Episode 495 – Let’s Hear YOUR Jeep Story!
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This Week In Jeep
But What Does It All MEAN?!?!?
Jeep is once again teasing a future model, and they are doing it in one of the most cryptic ways in the automakers history.
This week, Jeep actual tweeted out a series of four photos, with one single sentence to give it all context. “Capability is a numbers game.” What do you suppose Jeep means by that? It’s off road capability for sure. What else are Jeeps known for being so capable of? The photos are what the Jeep world is buzzing about right now. Simple in nature, and nature is what seems to be the forefront of these pics, or should I say the background. Going shot by shot, there’s the number 12.9 over reddish clay rocks stretching into the distance. Not too dissimilar to what one might find in Moab. But there’s a winding road off in the distance. (What does it mean) A picture of light blue water is seen in another pic. This image has the number 33.6 midway through it. But the number is faded, almost disappearing, and the number 6 is distorted as if it was being seen through the distortion of said water. (What does THAT mean) Another rocky picture shows 100:1. In ratio format. It is gigantic in size, when compared to the scale of the other pics. And the number sits quite a bit BEHIND the scenery in this one, wherein all the others, the numbers are on top or only slightly behind the landscape.
(when you gonna tell us what this means) Finally, 47.4 is shown on a mountain side, with tall grassy peaks in the background. You can see a foot trail with tiny people on it both below and up at the summit giving you the impression the picture was taken from very far away. In this image the numbers are tilted, going down the hillside in the foreground. The numbers here too are just slightly behind what you see in the foreground. (god dammit what does it all mean) So here’s what I think this all means. (oh thank god) The easiest one to interpret is the image with 100:1. Clearly this is a ratio number and when we’re talking Jeeps and ratios, we’re talking about rock crawling.
For reference, the existing Wrangler Rubicon has an 84:1 crawl ratio with the Rock-Trac four-wheel-drive system and manual gearbox. So it’s not a stretch of the imagination to think that Jeep is taking things a step further and getting into those ultra deep crawl ratios for better rock crawling. The image with water and 33.6 may be a reference to the fording depth. Not much else would make sense with the sloshing blue fluid, other than maybe the fuel economy, hinting that maybe we’re going to see a Jeep offroader with 30 plus MPG. This would fall in-line with Jeep’s proclamation of electrifying the whole line up. A hybrid Wrangler could theoretically get 30 plus miles to the gallon.
Some of you may have seen an earlier teaser showing that same 47.4, but it was put on the rear bumper of a Jeep Wrangler.
In combination with seeing it angled downwards here, the company could be hinting at the departure angle of this new model. That may make sense with the first teaser of the number being on the rear bumper of a Jeep. Now I could also be completely bat-shit crazy (ya don’t say) ….An earlier teaser had an arrow pointing at the rear of a drawing of a Wrangler with the number 40.4 below it. For reference, a Wrangler Rubicon has a departure angle of 37.0 degrees, so either figure would be a big improvement in departure angle and still be in line with the off-roading theme we’re applying here. The image with 12.9 I think is the most enigmatic. It’s certainly the most open to interpretation. I personally think it’s the overall ground clearance for this new vehicle, but the presence of the roadway in the same pic throws me off of that conclusion slightly. For now though, that’s my best guess, and here’s why. The existing Wrangler Rubicon has a clearance of almost 11 inches, so this would be quite an upgrade if my interpretations are accurate. Jeep isn’t yet saying when this mystery machine will debut, so there’s a possibility of seeing a whole lot more unexplained numbers before the official premiere. I just so happen to like this little numbers game, and think it’s kind of a fun way to get the Jeep world engaged in what it is that Jeep is about to do or release upon us. So what do you guys think of all this?
Jeep Declared America’s Most Patriotic Brand
After confirmation that the Ford Bronco was in production, people started saying that it was destined to be the Jeep killer. meh. …and furthermore, I say pfff.
