+ experience at my local Jeep Svc Ctr today

I spent some time here a while back bitching about getting really lame svc and jacked prices at my old Jeep Dealer (I have a Cherokee) when trying to use my (apparently leperous) aftermarket warranty about 2 years ago. Since then I've avoided dealerships like the plague and frankly ended up neglecting my Jeep a bit to avoid future unpleasantness.

Well, today I had the [i]opposite[/i] experience at my NEW Jeep dealer. They gave me a short list of what they thought needed to be done, and I took some things off the list I figured I could do myself (water pump, belt, hoses, etc) and in the end I had enough money to do the brakes and some minor other stuff, and I stayed well within my budget. They gave me a 10%discount without mentioning it.

I'll definitely be going back there.

Keep repeating: customer service, customer service...

Sense of Accomplishment

Today after work I pulled the driveshaft and changed the U-joints, and finally got rid of that annoying driveline vibration. Test drive on 117 was heaven, even at rush hour.

Last weekend I finally tracked down the clunking issue - all this time I thought it was the starter hitting the steering crossmember, but it was really the steering shaft coupler hitting the manifold on every bump. As I shimmed the motor mount to get the center link away from the starter, I was actually making the problem worse by raissing the manifold into the steering shaft.

So, I pulled the steering column and swapped the short power steering shaft for a longer manual steering one I got off ebay, plus I added a bunch of heat insulation to keep hot air from the engine compartment where it belongs, instead of in my lap. Pipe wrap and foil tape worked great.

The transmission is still leaking, and I have to finesse 2nd gear, but hopefullly I can do the tranny swap over the next weekend or so, if there's time. I should at the very least replace the seals and gaskets. And while it's out I could take a crack at the hydraulic clutch project, but then I won't be able to drive it...

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