Ravines that would be great.

    I even like the Ecco wheels (typical Sport 5 spoke wheels) as long as I can get 7" or 8" wide tires. :)

    Anybody wanna make a deal on em?

    Our 97 TJ is up in the shop getting the catalytic converter fixed... cheaper than I thought.

    -Paul
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Steve:

    That's a great idea! I wish there had been a discussion like that when I was shopping for Thelma Jane.

    I got the info I needed in the Wrangler discussion, but it would have been nice to have a whole separate discussion on the deals people were getting instead of having to glean that info by reading so many posts in the main group.

    Well, I was reading every single post anyway, but it would still have been nice to have posts on the topic of buying all in one place.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?

    P.S. Since the title is Jeep-specific, shouldn't that discussion be pulled into "Jeep Owners Club?"
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    They are all getting organized in a sub-board over in Smart Shopper, but it probably should be linked to the Owners Club. We'll zap a note along; thanks for the suggestion Tom.

    Steve, Host
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    I had noticed that the steering on my Sahara had become a bit sloppy. I could even detect a moderate shimmy over frost heaves and uneven pavement-nothing like the infamous "Death Wobble", but disconcerting all the same. After dropping my son off at his 6:00PM basketball camp I decided to drive by the independent shop that handles most of the service on my Jeep. They had an empty alignment bay and put the TJ on the rack. The problem? After 64000 miles my steering damper was completely shot. It turned out that they they were sending a guy on a parts run anyway so they had him pick up a Monroe damper as well. Thirty minutes and $58 later I was good to go. You gotta love small town service! Better yet, my TJ feels brand new. Dampers are like shocks, they fail gradually and they often have to be pretty bad before you notice it. The improvement was so dramatic that my wife claims she can feel the difference from the passenger seat. In any event, I'm just happy to have my Sahara back to 100%!
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Glad they got ya fixed up, and thanks for the post.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • bmg132bmg132 Member Posts: 28
    Well I took possession of my '04 Wrangler Sport last night and have been driving it almost nonstop since.

    It turned out exactly as I had hoped (they did try to sneak the dealer sticker on, but promtly removed it). I'm taking it straight to the shore tonight and it should get its first taste of the beach by 7 or 8 PM depending on traffic!

    Thanks so much for all you input, advice & pointers the past week or so that I've been in here, its most appreciated.

    Hopefully I'll have some pics for you guys Monday!

    I hugged me Jeep today.
  • 01r101r1 Member Posts: 280
    Congrats! Have fun out there, don't get your new Jeep too stuck in the sand tonight. Air down your tires if they "dig" too much in the sand.

    -Pete
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Congrats! Have fun on the beach. And that's one time when it is a good idea to wash it soon after leaving the beach - that salt air can kill a finish. Not that I worry too much about it - all that brush and those branches create more scratches than a bit of salt air. Glad my climate is so dry - no one worries much about rust out here.

    Hopefully tomorrow I'll take my Noble Black Steed out for a romp. He's been sitting for 2 weeks now, and I'm sure he'll be much happier up on Lieber Mountain than sitting parked in my front yard.
  • bmg132bmg132 Member Posts: 28
    I ran into a concern I forgot to mention earlier:

    When my door is open there is a button that is no longer depressed that turns on the odometer and the interior lights. While I'm sure there has to be a setting to turn off the lights, I am concerned about the odometer.

    If I run w/out doors, the odometer (and lights potentially) will remain on at all times. Is this a new feature? Will this run my battery dead if I leave doors off over night? Is there some kind of override?

    Regarding the beach, I don't have a permit yet so (in theory) I should not be on it long enough to get too much sand up in it or fined for that matter. But I had planned on washing it anyway once I get home.
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    check the owners manual, but on my '01, you pull fuse #4 behind the glove box and it will defeat the interior lights with the doors off.

    A caveat is that this circuit also controls the "headlight on" reminder for some reason. So without doors, you'll have to remember to turn off yoru headlights once the car is off.

    You can still use the interior lights, but you need to turn the dimmer past the highest setting. This will turn the interior lights on regardless of the door position. Fortunately, this also works with the door off, so you're not completely "in the dark"

    Have fun and air down your tires if you're driving on the beach.

    Congrats on the new Jeep!!!

    -twylie
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Check your manual. Earlier models handle this by the removal of a fuse.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Ha! Looks like you beat me this time.

    :-)
  • bmg132bmg132 Member Posts: 28
    Thanks. I'll read up on it this weekend.
  • embeedueceembeeduece Member Posts: 260
    The new TV spots say that the summer clearence ends Sep. 2nd. Does that mean the '04s are in on the 3rd?

    BMG - congrats on the new Jeep. Quick question: did just yours come in, or did the dealership get a shipment of other 04 models.

    Thx,
    Mike
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Did anybody notice in the Jeep spots on TV with the TR edition that the back end (when Lara is parachuting into the back) that the back seemed a bit longer?

    Is this an unofficial preview of the Scrambler?