And while the newer Bronco is selling pretty well, Jeep still appears to have the advantage in the minds of most consumers. The company has emerged as the most patriotic brand in North America for the 19th consecutive year according to an annual survey conducted by Brand Keys. This emotional connection is important for the success of any brand, regardless of whether its products are the best or not.
Jeep topped the list of most patriotic brands and was followed by Walmart and Disney.
Ford came in a dismal fourth and tied with Amazon in the list of 1,172 surveyed brands.
After that, there’s a big gap for automotive brands with Tesla coming in at 30th.
Tech giants Apple and Twitter tied for 12th and Harley Davidson sits at 14th. The number of consumers surveyed totaled 5,804 and they ranged in age from 16 to 65 years. These consumers were balanced based on their political affiliation and gender, and they represented people from nine US Census Regions. Jeep’s achievement of nearly two decades as the most patriotic brand in America is perhaps not surprising, especially to those of us who have been fans for most of our lives. The company manufactures vehicles right here in the US, creating thousands of jobs in facilities like the Detroit Assembly Complex. Jeep also often reveals special editions of its vehicles that foster a sense of national unity, such as the Freedom Editions of vehicles like the Renegade and Wrangler that honor the military. It is said that brands that engage customers on an emotional and patriotic level will (by the numbers) sell three to six times the units that a competitor with different branding would.
At Least It Looks Nice
As we have been reporting on for months now, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer will be returning to showroom floors this summer. We have heard of the specs, the cost, and of course the features. We know towing capability, and even the drivetrain options that are to become available for the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models. What is new is some information that came out this week about the full size Jeeps fuel economy, and I think the term economy can be left out. The EPA is estimating that the Grand Wagoneer will come in at a combined 15 mpg. The cheaper and less luxurious Wagoneer, unfortunately still has it’s numbers under wraps, but I think it’s safe to say they will be north of what the grand Waggy is capable of. The Grand Wagoneer’s EPA estimated fuel economy makes the big Jeep less efficient than other American luxury SUVs such as the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator. All Grand Wagoneer’s use a naturally aspirated 6.4-liter V-8 engine that produces 471 horsepower and 455 pound-feet of torque, and four-wheel drive is standard. The V-8 has cylinder deactivation and is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The EPA estimates that the Grand Wagoneer will still get only 13 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. The Wagoneer will likely be more efficient, as it’s powered by a 5.7-liter V-8 with a 48-volt belt-driven motor/generator system called eTorque. If we go off of the numbers from the Ram 1500 with eTorque, we can get an idea of what the smaller Wagoneer could get.
Cadillac Escalades with four-wheel drive and the standard 6.2-liter V-8 engine are rated at 16 mpg combined, 13 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway. The Lincoln Navigator, which uses a twin-turbocharged V-6 engine, is rated at 17 mpg combined, 16 mpg city, and 20 mpg highway. German luxury SUVs such as the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS-class are EPA-rated at 21 mpg combined with their respective turbocharged six-cylinder engines. Jeep says that both a hybrid model and hands-free driving will be available eventually. The 2022 Grand Wagoneer will arrive this summer starting at $88,995.
Newbie Nuggets with Wendy
New Drivers
New drivers to Jeeping have lots to learn and overcome. Some come from off-road backgrounds and seem to settle in just fine. But others are very new to Jeeping, let alone any kind of off-roading. When you work with a true newbie do you take the time to work with them, or train, at their level of understanding? It’s very easy to be excited for this new driver, but if you roll on past them and expect them to know or understand terminology, they may be so nervous, too shy or don’t want to feel embarrassed to ask questions. Do you allow them to ask questions and feel comfortable?
