2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, Red, Call 480-421-4530 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Abandoned Jeep found under twenty feet of snow in Donner Pass

You guys have heard of Donner Pass, right? The dreaded mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevadas out in California where an ill-fated group of mid-19th century pioneers got lost and fell to cannibalism to survive? Of course you have. Well, it seems that the pass has claimed another victim. It's not a pack of overly-optimistic farmers from Illinois this time, but a sad and lonely Jeep Cherokee. Last Thursday, the California Highway Patrol base at Truckee, California, posted a picture of the rear end of a forlorn-looking XJ with a mangled rear end buried under a veritable mountain of snow and ice. Discovered by a CalTrans truck-mounted snowblower around Serene Lakes near Donner Summit, a CHP representative told Jalopnik they believe the old white XJ has been sitting there since the beginning of winter. More than twenty feet of snow and ice are piled atop the Jeep, a winter's worth of snowplow leavings. Thankfully, the CHP found no bodies or anything else untoward in the XJ when they were arrived. CHP Truckee suggested that the Jeep's owner left it there, perhaps after a breakdown, and left it when successive layers of snow and ice entombed it. Since it's not blocking traffic and doesn't pose a safety hazard, CalTrans decided to leave the Jeep where they found it. The XJ's owner hasn't been identified yet. Hopefully they're not in too much of a hurry to get their Jeep back, because that thing isn't moving until late spring at the earliest. Related Video: News Source: CHP - Truckee, Jalopnik Auto News Weird Car News Jeep SUV snow

Truck Week, Jeep Grand Commander, and RIP Ford sedans | Autoblog Podcast #538

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder and Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. We talk about driving the 2018 Ford F-150 and 2019 Ram 1500 Tradesman we have at the office this week. We discuss Ford discontinuing most of its cars, salute the Jeep Grand Commander, and reminisce about our favorite car toys. As usual, we'll also spend a listener's money on a car. Autoblog Podcast #538 Your browser does not support the audio element. Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Ford kills off all cars but Mustang and Focus Active Jeep debuts three-row Grand Commander at Beijing Motor Show Trucks in the office: Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 Tradesman Our favorite car toys Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Podcasts Toys/Games Beijing Motor Show Ford Jeep RAM Car Buying Truck SUV Sedan ram 1500 tradesman

2017 Jeep Compass is finally a compact crossover worthy of its badge

Jeep finally thinks it has a Compass that points true north. When the compact crossover first debuted alongside the Patriot for the 2007 model year, it was all wrong. The original Compass didn't look like a Jeep, didn't have any off-road credibility, and wasn't remotely fun to drive. It was, by all accounts, a failure. A mid-cycle refresh helped matters in 2011, and the addition of a six-speed automatic to replace the unloved CVT made 2014 and later models the best of the breed. Until now, that is. View 14 Photos There's a brand-new Jeep Compass for 2017, and it looks to put Jeep's compact crossover contender back on track. The new Compass looks a lot like a shrunken Grand Cherokee, which is no bad thing. A slotted grille leads the way, and the bulging fenders and slowly rising bodysides add visual interest to the two-box shape. An optional dual-pane sunroof should help keep the cabin from feeling too confining, though the Compass lacks any sort of removable top system like that of its smaller sibling, the Renegade. One engine will be available in the United States. The 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder engine offers 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. That's 8 more ponies and 10 more lb-ft than before. Buyers can choose from three transmission options, starting with a six-speed manual on either 4x2 or 4x4 versions. Front-wheel-drive Compass models get a six-speed auto option, while 4x4 models get a nine-speed. Both the Jeep Active Drive and Jeep Active Drive Low – the latter system features a crawl ratio – can send 100 percent of the engine's available torque to whichever individual wheel has the most traction. A Trailhawk model (above in red) is a new addition to the Compass line, and it comes with unique fascias and a small suspension lift that improve its off-road cred with a 30-degree approach angle, 24-degree breakover angle, and 34-degree departure angle. Trailhawk models get Hill Descent Control and a Rock Mode added to the Selec-Terrain system, which, coupled with a 20:1 crawl ratio, should make the Trail Rated Compass the most capable vehicle in its class. As you would expect, the Compass is a unibody. That should make it pretty comfortable on the road, too, and its Koni frequency damping struts both front and rear ought to make it ride pretty well. Inside, there are three different center LCD screen sizes, depending on trim. Base models get a 5.0-inch unit, with larger 7.0- and 8.4-inch units optional.