JK O'Lantern

This afternoon the family carved Jack O'Lanterns.

B painted a piece of modern art:



A carved a window scene from a pattern that came with the carving kit we bought:



We all had a hand in painting a Finding Nemo jack o'lantern.



Then there was mine.

I drew up a pattern on the computer a couple of weeks ago and finally got around to cutting up the gourd. As you can see, it got a little out of hand.



I mostly shaved the outer layer of skin off to allow light to shine through. The only places where I cut all the way through the rind were at the "JK" lettering and the fog and headlights.

Snakes and Arrows Tour Set List: Part I

Okay, one day before the tour officially begins, and I have found a complete set list that someone listening outside a rehearsal venue managed to post to The Rush Forum:

Posted by Speeding Wheels From the Mike Portnoy forum:


***SPOILER***
***SPOILER***
***SPOILER***
***SPOILER***
***SPOILER***


SPOILER PADDING


***SPOILER***
***SPOILER***



Just got back to my hotel after a VERY amazing day... but the story of the trip here is for a different thread. This thread is simply to inform everybody of tonights final rehearsal setlist.

We were NOT allowed onto the grounds of HiFi Buys Amphitheatre... .but we were told to stand across the street, which we did for a while before we found a location with better sound (and less traffic passing by!)

So... for those that want to know... here is what they played tonight!!!



Limelight
Digital Man
Entre Nous
Mission
Freewill
The Main Monkey Business
The Larger Bowl
Secret Touch
Circumstances
Between The Wheels
Dreamline
(unidentified song... there was a long silence after Dreamline so we went to find a restoom and refreshments, upon leaving the gas station we could hear SOMETHING, but couldnt make it out before it was over)

INTERMISSION


Video Intro (unable to see it... but was about 2-3 minutes long)
Far Cry
Workin Them Angels
Armor and Sword
Spindrift
The Way The Wind Blows
Subdivisions
Natural Science
Witch Hunt
MalNar
Drum Solo
Hope
Summertime Blues (ugh!)
The Spirit of Radio
Tom Sawyer

ENCORE

One Little Victory
A Passage to Bangkok
YYZ

Thats all folks!!!

Time to create a playlist in iTunes and burn to an MP3 CD for the ride up to Tampa in the new Jeep!

Jake's JK: Not that I'm going to trade it in. Ever.

It's a good feeling when you get external confirmation of something you had a gut feeling about. I knew Jeep Wranglers have a high resale value, but this is great news:

2007 Top 10 Value Retaining Cars:
The 2007 Jeep Wrangler took the top spot, having retained 73% of its value over a 5 year/65,000 mile period

Fuckn' A.

That means in 2012, if I am sick of the JK (which I truly doubt will happen) I should be able to get $18,250 for it.

Not a bad down payment.

On a 2012 Jeep Wrangler.

Snakes and Arrows: First Airplay

I was driving my JK home last night around 7:30, listening to Octane 20 on Sirius, and "Far Cry", Rush's single came on. Now, I have had the album since the day it came out, and downloaded "Far Cry" from iTunes before that, but there is something about hearing your favorite band's new song play on the radio for the first time.

Plus, I got to crank up the premium Infinity sound system so loud I could feel Geddy's bass notes and Neil's kick drum in my chest. That's worth the price of the upgrade.

Jake's JK: First Trail Run

A, B, and I took the new Jeep out for a drive in the Everglades this afternoon. Here are a few pics:

Jake's JK: More Jeep Pics

Okay, here are some daylight pics of the 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with half doors (gratuitous Google Images keyword tagging).





Here's the rear half door from the inside. I know pics of these are hard to come by right now, so I'm doing everything I can to boost this site's traffic.


And these are the steps I bought from a website that lured me in with free shipping, then charged my credit card $60 for "freight". I guess that's different from "shipping". But, A called and bitched and they ended up refunding the $60, so all is good. I won't tell you the name of the website, but it rhymes with J.C. Shitney.


And finally, a plug for Eddie (WayOfLife) at Project-JK.com and JK-Forum.com, who helped me spend these four long months looking at Jeep pr0n while I waited for my JK. The "JK" sticker on top is from the Project-JK Store.

