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climbtothebeet
Apr 27, 2004, 2:47 AM
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im looking to buy a jeep wrangler. anybody outthere have any pros and cons about them and some good tips for what to look for?
i need a good vehicle to get me to climbs and to just goof around, please give me info ONLY on a jeep wrangler thanks-God bless
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cjstudent
Apr 27, 2004, 2:53 AM
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PM me for some more questions. I have had one since 99 and love the thing. Turning about 70K miles...taking it cross country to Moab then up to Wyoming this summer. I will always have a Wrangler. I recommend a 97+ newer one because then you get the coil springs and some more creature comforts. Mine is modified, on 33" tires.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/98424970/134327197cHRHbn
Who needs doors!
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the_antoon
Apr 27, 2004, 3:36 AM
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I have a 2000 Sahara. I have about 55k on it. PM me with any specific questions....I will always have a wrangler too. And I agree with cj...the 97 and newer wranglers are much more comfortable.
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fryinbacon
Apr 27, 2004, 3:43 AM
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I restored an '83 CJ-7, have had trucks and cars since then and never came across anything as much fun as my Jeep. I've worked on a lot of TJ's and YJ's and agree they have much more creature comforts, but if you beat your wrangler off road then it's nice to have solid axles and be able to repair it quickly.
you will get wet, cold and find soft tops noisy - but it's all part of having a jeep.
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ajkclay
Apr 27, 2004, 5:14 AM
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I have a question for jeep wranglers, where do you aim the lasso?
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epic_ed
Apr 27, 2004, 5:36 AM
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epic_ed moved this thread from General to Community.
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wildtrail
Apr 27, 2004, 9:12 AM
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In reply to: im looking to buy a jeep wrangler. anybody outthere have any pros and cons about them and some good tips for what to look for? i need a good vehicle to get me to climbs and to just goof around, please give me info ONLY on a jeep wrangler thanks-God bless
This one comes from a mechanic (me, well, ex-mechanic)
Jeeps suck. Plain and simple, but a person buys what is wanted.
#1 Ground clearance sucks
#2 Reliability is at the bottom (literally, Jeep is one of the worst reliable vehicle).
#3 Though they look like it, they weren't made for any "serious" off roading outside of going off a paved road onto a bumpy dirt road.
#4 The wheel base blows, so therefore is not very good in the mud (used to spend a lot of time pulling Jeeps out with my Chevy).
#5 However, its short wheelbase and narrow tires make it one of the best in snow.
#6 They're nice looking.
Really, 5 and 6 are about as close to a "pro" as you can get for a Jeep. They really are poorly made, low-quality vehicles, but stylish.
Just make sure you get a waranty (the best available). If you are lucky, you won't be in and out of the shop with it numerous times a year, but don't bank on it.
Treat it well and don't get automatic if you plan on going off-road at all. Jeeps auto transmissions are a nightmare and burn out easily. Be gentle on the clutch, too. Or, replace it with a ceramic one if you can spare the money.
Great luck and happy motoring,
Resident Ex-Mechanic
P.S. Outside of being a mechanic (name the brand), I owned two Jeeps. Jeep only made one good vehicle. The ORIGINAL Cherokee. I have a friend that has a 1978 and it's still running strong. Basically, every Jeep after about '88 is a chunck of absolute engineering (or the lack thereof) garbage.
P.P.S. Like I said, get what you want, but don't skimp on the waranty (that goes for every vehicle on the planet).
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robscate
Apr 27, 2004, 9:04 PM
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UMM I'm going to disagree with you there....
the ground clearance is a little low but it has better approach and departure angles. And the clearance from stock is easily changed since a wrangler will accepted 31'' tires with only a backspacing change. and will accept 32" tires with some small trimming.
narrow tires are good in the snow but a short wheel base gives a higher chance for spinning. and not many people leave narrow tires on a jeep.
reliability has steadily improved over the years. look at the rankings in the last consumer reports...
and for "not being for serious off road use" that's why peterson's 4-wheeler magazine lists it as one of the best "out of the box" off road vehicles.
as far as the mud goes... I've pulled more big trucks out of mud holes than jeeps. Offroading capabilites has more to do with the driving style than the vehicle.
I have had my 97 wrangler for quite a while and it is turning 115k miles. the only things that have broken were caused by my own fault or could have failed on any car.
