Jeep 392 Wrangler & Gladiator V8 Update! Ask Grok AI: Great Smoky Mountains Jeep Invasion Tips

In this exciting episode of the Jeep Talk Show, hosts Tony and April dive into the latest Jeep news: the iconic 392 Hemi V8 is here to stay in the Wrangler and making its debut in the Gladiator! We discuss Jeep’s push for bigger tires, custom colors, electrified models like the 4xe hybrids, Wagoneer S EV, and Recon. Plus, we welcome a new Patreon subscriber with a hilarious Grok AI shoutout and continue our “Ask Grok” segment—getting expert advice on the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion (Aug 21-23, Pigeon Forge) and the best-selling Jeep Gladiator mod (Nitto Ridge Grappler tires!). Whether you’re into off-roading, Jeep mods, or EV hybrids, this episode has it all. We also chat Tesla range anxiety, Dollywood Jeep fun, and why V8s are essential for American Jeepers. Don’t miss our sponsor spots from Windshield Defense (code JTS20 for 20% off), RealTruck camper shells, and G-tops (25% off with code 25OFF)! Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Grok AI Debate 05:30 – Welcome New Patreon: Russell D (Grok Style!) 10:45 – Jeep 392 Wrangler Continuation & Gladiator V8 Reveal 20:15 – Jeep Personalization: Bigger Tires, Custom Flares 25:00 – Electrified Jeep Lineup: Wagoneer S, Recon, 4xe Gladiator 35:20 – Ask Grok: Great Smoky Mountains Jeep Invasion Tips 45:10 – Best Jeep Gladiator Mod: Nitto Ridge Grappler Tires Explained 50:30 – EV Talk: Tesla vs. Jeep 4xe Off-Roading 1:00:00 – Nikki G’s Joke & Outro Subscribe for more Jeep talk, off-road tips, and AI fun! Hit the bell for notifications. Support us on Patreon: jeeptalkshow.com/contact. Follow on Instagram for Jeep Life updates. #Jeep392 #JeepGladiator #GreatSmokyMountainJeepInvasion #GrokAI #JeepMods #Jeep4xe #OffRoad #JeepNews #V8Jeep #Dollywood #PigeonForge #JeepTalkShow Welcome to Jeep Talk Show, the ultimate podcast for Jeep enthusiasts! Join Tony, and, the crew as we dive into off-road adventures, Jeep Wrangler 392 updates, Jeep Gladiator camping, and the Jeep Cherokee relaunch. From $130K Jeep resale trends to Gladiator tent reviews, we cover Jeep modifications, off-road gear, and events like Easter Jeep Safari and Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion. Get expert Jeep 4xe towing tips, lightweight truck camper insights, and off-road trail guides for Jeeps. Subscribe for weekly Jeep news, join our community at jeeptalkshow.com/discord, and hit the trail with us! Head to https://jeeptalkshow.com to explore our world of Jeep madness, subscribe, and let us make your day a little more rugged and a lot more fun. Ready to roll with us? Let’s hit the trails together! #Jeep Talk Show, #Jeep podcast, #off-road podcast, #Jeep community, #Jeep off-roading, #Jeep Wrangler, #Jeep Gladiator, #Jeep news, #Jeep modifications, #Jeep accessories, #off-road adventures, #Jeep events, #Jeep 4xe, #Wrangler 392, #Jeep camping, #Jeep trails, #Jeep Wrangler 392, #$130K Jeep resale, #Jeep infotainment bricking, #TuneOutdoor Gladiator tent, #RealTruck trail access 2025, #Jeep Gladiator camping, #lightweight truck camper, #$13K Jeep camper, #Jeep Cherokee relaunch 2025, #Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion, #Easter Jeep Safari 2025, #Jeep Badge of Honor app, #women off-road Jeep podcast, #Chic Chat Jeep podcast, #Jeep off-road gear reviews, #best Jeep accessories 2025, #Jeep 4xe towing tips, #off-road trail guides for Jeeps

What do you think April? Should we continue asking rock questions here on the future episodes? I think it’s pretty, I like the questions and how comprehensive she is about answering. So some things that I might not have thought of, and then some great reminders too, especially, you know, talking about the great smoking mountain, cheap invasion. Some people might not even consider going to Dollywood and she even threw that in. So I’d forgotten I’d heard about Dollywood being there. I think that would be a lot of fun.(…) And also too, Dollywood has like two really big Hills that you can drive your Jeep over, right? Yes, I believe they do. So you didn’t get it. At first I did it. Take your ride to the next level, especially when you’re taking the kids. Because whether it’s a pre-game or the post-season, we say bring it to every practice, to every scrimmage, to the muddy cleats and the dirty seats. And if you want to keep your ride clean, your whip and dry and your guests happy, well turn your vehicle into a game changer. Because if you’re ready to bring your A game, you better bring a truck that’s up for the challenge. Real truck, bring your truck to life. Hey, this episode of the Jeep Talk Show is brought to you by windshield defense You know adventure doesn’t wait for a cracked windshield Windshield defense by racing optics is like a screen protector for your phone triple layer race test It installs in just 20 minutes save 20% with code JTS 20 at windshield defense comm the clear choice trying to think of something I can say besides Heidi ho Jeepers. You know, I get that from the Simpsons from a Ned Flanders. Yeah.(…) (Explosion) Tony. This is the Jeep talk show flagship two episode. And, uh, uh, April is back. I started to call you Amber again. I’m sorry about that. Uh, April April’s back. Well, you know, that’s my daughter’s name, right? Is it? Well, the, uh, the, one of the chick chat co-hosts is Amber and I’ve been chatting with her recently cause she’s got a green screen that we’ve been working through. So, uh, and you’re using your green screen for the first time, uh, in this episode, when you said Amber, I thought, Oh, well, maybe he’s talking about, yeah, my daughter’s name is Amber. No, I, I, I’ve not had any conversations with your daughter. I guarantee. All right. Well, on tonight’s episode, the three 92 continues baby.(…) Uh,(…) and they’re adding shit. More ask rock. Uh, is this a good idea? I mean, it was pretty funny last time. So we’ll see. I don’t know. You guys let us know. What do you think about talking to Grock? Is it, I know there’s a lot of anti AI person people out there, but I think it’s fun. And I think it’s amazing about how Grock interfaces, uh, auto audio wise, it’s, it’s, it’s amazing. I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again. It took 25 damn years to get into the 21st century. (…) And we also recognize a new Patreon subscriber and I’ll just apologize now. (…) Actually, actually, let’s do that one. Uh, this is going to be new for you, uh, April. Uh, if I say Amber, just go, just go with it. Okay. Cause I wanted to go with it.