All Things Jeep Blog & Musings

We have a new employee. His name is Mike. He's owned Jeeps for a real long time and he spends his weekends wheelin' and cleaning trails and working with JonFund. He owns a Cherokee and seems to know them inside and out. So I'm signing him up to answer some questions here. You have a Jeep Cherokee question that you haven't figured out, ask it here. I told him that besides picking and packing orders, I've signed him up to be the XJ expert. He rolled his eyes a bit but I know he'll make us proud!

My daily driver is a 2007 4 door Jeep Wrangler JK and I've looked at a LOT of JK products over the last year. Because of the popularity of the new Jeeps, vendors are coming out with new product right and left. There's a lot of "Bling" but I prefer function. So for all the new Jeep owners who are driving their first Jeep with the JKs, I thought I'd put together my list of suggested products for the 2-door and 4-door Jeep Wranglers 07-08. It's a small list, but personally, these were the first accessories I purchased (alright, I actually swiped them out of inventory) and use regularly. When the question arises, "What accessories do I need first?", my answer is these ones.  (I've posted links to the 4-door version of these products, but there are also 2-door versions available.)

Here is my list of 3 FUNCTIONAL JEEP WRANGLER JK ACCESSORIES for daily drivers. I love them all.

1.  The Jeep Wrangler Cloverpatch Window Roll - There's one for the 2 door and one for the 4 door and one for all Wranglers that came before the JKs. This product is indispensible. I can take my windows out of the softop, roll them in this simple bag (with felt pieces sandwiching the windows) and store them compactly and well protected. This allows two things. First, when it gets cold, or starts to rain, my windows are with me and can be re-inserted. Second, the kids, dog and assorted other stuff fit alongside the WindowRoll. Everything fits! Bob at Cloverpatch invented a good product with this one. Thanks Bob. ($78.99 and worth it!)

(the windows are in that little bag on top of the softop in the photo below)

2. You may have heard - kids and dog. This means that the inside of my Jeep gets wrecked quickly. So I got a set of Jeep Wrangler JK Neoprene Seat Covers right from the get-go. They look good. They are waterproof so my cushioned seats stay dry and they can be cleaned. I try and just vacuum them and not deal with taking them on and off. But after a particular wet-dog-fur-filled weekend I tossed them in the wash and they came out like new. (I got solid black to hide as much black dog fur as possible.) These will set you back $300 for a whole set but I think they are worth it. And these ones come with a Lifetime Warranty so seriously, the company will replace them if you any problems with them.

3. Ready to Go Topless? Then you need a summer top to keep the sun from turning you beet red. It's great to ride in an open air Jeep but I prefer not getting burned along the way. So I like the Rampage Products Combo Brief/Topper with Pocket for Wrangler JK 07/08 4 Door Unlimited

($59.99 for Mesh. $99 for Solid Black) OK, here's the scoop on this product. First, the price is fantastic compared to other vendor's products. Second, it zips across the middle of it (kinda like those cargo pants that were popular with kids a few years back). Zipped up, it is a full-length top, covering the front and back seats. Unzipped, it covers the front seats only. Third, (I love this one), there's built-in mesh zippered pockets in the two front corners. They are decent size, too, fitting your camera, cell phone, water bottle, wallet, small windbreaker, maps, etc. So you and your passenger can easily grab these items when you need them and they won't be flying around the backseat. Let's face it, Jeeps aren't known for built-in storage!

I'm in the process of "evaluating" two other product lines which are, again, functional. I'm looking at netting solutions for the cargo area so Sierra (aformentioned black lab pup) can hang back there and not jump out. We carry a line of Jeep Nets from Raingler which are super rugged and great for the trail. I don't know that I need something as performance-driven as these so I am looking for alternatives and will report back. (But if you want the best out there, check these out.)

Also want to get myself a car cover so when the top is down and I'm leaving the Jeep outside overnight, I can throw a simple cloth cover on the cab area to keep out the pollen, dew (and spiders.) We have a few vendors. I'm going to see which one I like and let you know.

