Great magazine. I won't send you a photo of my '05 LJ Rubicon for another 70,000 miles; it will only get modified at 100,000. It's my first Jeep. I have been an F-Series guy my whole life ('71, '83, '87, '88, '90, '98). Then, to respond to your editorial column, they dumped the manual transmissions so I started shopping for a new ride and loved the Six-speed and decided it was time for a Jeep.John KowalSchaumburg, Illinois
Yeah, but the Blue Parrot makes you look like the chick in the drive-thru burger joint that takes orders or maybe a telemarketer pushing Amway hemorrhoid cream. It's not very sleek looking.
Bye-Bye Manual
I read the October '08 Trail Head about kissing your manual trans goodbye. I think that with the carnage in the car market and the business strategies the companies have pursued over the last 50 years we may not have to worry about this because all the automakers might go under. This country is awash in cars and really, in the future, Jeeps might be something you build totally in your driveway, which is good and bad. On the other hand, the examples you cited are not great. Think of who buys trucks from light-duty to 1-ton. The fleet/companies that buy them like automatics, because they don't have to worry about who drives them. As pickup prices have really taken off since the nineties, they have become more the accessory of the country-club set, not the working man, and therefore become more like luxury vehicles. Basically, as I see it, the manufacturers are going to push people who want real work vehicles into the medium-truck market which is probably not part of the government's enviro plans, and more profitable for the automakers to sell.Dan VonaVia e-mail
I've been making the same argument for years. However, today's 1/2-ton truck will safely tow more than the 1-tons of yesteryear, and get better fuel economy while doing it. But I think you are right about the durability of these new trucks. They don't make 'em like they used to. (Dang, when did I get all old and crotchety?)
Scrambler Fanatic
I am currently back over here in Afghanistan as a civilian working for our great army. This pic was taken in July when I married a wonderful woman. I had a Scrambler that I bought to turn in to an off-roader but it was in such great shape I could not find it in myself to hack it up. She had a green '04 Unlimited and she was the one who said we should go to Colorado and play in the mountains for our honeymoon. She is great.
We have since sold both Jeeps. I will put my narrowed Dana 60 and GM 14-bolt along with a NV4500 and Atlas II powered by a 383 small-block Chevy in my other '82 Scrambler. It has a custom frame and link suspension front and rear. I will send pics when I get back and finish it. I am getting ready to buy my forth Scrambler, that I plan to restore and use as a daily driver. I just wish you would put more Scramblers in your mag. That is my only complaint. Keep up the good work and @#$% those who have to nitpick and complain about tire reviews and other BS. It's your magazine; they can start their own.John EatonSomewhere in Afghanistan
Jp Loaners
I have two comments about the "Shaking the Money Tree" article in the October '08 issue. You say you like to go wheeling alone. Even with a winch there are so many other things that can go wrong. Case in point, I was rock crawling in Arizona and had the bad luck to blow two tires. I was 10 miles from the nearest road and I was the only one with a JK. No other Jeep spare would fit my Jeep. Had I been alone I would have been screwed. The tires were not repairable.
Also, you did not mention using anti-sway bar disconnects for cheap and easy improvements for rock crawling. I presently have a '07 JK Rubicon with a 2 1/2-inch TeraFlex lift and use stock shocks with extenders. Works good for off-road and still has a good on-road ride.Mike DonahueDubuque, Iowa