(…) I tried to do that again.(…) So funny story within our family though, all the girls are named A’s. So Ashley, Amber, Allie, it doesn’t matter. So yeah, we’re, we’re go with the A. You can call me, call me anything, almost anything starting with an A. How does it go? I mean, I’m sure this is a saying over there too. Call me anything you want. Just make sure you call me for dinner. Exactly.(…) That works. All right. So, uh, this is a, uh, this is a welcome from Grock to our newest Patreon subscriber,(…) Steve Martin, Mike Hubler, Owen. (…) It’s a Patreon. So I clicked on it. That’s pretty cool. It is neat. I don’t, I’m sure it’s not the one that I’ve idolized. Hell yeah. Russell D you filthy bastard. Welcome to the goddamn Jeep talk show, Patreon where we’re slinging mud metal and pure Jeep madness. You just hopped aboard the wildest off road crew this side of the Rubicon and we’re stoked to have your ass in the passenger seat picture this you’re tearing through the trails top off cranking our unhinged rants about traps. You’re now part of the elite Jeep talk shit show will be interesting to see if, uh, if Russell’s unsubscribes (…) if he stays around, he’s like, I’m not quite sure about that. Welcome. And I don’t want to scare scare off anybody that has been thinking about subscribing through Patrion. I think it’s fun. I mean, it’s a customized to personalized a welcome by, uh, by Grock. So, uh, Russell, thank you very much for being the latest Patreon subscriber. And, uh, you guys, if you’re interested in being a Patreon subscriber, you can just go over to Jeep talk show.com slice contact and you will see how you can join also too. And this is brand new April. Um, we have, uh, we have a little scroll at the bot at the end of the show that shows all the names of all the Patrion subscribers so they can see their name and lights. So if you’re listening to this show and you’re a Patrion subscriber, maybe you should watch us on YouTube or, uh, on the, on the, the rumble.(…) Absolutely. Really cool. All right. So, uh, April, I’m almost certain that I that we talked about this two, three, four weeks ago, uh, that the three 92 was not going away. There was no way that they would be that stupid speculation for sure. So, um, and lo and behold, here we are. Looks like we’re going to get our wish. I think this is great because this is very clear that the new people that are running Jeep, uh, have a fucking clue. (Inaudible) (…) Hemi V8 continue, uh, continuation and expansion Jeep is doubling down on its powerful 6.4 liter Hemi V8 engine. Oh, I just love the sound of that. Uh, confirming its continuation in the Wrangler three 92, despite previous final edition claims for 2024 and 2025, the engine will also power the new Jeep Gladiator three 92. (…) I’m here for it. No, I didn’t predict that.(…) I actually asked Jim Morrison back whenever he was working for Jeep, I asked him to actually spill the beans about, you know, are you going to put a three 92 in a Gladiator? And he said he wouldn’t have a job the next day if he answered that question. Oh, yeah. Well, I guess that was sort of answering the question without answering the question. It’s like, uh, I can’t, I like it when people say I can neither confirm nor deny cause it’s, it’s very, uh, sort of confirming. Yeah, but it’s, yeah, they don’t straight out say no. Well, Jim’s not there anymore. So maybe, maybe it got him fired. I don’t know. It might have. He might’ve spilled the beans somewhere or someone at least interpret it that way. So yeah. So, uh, the, uh, the engine will also power the new Jeep Gladiator three 92 fulfilling a long standing fan demand for V8 power mid-sized truck. Um, love to have one. I don’t know if they’re going to be a hundred thousand dollars, like the, the ring of the three 92s have been, but there’s no way in hell that I’ll be able to have a three 92 Gladiator. Nobody can, I don’t think it’s amazing to me. How many people buy those things? Oh, they will. Oh yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I mean like the America’s most wanted Jeeps. Come on. Yeah. There’s going to be, there’s going to be a lot of people wanting that Jeep. So I have a gladiator now. I just need, I need to, I need to trade it. Does this mess you up? Like, oh my God. Messes me up big time. Yeah. And I’m at a point where I want to trade in one of them or I don’t know, I don’t know what to do. I’m at the point where I need to make some decisions. So the Wrangler probably will have a better trade in value because I know the gladiators aren’t selling very well. Yeah. I wonder, I wonder if this is going to make a difference in gladiator sales. Um, you know, cause I think the gladiators are fantastic and they were selling very well when they first came out and then trailed off as time went by. I wonder if this is going to make, make a huge boost to their sales. I don’t know how it wouldn’t make a huge boost. I mean, there was a huge boost just in the Wrangler. So I would imagine people are going to want and especially ones that maybe already have the gladiator that are really running them and off-roading them. They’re, they’re going to want that three 92. Oh, you know what? You just mentioned America’s most wanted. This is going to kind of dig into their business because they are putting a Hemis in gladiators for awhile. I don’t know if you caught it on Instagram, but there was a person, a person on Instagram. I’m not going to mention who it is. Uh, you may, you guys may have seen it if you’ve a, if you’re on Instagram, uh, he had his, uh, America’s most wanted, uh, gladiator stolen. (…) And while he was in LA, it turns out, I know the guy, I didn’t realize it was his, but the thing, uh, the, this is the deal. The people that stole it are using a, uh, I guess a burner Instagram account and they’re sending him, uh,(…) videos and stuff of them burning out with it and driving rough.(…) And they say, if you would be interested in having a reward, giving us a reward, we’re happy to bring your gladiator back to you. (…) So they’re teasing him. (…) That’s so awful. Yep. And I don’t know that I would trust the, uh, I mean, I know America’s most wanted does a wonderful job with their builds, but anybody can dog the hell out of something and ruin it a long term. So I don’t know that I would trust it. Even if I get it back, there’s no way in hell I’d pay a ransom.(…) I wouldn’t trust it. And I know I definitely wouldn’t pay a ransom. I would, I would stick everyone on it on trying to figure out who had it and then sock it to them. Oh, you’ll like this. Uh, it has a low Jack on it.(…) And, uh, as soon as you report it stolen, uh, they turn off your ability to trace where it is because the police don’t want you going after and recovering your own vehicle. (…) But luckily since he’s in California in the Los Angeles area, that’s where the truck was stolen. Uh, the, the cops just haven’t gotten around to going and picking them up.(…) Wow.(…) I know a company that had their Wrangler stolen and I won’t say the company, but it was stolen from a parking garage at the airport.(…) And, um, he called and the cops, he was the one to fund his own Jeep though with, yeah.(…) Yeah. So I guess people are, I mean, I would, I have devices, I have devices in my Jeep. So yeah, I’m going to go look for it. Damn right. And I would be going armed. Uh, if, if it’s in Texas, I don’t know if you know this or not in Texas, if you could, if somebody’s committing a felony, you can stop them with deadly force. Wow. Uh, a few years back, I think it was around the Dallas area. This is probably 20 years ago. Uh, a guy was having his, uh, his vehicle repossessed and he went out there and shot and killed the tow truck driver. Uh, no charges because he didn’t know what that person was doing. It has been a random tow truck, but they, but it was actually a repossession repossessions are scary as hell, especially in Texas.(…) So, um, yeah, but, but anyway, I don’t want anybody, I don’t want anybody to get hurt. They just, uh, I certainly think they should, uh, the police need to get up off their ass and go, uh, collect that thing and arrest the people or at least start the process. Yeah, something at least give you some hope that that’s what’s happening and going on. So yeah. Yeah. Anyway, back to the, uh, the story here for, we went down that rabbit trail. Uh, there is speculation that the 5.7 liter Hemi V8 is going to be returning to the (…) grand Cherokee, potentially in a SRT variant as Stellantis has revived its SRT performance division.(…) I think this is wonderful. (…) That’s going to be sweet. Now, tempting as well. Yeah. I don’t want to go political here, but I’m going to say, uh, uh, elections have consequences and I think this is a direct, uh, correlation to not only, uh, the, the election as far as, uh, the removal of some of the, the, uh,(…) clean air and like EV type stuff, especially that California EV mandate. And also to, uh, the, uh, the tariffs bringing people back to the United States to build things. And I think also to the leadership, uh, uh, Bob Borden, broadened our door probably was his name. Uh, I suspect, uh, it’s like, uh, screw this European stuff. Sorry, Stellantis. Uh, we need to build Jeeps for Americans because that’s our primary customer and our primary customer likes big damn engines. They do.(…) I mean, you can’t deny it. So you’ve got to get back to what, what we know and what we’re used to. So there’s nothing wrong with that. Give the customers what they want. Damn it.(…) All right. Uh, while we were just just talking about Bob Borden, Dora, I like calling him a Bob Jeep bro. Um, because I can’t pronounce that name. Uh, anyway, Jeep, the new Jeep CEO announced that the Wrangler and Gladiator will offer enhanced personalization, include larger tires, uh, tire sizes and uniquely colored components like fender flares, tapping into the lucrative customization market. So, uh, I was, I know you were going to ask questions like colors and stuff, and I didn’t get a chance to tell you, I was going to say, you see that link that’s in the show notes. I was going to tell you to look that up. Look it up. Yeah. You’d have those answers, but I forgot to mention it to you. So (…) I think I have mixed feelings about it coming customized and they want to be able to, you know, that’s why a lot of people buy the Rubicon is because they don’t want to mess with turnkey. Yeah. Yes. Turnkey. But I just, I like the fact that they’re kind of like Legos for each individual individual person. And you know, you change your mind maybe once it comes off the lot, but if you already have it on the lot and buying it that way, then you know, you’re kind of stuck. You know, if you’re ready to go wheeling, ready to go. I mean, could you imagine I’ve always wanted to go to Moab. I’ve always wanted to go to Easter Jeep Safari. Damn it. It’s a month away. Let me go buy my first Jeep and I need one that’ll do everything. So I can see, you know, the people with, with really deep pockets that have something other than that Lent, uh, doing something like that. And you’re out there, it’s lifted. I mean, it may already be lifted. I don’t know if it comes, if you can get a, a lift on it or not, but, uh, the, I know you can buy it. Yeah. So you could get it lifted and the bigger tires and just go out there and look cool. Yes. I’m pretty sure I saw the bigger tire. So I can’t imagine not having a lift with the bigger tires, but you know, the one place that just came to mind that it would be useful for would be rental companies. If they bought it already customized. Um, speaking of like the Myrtle Beach Jeep Jam, we talked about last time they have a mud pit and a young lady went to the rental company, rented a Jeep and drove it through the mud pit. Guess what happened to the engine?(…) The hydrolock. Yep. Oh no.(…) Yes.(…) Yes. It was the first time she’d driven a Jeep.(…) It might’ve been the last time she had driven a Jeep as well, because I can’t imagine what the bill was when she got back. But, um, so maybe the rental companies would be good and having (…) cheaps that are customized like that already on standby for those that want to run it. I always thought a taxi service would be cool with a lifted Jeep. You know, maybe some people couldn’t get in it, but, uh, I’m sure, I’m sure I would lose money on it because of the, the, uh, miles per gallon and stuff. Yeah. I was about to say the only problem would be the gas tank. But that would be a, I mean, I could see people, cause I think everybody at one point in their life is interested in a Jeep and they just, they don’t, don’t get one or, uh, but they, they’d like to be in one, you know, once. And, uh, that would be, that’d be really cool. All right. So this is interesting. I don’t know if you, if you got an invite, uh, don’t feel bad if you didn’t, uh, but, uh, G has created, did you? Yeah. Yes. Jeep has created a Jeep life. Sorry, Terry, you know, Terry, uh, has the Jeep life podcast. (…) Uh, it’s anyway, it’s, it’s called a Jeep life. It is a Instagram broadcast channel. And I had to look up what the hell that was. I mean, I’m on the trails off road, uh, internet, I mean, uh, Instagram broadcast channel. And then I saw that one come from Jeep and I went, Oh, who’s trying to pull the wool over my eyes. That’s not Jeep. They don’t know who I am. I thought the same. I looked like you did. I’m like, Hmm, is this legit? So, and then I looked through JEDCO as well. And they also received one. I went, okay, so this, this must be a new thing. So yeah, pretty exciting. And this goes back to the same thing I was just talking about for the 392 and for the gladiator Jeep is doing things differently. They, they want to be engaged with people on the social media. Uh, so this is wonderful. So this is, this is really cool. I don’t know who all is getting the invites. Uh, I know that a chick check at the invite Jeep talks, you got the chick chat. You got the, uh, the invite. So, uh, that to me means that they’re more likely to be listening to us and what we want, uh, from Jeep.(…) Yes. Yeah.(…) That makes sense. I mean, that’s smart to do. You have to listen to the consumers. Yeah.(…) I mean, who, who, who’d have thought? (…) Yeah, exactly. (…) So you may want to join this broadcast channel so you can get direct updates about Jeep on Instagram. Uh, as we learn more, we’ll share it here. And I don’t know that you can join it. Uh, I think there’s an invite, uh, invite link. And I don’t know that we, we can share that or not, but, uh, we may, we may try doing that. We may put it in the show notes here. I mean, in the, uh, down below in the, the, the, the little description area for this, uh, this episode, and maybe you can join, uh, join that as well. They did put up a post, I think it was yesterday asking for, uh, cause they were mentioning that the new Jeep Cherokee, uh, is coming out and they wanted, they wanted people to, you probably saw this where they wanted people to post Jeep Cherokee pictures.(…) So of course I posted the one that hasn’t been made since 2001, the real Jeep Cherokee. (…) And I like that they’re trying to get people involved like that. That’s a great idea. So, you know, it builds, it further builds their Jeep community. So, um, very smart on their part. It gives the illusion that they care. I think they are. I think actually I think they do. I like to think that they do. I don’t think Cilantro’s cared, you know, with a European, they were doing those stupid American’s. The roads are too small for their big bulky vehicles. Um, so anyway, um, through my blood. So yeah, I gotta love it. So April, or do you think it’s actually Jeep doing it because I’m about 90% sure it’s Jeep that did this? I think it is Jeep. Yeah. I 100% believe that it’s Jeep. I’ll go past your 90%. So maybe I’ll say 99.9%, but I’m pretty sure that it’s Jeep. It looked, it looked legit to me. And I, you know, we, I think we all get a lot of crap. A lot of people that are named things. And yes, we do. I always like it whenever, um, I dunno, uh, not Phil Donahue, he’s dead, but some, some, uh, uh, Sandra Bullock, uh, you know, when Sandra Bullock follows me on, uh, on Tik TOK, and then you look and it’s like Sandra Bullock 392 or (…) 27th. Well, I knew this one. Even a female behind it. Oh, of course. Yeah. An even bigger surprise. And they, they want to know, they say, Hey, how are you doing? And then I’ll take a three random words like frog, uh, Buffalo, uh, River. And they’ll say, I’m fine. Thank you. Exactly.(…) You’re right. And then, you know, like, okay, let’s delete and block. I mean, there’s good AI out there, but they’re not using it. So they’re, they’re using programs. All right. So, uh, the Jeep is expanding its electrified lineup. So they’re not giving up on the EV stuff. And I think that’s a smart move. I think that they should continue doing that because I know EVs are the future. I just don’t like the idea of us being mandated, uh, the future being mandated to us. And there’s a market for it. Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. And we need to be, uh, the consumer needs to be making that decision, not the government, not the automaker. So, uh, the 2026 grand Wagoneer will feature a range extended four by E hybrid power train alongside a refreshed design. I think the grand Wagoneer, the Wagoneer is really nice. I don’t know that they have to do anything. (…) I agree. There’s, yeah, it’s, it’s nice how it is. Um, I think that the, I think it is smart. Uh, and I think you’re going to see the four by E stuff going in a lot of things, including the gladiator. Um, I have to put that behind the three 92 though. You can charge it. Uh, you could charge the batteries with the three 92.(…) But how long would that take?(…) Oh, with the three 92, it depends on the RPM. I mean, if you get it 20,000 RPM, it’s done in 15 seconds. True.(…) So the all electric Wagoneer S launched in a Q three of 2024 and the electric recon is slated for release by the end of this year, a hybrid Cherokee and plug in hybrid gladiator. Oh, it just was just mentioned it as four by E are also in development. And I think they’re going to do well with that. The four by E wranglers have done very well. And we often talk bad about the EV stuff on our round table. And then we got a couple of four by E owners on there and they go, no, it’s nice. I like it.(…) Oh, I was talking to somebody, an EV person the other day, upcoming interview that I did,(…) uh, uh, very knowledgeable about EVs and solar panel and stuff, uh, solar power and stuff. And, uh, he mentioned the four by E and he goes, he goes, how nice is that, uh, off-road wind? I said, yeah, the whole three miles. And he goes, Oh, and he goes, Oh, and then he kind of goes, Oh yeah. Well, I guess I said, well you’re not going very fast. So that charge doesn’t last very long and that bulky beast, but if you don’t, that’s my fear. Yeah. I mean, if you haven’t read and you don’t know, but I mean that’s the, but it’s not just an EV because if it was just an EV, then you’re going to get stuck off road someplace. You are it’s bound to happen. So it’s just a matter of when, and that, that’s the scary part for me. I don’t want to be stranded somewhere. Um,(…) and I’ll mention really quick, uh, the, the gentleman, he’s a YouTuber, somebody I’m a Tesla stockholder. So I’ll watch a lot of Tesla type videos. And he was good enough to come on the show and talk about Teslas and EVs and so on. Yeah.