Now Presenting: Jake's JK

Okay, as promised, here are some preliminary driveway pics of my new Flame Red 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (with half doors).


It was still raining when we got to the dealership to pick her up this evening, but by the time all the papers had been signed and the keys were in the ignition, it had faded to a drizzle.


The photo above shows how the half doors look with the tops on, and with them removed below.

This is Eugene (as in Eugene the Jeep, from the Popeye cartoons).

When we got home it was almost dark, so these pictures aren't the best, but they will do the trick until this weekend when I can run a proper photo shoot.

Somebody really doesn't want me to enjoy life

About an hour before I was scheduled to leave today, the sky decided to open up and pour enough rain to make up for the last 5 months of drought.

Seriously.

I think I am in the Matrix, and they don't want me to be too happy, otherwise I might wake up.

WTF????

Guess what I get to unwrap tonight?

A got the call a few minutes ago. My Jeep has arrived at the dealership!

If I can actually get any work done this afternoon, I will be heading straight there after work. A will meet me with the check from the bank, and I will drive it home tonight!

It's about damn time!

I will post pics tonight as soon as I get them. Woohooo!

Jake's JK: This is not a good sign

So my Jeep is built, shipped, and unloaded from the train. So what is keeping it from being delivered to my local dealership?

Goddamned wildfires!

Seriously. The train unloads the vehicles in Miami, which then come across Alligator Alley on a truck. That just happens to be where a 15,913-acre fire is burning this week.

"Eh, it should be out in a week or so," sez the talking head from the Division of Forestry.

Fuck.

BTW, the kickass satellite pic of the smoke from the fires came from the MODIS Rapid Response System Gallery. Its a pretty sweet searchable database of images from NASA's satellites. You know, the ones Google will hijack when they take over the world.

Our tax dollars at work, folks.

Jake's JK: I am the squeaky wheel

Well last night the DaimlerChrysler rep finally called me. He apologized for the long wait, its a very popular vehicle, factory not able to keep up with demand, yadda, yadda, yadda.

He told me that he had sent an e-mail to the plant manager in Toledo to find out exactly what the hold-up was, and he would try entering an identical order to mine into the computer system to see if it would have the same troubles I am now having. He told me that he would call me this morning to let me know what he found out, and gave me his cell phone number and told me that I could call him if I didn't hear from him this morning.

He called me at 11:55 this morning (just barely meeting his self-imposed deadline) and told me that my Jeep was built, in storage, and waiting for a train to pick it up.

Due to a nationwide railcar shartage (which is delaying a Ford my coworker's husband ordered last month) my Jeep should ship sometime between now and May 10th.

It's time to start obsessing about something else now. Ooh! I know! The Rush concert in Tampa that A bought me tickets to!!!!

Jake's JK: Of all the things I've ever lost, I miss my mind the most

I must've been sulking a little too much on Friday night, because A checked the inventory of several Jeep dealers across the state to see if there were any rigs comparable to what I ordered. There weren't, but the "other" dealer in town (the one I didn't order from) had just taken delivery of a Wrangler Unlimited with half doors-one of my "must have" options that I had yet to see in person.

We made the trek up to the dealership to take a look at it. The sales rep A talked to on the phone was working with another customer, but pointed us in the direction of the Jeep with half doors and told us she would sent the manager over with a key so we could look inside. When we got to the Jeep, I showed A why I want to install an alarm system as soon as I take possession of my Jeep. I stuck my finger under the canvas flap on the upper front door, wiggled it in, unzipped the window, reached in, and unlocked the door.

Aside from the half doors and 4 wheel drive, this particular Jeep had nothing that I wanted. I wasn't too happy with the "spice"-colored interior, and A hated the "baby-puke-shit-green" paint. So we went back inside and asked how soon they were expecting more Wrangler Unlimiteds with half doors. It turns out that they have five that should be arriving in early May, nine days before mine will even be built. I will have to compromise on a few of the extras I ordered, but nothing that is a deal-breaker. We will see how I like them when I sit in the driver's seats.