    -Paul
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Wow, a little over 150 messages to catch up on... got back from the hike a little worse for wear, but quite satisfied.

    Went over to the rep I've been dealing with and got a quote that works out to $500 over invoice for a loaded up '04 Rubi. There is provincial sales tax on top, but unfortunately the 0% APR doesn't apply (they are offering 4.8% over 60 mths).

    Debating whether it is worth waiting until December to see if they bring back the 0% APR again. Also still waiting on a competing offer from another dealership...
    Gah. I hate waiting.

    Andrew
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Go for it! What's a few hundred bucks in the grand scheme of things? If yer gonna spend $25,000 or more, what's a few hundred more gonna matter? :)

    I hate to wait too, so I know where you're coming from. JUST DO IT!

    Check for any rebates??? They have a big time rebate going on the 04 Grand Cherokees, so I wonder if they might have something on for the Wranglers?

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • adam86adam86 Member Posts: 11
    Does anyone happen to know the laws in Oregon about removing the doors, and obviously the mirrors? I know in some states its required to have the side view mirrors, but im not sure about Oregon. Anyone know of it, or where to find out? Thanks
    Adam
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    One option would be to call the nearest state police post and ask them.

    Also, you might do a search on "Oregon traffic laws" or something like that.

    Good luck.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • smurf6smurf6 Member Posts: 27
    Back from Maine, great time. The dealership definitely fixed the clutch. It no longer clicks. It also seems to shift better but then again that may just be me and more practice.
  • 01r101r1 Member Posts: 280
    Can't speak for Oregon, it's not clear (to me) in their ORS 815.235 that talks about mirrors. Best to do like Tom said and talk to OSP. But I can tell you that you'll need them if cross the river and come north into Washington state. We require them up here.

    There's been some good suggestions on this board about which brackets to use for relocating your mirrors.

    -Pete
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Thelma Jane got a little trail damage today. Both of her front fenders had gotten into trees before and got just slightly wrinkled, but today her right rear tub corner got pushed in pretty good as I was backing down from a failed attempt to climb a steep section of trail. The trail was real tight in places, with trees on either side, and before I knew it, I was into a tree.

    Oh well, although it would have caused me to go into cardiac arrest up until about a year and a half ago, I'm taking it in stride, knowing that this probably will not be the last time Thelma gets banged up a little while we are wheelin'.

    Hey, it's worth it for the FUN!

    image

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Maybe it's time for reinforced rear quarter panels? :-)
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Naw, I don't like the looks of those corner pieces... that diamond plate stuff just doesn't look good to me.

    Thelma is proud of her badge of honor, and she would be upset with me if I covered it up. :)

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    You can get them in plain steel as well as diamond steel (hope you didn't think I was refering to aluminum diamond plate!).

    Semi matt black would look sharp against white bodywork. However, each to his own.

    :-)
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Tom - Just think of it as character marks. At least it was only a little crease, and not something worse.

    I spent an interesting morning today. My husband finally talked me into taking a look at the Renegade (not that I needed much convincing). He sat in it, found out that it doesn't come in a 5 speed, like other Liberty V6 models, and went humph.

    We had to walk past a couple of Wranglers on the way out, including an X that the dealer had put a Landrunner body package on. He couldn't decide at first look whether he liked it or not, so we took it for a test drive. We didn't like the high, wide step to get in - I can see very dirty pant legs. It seemed sluggish compared to my '98 Sport (?either extra weight or different gears), and I sure didn't like the lower seats with a non-tilt steering wheel (something only a little person like me might care about). The one thing I was pleasantly surprised about was how much difference the newer style soft top makes (I was comparing it to a '98). There is much less difference between a hard top and a soft top now.

    While we were thinking about it we wandered down the aisle and I pointed out the Rubicon they had (Tomb Raider edition). We asked to test one for comparison (the Bakersfield dealership had several). I was very surprised when we drove it. My '98 sport has gas shocks and the Rubicon didn't any different (higher, yes, but not any stiffer). I could easily see myself commuting in one of these, then hitting the trails on the weekend. It seemed to have as much pickup (similar gearing?) as my current Wrangler. Do I need all those extra goodies you get with the Rubicon? No. Is it over-kill for me? No. Do I want one? YES! It's a good thing I didn't have enough money today to buy one - otherwise I would have walked out of the dealership driving a new car!
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Well, I don't think I've ever seen anything but those aluminum diamond plate things, but the matt black steel ones don't sound bad. I would CONSIDER those, but nothing else.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Yeah, like I said, I know that won't be the last time Thelma gets dinged on the trails. I ain't worried about it, but Lord have mercy, a year and a half ago....! :)

    I'll bet Bama is having a hard time with this, and it isn't even HIS Jeep that got damaged. :)

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Tom - I know what you mean. The Tomb Raider editions are all numbered - will this model really be worth more than a regular Rubicon in the future? But why would you want to baby a Rubicon for the resale value? Why pay extra for all those things like the lockers and the bigger wheels, if you never use them?

