jeep

Dec 12 2011

My Jeep Wrangle Sahara after one month

It has been just over one month since I rolled off the lot with my brand new 2011 Jeep Wrangle Sahara and it has been a fun ride. For those who don’t know, I bought this new Jeep after coming to realization I wanted something dependable on the highway and something that, if it broke, it would mostly likely be covered by warranty.

I bought my Jeep from Derrick Dodge after scouring different vehicles and dealerships all across Edmonton. I commend my Sales Rep, Trevor, because I know I’m a difficult customer when trying to get the initial sale. I’ll be honest and say I don’t trust sales people. Most of the time I know the exact product I want, I don’t need to be sold on things, but I’m also really cheap. Part of me feels as though I probably went to far with asking for a better deal, but the other part of me knows that they wouldn’t sell it to me if they weren’t getting something from it.

The Jeep is a stick shift and I feel like I’m 16yrs old again. It being standard did probably help the price, which I’m glad. I did learn to drive on a Suzuki Samurai and my first truck was a stick shift 1993 Ford F150, but it has been awhile. I find the one thing I don’t think I learned completely was downshifting, I’m working hard to master that. I’m also a little rusty on the highway and hills. Part of this is most likely because I’m not as familiar with the Jeep yet, soon it should be fine.

The Jeep handles well in the winter conditions and I absolutely love the ground clearance. However I’m not a big fan of the traction-control; I learned to drive in icy conditions, I know how to correct the vehicle if the backend slides sideways. When that happens though, in the Jeep, and I go to correct it by steering the other way, suddenly the vehicle backs off the throttle and tries to correct it itself. Annoying.

I was also concerned that the Jeep might not stay heated very well, since the roof is removable fiberglass, but I was wrong. The Jeep takes 5 minutes to start blowing hot air and I generally have to turn it down. Although I’m not sure how well it heats up the rear of the Jeep, since there is no heat directed back there.

Overall I’m very happy with this Jeep and don’t think I could get anything similar for what I paid. I have yet to have any problems with it and hope I don’t in the foreseeable future.

Nov 21 2011

Jeep Reflection Photo

Here is something interesting I got. It is the reflection of the Charlie Lake shoreline on the side of my Jeep. I have seen many photographers do this type of photo in the summer in the lake itself. It works really well if water is very still. I should look into the theory behind reflection and the best way to capture them.

Nov 11 2011

There is a new Jeep in the family

I have actually done really well at not letting it slip online that I was making this big decision. I wanted to make sure everything was going to go off without a hitch before really letting anyone know. The time has come though and I’m here to say I did get a new vehicle, I got a new Jeep.

Let me start by telling you that I have been considering buying a new vehicle for about 3 1/2 months and it was tough. I liked my 2001 Grand Cherokee, they are a nice vehicle and I would love to have a brand new one, but they are an expensive vehicle. For the last 6 months the Grand Cherokee had needed some maintenance done to it, which I did and carried on. But in that time I started to lose faith in it. If you know me well, you’ll know that I deal with anxiety with somethings, my vehicle being one of them. To make matters worse, being in Northern BC and having to drive the highway on a semi-regular basis really stirred up my anxiety, so much so that I was convinced I would break down in the middle of know where.

Well something like that almost happened on my way to Edmonton almost two weeks ago. As I was coming into Whitecourt, Ab my Cherokee – lets just say – farted. I was terrified that I was going to be stuck in Whitecourt, but after two hours of consideration on what to do, I continued onto Edmonton. While in Edmonton for the next two days the Cherokee was fine. During that time in Edmonton I made the decision to get a new vehicle. Over a day and a half I narrowed down what type of vehicle I wanted and then I narrowed down where the best deal was.

So here it is, my new Jeep. A 4dr 2011 Jeep Wrangle Sahara Unlimited is what I’m now rolling in. I’m very happy with it and have fulfilled a childhood dream of owning a real Jeep – albeit my dream was a 2dr Yellow TJ. It is solid Flame Red and looks hot. It is not the based package, but also not the extreme Rubicon model. It is perfect for my needs – or at least what I think me needs are. I wanted something that had lots of cargo room, 4×4, towing capabilities and a little higher off the ground so I could go to places like Pink Mountain. I got all that in this rig plus more. It comes with Satellite Radio built-in, voice control and my personal favourite steering wheel controls. Plus, it is standard! It is me. It was also a very good price, one that I’m comfortable with, even though I do not like debt.

Jeep Wrangle Sahara

I drove it back from Edmonton and was very content with it. I no longer had this feeling it was going to break down, then even if I did there is warranty. I will admit, I am a little rusty with the stick shift and could do with some more practice when it comes to highway driving, but it will come with time. So! Who wants to go for a ride?

Jun 21 2011

Ready for the road, I hope

Alright I’m ready to start my journey back up to Yellowknife, I hope. The highway is still closed, but I’m still not planning to drive that stretch of the highway until Thursday.

Just because I may be stranded, I mean who knows what happens, I am going to tow up the camper. Hang out in Enterprise, NWT where there is at least 3G if I happen to have to stay a couple days. Then again I plan for the worst, so I’m sure it’ll all be good.

Camperjeep

Mar 03 2011

Kitchen table Jeep thought.

I am sitting at the table in our kitchen eating breakfast. I just started the company vehicle and started to think about my Jeep. It is currently in the shop getting looked at, as you know. I then started to think about how the timing couldn’t have been better for it to break a line of some sort.

It already needed to go in due to a minor fuel issue, I think, but of course I procrastinate because I don’t have a lot of money and I wouldn’t be without a vehicle. So now having it break a fluid line rendering it undrivable and me leaving town in a 2 day the perfect time to go into the shop is here. I wont need it while away so they can have it for a full week.

The one down fall though, is of course money. As I will be going away I will not be working and I will most likely be spending a little more. Such is life though.