All Things Jeep Blog & Musings

Our plans for the Go Topless Day 2010 Worldwide Event for ALL Jeep Owners  really couldn't be going any better. Well, it could be going better. Oprah could have us on her show to discuss the benefits of going topless. Simon could tell everyone on American Idol that he was leaving the show to MC our Go Topless Day here in Lancaster. And Biden could have whispered "Go Topless Day is a big F***in Deal. But aside from all those wonderous possibilities, things are going good. Want to give you all an update. Kinda be the traffic director for the 2010 Go Topless Day Festivities. Just to make it fun, I'll do it in Q&A format.

Question: Is there a Go Topless Day Event happening in my neck of the woods?

Answer: There may be. There's about 50 Jeep clubs (and counting) signed up to participate in Go Topless Day 2010. The clubs or local groups are sponsoring picnics, trail rides, beach parties, barbeques, parades and more on May 8th 2010 - all over the world. Here is the whole list of participating Jeep Clubs Going Topless on May 8th 2010. If you are looking for an event to join, you may find one there.

We've also got a All Things Jeep Go Topless Day Facebook Page where the club activities are being listed (and you can post your own activities.)

Question: If I host some type of activity, can I get anything for free?

Answer: Always wanting something for free, eh? Sure you can! You tell us what you are doing and how many Jeep owners are showing up and we'll send you some bumper stickers, maybe a t-shirt, etc. In return, you gotta post a link on your website back to our Go Topless Day, okay? (contact email info @ allthingsjeep.com )

Question: Is there any contest or anything I can win?

Answer: Again with the free stuff? The answer is YES. We are having a Go Topless Day Photo Contest for GTD 2010 and you can win Gift Certificates to AllThingsJeep.com. And get your photos added to our historical record of Go Topless Days. Whoo-hoo.

Wanna check out some photos of our prior Go Topless Days? They are all right here in our glorious All Things Jeep Photo Album. Gotta say, some of those photos are priceless!

Question: Anything I can get for free just for reading this blog?

Answer: Absolutely. Would we let you down? Get a business sized envelope. Put a stamp on it. Address it to yourself. Fold it up and put it in another stamped envelope addressed to us at:

All Things Jeep
GTD Decal
2 Shaker Road, Unit F01
Shirley, MA 0464

We'll send you a beautiful GTD Bumper Sticker. Free.

Question: What if I want to spend my hard earned money on Go Topless Day Shirts?

Answer: Ok, that'd be great. Get yourself a Go Topless Day 2010 Limited Edition T-Shirt Here for just $10.  Buy 10+ and they go down to $8 each. Buy 25+ and they go down to $7 each.

Finally, The main page on our website that shares all the news about GTD is http://www.allthingsjeep.com/go-topless-day.html

We hope you'll join us on May 8th 2010 in celebrating the Jeep spirit. Whether you are topless on a beach, fully clothed at work, in a Jeep CJ5 at the ice cream stand, in a Jeep Liberty doing carpool, or crawling the local mountains in your XJ, take a moment to stand proud and remember, You are a JEEP OWNER. Ain't it great?

Strattec Codeable Padlock for your JeepHow many keys are on your keyring? How big is that bulge in your pants pocket? How many times have you lost a key to one of your many locks? Depending upon the day, your answers may go like this. 13, big, five or six. So I was pretty stoked to come across this new product. The World's First Codeable Padlock by Strattec.

When you look at the packaging of this padlock, the first thing you notice is that there's no set of keys with the lock. That's because it uses one of your existing keys to unlock it. For most people, this key will be your ignition key. For me, it's the ignition key to my Jeep Wrangler.

After you open the Strattec Codeable Padlock packaging, you simply insert your ignition key into the lock, turn it a few times and the padlock "learns" your key and sets itself to be unlocked using your key. The more technical details follow, but basically this now means that you can buy a few of these padlocks, set them all to use your ignition key, and dramatically reduce the amount of keys you have to carry around (and potentially lose.)

My Jeep's key can now unlock the padlocks on the back of the All Things Jeep trailer, the lock on the trailer hitch, the metal toolbox in the back of the Jeep, the lock and chain I use to lock up our bikes, the lock on my metal locker at the gym. Well you get the idea.

At AllThingsJeep.com we sell the version that works with most all Jeep Keys and it's under $25. There are other versions available for other vehicle models too.

One key. Many locks. Pretty nifty, huh?