When I was a kid, growing up in the smooth, old mountains of southeast Tennessee, my father taught school.  This gave him fantastic latitude to take the family on some lengthy vacations.  It was nothing for us to pile everyone and everything into the vehicle de jour -- from a big old station wagon to one of a pair of International Harvester Scouts -- and hit the road.  Sometimes it was to spend a few weeks at my grandparents' house on the west coast of Florida, while other times it was to go camping for a week or two atop Suck Creek Mountain.  Those are terrific memories for me, and probably a big part of shaping the "me" I've become.

Throughout my adulthood, I've tried to keep that tradition alive.  I've loaded the family up in whatever Family Truckster was in the driveway, and taken drives from Missouri to Yosemite, the southwestern desert, the Smokies, Niagara Falls, the outer banks of North Carolina, and gazillions of places in between.  The biggest concern with that kind of trip was ensuring there was a place to lay our heads as we made those big drives.  Fuel was cheap, and the shared experience of seeing the ground at... well, ground level... instead of from 35,000 feet was well worth the slower pace of the travel.  I mean, how are you gonna stop the aircraft to see the world's largest prairie dog?  (which is located in Oakley KS, just in case you were wondering)

For almost a year, I've been trying to come up with a cunning plan to get away for an extended roadtrip.  After all that planning, I'm just shy of a week away from loading the family up, and heading out for three weeks of driving in the northwest quarter of America.  And to complete this dream trip, I've bought the vehicle I always wanted for this kind of journey - a Jeep Wrangler.  In addition to seeing a part of the country I've never experienced, I wanted to be able to turn left (or right) at an appropriate place, and enjoy the dust stirred up by traveling on a dirt road, or the thrill of climbing a rock or two along the way.  There's no better way to enjoy this country than from ground level, and what better way to make that trek than in an American classic!

So why, with escalating fuel prices, would I put a low fuel mileage Jeep Wrangler under me, and make its maiden voyage a big ol' drive of over 5000 miles?  Because it's the right thing to do.  I learned so much from my folks on journeys like this, and have wonderful memories of those travels.  I wanted my daughter to have the same experiences, and I wasn't about to let the price of fuel stand in the way of teaching those lessons.  You just can't put a price on that kind of family adventure.

Jean has graciously invited me to write about this twice-half-cross-country journey, taking the readers of the All Things Jeep Blog along for the ride.  I intend to post some words and pictures from the road - partially travelogue, and partially Jeep-a-logue - every day or two.  This is my first Jeep, and I'm sure there'll be plenty for me to learn.  I hope I can pass along a tip or two learned the hard way, and I look forward to exchanging notes through the blog as we travel westward, and then eastward.

So, if you're out west during June, and you happen to see a Jeep Green Wrangler Unlimited with Missouri plates toolin' down the road, stuffed to the gills with luggage and gear, watch for a wave, and maybe we'll get a chance to stop and share a cup of coffee.  Happy trails!

You've never done this in your Jeep. Completely un-Jeep related but someone passed it to me today and I had to pass it on.

WOW.

By far the post on this blog with the most comments was the very first one I posted about the "Jeep Wave" and Jeep JKs. Still getting comments 6 months later. For those who missed it, you can read it here:

The Jeep Wave Debate Continues...

I simply asked why no one was showing me the love when I was in a 4 door Jeep JK? I get plenty of waves in the old CJ-8.

Yesterday we got this post and I couldn't agree more. So I had to post it here. Plus Colin epitomizes the Jeep lifestyle. Now all I want to know is if he'd take me with him. Colin?

