New Stuff on Vehicles likes/dislikes

Pmt133 · Monday at 6:13 AM

During the last blizzard, found a new hate for LED headlights. Not warm enough to self defrost in whiteout conditions. The HIDs in my truck were perfectly fine. The F-150, denali, and expedition... not so much. (we were testing the trucks in the compound at work. Luckily that type of snow doesn't happen much)

I am aware some manufacturers offer defrosting strips on the housing... seems like all should offer that as an option for cold regions just in case.

Scott Danforth · Monday at 6:15 AM

rainex helps keep snow from sticking on the headlights and tail lights.

I simply dislike all plastic headlights

Pmt133 · Monday at 6:24 AM

I have no issue with 5x7s. They work way better than people give them credit for.

Coincidentally the tails were fine. I suspect it was a combination of how fast it was coming down plus how much was on the ground... Don't know how much rain-x would have improved the situation... My 8 mile run home that night had the grill stuffed to the radiator with snow, the whole front end coated an inch deep with buildup everywhere else (sans the headlights) and pretty much everything outside the glass coated too. Hell my antenna on the roof was the size of a soccer ball when I got home.

It was very much a don't be on the road unless you have to situation... and I ain't sleeping at work for free.

Every other normal snow event they've been fine though. Just the perfect circumstance.

alldodge · Monday at 6:25 AM

Traded the wifes XT5 for a Jeep Grand Cherokee, like it much better with it sitting higher but miss the street sign reader in my truck. This is a limited model so I thought with Nav and the rest it would have it but nope, come on Overland and Summit.

My truck and her XT5 with move the seat, steering and mirrors when you open the door, but it only happens if you use the Fob unlock or if you push the 1 or 2 button inside. Guess I'm getting spoiled

alldodge · Monday at 6:27 AM

Wonder if rain-x will get gummy on the headlights like it does on the windshield during the winter?

Pmt133 · Monday at 6:29 AM

My 03 escalade has the easy move seat for entering and exit. Take the key out it moves and step out. Unlock the same thing. Thought it was pretty trick back in the day.

alldodge · Monday at 6:36 AM

Pmt133 said:
My 03 escalade has the easy move seat for entering and exit. Take the key out it moves and step out. Unlock the same thing. Thought it was pretty trick back in the day.

That's been on all the last vehicles including this Jeep but I don't use it because don't need the extra room. Was in my brother in laws Ford explorer in the back seat. When he opened his door the seat started coming back and started to roll over my toe, not good.

Pmt133 · Monday at 6:42 AM

I'm fat... so the seat is nearly all the way back to start with anyway.

I like the little "you are driver one for radio presets and seat and mirror positions" message though. Does still seem like more stuff to go wrong though and isn't really necessary.

Bob_VT · Monday at 7:47 AM

Scott Danforth said:
rainex helps keep snow from sticking on the headlights and tail lights.

I simply dislike all plastic headlights

My Toyota has Headlight washers and a rear camera washer which work great in bad weather. My headlights are small and would fit into the palm or your hand.

Lou C · Monday at 8:58 AM

Scott Danforth said:
rainex helps keep snow from sticking on the headlights and tail lights.

I simply dislike all plastic headlights

Agreed
Little stones don’t break em but they all oxidize after a while. I bought a set of Crown aftermarket headlights for my 07 Grand for about $240 instead of paying $600 for the pair OEM. My old 98 Grand was converted over to the European style ECE H4 halogen lamps with glass lenses about 20 years ago. These are good for the price! $45 each….Crown aftermarket also. I put in a Painless Wiring relay harness at the same time so the headlights get full battery voltage. I’d rather have these than the overpriced stuff you must take on modern vehicles!

FLATHEAD · Monday at 10:49 AM

alldodge said:
Traded the wifes XT5 for a Jeep Grand Cherokee, like it much better with it sitting higher but miss the street sign reader in my truck. This is a limited model so I thought with Nav and the rest it would have it but nope, come on Overland and Summit.

My truck and her XT5 with move the seat, steering and mirrors when you open the door, but it only happens if you use the Fob unlock or if you push the 1 or 2 button inside. Guess I'm getting spoiled

We did just about the exact opposite last new car. Traded a GC for an XT4. The GC was a nice car. My wife travels a lot for work into a few cities at times and wanted something a little more compact.

jlh3rd · Monday at 12:37 PM

Drove from Pa. to Erie Co. in a uhaul box truck towing a car.
No cruise control .
Just like the old days.
Not saying I don't care for cruise control, but it wasn't an issue

alldodge · Monday at 12:57 PM

Louisville ky to LA and back 2 times in a 70 plymonth Road Runner, no AC or anything else in the 1974 and 1978. Yes I did it swapping Right leg to Left leg, was 18 and 20, don't ever want to do that again being 50 years later

Lpgc · 2026-03-11T13:02:10-0600

alldodge said:
Louisville ky to LA and back 2 times in a 70 plymonth Road Runner, no AC or anything else in the 1974 and 1978. Yes I did it swapping Right leg to Left leg, was 18 and 20, don't ever want to do that again being 50 years later

But you wish you'd still got the Road Runner...

alldodge · 2026-03-11T13:22:20-0600

Lpgc said:
But you wish you'd still got the Road Runner...

OOOhhhhh yes

Lou C · 2026-03-11T14:03:18-0600

Check out Nick's Garage You Tube, he is one of the premier Mopar restoration pros. Love his videos, he is in Laval, Montreal QC.

Scott Danforth · 2026-03-12T04:35:18-0600

If you guys dont like whats on todays vehicles, just wait until section 24220 of the 2021 infrastructure bill gets implemented in 2027.

known as the over-watch kill switch. basically, an array of cameras inside the vehicle watching the driver via AI tied back to a server farm that you get to pay for under the guise of a method to stop impaired drivers.

the data collection is anticipated to cost between $100 and $500 which will be passed on to the consumer.

Pmt133 · 2026-03-12T04:46:22-0600

My next new to me vehicle is sitting in the side lot at my friends house. It's got hand crank windows.

(My 19 is the newest vehicle I care to own)

Lou C · 2026-03-12T07:55:57-0600

I’m gradually restoring my old 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.0 straight six. Owned since new currently at 185,000 miles.

Jeff J · 2026-03-12T09:25:51-0600

If I could get by without a full size pickup I would probably just drive the Willys CJs around full time.

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