"A perfect excuse to skip work and play", says LAWRENCE ULRICH in his review of the new 2010 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. This review below is from the New York Times and is dated March 7th 2010. His review is titled:

A Very Old-School S.U.V. With Useful New Tricks

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WHAT IS IT? A four-door all-terrain conquistador.

HOW MUCH? Base price, $32,800; as tested, $35,975.

WHAT MAKES IT RUN? A 3.8-liter V-6 (202 horsepower, 237 pound-feet of torque); 6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

IS IT THIRSTY? Does a Jeep drink in the woods? The economy rating is just 15 m.p.g. in town and 19 on the highway.

ALTERNATIVES Land Rover LR2, Toyota FJ Cruiser.

REUNIONS are often a letdown, as anyone who's been reintroduced to a high-school flame can tell you. (Who is this psycho and why does she want to dance to "Lady in Red?")

So when a Jeep Wrangler appeared on my doorstep, I kept my expectations low. I had a serious crush on a Wrangler Sahara I owned in the '90s, but I was single and carefree then. The Jeep's kidney-shaking ride, intermittent heat and nearly useless back seat were all part of its charm.

I knew that the Wrangler was still around, doing its woodsy, back-road, ski- and beach-bum thing. But as with a Facebook "friend" from the old neighborhood, being aware of the Jeep's existence didn't mean I wanted to rekindle a relationship. But then it happened. After a 10-minute reintroduction to the Wrangler, I was ready to hightail it to the nearest mountain hideaway or find some muddy ruts to wallow in.

The Wrangler is as fun to drive as ever, even in unlikely places - like my cobbled Brooklyn street. And while "icon" is used loosely in the auto business, the Wrangler - like the VW Beetle or Mini Cooper - certainly is one.

The Jeep, of course, is a direct descendant of World War II military vehicles, and the Wrangler name can be carbon-dated to 1987. And from its school-bus-style manual shifter to its painted-metal interior and fold-down windshield, the Jeep's authenticity and stout, old-school feel could melt the hardest automotive heart.

In that vein, the Jeep makes trendy, boxy urban crossovers like the Kia Soul or Scion XB look as dweeby as a Dungeons and Dragons convention.

By Jeep standards, the addition for 2007 of the stretched four-door Unlimited model constituted a near revolution, adding a roomier, more accessible back seat. And while any Wrangler is a nearly unmatched off-roader, the Rubicon version - named for the fearsome off-road trail in the Sierra Nevada - is the hardest of the hard-core. It adds a two-speed transfer case with a burly low-range gear ratio, steel-plate underbody armor and rock rails; electric locking for the front and rear axles; an electronic sway-bar disconnect; and knobby 32-inch off-road tires.

If you find yourself conversing with off-road types - perhaps when they're rescuing your "crossover S.U.V." from a slushpile - you may hear them refer to their Jeeps' "breakover and departure angles." These gents are referring to the Wrangler's short body overhangs, which, combined with 10.5-inch ground clearance, let the Wrangler climb and descend incredibly steep obstacles.

A standard Hill Start Assist feature keeps the Jeep from rolling back on steep grades; optional electronic trailer-sway assist helps to ensure that jet skis and dirt bikes don't perform tricks before they reach their destination.

The Jeep's Freedom Top is another recent development. The three-piece modular hardtop features two front overhead panels that can be quickly removed and stored on board. A more complex disassembly removes the entire roof cap (along with the doors if you like) for the full naked-Jeep effect. Adding the dual-top option lets you pop the hardtop and unfurl a fabric top over the exposed roof bars. (A softtop with a built-in sunroof is also available.)

These and other changes have made the Jeep just civilized enough, but not so much that its rough vitality is lost. There's an optional touch-screen navigation system, satellite radio, Bluetooth capability and a hard drive for music.

The steering still feels truckish and slack, yet pleasingly mechanical: like its brethren dating back a half-century or more, the Jeep makes you feel alive and attuned to every sensation. That's both compliment and criticism: once my nostalgic glow subsided, I had to admit that the Wrangler is not everyone's cup of jittering tea. The ride is noisy and jouncy, it's a taxing climb in and out and the reliability record is poor.

I'll admit two other things. First, I had no idea that the Wrangler could reach $36,000. Second, I would never pay 36 grand for a Wrangler.

But with a two-door Wrangler Sport 4x4 starting at $21,915, the Jeep remains a dream date for the young - a perfect excuse to skip work and play.