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Normally, I tried to avoid religious discussions -- Canon vs Nikon, Apple vs Microsoft, Krystal vs White Castle -- but I can't help but comment on this thread.
I am a new Jeep owner, having waited over ten years to put my first Jeep under my backside. I have owned my new Jeep Wrangler for just about five days. And yes, I chose an Unlimited.
Based on the comments above, either I'm a woman on a cell phone, someone who doesn't "get it", or someone who shoulda bought a Hummer. You couldn't be more wrong. (And for those of you keeping score at home: not a woman, not on a cell phone, I *do* "get it", and I don't think I could swallow driving a Hummer day-in and day-out -- nothing wrong with any of that, but that sweeping generalization doesn't fit me.)
I have gotten waves when driving my Jeep, and I've waved back. Where I grew up in the rural parts of this great country, that was fairly common, no matter what kind of vehicle was carrying you and your gear/family/life, and it was common courtesy to wave back.
So, just to answer the critics that Unlimited owners are just enslaving their Jeeps in a morass of dull tedium, I thought I'd tell you about what my Jeep was purchased for, and what it'll spend its first month doing.
I'm a photographer, and I wanted a vehicle that I could carry my cameras, lenses, tripods, telescopes, and camping gear, and that would allow me to access places that simply weren't doable in my TrailBlazer. It's not an issue of cupholders or cell phones or power windows (although there might be a touch of mid-life crisis in there) -- it's a simple math problem involving cubic feet of stowage, and protection of that gear.
That's the "why" an Unlimited was right for me. Now let's examine whether I "get it".
In eight days, I leave from Missouri, driving to San Francisco, returning up the Pacific coast to Portland, through the Columbia River gorge area, on to Spokane, Coeur D'Alene, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, the Badlands, Minnesota, and south again to Missouri. This is a three-week trek, with man, wife, 14-year old daughter, and enough gear to cripple a mule, covering between 5000 and 6000 miles over three weeks of journey.
Like others have said, I have a ton of respect for folks jacking their Jeeps up, modding the heck out of them, making their Jeep reflect their own personality. That's just plain cool, and at a gradual pace, I'll probably be doing some of that too.
For me though, it's not the destination of how modded I can make my Jeep, it's the journey I plan to take in it. Roughly translated: my Jeep journey may be different than yours, but it's still my journey, and just as valid as yours.
And to that I add, one size of Wrangler does not fit all. I happen to like my Wrangler in the XL format.
Wave or don't wave -- that's your call. My parents raised me to be courteous, and I'll be waving.
Hope you'll wave back. Sorry for the rant.

posted @ Wednesday, May 28, 2008 10:06 PM by Colin W.

We started this blog a few months back and I'm really wondering who is reading it. Are you? Are you a shopper on our website www.allthingsjeep.com too? It's fun to look at the stats .... "372 visitors to your blog today", but I don't really know if this is just Mom and Dad and all my relatives reading this (hi Mom and Dad) or if it is really some of our beloved customers from our website. No one says much of anything here, so if you shop us, let me know by saving some $ on your next order.

We've just added a few dozen items to our ATJ Outlet Store and the prices on many items are 50% off the regular price. But here's a chance to save more. 

When you check out, enter the discount code " BLOG5 " in the coupon code box and save yourself an additional $5.00 off any $50 purchase. That's another 10% off your order. Go wild.

(This offer is for blog readers and your friends, so you may pass it along. It expires June 15th and can't be combined with other offers.) Use the code and you'll be able to buy 1 more gallon of gas for your Jeep. Whee.

Happy pretty much summer! What a fantastic Memorial Day weekend it was here in sunny and warm Massachusetts. The top was down all weekend.

Last week we got a very large order from Brazil that included lots of kids stuff and lots of duffel bags. It was big enough that it made me wonder whether this customer was going to resell these items somewhere, or whether it was legit., so we inquired by writing this note,

"Thank you for your order. What are you doing with all of this stuff. Are you a giant Jeep fanatic who travels and has Jeep kids or are you reselling it? We are curious.  - Jean"

And we got back the most amazing reply. No matter how many times I talk to a other Jeep enthusiasts, I continue to be overwhelmed by how passionate everyone is about our sport. Jefferson, I hope you don't mind that I posted your email. It was just too good to keep to myself.