(…) And he is, uh, I asked him about, uh, you know, the range anxiety, cause that’s the problem I have with, uh, with EVs. And I learned some really interesting things. Like for example, I figured that the app would tell you where the EV stations were charging stations. Right. Not so. I mean, it may do that, but you don’t have to do that. It’s taken care of for you in the Tesla.(…) You tell the, tell the Tesla what your destination is and it will take you to a charging station on that route. It also should. Yeah. Yeah. No, absolutely. Yeah. But I didn’t know that happened. I mean, I didn’t know that it, he, he just got back from a 6,000 mile trip round trip where he went and his Tesla and had no issues. It wasn’t worried about it at all. He goes, now, if you go up to the Arctic circle, you may have an issue. Uh, but in the United States, it wasn’t a problem. And that, of course, that takes care of a lot of my fear. And he says, uh, he says that he usually has to stop or one of the, one member of his family needs to stop before the Tesla does to get charged.(…) So, uh, and you never, you never charge it up a hundred percent. You just charge it up enough. So it gets you to the next, next place. It was some leftover. So I was really happy. And that, that interview is going to come up on the 20th, I believe of this month. So I found it really interesting. Uh, we’ve talked a lot about EVs in the past and I think it’s important to the Jeep people because it’s going to happen to Jeeps eventually. Uh, not mandated because it actually is a electric vehicles are actually a very good idea. We just need something that generates enough power so that we can have our big heavy Jeeps,(…) but you know, something that’ll take you a thousand miles without having to worry about it. Exactly. Yeah.(…) Yeah. And if you get stuck out on a trail, you know, yeah, maybe a decommissioned nuclear reactor from a carrier. Uh, (…) that would work every, every 20 years, you got to refill it. 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In this RealSource feature, we’re discussing the best truck caps, including the best fiberglass and aluminum truck caps. You can read more about this over at realtruck.com slash blogs. Just go to realtruck.com slash blog and search for best truck caps. Hey Jeepers, Todie here from the Jeep Talk Show. You didn’t choose a Jeep for gas mileage, you chose it for freedom. The freedom to explore, to escape, and to go where the others can’t. But nothing kills that freedom faster than a cracked windshield keeping you off the trail. Windshield Defense by Racing Optics is your insurance policy for adventure. Triple layer protection that’s been battle tested and on racetracks and proven on back roads. It fits your Jeep, Bronco, Enneos, G-Wagon. Basically it’s any rig that refuses to stay on the pavement. Here’s the beauty, when your windshield takes a beating, you just peel off the outer layer and boom, you’re back to seeing the world clearly. No shop visits, no downtime, no excuses. Freedom isn’t free, but protecting it just got cheaper. Use code JTS20 at windshielddefense.com for 20% off and free shipping. That’s windshielddefense.com because your adventure shouldn’t end with a rock chip. Windshield Defense, the clear choice. All right. So let’s, uh, this was, uh, I think we mentioned this in the intro. Let’s, let’s ask rock a question. So April, I, uh, I told you that, uh, we were going to ask rock a question and to come up with some stuff. I think you have something ready, don’t you? Grock, the great Smoky Mountain Jeep invasion is next week. What advice do you have for us about that particular event? The events August 21st to 23rd at Le Conte Center in Pigeon Forge, book lodging early, hotels and campsites fill up fast. So check outrageous cabins or Pigeon Forge KOA. Admission is 20 bucks per adult, 10 for kids 6 to 12 and free for 5 and under. Buy tickets at the door to avoid scams. Expect traffic on the parkway. So plan extra travel time, bring comfy shoes for walking the massive indoor and outdoor vendor areas and pack water and snacks as food options might be limited. If you’re entering the show and shine, register early on the official website for a shot at awards. (…) For trail rides, sign up for guided ones at places like Windrock Park and make sure your Jeep’s trail ready. After parties at Hard Rock Cafe or Skyland Ranch are great for connecting with other Jeep fans.(…) Explore nearby trails or Dollywood for downtime.(…) Oh, and parking can be tight, so a cabin with a private driveway might save you some hassle. Anything else you need for the trip? That’s really, really comprehensive. That really run is. That was great advice. I think that a lot of that makes just makes common sense. But if you’ve never been, yeah, so that parkway thing that now I haven’t ever been that that parkway that she was talking about. That gets really busy, doesn’t it? That’s like Friday night, Saturday night when you go cruise, go cruising and you’re you’re seen by people. Yes, it’s so crowded. I mean, just to go a couple of miles could take you an hour. So which is OK because the whole point is to see and be seen. (…) They have basically a parade, as they like to call it, because it takes so long. But people will be passing ducks, throwing ducks into vehicles back and forth to be. I mean, literally jeepers will be lined on the streets in their chairs with their children, throwing ducks, watching all the Jeeps go by. So I mean, it’s really cool. There are a lot of different things that you can do, you know, at all hours, I would say, for the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep invasion. But my other question would be what is the best selling modification for the Jeep Gladiator? The best selling modification for the Jeep Gladiator is the Nitto Ridge Grappler tires. They’re known for their aggressive tread and sidewall design, great on and off road performance and a 500 treadwear rating, making them a top choice for Gladiator owners looking to boost both style and capability. Want tips on where to get them or how they fit with your Jeep invasion plans? I think we’re good. I think we can find those online. Grog, I appreciate it. So do you do you take issue with the Nitto? No problem. Trail Grappler? So about those Nitto Ridge Grapplers. No, (…) no, but I do personally have Mickey Thompson Baja Bosses, which I love. So I’m a Mickey Thompson girl. But yeah, that’s interesting. I would be curious to know her deciding factor in that being the best modification for the Gladiator. is that the best modification for the Gladiator?