    Sorry, but I don't buy a car for the possible resale value in the future. I buy a car to use, and now it looks like any car I get will end up with too many miles to be worth much when I get done with it.
  • 2003wrangler2003wrangler Member Posts: 24
    That plastic end cap would have snapped right off and probably bent the end of the bumper too.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Right on the money! Those stupid things are just plastic, and what would have happened most likely is that instead of the tree making contact with the tub corner, the plastic bumper end piece would have been pushed into the tub, doing just as much damage. Maybe even like you said, it would have caused the bumper to be bent too.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Once I manage to get my hands on a Jeep all my own these are one of the first things I am planning on removing. Quite funny, but after having gone through so much of this thread I have this rather extensive list of wants and things to do (or not do)... and the Jeep is nowhere in sight!

    Tom, I wish I could just spring for it, but I am living on a single income and recently loaded up on a mortgage (yayy me). I am curious if they'll be willing to finance for 0% given that they are offering that on the '04 Grand Cherokee models... doubtful, but will have to look into it.

    Andrew
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    If you have read some posts from way back when, you probably know how bad I wanted a TJ and the extremes I went to to get one. Remember, I was $8,000 upside down on trade-in allowance vs. pay off, but I didn't let that stop me: I took out a home equity loan to cover most of that $8K.

    Financially, it was a very stupid thing for me to do, but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! I am having so much fun with Thelma Jane that it was worth it.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • bamatazzbamatazz Member Posts: 311
    I knew it..
      Im sitting here..praying for Thelma.
    I bet she is jealous of her cousin "TAZZ" looking all bright & shiney. I'll tell TAZZ thelma had an accident but she will be OK.

     TOMB RAIDER Rubicon.. I would REALLY like to have, that RUBICON looks GREAT to me.
      What Ive read they were only 1005 made.
    Each one has the number on the console.
    I think it would be a great item to have.
     Most were shipped to the WEST coast.
    I found one where I bought TAZZ in Atlanta.

    KEEP JEEPIN
    BAMA
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Nope, you got it wrong! Tazz would be jealous of Thelma, cause Thelma gets to do what Jeeps are "born" to do, play off road.

    Ready to bring Tazz up to Turkey Bay and let him work out his pent up frustrations? :)

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    Tom, sorry about the trail damage, but it comes with the FUN! You've always had a great attitude about your Jeep and the enthusiasm is catching! Yesterday, I hit some trails in the morning and spent about 3 hours detailing the Jeep when I got home. It looks every bit as good as the day I bought it aside from the scratches on the flares (and the ones on the bottom!).

    On the cleaning note... I found a combination of products that does a great job of repairing the rock chips the front of the Jeep seems to collect. First step is a 3M scratch pen. This is pencil shaped tool that has a cylinder of small glass threads sticking out of the end. The tip is less than 1/4" across and you can use it to sand the rock chips down to bare metal without messing up the surrounding paint. Next step is to apply thin coats of factory touch up paint. I found dipping a toothpick in the touch up paint and allowing it to fill the chip from the center outward works best. May require a few applications to fully fill the chip. Once the chip center is raised above the surrounding paint, I used a product from Mothers called "paint chip repair kit". It's a plastic card and a bottle of compound that is used to smooth the touch up paint down. It feels like a mild rubbing compound. You wrap a cotton t shirt around the card and work the compound over the spot you're working on. I was skeptical, but especially on an easy color like white, the final results were excellent. You have to look for the chips I filled and repaired, it worked that well. I'll probably do this once a year or anytime I get a chip down to bare metal.

    Instead of a Tomb Radier edition, I wish DC would have made a Mark Smith edition or something that gave props to the capability and history of the Rubi. It would come with a tow strap, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, a GPS, and some Topo software. Optionally, you can take delivery at the trail head of the Rubicon. To me, that would be a cool package. Personally, I don't get the tie ins that DC has with it's "movie" vehicles. IMO, the TR edition has some cheesy aftermarket add ons and only got minor billing in the movie. Besides, Lara is British and really should be driving a D90 :-). The last DC movie tie in I saw announced was a Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers Town & Country minivan!?!? Someone please explain to me how a minivan is tied in to this movie? The "official" tie in is that the T&C has a built in DVD player and you get a copy of the movie when you buy the minivan. Minivan = $25k+ and you're going to give me a $20 movie. WOW, sign me up! Oh well, guess it's a good thing I do somethign else for a living, cause I'd surely be tossed out for laughing at these ideas.

    Perfect Jeep weather this weekend for us. No top, no doors.

    -twylie
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Each TR Rubicon does have its own number on the dash. The dealer I as at didn't have any other Rubicons except for TR editions. I don't know what all the differences are besides the stickers and the "off-road" lights above the top. My first reaction was to wonder how hard it would be to remove the outside stickers, then to figure it wouldn't matter - they would get scratched the first time I drove through some brushy two-track.

    I like twylie's idea of doing a special edition with safety equipment. While we're dreaming, lets add a winch also - that would be a great addition.
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