Today, I stopped at the dealership that is supposed to be working on getting my custom-ordered Jeep built and delivered. The sales manager told me that he doesn't have any answers for me. He was a little surprised that when his computer was updated this morning, it showed the same build date I was told on Friday. He said that the Chrysler rep was going to be stopping by at 3 pm, and he would give the guy my cell number.

Guess who never called?

Jake's JK: Heads are gonna roll!

As my coworkers will attest, I annoyingly call the Chrysler customer service hotline nearly every day to check on the status of my Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. I was stuck at the same status code for nearly three months (D-firm schedule - dealer has allocation and all parts available) and was given a tentative build date several times by the dealership, only to have each date pass without my JK being built. Each time I was given a new build date a few weeks later than the previous.

Last week my status jumped to D-1, which coincided with my most recent build date of Saturday, April 14. Well, Saturday came and went, and Monday and Tuesday I called to find myself still in "D-1" with a build date of April 18. Thursday (the 19th), I was told by Chrysler customer service that they needed to give me a new order number, and I had moved back to "D". Furious, A called the dealer, who told her that whoever I talked to was wrong, and his computer still showed a build date of April 25th (which we had never heard before).

So I called Chrysler again today, and they couldn't find my "new" order number, so I gave them my original one, which quickly allowed them to find that my last order status was "D1" (even though they told me "D" yesterday) and that my scheduled build date is now May 14th.

MAY FUCKING 14TH!!!!!

I ordered the sonofabitch on January 19th. You can't tell me that it takes four fucking months to schedule and build a Jeep the way I want it. As a matter of fact, I know it doesn't, because I have toured the Audi factory in Ingolstadt, Germany, and they are the model of efficiency and custom manufacturing, and because other people here ordered theirs after I did, and are already driving theirs. One lucky stiff ordered his, only to have it damaged by crashing into an overpass while being delivered to the dealership, and got his replacement built and delivered. All since I ordered mine.

DaimlerChrysler, Chrysler Group, Jeep, and my local dealership (who I will not name because I don't want to give them any publicity-good or bad) have all been pretty apathetic about my situation. None of them seem to think that it's a problem that a returning customer is treated so poorly. If I didn't feel so strongly about the product, I would go elsewhere. I am not willing to sacrifice on brand, model, extras, color, or any other variable. I just want this Jeep:

2007 WRANGLER UNLIMITED X 4-DOOR 4X4 S Pkg.
Flame Red Clear Coat
Roof: Black Soft Top
Interior: Dark Slate Gray/Medium Slate Gray
6-Speed Manual Transmission
Half Metal Doors with Locks
Trailer Tow Group
Command-Trac® Shift-on-the-Fly 4WD System
Next Generation Dana 44 Heavy Duty Rear Axle
Trac-Lok® Limited Slip Rear Differential
4.10 Axle Ratio
16" Aluminum Wheels
368W 7-Spkr Infinity® Sound Sys Incl Subwoofer
AM/FM Stereo Radio w/In-Dash CD Plyr/MP3 Capability
SIRIUS® Satellite Radio
Air Conditioning
Locking Fuel Filler Cap

Actually, I could live without the Trac-Lok Differential and locking fuel cap, and I might take another color or larger wheels, but that's it. Everything else is non-negotiable. If you are a dealer and can get me one faster than May 15th, let me know. If you work for Chrysler or Jeep and can do something to get my production date moved up, please do it. I will be eternally grateful.

Extreme Fun with Keywords: Jeep Edition

It has been almost six months since the last time I posted anything about the weird shit people search the Google for that leads them to my site. Since there are a boatload of searches regarding my recent Jeep posts, I decided to break the latest round of Fun with Keywords into two parts: Jeep and non-Jeep. The non-Jeep version will be coming up later this week.

After looking into the Jeep-only searches, I found there are four subcategories:

1. People looking for brochures
2. People looking for information or pictures about half doors
3. People looking for information about production delays, lead times, or their order status.
4. General 2007 Jeep Wrangler information.

Here's the first batch, Brochures:

1995 wrangler dealer brochure
2007 jeep brochure
2007 jeep wrangler brochure
2007 wrangler brochure
jeep 2007 brochure
jeep 2007 wrangler brochure
wrangler 2007 brochure

Ummmm, check out Jeep.com, retards, I bet you'll find one there! Hey look, there on the left, "Brochures".