ROb C
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caughtinside
Apr 27, 2004, 9:12 PM
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Those things are unreliable, in addition to being overpriced, uncomfortable and noisy as hell.
That said, I admit they are fun. But my friends 99 sahara just dropped it's transmission at 44k. DOn't even try talking on a cell phone in one either.
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the_antoon
Apr 27, 2004, 9:54 PM
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In reply to: Those things are unreliable, in addition to being overpriced, uncomfortable and noisy as hell. That said, I admit they are fun. But my friends 99 sahara just dropped it's transmission at 44k. DOn't even try talking on a cell phone in one either.
Unreliable?=the only thing that has broken on mine was the direct result of the previous owner being a moron. They used to be, but they are fast increasing in reliability.
Overpriced?=yea...so buy a used and save a bunch, with all the aftermarket stuff they have you can make it your own without a problem.
uncomfortable?=without a doubt...if this is #1 on your list, buy a benz.
Noisy as hell?=yea, deffinately...once again, it's not a luxary car...and it doesn't sound like this guy is going to use it to drive ceo's to and from the airport.
Dropped Transmission?=i think every transmission problem i have heard of has been on an auto, if not, it is usually the fault of the driver and would have happened on just about any car.
Don't talk on a cell phone?=i don't know what it sounds like on the other end....but i have never had a problem talking on the celly.
As you can see, I love my jeep. :D
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climbtothebeet
Apr 27, 2004, 10:24 PM
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thanks for the tips, keep them coming. one more ? to add to the list, sound systems.... if u know what yoru doing, is it easy to put in? i was planning on getting a hard top and asoft top, with one of those quick realese systems... sound like a plan?
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the_antoon
Apr 27, 2004, 10:37 PM
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I havn't put one in, but i don't think the normal sound bar is that expensive of an option. I too have a hard top and soft top. The stock sound bar sounds good (well...for a jeep) and fits under soft tops and hard tops.
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reno
Apr 28, 2004, 1:04 AM
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Got a 98 Wrangler, have had it for 5 years.
Pros:
-It's paid off.
-It will handle damn near ANY road direct from the factory.
-It's more fun to drive around town than my previous car (88 Escort.)
-Top down with a dog in the passenger seat is a total babe-magnet.
-Torque/gear ratio is good for towing.
-Can be customized to your heart's content (think of it as a big Tinker Toy with 4WD.)
Cons:
-Soft top is loud when driving faster than 45 or so.
-Too easy to break into and steal stuff (have been through 3 radios.)
-Soft top zippers can come "off-track" and at that point you're looking at $350 or more for a new top.
-Sucks on the highway, even with the new quad-coil suspension (the old leaf-spring suspension was hell on earth.)
-Mileage could be better.
-Minimal cargo space unless you get a roof rack, bumper rack, or tow hitch rack.
-No leg room in the back seat, unless you are built like Herve Villechaize (Tatoo, from "Fantasy Island" for those unwise in 70's TV trivia.)
If I were to do it all over again, I'd buy a Wrangler as a SECOND vehicle, and have an Outback, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, 4-Runner, or other similar vehicle as my primary.
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meataxe
Apr 28, 2004, 1:24 AM
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Jeep Wranglers are no better than horse thieves in my opinion. Should be strung up.
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the_antoon
Apr 28, 2004, 2:53 AM
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In reply to: Got a 98 Wrangler, have had it for 5 years. Cons: .... -Minimal cargo space unless you get a roof rack, bumper rack, or tow hitch rack.... .
I just take out the back seat...then you have a small truck bed. And they make it easy to do that, pop two pins out and the thing rolls right out.
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ajkclay
Apr 28, 2004, 3:27 PM
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In reply to: Jeep Wranglers are no better than horse thieves in my opinion. Should be strung up.
I've got to agree, but I also have to say, you have got to admire them! Since viewing this topic yesterday, I thought I'd give it a go.
Actually roping one was hard enough, but I eventually worked out that aiming the lasso at the side mirrors was best.
But then when I caught one! OMFG!! It ran and ran, and ran! I got sooo much gravel rash! I didn't want to let go, because I was using my new rope!
Next I tied the other end to a tree, this didn't work either, I tried it a few times, and now I just have a collection of side mirrors!
Aiming for the bumper bar tomorrow, wish me luck!
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dookie
Apr 28, 2004, 4:33 PM
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yeah, have to agree with a lot of the cons listed here... we had a 97' wrangler for 2 years (bought in 2001) and sold it in 03 since nothing would go right with the dang thing. Got OK money for it since we did a lot of work on it. So good resale value, generally. It was a lot of fun to ride to the beach in, but it never failed that something was always breaking with it. We ended up having to replace about every part on it. It was our 'tinker toy' that we installed a custom exhaust, special filters, 3 inch body lift, 4 inch suspension lift, and 33 in. tires on so it was 'fun' which is what they were for. Also got to be a hassle at times, though.
cargo space - agreed. Even with the seat out, there's not a lot of room in there. And if you're going somewhere that you might need the back seat again, you're up sh!t creek.. legroom in the back is really tight as well. Dog fit well, though!
Soft top zippers sucked - always had a problem with them coming off track. One time we had to leave a side window out while in Hartford CT cuz we couldn't get the damn thing on. Bad news.
It was broken into twice in DC since soft tops are so easy to get into - and we had over $300 in stuff stolen out of the vehicle. Wanted to get a hard top, but $1600 wasn't just sitting around to buy one ;)
Yeah, and the zippers started to leak after a while as well. Nothing like being cold and wet while on a trip home ;)
It was all over the place on the highways - got blown around badly when windy.
Noise level is bad - I know it's not a luxury car, but for 20 grand you'd think you'd be able to hear yourself think in one!
however, ours did some great offroading, and not just gravely roads ;) So it's true, these things are all what 'its about' owning a jeep - that's why most owners despite all the shortcomings will tell you 'it's a jeep thing - you wouldn't understand' :)
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marshall84
Apr 28, 2004, 4:49 PM
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Mine is over 10 years old and has 137K miles on it. The only thing I've ever had to change is the water pump. No other problems ever. It's made many road trips with decent gas mileage. It is a jeep not a lexus.
You know going in that you have a soft top...c'mon people I don't even lock the doors. Just pisses off the thieves and then they cut your top.
I have the factory sound bar and a stereo that you can remove the face of. I even stopped taking off the face about five years ago. As for cargo space, it holds my climbing gear, camping gear, cooler and firewood...no problem.
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dookie
Apr 28, 2004, 4:58 PM
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btw, the doors weren't even locked. They slashed the top anyways. The things are asking to be broken into, that was the problem, and unfortunatley that happend to be a day that we had all our stuff packed in there to head out on a weekend trip from work. ;) this is DC we're talking about. They realized once they got in that the doors were open. :lol:
list of things that broke within two years on a 4 year old vehicle:
Fuel Pump
Water Pump
Exhaust - the entire thing (hence replacing with a nice performance one)
Mike did all the work on it, and I know there was more, but this is a preliminary list of the things I knew about!
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scubasnyder
Apr 28, 2004, 5:54 PM
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that bronco is sweet
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climbtothebeet
May 3, 2004, 10:52 PM
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one more ? that came to mind, anyone have the gas milage for a 6 cyliner? average? thanks.
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cryder
May 5, 2004, 12:18 AM
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I have owned two Wranglers, and the coil set up from '97 on is fantastic. The later Wranglers also have an enormously improved interior and soft top, and are slightly quieter on the highway. They were very reliable overall, but tended to have too high of compression coming from the engine and would start to blow oil after about a 120k miles or so. If you need more room, Jeep is now offering an unlimited version (formerly produced by a little company out of Missoula called American Expidition Vehicles). AEV also does a very nice job of producing what they call the Brute. Pretty damn cool if you ask me.
http://www.aev-conversions.com/Gallery/P1010108.jpg
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gump
May 5, 2004, 8:44 PM
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'nuff said...
http://img13.photobucket.com/... 4-4-04/DSCF0020.jpg
Not mine, belongs to a member of our off-road club. Wranglers are one of the most of road capable vehicles sold, and with minimal modification can run through almost anything. As far as noise, who buys a soft-top vehicle of any type expecting a quiet ride? Now, reliabilty I cannot testify for or against, but I'm willing to bet there's a couple Benze owners out there who've had more than their share of break-downs. Part of owning a vehicle. Just my .02...
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