Lots of Changes for Jeep

And the new Grand is a Mercedes ML series with a different body.

Even Porsche is emasculating the offroad capability of the Cayenne. Seems all of the off-road capable brands are being turned into Wussmobiles.

Since I can't afford a G-Wagen, just may have to see if the neighbor down the street wants to unload his old Pinzgauer.

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Well, they're recognizing that the market they are really filling is the one that used to be filled by Lincoln Town Cars and the like before CAFE forced the manufacturers to truckify them.

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:)

PUT DOWN THAT COFFEE!!

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Actually that kind of thing has a long history in Europe. Remember the Volkswagen Bus Type 3 ("Type 25" in some markets) Syncro, which was produced from 1985 to 1992?

In the European model it even had air lockers.

I sure am glad I have my FSJ, and probably the last one I'll need. I can't see these new girlie-jeeps going to the places that I go in the traditional Jeep.

The driveway at a friend's house I visited today looked worse than that road. Even snowpacked and icy it was usable by all 4 cars we had up there - and the only reason the Jeep saw 4wd was to knock down some 4 ft drifts blocking the patio entrance. Wussmobile, indeed!

Lets face it, most of the 4X4 vehicles on the road today are nothing more than an image mobile! Along with people wearing "The North Face" clothing to make them look "Outdoorsy" and "Rugged"

Is it me, or does any one else think the 'new' Wrangler just looks totally wrong, and non-Jeep like? Curved sides? Fancy door handles? So many 'wrong' (or non-traditional Jeep) things that I have a lot of trouble seeing it as any different from the typical soccer mom-grocery getter SUV!

Years ago, they tried to go to non-round headlights, and buyers quickly educated Jeep that the Wrangler had certain standards to meet, such as round headlights. Now, I hear little or nothing about the Wrangler SUV.

It looks like it's "inspired by".

On the other hand, we don't really know what pressures they were under--there might be sound engineering reasons for all of it. I doubt it, but there _might_.

Still round headlights. I like it myself.

They could have gone here.

All of the new Barbie-Jeeps look the same, with the exception of the Commander, which looks like a polished down Hummer. It appears that a decision was taken some years ago to citify and homogenize the Jeep product line. They took away the brief promise of the diesel-powered Liberty, scrapped the Gladiator concept and (built the diminutive "Patriot" instead. They eliminated the best of the Wranglers, the LWB Unlimited, and instead produced the morose and ungainly-looking 4-door Wrangler. None of these unsightly vehicles look as if they would be much good off the pavement.

And, I understand, the patriot and compass is to be eliminated from the jeep line up. Ironically the Patriot got some good reviews for economy. What has surprised me is that Jeep appears to have done away with the selectrac/command trac options across the board. I think I will be keeping my 98 Cherokee, with selectrac, for a long time because it feels competent in all kinds of weather. I was surprised to see the gov designate it as a clunker to get it off the road. When I look at a 98 Cherokee all I see is a classic. Now if only I had kept my 99 wrangler! Larry

With the aftermarket parts out there you could probably build one from scratch. :) I was just googling tube-frames and fiberglass bodies.

The new Quadratrack II and if you believe the rumor mill QT III will have the same capability as the Selec/Command trac units with none of the "gosh you mean I can't drive it on dry pavement in 4WD!!?!?!!?"

I've seen/felt what the QT II can do and it is impressive. Actually started thinking about replacing my QT I with a newer version but it just isn't cost effective. Pair that with the VariLock front and rear diffs and you get with the QT II and you wind up with a competent and well handling vehicle without the "bad" characteristics of full lockers.

Of course your not going to be using it for rock crawling or places where full up bullet-proof drivetrain is needed. But at lest it won't snap like the Hummer IFS does. ;)

My EYES. My EYES . . .

Hate to tell you, but I know a whole bunch of guys(me included)who like square headlights on their Wranglers.

Sooner or later the new Wrangler style will grow on some people. Not sure I'm one of those, though. Did finally see an Unlimited that I liked the look of, but it had 33x12.50's and several inchs of lift. I kinda think they look ungainly in stock trim. I

I do wonder how many perfectly good Jeeps went to the crusher with this "clunkers" idiocy.

That reminds me that I have always been curious about the "no FWD on pavement" proscription. What is the reason for it. I do drive mine

10 miles per month on pavement, just to excercise the systems per the manual, but I keep it to 10 miles unless off the pavement.

I do wonder how many perfectly good Jeeps went to the crusher with this "clunkers" idiocy.

Good question.

When the front and rear shaft are locked together (part-time 4wd) the minor differences in tire diameter will cause a great deal of stress to build up in the drive train. Eventually this will _POP_ (skid one of the tires/axles) to release. Given enough time this repeated hammering will find the weakest part of the drivetrain. Transfer case chain, U joints, etc.

Full-time 4wd has a limited slip or center differential that allows this tension to be released without putting undue stress on the rest of the drive train.