A Horse With No Name

I would suggest Grand Cherokee...your an SUV kind of a guy in a way. The new Grand Cherokee is one of the hotest things out there IMHO. This would be correct...once your addicted...your addicted. I know this: another Cherokee is pretty much in my immediate future. The first one was enough of a learning experience of what to look out for (mainly, condition of heads and head gaskets) and how to buy one cheap. I wish Jeep would build a true successor to the Cherokee, though: an innovative, highly capable, well handling, tough and rugged, lightweight, cheap and efficient compact mid-sized SUV (of course, with the customer's choice of two or four doors, two four-wheel drive systems, and two different transmissions and engines). The only time the Liberty came remotely close was with the Renegade package, but even then its hefty curb weight still left it lacking. The 2008 and up models are an insult to what legacy the Cherokee left. Sure, you could argue the four-door Wrangler Unlimited is better poised to carry the Cherokee's torch, but it comes at a hefty cost whereas the Cherokee always remained affordable throughout its entire run. The Patriot makes for a fun runabout, but it lacks the real off-road prowess of the SUV it tries so hard to emulate. The Grand Cherokee is in a league of its own, far removed from the original Cherokee. It doesn't fit into this picture, despite being originally designed to replace it. Alas, it seems corporate ignorance has buried one of the best modern SUVs any company has ever built ... and the company that truly takes credit for that impressive piece of design would be AMC (with a dump truck's load of credit to Richard Teague), the McGyver of automotive design and engineering. Ironically the Cherokee has left most, if not all, of Jeep's line-up under the weight of its shadow since it left the room. Look at how ChryCo redesigned the Liberty and designed the Patriot; look at how they designed the Commander and consider why they decided to build the Wrangler Unlimited with four full doors. You don't just build any successful vehicle relatively unchanged for almost two decades and expect people to just forget why they bought one in the first place. Also consider the fact it was the Cherokee just about everyone scrambled to compete with during the late '80s and early '90s. Because of the Cherokee, GM had to add an extra set of doors to the Blazer and Jimmy. Because of the Cherokee, Ford had to take the Bronco II down to the bare foundation and redesign it to be bigger and, yep, with a set of four doors (read: Explorer). It was the Cherokee's original formula that everyone copied and that would eventually lead to the SUV boom. I have to wonder how many people who shown up to trade their old Cherokees in around the debut of the original Liberty were completely turned off and away by what they were presented with at their Jeep dealer. I can't forget the truck the Cherokee spawned, either. With Ford giving up on compact trucks and Dodge moving on to follow Honda's failed model by slapping beds on minivans, Jeep could really take hold of the compact truck market in a big way if they built another truck like the Comanche. The Comanche was exceptionally light-weight, good looking, and fuel efficient for a small truck while still remaining rugged and capable and a new Jeep designed in the exact same vein would bring a lot of sales. I guarantee that, especially if they also add different cab configurations into the mix (that's the only thing the original Comanche should've stayed ahead on). Anyway, my rant is over. Post of the Month....!

Exactly my thoughts.

I need to go there..badly. Sounds like they are still in business..haven't been back to A2 in over 10 years...need to go visit my alma mater. Tios When you move back to the Midwest we ether have a road trip in your Mustang or My Miata...depending on the weather. Also depending on how silly two old guys would look riding around in a car way to small... Methinks it's a Grand Cherokee road trip.

In my case it would get me arrested for sexual, political, financial, and ethical reasons. And your excuse, sir is?

I need to go there..badly. Not really, steamed rice is much healthier for you and IMHO tastes much better. I don't like fried foods of any sort any more...I feel so much better after NOT eating any of them, actually.

Get R Done!

I'm in the same boat...I don't want to buy another four door car. However....can't buy a two door as a daily driver until my daughter is out of high school and my mother daughter is out of college. That gives me a year and a half. Blu changes cars about as often as I change sheets on the bed methinks.

I listen to the hard Christian Rock station my daughter likes sometimes.... But mostly I enjoy C and W in the car because everyone else in the household hates it.

This would be correct...once your addicted...your addicted.

So went to the shop that does the work on my cars (the one with all of the cool car pics in the project car thread>) Miata broke a half shaft (see other thread) before Sunday's racing, so I was unable to race. Here is the story for Today: They are repairing another vintage Rolls Royce automobile. The power window motors are $1200. Each. Plus the other parts to repair the drivers and passenger side power window mech....about enough to buy a nice second gen Camaro...for EACH DOOR! So a machine shop in China has done this work before. owner of the car is flying to China FIRST CLASS and staying in motel while this machine shop rebuilds the window lift mechanisms and repairs the window lift motors. The shop in China charges....ten bucks per door for this service. And I'm not making this up. So it's actually cheaper to fly to china, check into a motel, wait while they repair the power window lifts, and then fly b ack to the USA...than it is to buy the parts (in stock, mind you) locally. Weird planet we live on!

No doubt about it, Mazda and Porsche....after that VW is a distant third, Ford a distant Forth, and.... there are other car makers on the planet? Seriously, GM, Porsche and Mazda are my big thee. Yours?

Snapped an axle half shaft in the rear of the Miata, so I missed the last autocross of the season...it should be running again tomorrow.

Cool...I am seeing a lot of them on the road here in Columbus. Since you are in Ohio, Hyper...why don't we try to have an Ohio C and g get together some time? I think 67 IMP SS is the only other regular poster from Ohio...but I could be wrong.

I agree.

Keep us posted.. My latest, self induced..I just won a habanaro pepper eating contest with my 18 yer old son...we are both feeling it.

I am one of the few guys here who actually races in sanctioned competition on a regular basis. I have enough cred on my man card to drive the Eco Cruze. Thinking of buying one as a family car, actually. VERY interested in what you have to come up with.

Although I have had two friends get busted for driving faster...one at 152 in a CT-V and another at 158 in an LT-1 C4 Corvette.... Vette was just pulling away from the Porsche 911 when they got busted.... Had another friend get tagged at 155 in a modified RX-7, and get out of it. Yet another friend was doing 159 in a BMW...and got out of it. Can you tell my friends are a little bit nuts in the way they drive...Oh, yeah. Back in high school...1970 Boss 302 Mustang that was nowhere near stock, and a 1970 Hemi Cuda...both outran the Indiana State highway patrol back in the 1980's. Neither driver ever got caught.

top speed on the Eco is like 124mph per car and driver this new issue. perhaps you should double verify their number When the WRX First came out, they were using one as a pace car at Nelson Ledges for SCCA races. We took that thing out on the Ohio turnpike...it was good for the 141 MPH Suburu said it was.... The Ohio patrol/State Troopers know this also via radar...and we didn't wind up with a ticket...LONG story...

I miss having a stick. Haven't had a DD with one in 11+ years. Need to get something w/ one again. My current DD is a company truck (Chevrolet) that is an automatic...I miss driving a manual every day. Methinks you and Blu both need wranglers.... Maybe...I think the six speed Miata box has a few too many cogs...I like the feel of the Mazda 5 Speed better myself....that's what I have in my car.

IT could be worse...the guy who sells me my morning coffee has the IQ of Odie from the Comic strip Garfield... Good luck on your escape from the nuthouse, cubitar!

Sounds interesting...good luck if your a dad again, dude...Happy for ya! I'd love to have had your weekend...but Arizona rates next to Texas as a place that can pretty much cuceed from the US anytime it wants. NOT a fan of Arizona in any way, shape, or form. That could be a good thing... Could be a great thing depending on the guy he woke up next to..he's not telling us THAT part...

Actually as far as financials go...the Wrangler ain't gonna loose value, nor will a mice older GMC fullsize truck.... They will hold value until doomsday...people will always want them, and will always need trucks so....you won't be looisng equity. As far as insurance goes, I pay about $50 a month extra to keep the miata, a Wrangler would be even Cheaper according to state farm...and that's with towing, rental car, and full coverage. Ever considered a vintage truck, Blu...something like a nice 67-72 GM fullsize?

TDI has dropped Value because of the HPFP issuee...if VW ever gets the fuel pump issues sorted out, that car will go back up in value.

Happy Birthday!

Cool...best of luck to you, dude!