Jefferson's reply:

"Jean,

I have been a fanatic Jeep collector, traveler and driver since I was one year old. My father had one military CJ5 and he worked in the brasilian country side, near Pantanal and Amazon. Of course, when I was not at school, I was in my father´s jeep.

From 1980 and 1988, my family crossed the Amazon Rain Forest and the Pantanal at least 15 times.

In 1988, I was 13 years old and my brother was 7 years old, my family (father, mother, brother and me) traveled from Sao Paulo-Brazil to Toronto-Canadá, crossing Argentina, Chile, Equador, Peru, Colombia, Panamá, Central America, Mexico, USA and Canadá. About 73 days.

After that, we started to spent our weekends in the mud.

When I completed 18 years old, I bought my first car??? A JEEP of course.

Then I started to date my wife, and after more 8 long travels visiting places like Patagonia, Africa (Kenia, South Africa, Botsuana), Alaska (from Anchorage to Vancouver) and Amazonia and Pantanal again, my son has just been born (15 days).

That is a small part of my history.

I am a JEEP lover.

Thank you again and sorry about the english mistakes. My natural language is portuguese.

Jefferson"

I can guarantee Jefferson that a lot of people reading this email are VERY JEALOUS! For a peek at Jefferson's Jeep in San Paulo, Brazil, and his new son, click the photo below and you'll be taken to our All Things Jeep Photo Album.

Can I get you to work for me for free?

I am so tired of looking at the same set of Jeep stickers and decals. We have a decent variety. But we been so busy with other things that we haven't added a whole lot of new ones in months. And my brain is fried and I just can't be creative.

So I'm ready to steal your idea (with your permission, of course.) Post your ideas here. We'll borrow the best ones, make them into decals, and send you a set if we use your ideas.

 You will need to post them here so that we know who "owns" the idea. There's a few caveats you need to know.

1. Review our current list of Jeep decals so you don't duplicate what we already have.  OUR JEEP DECALS & STICKERS
2. We have a great relationship with Jeep's licensing company and we can't violate Chrysler LLC's trademarks. That means that legally, we cannot use the word "JEEP" or a clear graphic of the 7 slot grille in the decals. I know, it seems crazy. But that's the way it is.
3. No "Lift it, Fat Chicks Can't Jump" decals will be made by us. I take offense and I CAN jump!
4. No Hummer stuff. GM came after us a few years back and I don't want to relive that nightmare.
5. No other ideas that will violate a trademark, etc.

So think creatively, post here and in about a week or two, I'll repost and let you know what we are making up and I'll send the winners a full set of all the new decals, free. Thanks!

Our current line-up: http://www.allthingsjeep.com/jedewide.html

With gas prices the way they are, we aren't going far this summer. We'll be looking for fun things to do in our own backyard. But we'll still be going to the gym and the kids will be going to sleep-overs and we'll still be toting around duffel bags filled with crap, oops, I mean stuff. That's why when the Jeep Luggage, Backpacks & Duffel Bagsmanufacturer came to us with a deal, we couldn't resist. Everyone uses a duffel bag of sorts for some actitivy or another. They are closing out the current line of designs so some new stuff could be moved into the warehouse. We've had some of these designs for a while but the prices has never been this good (and you won't find these prices anywhere else.) So while it lasts, we're having a ONE DOLLAR PER ONE INCH SALE on Jeep Duffel Bags!

ALL 22" Jeep Duffel Bags - Just $22.00 (Regularly $39.99)

ALL 26" Jeep Duffel Bags - Just $26 (Regularly $44.99)

ALL 28" Duffel Bags - Just $28 (Regularly $48.99)

(Pictured are the 22" Jeep Duffel Bags).

We also have 28" length Rolling Jeep Duffel Bags with Wheels and a retractable handle. The prices are terrific - just $59.99 and jam-packed with features.

Our friends Jim and Lynnette of the Fun Times Guide have begun a section of their blog dedicated to Jeeps. Lots of good info, and of course, since they posted our Go Topless Day followup, we love them even more.

http://jeeps.thefuntimesguide.com/ - main home page. Check it out.