Finding Low Lock
All things are relative, but some things are more relative than others. We left on time as 21 4x4s pulled on to Route 145 out of Telluride, Colorado, and headed for Ophir. My stock '06 Rubicon was second behind the leader. We found Ophir and wound up over the unbelievable Ophir Pass. Then we got on Route 550 to Ouray. Just before town, we turned left and went up to Governor Basin. Snow over the trail stopped us. After 4 hours in 2WD I got in a bind. I had been in First gear going fine at the expense of lugging and slipping the clutch pretty bad. See, the Jeep does great things, but I wasn't using it right. It was raining, and I was trying to get over a large bolder but was slipping badly and had managed to slide and angle the left rear over the edge. I was in trouble. Finally, the leader asked if "I had it locked up." Nope. Nicely, he said lock it up and let's get going. I did and we did. Abusing the capability of my Jeep for 4 hours lead me to fully understand the real capability of the low range locked rear Third-Sixth-gear capability I always had but didn't fully appreciate. We got over Imogene Pass and back to Telluride in fine shape. The real capability of what the stock Rubicon can do is much more relative to a good day on the trail than what I was making it do. I appreciate it more now than I ever did, and next year Black Bear Pass is mine!Dick WeldonLos Alamos, NM
Champagne Wishes and Commander Dreams
As an owner of an '07 Green Jeep Commander, I purchased your magazine with hopes of seeing something about XK Jeeps. But to my surprise there seemed to be nothing-not even an ad-about the Commander. There was a spot in this issue of the magazine that asked what Jeep do you have, and the XK Jeep was not listed. Do you have issues with the Commander? Do you consider the Commander a Jeep? I have owned Grand Cherokees and several Liberties, and in my Jeep-owner's experience, the Commander definitely holds its own in its highly credentialed family? Do you cover XK Jeeps? If so, I'll subscribe today!Joe BrausenHaymarket, VA
Not so much. The Commander is not really an enthusiast Jeep. That's one reason you don't see a lot of aftermarket parts or ads for aftermarket parts for the XK. It's meant to be a comfortable and moderately capable street Jeep. Sure it's more capable than a Liberty. But geez, so is a rental car.
Do You Hate My Jeep?
Does this look so bad that you would dislike my Jeep? Only because there is a painting of it on the backend doing what we do best! Havin' Fun!Jim ThompsonSt. Paul, NE
Complaint With a Question
I'm 51 and driving Jeep number four, an '07 Wrangler Unlimited Sahara. If you increased the size of the font in the magazine, my aged eyes didn't notice. Your advertisers know what size font sells products; take a tip from them to sell me on the articles. Whose bright idea is it to print on top of the pictures? Someone on staff named "Bright Eyes" I presume. My collection of back issues goes back to late 1997 or early 1998. I'd tell you exactly, but I don't want to dig to the bottom of the box. What was the month and year of issue number one?Don MosierWestminster, CA
The premier issue of Jp magazine was spring of 1996.
Will-ees vs. Will-iss
Love the mag. Basically everyone I know sees an old Willys, (like Bruce Willis) no apostrophe, and calls it a Willy like a little boy's private part. I cannot find anything in writing that has the correct definitive pronunciation so that the argument can be put to rest and they see and believe the error of their ways, or possibly I'm a complete idiot and wasted your time. Keep doing what Jp does, you all are great.Clay Hutton YanceyBristol, TN
It is actually pronounced will-iss, but no one on staff says it that way because most people will have no idea what you are talking about. Somewhere John North Willys, the founder of the Willys-Overland Motor Company, is turning in his grave.
Nit-Pick
I'm sure you have a lot of people writing about errors in the "Jeep Trivia!" quiz in the August '08 issue. I feel that I have to join in to point out the two most obvious errors. I give my 38 winters driving in Indiana and my 4-plus years as a Jp subscriber as evidence of my qualification to dispute you the answers you provided.
Question 14, there is no correct answer, you should add: e. Never listen to editors from Southern California.
Now editor, no smart replies here. None of you know how to drive in snow, never have. I know Trasborg, or Hazel, or one of those guys once lived on the east coast. But I read his article on driving in snow a couple of years ago. God forbid he ever has to get to work by 7 a.m. after a 6- to 8-inch snow fall on city streets in Indiana. Even worse, imagine he does it in a two-wheel-drive commuter car because he let his wife drive his Jeep (we'll need a helicopter for this stuck). In anticipation of your comments, the magazine is Jp, not off-road. Driving in snow on city streets is a valid reason to own a Jeep, and the question was "When driving in snow, to avoid getting stuck" not "To plow through snow drifts on a mountain trail".
Question 20, again no correct answer, consider: e. Who cares?Steve WeigleVia email