Episode 537 – Things Get a Little Random
This Week In Jeep
Jeeps Rock, Rocks Shouldn’t Jeep
Jeeps and rocks go together like peanut butter and salami on a double-decker club sandwich. Hey don’t judge, try it sometime. Although it’s a match made in heaven, rocks and Jeeps sometimes should stay far apart. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating after a large rock crashed through the windshield of a Jeep Wrangler on I-75 in Collier County on Tuesday morning. According to FHP, the rock fell from the bed of a pickup truck that was traveling south on the right lane of the interstate, near mile marker 111. The Jeep was traveling in the center lane behind the pickup. The rock allegedly fell off the back of the truck, bounced on the road, then went airborne, and pierced the window of the Jeep. The rock hit the right shoulder area of the passenger riding in that Jeep giving them minor injuries. Troopers reminded drivers in a Tweet to make sure any load being transported is secured. The pickup is described as white but the model is unknown, anyone with information on the truck is asked to call The Florida Highway Patrol.
2022 Renegade Gets a Refresh
For you Renegade fans out there, the 2022 subcompact Jeep is getting a bit of polish.
As with other Stellantis brands, the Renegade in the Jeep lineup will be getting a reconfiguration of sorts. Let’s call it more of a re-offering, as only the Sport, Latitude, Limited and Trailhawk trims will make it into the 2022 model year. That’s half the number of trims on the Renegade configurator at the tail end of the 4th quarter in 2021. So far on the chopping block is the Freedom, Jeepster, 80th Anniversary, and Islander to name a few. I still don’t get why they used the iconic Jeepster name for something that couldn’t be further away from a Commando, but I digress. Also, there’s some drivetrain switcheroo happening for the new year. Only the Sport will be available in front-wheel-drive next year, the other three are four-wheel-drive only. That means in 2022 the Sport gains a front-wheel-drive trim and the Latitude loses its current front-wheel-drive trim.
The Sport and Latitude will get the automaker’s 8.4-inch touchscreen and navigation standard, not even an option for the 2021 model. The Limited gets a tweaked design next year, too, including a new grille, new fog lamps, and mirror caps, a revised rear valance, and standard 18-inch wheels instead of the current 17-inchers. Yes, I said 18″ wheels on a subcompact, four-wheel-drive vehicle. Don’t shoot the messenger. The smallest model in the brand’s lineup gets a new Altitude trim that darkens the Renegade’s attitude with gloss black grille rings, badges, daytime running light and turn signal bezels, gloss backside mirrors with integrated turn signals, and rear valence.
It too will be equipped with larger than it should probably have 18-inch wheels in (you guessed it, gloss black!) to finish the exterior makeover. Inside, deluxe cloth or leather-trimmed seats with Ski Grey accent stitching pair with more gloss black accents and a black headliner. With all these blacked-out parts I think instead of Altitude, they should call it Emo or Goth. Finally, the exterior color palette shrinks from 11 colors to seven. Alpine White, Bikini Black, Colorado Red, Graphite Grey, Slate Blue, and Sting-Gray all remain. Granite Crystal Metallic, Jetset Blue, Omaha Orange, and Glacier get their pink slips and retire. With all the craziness the used and new car markets have seen as a whole this year with the microchip shortage, prices on the 2022 Renegades are completely up in the air, but rumors circulating seem to point to the magic number of $1500. Whether that’s a swing up or down and on which trim is unknown at this point. The 2022 Renegades should be hitting dealers between now and Feb of 2022.
Guy Steals Jeep Right In Front Of Owner
Kevin Altamirano, 29, faces multiple charges after a series of bad decisions.
According to the statement of facts, Altamirano, who was just released not a month prior for stealing a truck and crashing it in the getaway, broke into a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee this time, that was parked at a UPS lot in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The owner of the Jeep, Christopher Rivera, and his co-worker were exiting a building at this address and noticed that the lights of the Jeep were on and that the hood, driver’s door, and gas cap were all open. Rivera pulled the hood down and saw a man, later identified as Kevin Altamirano, just chillin’ in the driver’s seat. Whether the engine was running or not, we don’t know, but Altamirano was able to take off. Rivera and his co-worker jumped into another vehicle and proceeded to follow him. Calling 911, and reporting locations as they followed, local Police were able to quickly catch up and stop the thief.
Police detained Altamirano without further incident just a couple of miles away. So for those who don’t know, anytime the police detain you for any reason they are likely gonna give you a little pat-down. They of course searched Kevin the Jeep thief and found that he had a pocket knife that belonged to the Jeep owner, Rivera. That was an undisclosed concealed weapon, not to mention possession of the stolen property, and he is likely going to face charges for that too. Altamirano was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center on Nov. 10 for charges including, auto burglary, larceny, unlawful possession of a firearm, and more.
Newbie Nuggets with Wendy
This time of year it’s easy to get busy with all our obligations of the upcoming holiday season and we forget to stop and give thanks. I wanted to share some things that I am thankful for.
I am very thankful for the JTS team (Tony, Josh, and Tammy) have been so welcoming and I have really enjoyed being on the show and helping Newbies navigate the Jeeping world. I am also thankful to my husband Bill and friend Don Alexander for all the knowledge they have imparted and guidance in all things Jeep-related.