At Trails 411 4×4 school, when we work with a newbie we try to put ourselves back in that “newbie” position and really help get information out that they can relate to. We have been working with Redlands Jeep, in So Calif. (shout out to all the newbies we’ve met) and this last “run” I encountered a real newbie. Sure they all are mostly new to Jeeping, that’s why they joined us on an easy run, but this driver was a newbie. After a meet N greet at the dealer and drivers meeting, we headed out on a basic, easy fire road trail. We help teach some things on how their jeep runs, like putting the jeep in 4H or 4L and when and why to use these gears, the why and how to air down and air back up if they have the capability or compressor, among other things. We stopped along the trail and did a simple (to us), but maybe a bit scary to a newbie, “climb”. This hill obstacle is about 4 Jeep lengths in height with a turnaround at the top and then a downhill descent. This is a great way to show that their stock jeep can climb what seems like a tall hill and that when coming down the hill they learn how the braking helps them stay in control. Well most students see this hill and say things like “I can’t go up that” or “no way the jeep can do that” and after climbing the hill, they are elated that they accomplished it.
I always have all the drivers walk up the hill and visualize as I discuss what to do and how to use the spotter. They watch Don or Bill climb up and use me as the spotter. Then one by one, they get in their jeep and climb the hill. Well this time one new jeep owner and driver got up the hill perfectly, easy on the foot pedal and tire spin but when she got to the top to come back down, fear set in. I mean white knuckle fear in her eyes. She stated she couldn’t go down the hill and that I needed to drive the jeep down. She repeated this several times. I took my time to help her feel comfortable and explained calmly that the jeep was capable and that I felt she was capable as well. And that I wouldn’t put her in a position if I felt her or the jeep couldn’t do it. After a few minutes I asked her if she was ready and she said yes. I had her come forward and stop just as she crested over the top to see down the hill. I told her that Bill was going to spot her down and that she needed to watch him and focus on him and not think about the hill or the descent. She agreed and we slowly had her come down the hill. She did it!! Later on in the day I asked how she was doing because we were driving on easy fire roads, but there were spots where it was a shelf road with higher elevation and some very steep and tight switchbacks. Tammy knows that feeling of a narrow road, high up on the side of the hill like on Black Bear Pass- We weren’t that high up but the feeling is similar, especially when you are new. This driver mentioned she was doing well because I took the time to help her down that one hill, and now she felt she could do anything. It made me feel so good that I helped her through something, and who knows what doors that will open for her in her life. I knew if she got out of the jeep at that point she probably wouldn’t ever do trails again. I knew she was excited to learn to drive and I just took my time.
There is a fine line of pushing and helping a newbie get over their fear. I was prepared to drive her jeep down and have her sit in the passenger seat. Luckily she took the leap of faith with me and got through something that was easy to me, but it was monumental to her.
When working with newbies, we almost need to take a step back and realize, not everyone has the same experience that got them here in that moment. It’s our job as stewards of Jeeping to really help anyone who is new and wants to learn. This gal is going to be an awesome Jeeper – she already conquered a fear that was huge to her. I was glad I was the one to help her down. Makes Jeeping that much more fun and makes me realize that any action we do on the trail can positively affect someone else. Likewise, our actions could also affect someone negatively too. I hope all the mentors out there take the time to continue to help in a positive way.
Tech Talk with Jeep Talk
Cheap Jeep Hacks (modifications/fixes/upgrades)
From time to time I like to showcase a few ingenious ideas that make owning a Jeep easier or more fun. Sometimes it’s something that will be just the thing to make the Jeep that much more your own Jeep. So this week I’ve put together three little things that just may have you saying, why didn’t I think of that.
First up is one that many of us will find useful. It involves using Foam Pipe Insulation, cut to length to fill the gap between the seat and the center console. No more lost french fries, or having to pull the Jeep over because a cell phone found its way into that no-mans land.
If all you’re doing is a beer run, then keep those half racks, six packs and full cases from sliding around the back area by putting down some non-slip rug mats.
