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Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

EV thread

@starkey480 any updates on Tesla ownership?

We’ve put 70k miles on it so far. Only service so far is replacing the factory set of tires around 40k. Been on tons of roadtrips and it has been great for those. The percent battery estimate upon arrival is surprisingly accurate and dependable. Unless you have multiple sets of pole vault pole bags on the roof racks 😂 The only thing that bothers me is model 3s are notorious for getting a stinky AC smell when you first turn it on. I replaced the cabin filter and cleaned the evaporator and it went away. Wife washed the car and smell is back. Apparently you are supposed to turn the car on “car wash mode” when you wash it and it blocks off the air intake from the outside so no moisture gets sucked into the filter. Seems pretty retarded because then what about when it rains? Still need to do more research on that.
 
We’ve put 70k miles on it so far. Only service so far is replacing the factory set of tires around 40k. Been on tons of roadtrips and it has been great for those. The percent battery estimate upon arrival is surprisingly accurate and dependable. Unless you have multiple sets of pole vault pole bags on the roof racks 😂 The only thing that bothers me is model 3s are notorious for getting a stinky AC smell when you first turn it on. I replaced the cabin filter and cleaned the evaporator and it went away. Wife washed the car and smell is back. Apparently you are supposed to turn the car on “car wash mode” when you wash it and it blocks off the air intake from the outside so no moisture gets sucked into the filter. Seems pretty retarded because then what about when it rains? Still need to do more research on that.

Glad you’re liking it and it’s working for you. They have their place.
 
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Glad you’re liking it and it’s working for you. They have their place.

As far as supercharging goes on road trips the experience has been good. The route planner tells you where you need to stop and charge and for how long. Chargers have always been open. I like that it just auto bills your card so you just pull up and plug it in and that’s it. Honestly it’s a good reason to stretch your legs periodically. You definitely have to stop more often than an ICE car and adds a little time to the overall trip. But the breaks make it more tolerable in a way.
 
Our hybrid was cranking out 30-32mpg this summer. We drove it 350 miles this weekend when it was 50F in the morning and 45F coming home and got 28.5 mpg.

So we're heading into winter driving mode. MPG peaks at 75-85F, dips a little when it gets 100F range, drops off below freezing to around 21mpg.

More data points.
 
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We’ve put 70k miles on it so far. Only service so far is replacing the factory set of tires around 40k. Been on tons of roadtrips and it has been great for those. The percent battery estimate upon arrival is surprisingly accurate and dependable. Unless you have multiple sets of pole vault pole bags on the roof racks 😂 The only thing that bothers me is model 3s are notorious for getting a stinky AC smell when you first turn it on. I replaced the cabin filter and cleaned the evaporator and it went away. Wife washed the car and smell is back. Apparently you are supposed to turn the car on “car wash mode” when you wash it and it blocks off the air intake from the outside so no moisture gets sucked into the filter. Seems pretty retarded because then what about when it rains? Still need to do more research on that.

We are at 15,000 miles and it's been good so far. We owned a ID.4 before and it sucked at estimating mileage, I never trusted it.

There are a few things I don't like about our model Y.
The windshield wipers are the worst feature on the vehicle without a question. I believe tesla tries to control the wipers with cameras vs all other automatic wipers using a sensor for rain. That's annoying but the manual operation makes it even worse and there aren't enough intermittent wiper settings.

Apple carplay missing is a big one for my wife. It would be nice if they would add that feature.
 
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...and yet, I still don't want one (though I accept that's my "problem"). Maybe just me but bullet point #4 is a bit irritating, not only due to the reality of it but also that "most American made" is even some kind of rating statistic...

They don’t work for everyone. I wish the people trying to force them on everyone would realize that. I wouldn’t want it as my only vehicle.

#4 is doesn’t really work now days but imagine that point in the 80s or 90s where people cared a lot more about that metric.
 
If at higher speeds a head on collision wouldn't be my choice out of the two outcomes

I agree, while saving one life it could have cost another serious injury or worse. Getting hit by an EV is not the same as by a typical vehicle, the added weight the EV's pack increases the potential for injury or death in a collision.
 
