2024 Jeep

[Kevin]

In the current Jeep lineup, the Jeep Wrangler, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, and Gladiator are all assembled in the US. The Wrangler and Gladiator are made at Jeep's headquarters in Toledo, Ohio. The Cherokee is produced at the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois, which also produced the now discontinued Jeep Patriot, and the Grand Cherokee is made at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, Michigan. While these models might use some foreign parts and components, they are made in America. However, Jeep now operates ten plants located across the United States, Italy, Brazil, China, India and Mexico to help support the Jeep's growing international reputation. The Renegade, Compass, and a foreign model of the Cherokee are currently assembled outside US soil.

Yep, this one was made in Toledo.

I'm not sure of what happened but I know The company Stellantis now owns Jeep and Dodge and Ram. Apparently Stellantis is a pretty big international company.

You guys have some nice looking Jeeps!

Stlantis

 

[Hankus]

My first Jeep was an '86-1/2 Wrangler Sport. 4 cylinder 5 speed manual with no AC. It cost me $8k. 14 years and 120k miles later I sold it for $4800. I replaced the soft top once, clutch 3x, alternator 2x and the starter once. I even added a hard top and fiberglass half doors during a TDY in TX on my way to CO. A local junk yard had the top with a hole punched through it and one of the windows broken after a wreck. I threw it in a U-haul trailer and took it to CO. Once there I found a Korean-owned body shop that fixed it then repainted it and the fiberglass upper half doors to match. I drove that thing back and forth across the country many times from FL to CA twice, Washington state, CO, and Kentucky once each between tours in Korea while I was in the Army. I took it out into the wilderness at each of my stateside postings. I still miss it. My take-home company vehicles have been Jeeps since 2017; first a 2018 Cherokee, then a 2020 Grand Cherokee, and currently a 2024 Grand Cherokee. We occasionally need 4x4 to get to some of our remote sites during the rainy season or after a hurricane. I have nothing but good things to say about them. I hate to say it but they are MUCH more reliable AND fuel efficient now with the Fiat-designed power trains.

 

[Johnnu2]

Johnnu2, it's really funny. This Jeep requires a key to lock and unlock the doors, yet it has a push button starter.

And it has a manual light switch. If it's dark I have to remember to turn on the lights myself!

Amazing what we get used to in those cars with all the frills. It's definitely noticed when I drive this Jeep.

I have always been a fan of a manual light switch for two reasons: 1) I'm old and resistant to change; 2) I always thought that leaving your lights on would eventually drain down your battery. My 2016 Camry has the automatic lights, but I simply shut the lights when I shut the engine and turn them on when I think that I need them on . Each time I operate that switch, it's a minor "victory" for me.
J.

 

[Rclark]

Used to work with a guy who was a Jeep fan,

I still work with a couple guys that own jeeps. Seems like they are always complaining or wrenching on their jeep because of some issue they are having. My son owned one for awhile... until he bought a truck so he could haul things. No skin in the game here, but just what I hear. Nice looking rigs above.

 

[Jeepnik]

Like most vehicles there are good ones and bad ones from the factory. But a lot of vehicle failures are owner caused either neglect or abuse. Jeeps are no different.

Now off roading isn't necessarily abuse. Yes it's harder on a vehicle than street use. But many inexperienced folks beat a four wheel drive vehicle to death because of poor operation.

Too many newbies think that flooring the accelerator is the answer to every obstacle. Most breakdowns are caused by applying too much gas and not enough thought. Often getting out, and looking for the best approach is all that's necessary to avoid breakage.

Then there's the other big problem. Inexperienced drivers buying a four wheel or worse all wheel drive vehicle then believing the car commercials. Commercials like the latest Land Rover one that shows a vehicle driving up a spillway are an example. On the bottom of the screen is a disclaimer about not trying it and how it's a "professional driver on a closed course". It's too small to read and flashed too fast.

Irresponsible advertising has caused more vehicle failures off road than one could believe. It's also caused injuries and deaths. But that little disclaimer covers the advertisers back side.

 

[Dave P.]

2004 TJ In the wild, as driven to work this morning. Owned it since new and it's been pretty good.
Slightly modified with small spacer lift, better shocks and brake upgrades. Lined the entire interior and doors with Noico which is
basically a Russian version of Dynamat and a foam layer over it. It's much quieter then stock if the hard top is on for winter.
It mostly lives outside and winter is just easier with the hardtop. It's getting a little scruffy, dented right front from smacking a deer,
actually it's had two kills now. Hood having paint issues from hail and the usual dings from some off-roading and trail use. Factory Dana 44 with limited slip in the
rear and a e-locker in the stock front lets me usually go where I want to. Took the back seat out and put it in my basement the
day I brought it home from the dealer, it's not be in since. Averages about 12 MPG in daily use, maybe 15-16 at 80mph on the
freeways.
Basically the worst handling, poorest riding vehicle you can find in a showroom today.
One of thousands of red Jeeps in the world.

 

[Kevin]

Someone asked me what my stripped down model cost.

We had to special order it, as they don't keep the base model in stock.

It took extra long to order because of the auto workers strike last year. I think it was the middle of April when we ordered it and we picked it up December 26.

It was $36,000. It has a 5 year 50,000 mile engine warranty and 3/36,000 everything warranty.

It's March and we only have 900 miles on it, so the warranty will last a while.

