Episode 722 – Name This Jeep And Win BIG!

This Week In Jeep

Name This Jeep And Win BIG!

You know the old adage… “what’s in a name”? …. Well Jeep has just answered that question …with a price tag. If you’ve been following Jeep news recently, you’d have heard about the two pseudo-concept vehicles Jeep unveiled in September. These two new fully electric Jeeps are allegedly actually preview vehicles that are going on sale in the 2024 model year. The first of which is the underdog in the group and I think is purposefully being underrated, but that conspiracy theory can be explored in another conversation. The Recon is a Wrangler-inspired off-road focused Jeep, appealing to those who want the capabilities, customizability and freedoms a Wrangler affords, while being at a lower price point, AKA: More affordable. I like the IDEA of this Jeep, and I think if (and that’s a big IF) the aftermarket steps up, the Recon has some serious potential. That’s not to say that JPP (Jeep Performance Parts) doesn’t already have a whole plethora of items to that end ready to go to market.

The other release is being called the Wagoneer S, and it is this vehicle specifically that has the focus of this story. This new all electric Wagoneer variant is designed more for the asphalt jungle, than the jungle with trails and rocks. It is slated to be a street-smart performance SUV and is said to debut with a 600 hp powertrain and a driving range of 400 miles between charges. However, while it has been positioned to be part of Jeep’s new Wagoneer sub-brand, which currently includes the full-size Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, the “S” name is just a placeholder. Oooh, the plot thickens! Yup, I’m as surprised as you are since Jeep already has a history of using the letter S for sub trims. But here’s where things get REAL interesting… Jeep is now asking fans (that’s you, listening to this right now) for suggestions on what to replace that “S” with, in an online contest. And check this out, the winner will be getting a week-long vacation for four to the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming worth $40,000. The rest of the names will be put into a hat and pulled out at random over the next 30 years as Jeep releases new vehicles and can’t regurgitate old name badges. I’m kidding of course, but still. There are of course rules to this, like the contest is only open to U.S. residents that are at least 18 years old, except for Alabama and Nebraska, where it is restricted to 19. And for all you in Mississippi, you gotta be 21 or older, due to local regulations. Outside of that the name you submit for the Electric Jeep Wagoneer  must be 50 characters or less, and should be in good taste, if you don’t want your submission to be completely ignored that is. So names like the Jeep Shit Box or The Shaggin Waggon should probably be skipped. So should names like Mommy Missile, Mothership, and (although I see nothing wrong with it) names like the Jeep Panty Dropper should also be avoided. If more than one person suggests the same name, whoever was first to enter will be the winner. I’ve already submitted my pick for this Electric Jeep, gonna call it the SHOCKER… yeah I said it. We’ll have the link for you to enter and we encourage you to call in to our 24/7 voicemail line as well, and give us your best suggestion… even if it has zero chance of getting picked.  Bonus points for vulgarity and creativity! https://namethenewwagoneer.com/

Jeep Just Keeps Winning Awards

It was announced earlier this week that the Jeep brand has been selected for the Best of What’s New Award in the auto category from Popular Science magazine this year.

The UConnect 5 infotainment system by Jeep was singled out for recognition because it puts the passenger in command of much of the vehicle’s cutting edge technology, Popular Science wrote. In the Jeep Grand Wagoneer for instance, all the fun is in the passenger seat, and having all that access and control won’t distract the driver either. 

The Uconnect 5 infotainment system can run up to eight independent displays, including an industry-first 10.3-inch touchscreen built into the passenger-side dash. To reduce distraction, Jeep not only has angled the display towards the passenger slightly, but phased the display so it’s only a faint glow to the driver while still looking bright to the passenger. A person can connect an Xbox to the HDMI port, stream shows with the built-in Amazon Fire TV and set the navigation system among a whole host of other functions with more on the way. Enough to keep anyone busy for any length of road trip. Popular Science’s “Best of What’s New” Awards celebrate the most exciting and groundbreaking innovations of the year, highlighting revolutionary inventions helping to improve our daily lives, our society and our planet. 

So hats off to Jeep for winning this year’s award.

Newbie Nuggets with Wendy

Christmas Tree cutting with your Jeep

I don’t know about you but this time of year I can’t wait to get out all my decorations and decorate the Christmas tree. I think about all the Hallmark movies I’ve seen where they go out to the “forest” and cut down their very own tree.  As a kid we went to a “tree lot” and found one we liked and then brought it home. Do you live someplace where cutting your very own tree is possible? I would love the experience of cutting down our own tree.