(…) Grog, why are those tires the best modification? The Nitto Ridge Grappler tires are considered the best for the Jeep Gladiator because they strike an ideal balance between off road grip and on road comfort. Their hybrid terrain design delivers aggressive traction for mud, rocks and clay, which is perfect for trail rides like those near the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep invasion.(…) The tires have a durable two ply polyester casing for stability under heavy loads and stone ejectors prevent debris from sticking, which keeps them performing well off road on the pavement. They’re quieter than most mud terrain tires. So as you can tell, she kind of keeps the theme because we asked about the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep invasion. So she makes those those decisions based on what we talked to her about before. So yeah, I mean, it’s great information. In fact, I don’t know. I don’t know if you’re aware of it or not, but I’ve been doing upgrades to the computer system here at Studio A so that I can get through those the video editing a little faster. Of course, the videos are getting a little more complex, so they need a little more horsepower. And I actually use Grog to pick out the best things that I needed to do in memory and a replacement processor. (…) That’s cool. And I mean, I did IT for many, many years. And I think it’s been a couple of years since I was actually in an IT job. I mean, Google was good to help things done. But my God, Grog will take you step by step in what you need to do. I don’t I don’t talk to it. I just had it, you know, send a text message and it sends me the message back. It’s good, especially when it’s detailed instructions. But it is amazing. Any half ass idiot can do IT now. (…) That’s pretty good.(…) Chat GPT is similar. And that’s kind of what I use, but I haven’t experienced Grog for myself except for through the Jeep talk show. So good to know. that was Ask Grog. What do you think, April? Should we continue asking Grog questions here on the future episodes? I think it’s pretty neat. Yeah, I like the questions and how comprehensive she is about answering. So some things that I might not have thought of and then some great reminders, too, especially, you know, talking about the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep invasion. Some people might not even consider going to Dollywood and she even threw that in. (…) I’d forgotten I heard about Dollywood being there. I think that would be a lot of fun.(…) And also, too, Dollywood has like two really big hills that you can drive your Jeep over, right? Yes, I believe they do. So I do get it. At first I did it, but now I do get it. You’re perfect.(…) This is what Josh used to do.(…) I would tell Josh stuff and he would go over his head and then he’d be talking and go, oh, wait a minute. (…) I think it’d be a lot of fun going to Dollywood. I mean, what a great entertainer. Just amazing.(…) Yes.(…) All right. So new and refreshed models. Jeep is preparing five new or refreshed models for 2025, including a refreshed compass available with internal combustion and electric powertrains. That is substantial because I think before it was just going to be an EV. But again, going back to what the customer wants, they’re going to give you options. They’re going to give you choices.(…) And I wouldn’t have a compass myself, but I’ve talked to people that have them. They say it’s not a Jeep, but it’s a great commuter vehicle. It’s very well. It does that job very well. And if you want a Jeep, a commuter Jeep, that’s probably the way to go. It does sound like the way to go. So yeah,(…) definitely something to look at. So a next generation Cherokee built on a large platform with hybrid option and a refreshed grand Cherokee. These moves aim to fill gaps in the lineup after sales decline due to discontinued models like previous Cherokee. So I was kind of happy when the Cherokee went away. I wasn’t happy for the workers. I think it was the Belvedere plant where they were building the Cherokee there in the Toledo area. And I wasn’t happy about those people being out of work, but the Cherokee needs to die a death. I do not like the new Cherokee because it insults my ex-J. It is not an homage to the Cherokee that I own. And damn it, it should be. (…) Have you ever had a Cherokee? I can’t remember a few. I have had a grand Cherokee. So and I really like the grand Cherokee. I would own another. I would own another grand Cherokee. So yeah, fun vehicle as well. I think the the not Trailhawk, the what is the one, the one that’s fast on the street. (…) It may be the SRT, but anyway, the go fast grand Cherokees were really, really cool. Trackhawk. There we go. The Trackhawk. Oh, OK. Really neat. And I think personally, I think it’s pretty funny when you outrun somebody with their turbocharged Honda and a brick. (…) No.(…) Don’t be like me. Don’t don’t race on the streets, folks. Only on the only on the track. All right. So facing sales drop from nearly one million units in 2019 to just over half that in 2024 Jeep under broadened our leadership almost got it right. Is focusing on affordability and market competitiveness price cuts. Ding, ding, ding. And added features have been implemented such as a twenty five hundred other additional content for the gladiator with minimal price increases. So twenty five hundred dollars and additional content. OK, not not a twenty five hundred dollar price cut, but minimal price increase. So it still goes up a little bit, but you’re getting more for your bang, more bang for your buck.(…) The wagoner S is always a good thing. Yeah. The wagoner S is being offered with significant lease discounts up to twelve thousand five hundred dollars off MSRP. Good God. The first vehicle I ever bought was an eighty three Chevrolet pickup. It was brand new and it was like a little over ten thousand dollars.(…) This is this is off more than what I paid for my first vehicle.(…) First new vehicle.(…) Wow.