k-slice wrote:I don't like Jeeps, but I love Toyotas.
touchdowntodd wrote:maybe not practical .. but for 15 miles round trip a day on 45mph tops roads could be a ton of fun..
loans are at 3.7% through my credit union and my insurance would cost exactly the same believe it or now .. hmm..
Then you pop the hood and notice the wire tie-downs. Instead of the usual cheap, plastic, Made-in-China stuff we're all used to, these are sharp looking aluminum pieces repurposed from a local (Los Angeles-based) aircraft manufacturer. In fact, Ward tries to use as many aircraft components as possible because, "The distribution channels are just as good and the quality standards are way above and beyond what's considered acceptable by car makers." There's not a single light bulb anywhere on the CJ3B – even the headlights are LED, as they last longer and use less energy. The headlights were actually developed for Hummers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and the CJ3B is their first civilian application.
Ward doesn't just look to other vehicles for design inspiration. The clasps that hold the windshield in place are from a refrigerator. "Sub-Zero perfected these one hundred years ago," Ward explains. "So we use them." The seats are stuffed with Tempur-Pedic foam because, "It's really comfortable." The chairs and the bikini top are made out of a Chilewich vinyl material Ward spotted in a suite at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. At first Chilewich wasn't interested in supplying Icon, so Ward underhandedly got a hold of the material, built the seats and showed them to Chilewich. We sat on the results. Remember the Cardinal powder coating? Ward originally saw it while looking at the non-reflective exterior bits of Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Sometimes good old fashioned craftsmanship is where Ward gets his inspiration. Take for instance the CJ3B's emblems. Most car emblems are plastic or cheap metal dipped in even cheaper chrome. The CJ3B emblems are built from pewter and then enameled by hand. They're built by a specialty jeweler in Pennsylvania as "an expression of old world craftsmanship." They also cost Icon $400 each. Or take the dash knobs. They're CNC'd from a chunk of stainless steel, then knurled on a 1940s lathe before being hand engraved and enameled....
... And here's a final example of what the brand's all about: There are no air tools used in the finish/final assembly phase of any Icon products. Hand torquing every single nut and bolt guarantees the level of quality control Ward wants and the products demand. We could go on (and you can't even imagine what makes up the $135,000 Icon FJ), but we think you get the point.

touchdowntodd wrote:ive been trying to decide if i want a jeep ...
.. probably would get 21-22mpg.. i only put 4-5k miles a year on my car so while mileage counts, its not that huge of a deal for me ..
touchdowntodd wrote:im looking at a 2003 with about 50k on it .. pretty much a stock 6/auto with hardtop and soft top .. $13k ..
...
thanks guys/gals
touchdowntodd wrote:you guys are making me think too logically now ..
MidnightX wrote:I loved my 1985 CJ7 Jeep Renegade 5 spd. I bought it new and sold it at 200,000 miles. Unreliable, bad gas mileage, noisy, uncomfortable, no trunk or storage area to speak of, stiff bumpy ride, limited on number of people you can fit, tough to drive in high wind areas (high center of gravity). Not a Wrangler, but most jeeps have those same traits. But dang, I loved that jeep and really, really miss it! It would be great as a second vehicle but not so much as your primary daily driver.
stoptothink wrote:Aren't you the same guy who just posted in another car thread about possibly getting a Prius C and has started other regular threads about buying a new camry? Sounds like someone has car ADD. If you are looking for a daily driver, almost could not get worse than a Jeep wrangler. Count me as another who simply does not get the appeal; horrible wind noise, almost unbearably stiff ride, terrible gas mileage, security issues because of the soft top... Wranglers are hobby cars
touchdowntodd wrote: but alas i gave in to my more basic side .. i spent a few hours yesterday changing all fluids, going over the engine and trans and brakes on the Echo, detailed it inside and out, got it lookin as good as it can (surprisingly well) ... at 151k its just getting started .. I might play a mental game with myself to see how many miles I can get out of it .. ive seen them with 400k on em ...
touchdowntodd wrote:ive been trying to decide if i want a jeep ...
ive wanted one for years, my first car was a Dodge Raider and it just wasnt a Wrangler if that makes sense lol..
some decent deals around .. unfortunately i want the straight 6 and an auto so the wife can drive it too ..
anyways .. my current daily gets 35mpg and has no signs of wearing out, its a 2000 toyota echo but it just plain doesnt feel "good" to drive it .. it feels like a pos driving it and its been a good 10 years since i had a "nicer" car .. the wifes Yaris is nice but i rarely drive it, and being 6'1" 190 its comfortable, but doesnt really feel like "me"
im a car guy .. i also have a 63 impala as my fun car, but fun in my neck of the woods isnt a lot of months out of the year.. the wrangler would probably get a mild lift and 32-33" tires. .. probably would get 21-22mpg.. i only put 4-5k miles a year on my car so while mileage counts, its not that huge of a deal for me .. wranglers i know can be dead nuts reliable if properly maintaned..
im looking at a 2003 with about 50k on it .. pretty much a stock 6/auto with hardtop and soft top .. $13k ..
any old ways.. opinions? it will be a daily driver so it will be a 98+ model for sure.. im 34 with no other debt besides a mortgage, i can easily afford the payment, i dont think it raises insurance much (although i may call to ask), and im planning a kid in 2-3 years... so it would be fun to get this and pay it off prior to then and have 2 reliable cars in the house (my echo is great and only 150k on it, but wouldnt feel "great" driving a kid around in it LOL)
thanks guys/gals
PowDay wrote:.... Rich make sure you get an over sand pass and head out to Race Point, nothing better than having a beach to youself...
PowDay, the salt, the salt!!
bottlecap wrote:touchdowntodd wrote: but alas i gave in to my more basic side .. i spent a few hours yesterday changing all fluids, going over the engine and trans and brakes on the Echo, detailed it inside and out, got it lookin as good as it can (surprisingly well) ... at 151k its just getting started .. I might play a mental game with myself to see how many miles I can get out of it .. ive seen them with 400k on em ...
Isn't that funny how that works? My advice to anyone who has the "new car" itch is to spend a day detailing the cr*p out of your old one. If you still want to sell it, then its ready. Most of the time, you won't.
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