In your "Trail Tech for the First-Time Buyer" article (Aug. '08), there is a caption "The very basics of lockers" that goes on to state that the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and the Mercedes G-Class are the only two stock vehicles that come with a front and rear locker. What about the Dodge Power Wagon? Lockers or limited slip? I have a '07 Power Wagon that came stock with a front and rear locker, along with all the other items that make the Power Wagon what it is, a Rubicon on steroids. Not only can I go anywhere a fullsize will fit, but I can tow big time. Thanks for the clarification.
Michael Mcmurray
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Let's see, we even put those axles in our Ultimate Adventure Rubicon JK, and then forgot to mention the Power Wagon in the aforementioned Trail Tech story. I'll flog each staffer for you, as we all read the copy, and are all to blame! Thanks for the catch!
OK, just to let you know my subscription has run out, but I am writing to tell you why I am not renewing and ask a question (that I probably will not get an answer to since every time I write I hear nothing back nor see anything in the mag). First, the reason I am not renewing is simple: 10-15 years ago your articles on someone's ride were three or four pages long. Now you're lucky to get two pages (if that) and the rest of the mag is advertising.
Case in point: "The Perfect Pumpkin" (July '08, page 58). Two pages but broken up by two pages of advertising! I have to rip out two pages just to get the full view of the largest picture! Now I know it costs money to run your mag but who wants all that advertising crap? If you need more money, why not just raise the price of the mag and subscription and give better quality articles as in years past.
Now for my question. On page 82 of the same issue, it talks about a diesel in a Wrangler (which at one time I, too, thought would be cool), but now diesel is over $4.21 a gallon (maybe more now), whereas gasoline is much cheaper. How are you saving money by having that diesel and paying more than 75 cents more per gallon of fuel? You would be better off with a 2.5L four-cylinder (like my Wrangler) and be able to put the cheap stuff in. I know it is underpowered but with a few modifications (which I am doing now) like a 63mm throttle body from a 4.0, a Helix spacer, a K&N intake and headers, it would help. The power gets better without much loss in mpg (with a light foot maybe a gain in mpg).
Also, does anyone make a stroker kit or is there any way to stroke out the little 2.5L four-cylinder? To me that would be cool, a little four-popper with some serious punch (I had a Honda CRX Civic SI with just a stock four-cylinder that really screamed. Why can't we build that into the Jeep 2.5L? I used to race mustangs with V-8s and could keep up. Then I could blow them away on the back roads). All that said, I wish you would answer my e-mail and give me a reason to keep the subscription alive. But in this fast-paced world, I'm not counting on it. So I bid you farewell!
Jim Watkins
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Well, we're sorry you aren't going to renew your subscription, but we fully understand your comments on the advertising. Unfortunately it's an evil necessity which pays the bills. We wish we had more room for longer stories, but we need more ads to pay for those edit pages. And you'll notice we put this ad in the middle so that you could rip it out; its smaller size shows the intent of this type of insertion.
Concerning not getting a reply to your e-mail, I apologize. I do read every e-mail, but with more than 300 a day coming in, I can't respond to each one personally or I wouldn't have the time to produce the magazine.
As for the diesel question you posed, the fact is that diesel has higher energy content and is more economical in the long run. Yes, the fuel price is higher, but the power output and fuel economy evens it out. And for the OEs not making a powerful four-popper that can blow away V-8s? Well, then they couldn't sell the V-8s and make money now, could they?