Next is the group nearest and dearest to me, Half Doors:

2007 jeep unlimited half doors order date
2007 jeep unlimited no half doors availability
2007 jeep wrangler jk replacement doors
2007 jk unlimited half doors
2007 unlimited half door
2007 unlimited half doors
2007 wrangler half framed doors
2007 wrangler unlimited half doors
2007 wrangler unlimited jk half doors
2007 wrangler unlimited picture half doors
half door availability on jeep wrangler unlimited
how much are the new jk half doors
jeep half doors
jeep unlimited jk half door wait time
jeep unlimited with doors removed for street driving
jeep wrangler brochure 2007
jk "half doors" availability
jk jeep wrangler half
jk unlimited half doors
jk wrangler unlimited half door job #1
making 4x4 half door
picture of 2007 jeep unlimited with half doors
picture of 2007 unlimited with half doors and soft top
picture of half doors wrangler unlimited
replacement half doors for 4 door jk
unlimited half door availability
when are half doors for wrangler being shipped
where are the half door 2007 unlimited
wrangler half door job 1 date
wrangler unlimited 2007 half door set

I can't say I blame them. I have been looking since December and I only last week found pictures of actual production half doors. Here.)

Jeep waited a little too long to make this feature available for purchase. As you can see here, it is a very popular option for Wrangler fans. Hell, I have been waiting for almost three months just for the half doors. I could have walked off the lot with a JK with full doors in January, but I chose to wait. Judging by these searches, a lot of other people have, too. Smart business plan, DaimlerChrysler! Put off a large segment of your loyal Jeep customer base to fill up dealer lots with "Mall Rated" soccer mom editions that just sit there because the ride is too rough to put on makeup. It's a Jeep! It's supposed to be utilitarian. Hell, the original models didn't even have roofs, let alone roll-up windows on their non-existent doors. End rant.


Here's the biggest batch of searches, Production Times:

2007 jeep wrangler delivery status
2007 jeep wrangler production order availability wait list time
2007 jeep wrangler unlimited backlog
2007 jeep wrangler unlimited backlog of orders
2007 jeep wrangler unlimited delivery time
check on ordered jeep status
checking the status of an ordered vehicle jeep
chrysler vehicle order status
delivery problems with jk jeep
delivery time 2007 wrangler unlimited
how long are wrangler rubicon 2007 orders taking
how long for delivery of my wrangler
how long to manufacture a jeep wrangler
jeep accepting orders
jeep build status code
jeep jk order status
jeep jk production
jeep jk unlimited rubicon order lead time
jeep order status codes
jeep rubicon 14 week wait for delivery
jeep rubicon six month wait for delivery
jeep wrangler 2007 order waiting time
order backlog for 2007 jeep wrangler unlimited
order status 2007 jeep wrangler
production stopped for jeep wrangler unlimited
production time for 2007 jeep rubicon
why is it taking so long to get a new unlimited jeep sahara delivered
why is it taking so long to get my new jeep unlimited?
why is the jeep wrangler taking so long
wrangler jk delivery time
wrangler unlimited backlog

I must say, I have found the answer to several of these queries, and here is what I know. 2007 Jeep Wranglers are taking anywhere from 4 weeks to over 6 months to manufacture when built to order. Some things slowing down orders are the Rubicon package, half doors on 4-door models, dual tops, and the MyGig navigation and entertainment system. Half doors on Unlimiteds actually went into production this month, so if you order them now, you should not expect the delays like I have experienced. As far as checking your order status or deciphering order status codes goes, refer to my earlier post.