(…) That’s crazy. So anyway, it should make it competitive with the Grand Cherokee and EVs like the Tesla Model Y. (…) Have you ever considered a Tesla? Have you ever thought about getting a Tesla, especially with the full self driving? (…) Well, honestly, I haven’t. My one of my uncles has a Tesla and I like the Tesla. It’s super nice. He got one of the first ones that came out, you know, it’s sleek. It looks nice. But I just I don’t know. I’m a Jeep girl. So I can’t even imagine driving something other. Yeah, I do, too. So the Tesla’s I mean, it looks great for him and he loves it. But it’s just not for me necessarily. Although I will say he also has had a Jeep. So he’s had both and he likes both. So, you know, I guess you can have two flavors of ice cream. Yeah. I mean, if you got enough money, the oh Neapolitan. That way you can complain about while the chocolate’s gone and there’s lots of vanilla and the strawberry and chocolate are gone. (…) So but you know, I say ice cream because, yeah, I was eating ice cream before. So I’m a food. What ice cream were you having? I want to I want to say I’m hoping it’s strawberry. Oh, my God. With the strawberry pieces in it, not the pink. (…) The ice cream that I eat is like the best ice cream in the world. I will just say that Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey. Oh, that’s not. If you like bananas,(…) chocolate,(…) walnuts. Okay. This is the best absolute best ice cream ever. You’re going to get another bowl when we get done. Yes,(…) I am. I absolutely I can see you’re going. Yeah.(…) Just my daughters will go out and I’ll say, did you go out to eat? And I’m not checking on them. I just want to know where they went. I’m not. And I’m not trying to tell them they should have brought me food back. Right. I just want to know what they ate and you know where they went. They should. Yeah. And it’s kind of cool. And this may happen with you with your daughter as they get older. They’re definitely different people than what you are. And so they have different tastes and things that they do. I never will do sushi. And I don’t like I think it’s called FAH. And I’m not going to do that. They’ll eat that stuff. My wife will eat that stuff. They’ll get it for her. But I’ve tried different things. You know, it’s always difficult trying new foods because what if it’s not to your liking, you know. So it’s fun. It’s fun hearing where they went. And sometimes they have leftovers. Actually, they have leftovers a lot more often than I do. I’m lying. I never have leftovers. I eat everything. (…) So that’s that’s that’s funny you said that about sushi because me and a couple of jeepers went for two jeepers birthdays to have sushi, but I’m not a sushi girl.(…) So, you know, I had to find some other things to eat there. But my daughter loves sushi and she would have been all over that. So, yeah. (…) I’m fine. I would just ask him to run at the microwave for a few minutes. Right.(…) I don’t want anything to roll. No, no.(…) All right. So Jeep Jeep aims to balance its rugged off road heritage with modern electrified options targeting both traditional enthusiast and new buyers. Brodendorf, oh, I’m getting better, emphasize finding the sweet spot in each market segment to rebuild Jeeps dominance. I can’t even say that word, which has been challenged by high prices and limited model availability post the 2020 2021 Stellantis merger. Yeah. I mean, I guess that’s really when things went bad, wasn’t it? Right after that merger. I think we all get nervous every time somebody buys Jeep. (…) We do. Yeah, we do. So you got to kind of wade in gently and softly and not full force. But, you know, I guess that’s not always the best thing to do to keep something going.(…) So in Jeeps, you know, Jeeps are good brands. So it’s got to keep going. So I suspect it was a good thing that things got bad with Jeep at Stellantis because now they’re saying, oh, just fix it. You know, cheaper prices, more models, V8s and everything. You know, let’s put a V8 on a skateboard. Right. People will buy it. And if they had not have had those losses and had those issues, then Bob probably wouldn’t be able to come in and say, we need to do this and this and this and this. I’m sure they they still tell him, no, you can’t do that. You know, that type of thing. But, but, but, but I imagine he’s got a lot more latitude because of the situation with this going on with Jeep. I think they’re going to pull it out. I think they’re going to be okay. (…) I think they will too. I mean,(…) Jeep’s a brand that’s been around for a long time. So it’s not going anywhere. Isn’t 80 years? They might’ve had a little bit of a downfall. Isn’t 80 years that’s coming out? 80th or 85th? One of the stars. A Jeep podcaster should know what that is. I’m talking about me.(…) Right. All right. So the developments reflect Jeep’s aggressive push to revitalize the brand with a mix of high performance V8 models, electrified vehicles and strategic pricing cheaper adjustments to recapture market share. (…) I don’t, I don’t know for sure, but did you know, cause I don’t really follow the Bronco stuff. Did you know that the Bronco, what is the Raptor Bronco? I figured it had a V8 in it. It doesn’t. It’s a V6.(…) I mean, I know it’s producing a lot of power, but they don’t even have a V8 in that Bronco. I would much rather have a V8 in my Jeep than a V6 in a Bronco. Of course, I don’t get it. If it was a late sixties, maybe early seventies Bronco, or even the mid seventies Broncos were pretty cool. The OJ special. I just wouldn’t have it in white. Right. Exactly. I mean, I like the way they look, but yeah. Oh, and they could, you could take the top off of those things. It’s like the blazer. I remember when I was running around on Friday and Saturday night, you’d see those, those four wheel drives driving around and sometimes they had the tops off. It was, it was cool. You know? And the Jeeps could do it of course, but seeing a full size truck without the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the back of the, of the, of the, the, the, of the, the, of the, of the, of the, of the, the, of the, the top one was neat. That, that must’ve been a nightmare. Taking that thing off. Cause you know, it was heavy, a lot heavier than what one’s on a Jeep. Oh, I’m sure. Yeah. (…) Hopefully they had a pulley system. (…) Yeah. Or a bunch of drunk friends.(…) All right. So now we’ve been forgetting him. We’ve been forgetting him, but we’re not going to forget him tonight. Uh, now let’s, uh, let’s do a little Nikki g. Hey, this is Nicky G and I just caught the roundtable where you guys gave pointers on how to tow your jeeps and I just want to point out that you missed the perfect opportunity to call the segment tiptoes (…) Yeah, but that’s not why I’m calling Calling to tell you that I went to school to learn how to make a banana split. Yeah Sunday school I (…) Like to say it’s gonna get better, but you know this year’s half over so it’s it is what it is Alright boys and girls. I’ll chat you later. You have a good one. Bye This episode of Jeep Talk Show is brought to you by G-tops. Now you can get 25% off. In the beginning, the idea of G-tops was simply to let the light into your Jeep. Many Jeepers take their tops off. Freedom tops make this easy and easy to store.