 

[Kevin]

2004 TJ In the wild, as driven to work this morning. Owned it since new and it's been pretty good.
Slightly modified with small spacer lift, better shocks and brake upgrades. Lined the entire interior and doors with Noico which is
basically a Russian version of Dynamat and a foam layer over it. It's much quieter then stock if the hard top is on for winter.
It mostly lives outside and winter is just easier with the hardtop. It's getting a little scruffy, dented right front from smacking a deer,
actually it's had two kills now. Hood having paint issues from hail and the usual dings from some off-roading and trail use. Factory Dana 44 with limited slip in the
rear and a e-locker in the stock front lets me usually go where I want to. Took the back seat out and put it in my basement the
day I brought it home from the dealer, it's not be in since. Averages about 12 MPG in daily use, maybe 15-16 at 80mph on the
freeways.
Basically the worst handling, poorest riding vehicle you can find in a showroom today.
One of thousands of red Jeeps in the world.

Can you tell me what brand of lights you have mounted to the front bumper?

 

[turd]

Nice Jeep, Kevin. We have owned nothing but Jeeps since 1998. All Grand Cherokees. Very few issues, I can go hunting on a Saturday morning, go thru the car wash on the way home, change clothes and fit right in at the Country Club Saturday night.

 

[Dave P.]

Can you tell me what brand of lights you have mounted to the front bumper?

The headlights are off the shelf Sylvania Silver Star halogens.
The factory fogs were replaced by KC fogs after the deer hits, 55 watt bulbs.
The bigger 7in. in the center are HID pencil beams maybe only 8-10 degree
pattern, lots of narrow focus light and very long range. Totally useless on
the road if there is any traffic ahead of you. They are a Chinese ??? brand that
I bought online from one of the off-road shops.
The problem with the HID ( at least these ) is they take about 15 seconds to come up to full output,
if you just flick em on for a quick peek not so great.
If they fail I'm going to high output LEDs in the future and would strongly suggest them over the HID.
I also mounted a pair of small 55 watt halogen fog lights on the rear bumper for better backup lighting,
I find them very useful not only on trails but just everyday driving, trigger them with a relay off the factory
backup light wire. Have the fronts wired so they can all come off and on with high beam selection or
separately switched, that way if on the road you can go quickly to low beam so not to bother other drivers.
Edit... the rear and front fogs are wired battery hot in one of the switch positions all the time and can be switched
on with the ignition off to provide "work" lighting around the Jeep....pretty handy sometimes.
If I was doing this today I'd be using LEDs for all the lights.

 

[The Preacher]

I have a 2012 four door Wrangler and may well be in the market for another late model soon. Mine's a manual and I've been wondering how hard a manual might be to find. Won't go automatic. I've started "the search" and I'm not seeing many manuals out there. Started to look at the later models ('20-'23) to see which ones are best. Lord I hate buying cars!

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Kevin,
You will either form a long term liking of Jeeps or never get another. My every day local driver is an old 2004 TJ, won't be without a Jeep till I'm
too old and decrepit to climb in and out.
The trick with soft tops is never leave anything in the Jeep and keep the doors unlocked.
Looks like fun.

Nice Jeep you have there Kevin. Shame it will be left in the salt atmosphere of Galveston.

Right on Dave, I do not lock up my Vette Convertibles or my Jeep. Just open the door and see that there isn't anything to steal

Here are a couple of Rare Orvis Additions Grand Cherokees. I had a 1995 on the left and Son had a 1996. I now have a 2009 Grand Cherokee. I gave mine to Grandson for his first car after I bought the 2009

Special interiors.

The old Green Jeep took us to some fun places.

 

[Gopher]

I have a strange desire for an old square headlight Jeep. I think maybe because they are the red-headed step child of the Jeep world.

 

[Jeepnik]

I have a strange desire for an old square headlight Jeep. I think maybe because they are the red-headed step child of the Jeep world.

Well yea, the YJ's were a big mistake. The front grill on a Jeep has always been a trademark. But I guess some twenty something engineer decided he knew better.

 

[turd]

Yeah, Kevin, if you haven't, you might want to have it rustproofed and undercoated. Paint protection is another option. Depends on how long you plan to keep it. I always do mine because I intend to keep them until they drop. My 5.9 Limited we had for 23 years before I gave it to my favorite nephew. Some believe, some do not.

 

[Cholo]

Nice Jeep, Kevin! At your age I'd have gotten the manual as well. I do have to ask.

"And honestly, this didn't cost much more than a nice golf cart."

What golf cart was close in price to the Jeep you bought?

Forum member Number9 posted this pic of his Jeep years ago. I thought it was so beautiful I saved it.

 

[Jeepnik]

I had my Scrambler undercoated (I do it with all new vehicles). Jeeps are notorious for rusting. It's not that they are any more sensitive, it's just that they often see worse driving conditions. Years later I Rhino lined the interior, under the hood and bed. A couple of years after that I did the Rhino lining to the roll bar. I ended up getting slightly longer bolts for the roll bar. Stock would work, but there wasn't much thread hanging on.

Keep them long enough and they evolve. From stock suspension I put on a spacer lift. Got some room for tires, but those lifts are far from the best. Did it right by getting a full suspension lift. That improved handling considerably. I've never had more that 2 1/2' of lift. My Jeep is mostly a desert vehicle. Not into rock crawling, although I did take it over the Rubicon in 1983 bone stock except for Cepek Ground Hawgs.

 

[warren5421]

My brother has a 1961-2 has a SS J.C. Whitney tub and a 66/67 Mustang 289 Hi performance. In the summer it is one great play toy.

 

[Jeepnik]

I looked at the Acme SS bodies. They cost more than I paid for thr Jeep. Now I wish I had gone that route. Not for corrosion but for novelty.

 

[Bob Wright]

Well, I just have to chime in about my Jeep. We needed urban usage, travel, utility and Sunday-Go-to-meeting nicety, so we bught a Grand Cherokee, a 2002 model. bought it in December 2001, and traded it off in February 2022. Nita and I loved that vehicle!




Bob Wright