And finally, General Jeep Inquiries:

07 jeep jk wrangler unlimited
1995 wrangler sale florida dealer
2007 jeep jk owners
2007 jeep unlimited
2007 jeep wrangler and difficult to steal
2007 jeep wrangler jk
2007 jeep wrangler limited
2007 jeep wrangler unlimited
2007 jeep wrangler unlimited forums
2007 jeep wrangler won't start
2007 wrangler
2007 wrangler unlimited photo picture
black strap with a button for jeep jk
costume 4 door wrangler
jeep center console jk 2007
jeep comment
jeep jk
jeep jk no a/c
jeep jk problems
jeep jk unlimited canvas tops
jeep rumors (2007 or 2008)
jeep wrangler
jeep wrangler limited 2007
jeep wrangler unlimited
jeep wrangler unlimited x toronto
jk jeep
jk soft doors
parts for 2007 4 door jeep wrangler
set time on 2007 wrangler radio
test drive new jk jeep
wrangler unlimited sleep setup

A couple things worry me about this batch. "2007 jeep wrangler won't start" and "parts for 2007 4 door jeep wrangler" don't bode well for a future owner, however, I do know that there was a "stall bug" in early production units that was fixed with a flash update to the computer.

Also, "costume 4 door wrangler"??? Who is dressing up like their Jeep? Maybe in anticipation of the new Transformers movie? This takes the prize for the weirdest search for this episode.

Coming Soon: more crazy Fun with Keywords

Jake's JK: Coming Soon (For Real)

A few weeks ago, I found a phone number for Chrysler that I could call to check the status of my order. Since I first found out about it, I have been stuck at "D" status (see below). I have called every week or so, but no change. My 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited had a firm schedule, but there was no movement in my status since I ordered it on January 19th.

Today when I called, they told me it had moved to D1!!! It will be built this week!

An hour or so later, the dealer called A and told her that the Jeep is scheduled to ship next Wednesday and will arrive a week later. I will be behind the wheel of my JK by the end of the month.

Top down.

Doors off.

Radio blasting Rush (btw, A bought me tickets for their June show in Tampa for our anniversary).

Wind blowing.

Sun shining.

Life is good.

If you have a Jeep, Dodge, or Chrysler vehicle on order and want to know your vehicle's status, get your VIN or Vehicle Order Number from your dealer and call 1-800-992-1997. Follow the prompts, stay on the line for an operator, and they can look it up for you.

Below is a complete list of Chrysler status codes that should help you figure out what it means:

ORDER STATUS CODES

BB - review by fleet department
BD - special equipment processing
BE - edit error
BG - passed edit n/a for schedule
BGL - edit ok parts unavailable
BX - passed edit available for schedule
C - sub firm
D - firm schedule - dealer has allocation and all parts available
D1 - gateline schedule - scheduled to be built
E - frame
F - paint
G - trim
I - built not ok'd
J - built ok'd
JB - shipped to body vendor
JE - emission check
JS - shipped to storage
KZ - released by plant , invoiced
KZL - released - not shipped
KZM - first rail departure
KZN - first rail arrival
KZO - delayed/recieved
KZOA - plant holds
KZOB - zone/distribution holds
KZOC - carrier delays
KZOD - carrier holds
KZOE - mis-shipped vehicle
KZOF - show/test vehicle
KZOG - damaged vehicle
KZOH - all other reasons
KZT - second rail departure
KZU - second rail arrival
KZX - delivered to dealer
ZA - canceled

Jake's JK:Status Update

According to my sources at jk-forum.com and jkboard.com, Job #1 for half doors on a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited has been pushed back again, to March 21st. Even if they do make this build date (which I doubt) and my Jeep is built on the first day of production (a distinct possibility, since I got my order in on the first day possible) and there is nothing wrong with it and it passes inspection and ships quickly (fingers crossed) it still may not make it to my dealer in time for me to pick it up before my vacation on March 31st.

So, A and I decided not to go to Jekyll Island, Georgia, as we had planned and are instead hitting the big "O" and renting a condo in Orlando for the better part of a week. We just don't trust the Wagonqueen Family Truckster on a trip much longer than that. We may visit Mickey and company at Typhoon Lagoon, the rest of the time we will be at Universal.

As I await delivery of my new JK Wrangler, I have been reminiscing my old YJ Wrangler. Here's a pic from 1996.

J's JK: 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Update

I have found out some new information about why my Wrangler is taking so long to arrive. First, I must give a huge thank-you to everyone over at JK-Forum. Not only did they help me out with figuring out what the hold-up is, but they posted DaimlerChrysler's 800 number to check your order status and a list of status codes and their definitions.