I know here in So Calif. it is a felony if you cut down a tree in the forest and it may be the same for most of our state. Josh lives in Oregon and he says all you need is a $5 permit from a Ranger Station and follow a few simple rules, like it can’t be a protected species or within 100 feet of a stream and cant’ be more than 15 feet tall. There are lots of other rules you have to follow as well. Do you know what your state or county rules are?  The fines could be huge so make sure you check before you go and plan that “hallmark moment” with a loved one or your kids and it turns into a “Grinch” of a time. AKA: “Chevy Chase in A Christmas Vacation.”

Some other things to consider if you get to cut down your own tree.

1)   What type of equipment do you need? Is it a hacksaw, chainsaw or an ax? What will it take to cut the tree down? It’s probably not as easy as it looks.

2)   What about gloves and additional clothing? There is more than likely snow on the ground, do you have the right shoes or boots for walking in deep snow. And a change of clothing might be in order – All that sap after cutting and handling the can get all over your clothing, not to mention it sticks to everything.

3)   And once you cut the tree down, how will you get it back to the Jeep? In most forests you don’t get to “park” at the tree and simply cut it down. You will have to hike into the forest and “find” your tree. I guess a winch or maybe your tow strap? Perhaps you should just carry your entire recovery bag with you – you never know what you might need LOL. I don’t know about your bag, but mine is very heavy with gear that I wouldn’t want to carry very far.

4)   If you are dragging the tree back to the Jeep, are you in shape for that? Maybe practice pulling a tractor tire a few months in advance to get you in shape. Trees have branches & limbs that don’t like being dragged on the ground. They will catch on every little rock, root and obstacle along the way.

5)   Once you cut the tree down and you’re ready to head to the Jeep, did you remember where you parked? Yeah this is a real thing. People get lost in the forest all the time. Do you have a radio on hand to get help if needed?  Did you leave bread crumbs on the trail so you can find your way back only to discover the critters ate them? More than likely you will be forging your own “trail” to find that perfect tree. The forest path probably isn’t marked so you may need a compass, GPS or some way to find your way back. Trust me, once you get all excited about finding your perfect tree, you will forget which way you came from. Figure out how to get back to the Jeep ahead of time.

6)   Once you get the tree back to the Jeep, how will you get it home? If it’s a small tree, I guess you can put it inside the jeep. Did you bring a sheet or plastic tarp so the sap doesn’t destroy the insides? Most listeners right now are saying, NO!, I will just put it on the roof like I see them do in the Hallmark movies. REALLY? Have you tried to put anything on your roof?

And it’s a tree, not like it’s going to slip right up there on its own – you need a buddy or two, or three. And if you do, please video it and share it on the Jeep talk show.com so we can all see you attempting to get that tree up on the roof. You might go viral and we all can use some comedy relief.

7)   Once you get the tree on the roof, how will you secure it? Did you bring rope, bungees or tie-downs? Plan for doubling whatever you think you will need, there will be limbs sticking out everywhere.

8)   Once you are off the dirt, you probably need to air up your tires. Did you tie down the tree to the back of the jeep (or the passenger doors) and now you can’t open the back door to get to your compressor? Just a thought before you tie everything down

9)   Once you get home, ask your kids, wife, or significant other to get the tree off the Jeep and put it up and decorate it. After all YOU went to the forest, found it, got lost, found your Jeep, hurled that darn thing up on the Jeep and then limped home, cause you couldn’t air up the tires.

As for me and Bill, we will just go to the Christmas tree lot and select a tree this year, or maybe we’ll pull the old plastic one out of a box and go with that. It’s just not the same as the smell of a real fresh tree. Enjoy the season, and be safe out there. If you’re lucky enough to go to a forested area and cut down your own tree, know the laws, remember where you parked and enjoy the process – you are very lucky! Ah the thoughts of Christmas when you cut down your own Christmas tree nestle in my head.

 

Jeep Talk Show Gladiator Update

I learned the hard way about rock sliders on my 1998 Jeep Cherokee XJ.

Creekside is a park in the Houston area.  I was told, there’s no rocks, you don’t need sliders.  Well I found a submerged stump and bent my driver’s rocker pretty badly.

The first thing I purchased for the 2021 Jeep Talk Show gladiator was rock sliders.

The Gladiator looks unfinished, to me, without anything covering the pinch seam, so it was a good protection and aesthetics.

I also give people with side steps a hard time due to the possibility of hanging up off road, and on road during emergency events.  High water, Earthquake, Russian invasion…

With more time off road I have seen several people with side steps navigate trails easily, so no side steps might be something you wouldn’t want if you do hard core wheeling and you are driving over very large obstacles.

Rock Slide Engineering Retractable Step Rock Sliders

Josh’s Warrior Products “Rock Barz”

Genright Rock slider

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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