Sometimes you can find the same stuff marketed as tool box drawer liners, or non slip cupboard liners. It is basically lacy foam rubber, and for a few bucks, a few square feet of this in your cargo area will keep things put.
Rearview Mirror Flip. It’s been a while since we talked about this one, but for lifted vehicles that do not have a smart mirror for the rearview, simply rotate it 180 degrees.
It puts the centerline of the mirror higher, so that you can see better behind you.
For you wrangler owners always finding small rocks between your fenders and body, here’s a simple hack to eliminate that void. Use some cheap rubber vacuum line from your local parts store. It runs on average about 50 cents a foot or less, so it’s super cheap but highly effective. You’ll want to look for the 1/4″ diameter stuff. Using something like a shoelace, figure out how much linear feet you’ll need. The shoelace will mimic the vacuum line, and you can use a tape measure to figure out how long your shoelace is. Once you have the tubing, simply pinch it and tuck it into the seam between the fender plastic and the metal of the body. No more trapped rocks messing up your paint. Since it’s ruber it will form easily, and seals that area up nicely. It even will look like a factory option. Just be careful going through the drive through car washes with these, they may get caught by a bristle and be ripped out. No worries though, it’s cheap enough to replace real easy.
Jeep Life – With Jeep Momma
Tony Josh and Wendy… yesterday a guy came in the shop to ask about getting a lift on his truck. He and Neil and I talked for quite awhile. This guy is a Navy vet who was in Afghanistan. He came to the valley, this small town USA, a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of people and city life. He is now thinking maybe this small town life is too much and considering the hashtag van life or hashtag camper life. This kind of living is catching on all over the world. Whether you live out of your vehicle for part of the year or all year or even for a couple of years like Dan Grec with the Road Chose Me there are a lot of things to think about. If you are choosing RV living for a weekend or a month or longer there are some things you need to consider when choosing a RV campground. So here are Jeep Momma’s Top 5 tips when choosing a campground. First is location. This is broken down into 2 parts. First location of the RV campground. This will be dependent on each individual’s needs and desires. Consider what you are looking for. Most want to be out in the middle of nature and not all RV campgrounds are like that. Some are in the middle of towns or cities or even alongside a highway. So research carefully and fully understand the physical location of the campground you chose. The second location is the actual site you chose. Most campgrounds have websites where you book your campsite by looking at a map. These maps can be very deceiving. I suggest looking at actual pictures they may have on their sites. Check out their reviews on Google and Yelp. Maybe even call the place. These maps can be deceiving. Most places I have come across RV campers are pretty squished in there. You may even want to check out the satellite view. Sometimes you don’t have the option but at least you will have a heads up on what you are getting into. Third amenities… We all have different needs like camp showers, a dishwashing sink, power hookups, pools, wi-fi etc. Not all campgrounds are the same. There is no rule that a campground must have a dishwashing sink or even electrical hook ups for all the sites. So do your due diligence when researching your site to make sure they have the things you need or want. 4th if you are wanting to venture out of the campground on your journey… like head into the nearest town for dinner or a stop at the grocery store make sure that nearest town has those amenities AND more importantly check the hours of operation for those places. I came to this small town living from a big city… the DC area. Things are open 24 hours a day. Restaurants and bars are open till 11 pm or longer. Well it came to a shock to me… most restaurants and grocery stores here close by 7pm or 8pm. I have had to make some adjustments. Even places are closed on those busy tourist holidays. And lastly… Cost… Some places have weekly and monthly fees that can be cheaper in the long run then booking daily.
Campfire Side Chat
A TikTok video is going viral and people are freaking out.
It’s a video of a topless Jeep driving through a car wash.
Who cares I say. It’s not the first time this has been done, but it’s the first time on TikTok, so the kiddies are losing their freaking undeveloped minds because to them, anything before TikTok does not exist. So my question to you this week is…. would you drive your Jeep topless and door less through a car wash?
What would it take if the answer is no? Everyone has a price, what’s yours?
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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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