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Wife picked up a 2024 Grand Cherokee 4XE about 3 months ago.
She's put nearly 4000mikes on it and only filled it (with gas) 3 times. Her round trip commute fits in the all electric range and a trip to town is about the range of a charge. Depending on where in town we're going, she can top it off before the ride back. No appreciable increase in the electric bill.
Right now, she's charging it on 110v, which takes about 6 hours for a full charge.
It has all the bells and whistles and is very comfortable for longer trips. Seats are heated, cooled, and have massage built in.
We'll see how it holds up, but so far it's pretty nice.
I'm seriously considering an all electric for commuting and local trips if prices on EVs keep plummeting. The gas savings alone should just about cover the payment.

Annnnnd the Grand Cherokee 4XE recall advising people to STOP CHARGING their vehicles or they may catch FIRE has completely wasted the extra investment in the plug in hybrid vehicle.
Wife has a pretty good bit of buyer's remorse with the 4XE now because the SW update that makes the gas engine run long enough to heat the oil past the gasoline evap point already impacted the electric range of the vehicle. As I understand it, the gasoline contamination of the oil was becoming an issue because folks were only running the gas engines briefly and never getting them hot enough, long enough to evaporate gas contamination of the oil, resulting in reduced lubrication and oil life. Definitely not bueno in a turbocharged 4 banger. Jeep's solution was to change the software to shut off the electric motor and FORCE ICE use to get it up to temp and prevent thinning the oil out. There is a class action lawsuit on that issue.
So, basically, Grand Cherokee 4XE owners now have asspensive turbo 4 cylinder SUVs.
I'm looking into the state's lemon law as an avenue to force a buyback and she says she'll pick up a new wrangler. We'll see how that plays out.
The Grand Cherokee IS still a very comfortable vehicle to ride in and that turbo 4 is pretty peppy even if it does sound like it's gonna come apart at full throttle.
Meanwhile, Hertz has decided to divest themselves of all their Chevy Bolt SUVs. I'm going to test drive one and see if I can't get it cheap. Hertz completed all the recall battery swaps on their fleet, so that should be done. IF i fit in it and don't hate it, I'll see if I can find one that had the battery replacement done recently to maximize battery life.
We do have a possible move coming up due to her career (mine is nearly over, so if she moves, I'm going to telework if the boss allows it or, retire early if he balks). Won't buy anything soon if that move materializes.
 
Annnnnd the Grand Cherokee 4XE recall advising people to STOP CHARGING their vehicles or they may catch FIRE has completely wasted the extra investment in the plug in hybrid vehicle.
Wife has a pretty good bit of buyer's remorse with the 4XE now because the SW update that makes the gas engine run long enough to heat the oil past the gasoline evap point already impacted the electric range of the vehicle. As I understand it, the gasoline contamination of the oil was becoming an issue because folks were only running the gas engines briefly and never getting them hot enough, long enough to evaporate gas contamination of the oil, resulting in reduced lubrication and oil life. Definitely not bueno in a turbocharged 4 banger. Jeep's solution was to change the software to shut off the electric motor and FORCE ICE use to get it up to temp and prevent thinning the oil out. There is a class action lawsuit on that issue.
So, basically, Grand Cherokee 4XE owners now have asspensive turbo 4 cylinder SUVs.
I'm looking into the state's lemon law as an avenue to force a buyback and she says she'll pick up a new wrangler. We'll see how that plays out.
The Grand Cherokee IS still a very comfortable vehicle to ride in and that turbo 4 is pretty peppy even if it does sound like it's gonna come apart at full throttle.
Meanwhile, Hertz has decided to divest themselves of all their Chevy Bolt SUVs. I'm going to test drive one and see if I can't get it cheap. Hertz completed all the recall battery swaps on their fleet, so that should be done. IF i fit in it and don't hate it, I'll see if I can find one that had the battery replacement done recently to maximize battery life.
We do have a possible move coming up due to her career (mine is nearly over, so if she moves, I'm going to telework if the boss allows it or, retire early if he balks). Won't buy anything soon if that move materializes.

Well, i drove the Bolt. I fit easily. I'm 6'2" 240 lbs. Foot room is a little cramped but not as bad as a TJ.
It drives Well and has plenty of pick up.
Price was right at $14500 and the creature comforts were decent.
Alas, I will be crossing the pond to hang out in Sicily for a few years. So, not buying a new car now. Actually might be selling the TJ. Haven't come to grips with that yet. Might let the kids drive it while we're cavorting about in Europe.
 
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Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts