With the Wrangler nearing the end of its stay in our long-term fleet, I decided to give its prodigious trail-busting talents one more chance to shine. So I told Vehicle Testing Coordinator Mike Schmidt that I was going to take the long way home.
Schmidt cocked an eyebrow. "The long way home?"
I nodded slyly. "That's right."
"Well," he sighed, "I guess we know what you're driving tonight."
"Beep beep," I grinned. "Who's got the keys to my Jeep?"
The long way home includes a tortuous series of what hardcore off-roaders refer to as "Southern California swales," one of which is depicted above. True to form, the Trail-Rated Wrangler scrambled over them like a mountain goat on amphetamines. There's really nothing like piloting the Wrangler in its natural habitat. You might even forget that it doesn't have power mirrors.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 15,096 miles
thetruck454 says:
07:05 PM, 04/11/08
haha, joke right?
bemanix88 says:
07:56 PM, 04/11/08
I don't get it.
willin58 says:
08:00 PM, 04/11/08
Nice Missy Elliott reference, if nothing else.
johnmarco says:
08:35 AM, 04/12/08
I don't get it either. But it's been a year already for that thing? Geez. Is that a Michigan license plate? I thought you bought these cars, Consumer Reports style.
dragonflight says:
09:34 AM, 04/12/08
@johnmarco:
Some of the cars they buy, others they spec out and request from the manufacturer or are offered. For example, I believe the Rondo and X5 are not purchased by Edmunds, but the M3 and Ferrari definitely are.
daytona_500 says:
10:11 AM, 04/12/08
Which offroad vehicle will replace the Wrangler in the fleet? I'd like to see the Hummer H3 pickup added, that would be neat.
jriz says:
11:20 AM, 04/12/08
Correct dragonfight. Presently we own more than half the cars and receive the remainder (like most publications) from manufacturers. The latter ones are generally "ordered" from the manufacturer to requested specification. Which ones we buy and which ones we request is determined by a whole heap of factors, although it's principally which method will get us the car faster.
desmolicious says:
04:25 PM, 04/12/08
Ok I'll bite. What is Josh talking about?
sadbuttrue says:
05:51 PM, 04/12/08
Man, now I know how Conan felt during the writer's strike. Sorry for the confusion, folks. WARNING - joke spoiler follows:
The point of my post was that the Wrangler's a pretty silly vehicle to tool around in on city streets. Since we've kind of beaten this observation to death, I decided I'd try to say it in a tongue-in-cheek way by describing my route home as a kind of urban safari, replete with "what hardcore off-roaders refer to as Southern California swales," i.e. speed bumps (note the word "BUMP" on the pavement in picture #2).
Josh
mopar424 says:
09:59 AM, 04/15/08
Since theres pretty consistantly been a Jeep in the fleet, I think you all should look into a LT test of a CRD Grand Cherokee. Diesel, 4x4, niice.
heidis says:
04:14 PM, 04/25/08
mopar424, that would be a treat for sure. But I dun't think it'll ever happen. Since the Edmunds offices are in California and the CRD Grand isn't a 50 state compliant diesel the two shall likely never meet. However, the new 2009 Grand with the Bluetec diesel is 50 state compliant. Edmunds folks, please consider that once Chrysler delivers it. Please, please, please!?! (Me wants a diesel Grand quite badly....)