(…) What if you could let the light in every time you drive your Jeep? Rain, snow, sunny, it doesn’t matter. That’s G-tops. Letting you enjoy the outside simply and easily. Use the code 25OFF at checkout. G-tops that were over $1,200 are now less than $1,000. Your price may vary. Contact gtops.com at 414-350-6006 right now. All right, April. So you are going to the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep invasion. So that means you’re not going to be available here. And I guess that’s next week that you won’t be joining us on the show. (…) That is next week.(…) Correct, yes. So I’ll be at the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep invasion. Keeping everyone posted with all the happenings there. So it’s gonna be an exciting week.(…) By the way,(…) Midland reached out and was interested in having us be integrated with them somehow, some way. It was one of their, it was a marketing firm or somebody that contacted the Jeep Talk Show.(…) And they were wanting to know if we were having anybody out there. And I said, well, you may know April because she already works with Midland. (…) And she’s not gonna be out there for the Jeep Talk Show, but she’s gonna be helping to promote the show while she’s there.(…) So she’s gonna be there. Natalie at High Lift Off Road is gonna be there. And it looks like Chris for the Jeep Talk Show will be going there. And I recommended that they, maybe we get something set up with them for an interview (…) that Chris can go over there and talk to them. So you might be able to get in on that. Also too, one of our advertisers, really great advertiser, Windshield Defense is gonna be there. And they were asking me the same question. Are we gonna have anybody there? Because they’d like to interact with some of the Jeep Talk Show people. Actually, they were saying me, but I don’t go. My God, that was a hell of a ride and very expensive. I don’t know how you afford it. But maybe you got some backers that are helping you. I’m not asking. I’m just saying.(…) So how long, was it the 20th? The Rock, that’s told it, 21st to the 23rd? Is it four days or is it a week? I thought it was a week. (…) It’s well, a lot of Jeepers get there a little bit early so they can, you know, enjoy Dollywood or some of the other activities there. (…) But the show itself is three days. It’s Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I believe that’s correct. (…) So yeah, and you have some outdoor space and indoor space. So it’s been raining like crazy around these parts, but hopefully it’s gonna be nice and clear. So definitely cooler if there’s rain. So it might be flying or driving. (…) Oh, no, I’m driving and the Jeep will be in the show. So yes, it’ll be it will be at the Midland booth. So my Jeep will be there.(…) And I’m generally at the booth 24 seven, unless I’m just a walk in and doing something else for, you know, Midland or, you know, another company. But yeah, are you going to be able to get off road? Was it windrock? That’s a nearby. (…) Usually people do that either after the show, maybe some before, but I probably won’t make when rock what I am doing this weekend as you are on the way to Great Smoky Mountain.(…) So don’t break the rig. Adventure series.(…) Right. (…) I cannot break the rig. And matter of fact, I just replaced the coolant reservoir literally yesterday because I willed at you are either week before. Yep. And so I literally fixed that last night so I can will on Sunday. But yeah, so we’re going to will in you are a national forest on Sunday. And then the group is going to head straight to Great Smoky Mountain Jeep invasion. So yeah, I guess some wheeling in right before the event. Yeah, I saw the picture with you and the coolant reservoir, but what happened to it? I didn’t I didn’t see what exactly what happened to this get old and crack or. Yeah, I believe so. I mean, my Jeep has 100,000 miles on it. So it’s lasted a long time. And that’s really the first part. Yeah, that’s the first part I had to replace. And it happened on the way home from Great Smoky Mountain. The Jeep started smoking and I’m like, oh, great. What did I do? (…) So when I got home,(…) realized where it was coming from, pulled it out and it had a crack in it. So just hopped on, ordered a part and then swapped it out. So we’re good to go. Well, you need that because the radiator could actually get really low if it couldn’t suck that coolant back in when it cools off. So and I would imagine it was a pretty simple, simple change. And the part probably wasn’t very expensive either.(…) No, the part, I mean, it was like 250. Oh, my goodness. It was a lot more than you would have. Yeah, it was a bit more than I would have anticipated. So and I imagine if I took it to a shop, it probably would have been double that. So they would have totally totaled the Jeep if you take it into a shop. Oh,(…) probably. So what did you get? Why did you get this thing? Was it a factory part? Did you go OEM for the for the? Yeah, yeah. And just switch it out. And yeah, that’s why you go. Yeah, I see it. Steership is I mean, it’s not a bad way to go. I mean, we always maintain that if you’re going to change sensors on your Jeep, you definitely want to go OEM, not none of the Chinese stuff or the aftermarket stuff because you’ll pay for it several times. Might as well. Right. And I want something that’s going to last. And, you know, it’s a guarantee. So I don’t want to be on a trail and, you know, something goes bad again. (…) So just a suggestion. You do your social media the way you want to. But I would I would think that it’d be really cool if you got out there with like something completely wrong tool. You know how you see some of those pictures where they have the really pretty. People would have a heyday. That’s the point. They would you get a lot of interaction and stuff, you know, where the woman standing there and she’s got the the Crescent Ranch on something that doesn’t take a Crescent Ranch. Right. She’s just there to look pretty. I would get ripped apart on social media. Yes, I know. Completely apart. Just think about it. They already want to rip you apart with the right tools. Yeah.(…) Just an idea. But, yeah, anyway, I just think it’s funny when when you see that because people always point it out. I like it.(…) People don’t get it. (…) You’re my friend, you’re my new friend. (Music)