Of course, I’m thankful for our JTS listeners. Without you there wouldn’t be a show, sure Tony and Josh, and I would still produce episodes, but you make it fun and exciting to show up every week and create content that is helpful and entertaining. Getting to meet and wheel with listeners is an extra bonus. I can’t wait for 2022 to meet more of you.
I’m thankful for this jeep community. We are a strong group of jeep owners that share a bond, whether we know each other or not. We wave as we pass on the highway, we help fellow Jeepers on the trail and we make friends when we least expect it.
Jeeping has opened so many doors for me I had no idea were possible. The places we have gone, the trails we’ve blazed, and the number of people we’ve met and remain in contact with are almost mind-boggling when I think about it. I will be forever grateful to this amazing community we call Jeeps.
I am hoping that this holiday season gets you out on the trails, maybe introduces others to this community, and that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. Call in and leave a message of what you are grateful for – it’s easy, head over to jeeptalkshow.com and let us know.
And if you happen to need a distraction this holiday season, maybe too much family or activities, you can always check out the website for past episodes and catch up on listening. You will also find the largest library of jeep terminology. YEP! Check it out, Jeeptalkshow.com
Jeep Talk Show Gladiator Update
I don’t leave the house very often and when I do it’s fun to drive the Gladiator. Earlier this week I was pulling out of the driveway and an alert popped up on the dash.
What the hell is a horseshoe symbol on my dash! Looking to the right in the center display I see the Tire Pressure Monitoring System is showing all the tire pressures, and one is in reading. 28 psi.
I aired up the tire to 35 and left to go do what I was originally going to do 10 minutes earlier! I kept checking the psi of the tires, and there was no change to the tire that was a low, rear passenger.
Circumstances, primarily because I had a leaky tire, had me going into the office every day this week! I checked before leaving the Glad in the parking garage, then when I came back to go home. PSI was holding. I checked for something in the tire over the last several days and finally found it. Looks like a nice nail approximately in the middle of the tire, between the lugs.
I have scheduled an appointment at Discount Tire tomorrow where they will repair my tire, for free, even though I didn’t get the tires from them! We recently spoke about air compressors mounted in/on Jeeps in a Round Table discussion, so this leak is going to speed up the process of me getting my Viair 450c compressor installed. Mounting bracket on order!
Must-Have Stuff Pick-of-the-Week for your Jeep!
Bestop Jeep Seat Covers – ‘03-’06 Wrangler TJ -$179/pair
Regardless of which Jeep model you own, if you take your rig off-road, you could probably benefit from a good set of seat covers. If you’re covering a set of worn and torn seats or want to protect your new seats as soon as you drive from the dealer, there is an endless sea of options for you to choose from. So I’m here to help you sort it all out. Now, I’m always going to choose function over form, I don’t care as much as what it looks like or how it feels. I want something that is going to fit, but more importantly is durable and holds up to the abuse most of us are capable of dishing out to a seat. And of course, it needs to be at least water repellant if not waterproof. So I looked for something that checked all the boxes, and frankly, 90% of the seat covers you’ll find, don’t cut the mustard. Take neoprene for example. I would say 75% or more of the seat covers you’ll find in a search are going to be made of this same material diving suits are made of. This is a softer material that could be more susceptible to snags or maybe tearing from things like the edge of a Kydex holster, a key chain, or the clip of your EDC knife. Neoprene does have a softer, more comfortable feel than polyester or other fabrics like Cordura. And its somewhat stretchy nature means it’s going to have a super tight fit to the 
seats in your Jeep and provide a very clean, almost OEM look. Which is all fine and dandy if your butt resonates with the princess and the pea story. But I’d rather have durability, and I bet you do too. Who cares how soft and nice it is, when you have to replace it every couple of years from wear, tear, and possible UV fade. Enter Bestop. Yes, the same company that has been making tops for Jeeps for a million years. Obviously, this is a company that knows Jeeps and doesn’t also make seat covers for 1999 Toyota Corollas. These are some of the best Jeep seat covers in the industry, bar none. The latest models have a two-ply polyester fabric construction that includes a laminated top surface and knit backing for serious durability. Protection from the elements is what Bestop does best, and that mission statement was key when they developed these seat covers. Their latest editions even have a coating on both polyester layers to ensure that any water is 100% repelled. Headrest covers are included in this complete package. Installation is easy with a strap and buckle system – no tools are required!
What’s better than all that? Bestop makes Jeep Wrangler seat covers for every model year from the 1965 CJ5 to the current Wrangler JL. The link we have in the show notes for this episode however is for all you 2003 or newer TJ owners.
Camp Fireside Chat
Most Jeeps have a radio, right? At least some sort of a stereo or head unit that is the source of the audio played in a Jeep. We’re trying to find out what is the most common BRAND stereo found in Jeeps?
It’s ok if it is still the stock stereo, that counts too… but just for this.
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Links Mentioned in this Episode
NEXEN Tires USA https://www.nexentireusa.com/
Trails 411- POWERING Your Adventure https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver
The 4×4 Radio Network http://4x4radionetwork.com/
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