It turns out that my 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with half doors isn't scheduled to go into production until February 28. That means 2 more days until I can call and check to see if there is any progress on my Jeep. It seems that they started taking orders for the half-door option on January 18th, but won't actually start building them until this Wednesday. Since I ordered mine on the first day that DC was accepting orders for the half-door option, it should (hopefully) be built this week.

The quiz from my previous post is still open to anyone who thinks they can figure out what is wrong in the picture form the 2007 Jeep Wrangler brochure (another hint: it's in the center of the picture).

2007 Jeep Wrangler Brochure Quiz

Let's test your powers of observation.

What is wrong with this picture of the interior of the 2007 Jeep Wrangler in the official product brochure? Click the picture on the right to zoom in, and leave a comment to guess the answer. Trust me, you will need to zoom in to figure this one out. Being from Michigan won't hurt, either.

The winner will get a ride in my new 4-door Wrangler Unlimited when it arrives. What better prize is there? Transportation to my house is not included, but feel free to stop by if you are ever in the neighborhood.

Driving my wife completely insane

There are some days when the world seems out to get you, others when the forces of the universe seem to align in your favor. A few weeks ago the winds of change were blowing at my back and pushing me exactly where I wanted to go.

I finished my master's degree and got a big promotion at work (I promise I will finish that story soon). As a reward to myself, I had my eye on the totally redesigned 2007 Jeep Wrangler (designation JK). I had a 1995 Wrangler (designation YJ) for a couple of years, but traded it in when the novelty of a convertible top in lieu of air conditioning wore off. In Florida, especially in the summer, A/C ranks right up there with food, water, and 24.

In September, the new JKs started arriving at the dealerships, and I started drooling. The first one I sat in was a hardtop "Unlimited" model (meaning it had 4 doors--a first for the Wrangler). Right away, I disliked the hardtop and waited until they had a soft top before I took one out for a test drive. That one had a much smoother, quieter ride than I remembered from my YJ, but something still wasn't right.

It was the door.

My old YJ had the half-framed doors, which meant that you could remove the top half for a real open-aired driving experience. Those top halves were canvas and the windows were plastic that zipped out, rather than rolling down. Most people are accustomed to a higher level of luxury than the traditional Jeep half doors allowed, and Jeep didn't even manufacture the half-door models at the start of their production run (the brochure says "late availability"—whenever that is).

I told the dealer to give me a call when they knew the half-door models would start arriving, and I would test drive one then. He took my name and number and promised to do so.

I saw on a Jeep rumors website that production of the half-framed door models was scheduled to start in February. That gave me a date on which to focus.

Meanwhile I was anxious. I received the slick product brochure in the mail, pouring over every detail. Which model do I want—X, Sahara, or Rubicon? Wrangler 2-door or Wrangler Unlimited 4-door? Which options? What would it cost? I spent more time on the pricing and configuration website than I spent at work.

In late January I had my optimal package picked out, so I printed the specs and drove down to the dealer. I was in luck! Later that week, Jeep would start accepting orders for Wrangler Unlimited with half-framed doors.

I would be the first person this dealership sold one to.

That Friday, I drove down to the dealership with my deposit in hand. The sales manager happened to be keying in my order when I got there. Six to eight weeks and the 4x4 would roll off the delivery truck and into my life.

Last Friday, A called our salesman at the dealership to ask if he had a better idea of when the Jeep would arrive. He looked up the order in the computer and discovered that it had been built last Wednesday (February 14th) and was waiting for a truck to pick it up. Weather in Toledo had been pretty bad, so they had a backlog of vehicles waiting for delivery, but it would only take three to five days to get here once it shipped.

I really can't think about anything else right now. Even though they have only been around for six months, I have found a ton of websites devoted to JK Wranglers. I have trolled the message boards and searched on Google images, but except for the promo shots from Jeep and the prototype that made the rounds at the auto shows, no one else has posted a picture of the half doors yet. There are absolutely no pictures of the top half of the half doors, not even in the brochure.

You just might see one here first.

Update (Wednesday 2/21, 11AM):
Those putzes at the dealership screwed up when they looked up my Jeep in the computer. Mine is still waiting to be built, this week or next, so it will probably be another two weeks. ARRRRGH!!!