Jeep

Neither has the JK

Maybe we should go wheel some surp. H1 goodness

Not seeing the allure of a Wrangler is like going to Mardi Gras and saying " I dont see the attraction". Time to look in the mirror.

Off road they are lots of fun. No doors/top is lots of fun. Same reason people like the sports cars. They are crappy in a lot of day to day situations but in their element they shine.

In reply to Appleseed:

I think that's a Ford, actually, and not a Kaiser.

WWII Jeeps would be Ford and Willys actually.

Kaiser came to the party in the 1960's

And it's not Kaiser-Willys, it's Kaiser-Jeep. It's written right on my cowl tag.

Kaiser-Willys is the name of a vintage Jeep parts company.

Shawn

pres589 wrote: In reply to Appleseed: I think that's a Ford, actually, and not a Kaiser.

Ah, but it's still not a Zuk, just like Appleseed said, right?

Can the "new ones" still do this with a little work on the suspension?

The orange one's not mine...but I did remember that I'd finally scanned a pic of mine, here it is about 1984 or so:

David S. Wallens wrote: This week's test car is a new Jeep Wrangler Sahara. So, um, can someone explain the attraction?

I find them attractive because that's where my paycheck comes from!!!

I've considered buying one, but unless they eventually offer something other than the piece-o-crap 3.8, my checkbook will remain safely tucked away. Hopefully by 2012, I'll be able to order one with a version of the 458 Italia engine, but I'm not holding my breath on that one... Or for a diesel.

Besides, I made the 56-mile commute thru all the snow last winter just fine in the Miata on Dunlop snows.

BTW, the UAW doesn't really appreciate Miata's in their lot...

Real Jeeps are American Bantams. The rest are poseurs and rip offs.

Appleseed wrote: Real Jeeps are American Bantams. The rest are poseurs and rip offs.

+1

I had a 71 Kaiser Cj5. My dad called it a tractor built for the road. It was great. I miss it tons. But jeeps are the ulitmate poseur vehicles. The phrase mall crawler comes to mind..

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f59/pictures-mall-crawlers-only-509718/

I've never owned a jeep , but did buy a geo tracker . Took it 4 wheelin the same day I bought it .

Like a few others have said, if you don't "get it" you probably never will. I've owned many jeeps, about 14 I think. I've owned an old flattie (1946 CJ 21), a number of CJ, YJ, MJ, SJ, ZJ, WJ, XJ and there is nothing like it. Sure the 'zukes can wheel but stock to stock they can't hold a candle to a Jeep. Heck, I've wheeled with H1's and they aren't as good as most people think.
I never disliked it on road even. I mean, drop the top, take off the doors and there is nothing like it anywhere. When the "road" dops into a 2' mud hole or a 30* slope it get's really fun.

DrBoost wrote: Heck, I've wheeled with H1's and they aren't as good as most people think.

they sink in mud..

We, because no one jeep could, pulled one out in Paragon.

Lot's of two track mud roads in Michigan. That's where they shine IMO.

A buddy uses his to get to some far off fishing destinations.

That said I'll pass on the new ones.

David - I think I know a guy in the Daytona Beach Jeep Club. Should I put him in touch so he can show you where around there to have fun in it?

FWIW - Jeeps suck as street cars. If it doesn't go offroad, I fail to see the point.

DILYSI Dave wrote: David - I think I know a guy in the Daytona Beach Jeep Club. Should I put him in touch so he can show you where around there to have fun in it? FWIW - Jeeps suck as street cars. If it doesn't go offroad, I fail to see the point.

Looks like SOMEONE is calling Joey48442 out ;)

I'm still waiting for this. HL'd 'natch.

But will probably have to settle for something like this.

http://www.aev-conversions.com/products/brute/

That Brute looks like my dream truck. Too bad it's a kit car. Maybe I could find a COD TJ and register as a kit car. Not sure how that works in these parts.

6.1L Hemi jeep http://forum.aev-conversions.com/showthread.php?t=1267

4cyl Diesel jeep http://forum.aev-conversions.com/showthread.php?t=1690

Mmm, I'll take one of each please.

I think Jeep is missing a big chunk of money not putting a V8 option in the lineup and making it tow a decent amount. Because if you don't go off-road or live in the north you don't NEED a Jeep.

So back to the OP. Why did you even agree to take a JK for a test? Did you think driving an all terrain vehicle only on road was grassroots? Dude take it off road and report back to us. If I read a GRM review about how the JK is noisy, bumpy and hard to accelerate to speed on the highway I'm going to burn the whole issue.

That's the funny thing about cars/ trucks. What may be the biggest POS in the world to you, may be my dream machine!

I spent the weekend with the new Jeep in question. Some staffers absolutely hated it...... others loved it.

This should make for an interesting review once we get it posted online.

and miatame---- no need to burn...... how the Jeep performs on-road is at least as important as how it performs off pavement. (where will it spend more time?) I'm sure we will have both sides of the argument represented.

I drove a CJ 5 from the factory to near Albany NY once. This was the 4 cyl. with the awful axle gearing. 50mph all the way.

It's funny, when I lived in Ottawa I thought every lifted/modified Jeep was driven by a poseur. Now that I live in Marlboro Country (seriously, the Marlboro Man has a ranch near here, and no he did not die of lung cancer), any Jeep that isn't modified is a poseur. I mean, why buy one if you won't use it? And you can't use 'em stock. Not unless it's just for posing.

It's important for Jeep for the Wrangler to perform well for the sorority girl demographic, which means it's got to have some road manners. But it's like trying to make an Aston Martin better at towing - it's just not what the fundamental vehicle is designed to do, and criticizing the car for that isn't really fair. As a car, the Wrangler is pretty poor.

Jim's right, there are some great trails in the San Juans. I've had a memorable trip or two going ghost town hunting up there.

And of course, Moab...

The idea of towing with a Wrangler makes me nervous. If it's bigger than a jet ski, no thanks. A V8 isn't stopping it from being a tow vehicle, the entire vehicle is.

Trans_Maro wrote: WWII Jeeps would be Ford and Willys actually. Kaiser came to the party in the 1960's And it's not Kaiser-Willys, it's Kaiser-Jeep. It's written right on my cowl tag. Kaiser-Willys is the name of a vintage Jeep parts company. Shawn

It was Kaiser-Willys for a while. Willys was deemed dead and Jeep was more reconizeable.

pres589 wrote: The idea of towing with a Wrangler makes me nervous. If it's bigger than a jet ski, no thanks. A V8 isn't stopping it from being a tow vehicle, the entire vehicle is.

My counter to that is a V8 in an unlimited. The 116" wheel base is the same as a tahoe. The more I look at it, why in the hell does it not have a V8 yet