Hi Everyone, stopped by the local Jeep dealership on Thursday and they have 6 SRT-8s coming in the next month or so. I've been tempted for a while but I wasn't willing to pay over MSRP. With gas prices, the dealership has a huge inventory of all Jeeps, so they are looking to deal...might even be able to get a little under MSRP, who knows. Anyway, a couple of quick questions:

1) I've read tons of reviews and the performance sounds phenomenal. But I like to take speed bumps fast. Will the clearance on the front end scrape?

2) Out here in Portland, it rains. A lot. And then a lot more. How have you found the SRT-8 performance on wet pavement? Any spinning or sliding?

3) Should I wait for an '07? I see the new features but none of them seem earth-shattering, no?

4) If I want a black exterior, can you get it in the lighter grey and not the darker grey?

Thansk for your help.

I live in Seattle and drive mine in the rain all the time. It'll slip slightly if you goose it on a wet road, but the AWD adjusts and handles very well on wet stuff.

Taking speed bumps fast? This car isn't right for you. If it doesn't scrape the front, it'll chatter your teeth out hitting speed bumps fast.

Thanks ge2. Do you find the front end scrapes at all from your experiences?

Nope-- I have never scraped it, but I'm used to driving lowered vehicles, so I always back into parking spots, take curbs into driveways at slight angles etc.

The traction control works well in the rain but you can still slid if you goose it hard like ge2 said. After a while you get used to thinking about parking curb height and backing out of the driveway with the low front spoiler.

Taking speed bumps fast? This car isn't right for you. If it doesn't scrape the front, it'll chatter your teeth out hitting speed bumps fast.

No car is right for you if you like taking speed bumps fast. There are a lot of physics involved that beat the crap out of just about anything. You may not feel it inside but that suspension is getting it's guts torn out.

Zookeeper you talking about NW Jeep? I'm from Portland too, but go to U of O.

I like the speed bumps fast as well and only have had cargo and passengers in the back bounce pretty hard, but never a front end scrape.

I live in south Florida which gets daily rain this time of year. It handles well and way out performs anything else on the road in the rain. I have only gotten the back to break loose when doing u turns in the rain. Coming off the throttle it quickly snapped back to the pavement. I may be able to get 1 or 2 seconds of wheel spin if going straight when the pavement is wet.

The extra .6 gallon of gas for 2007 would be nice, but not worth waiting for. What's an extra 6 or 8 miles in range anyway? I think the stereo may have a front input for an MP3 player, a feature the current model lacks. The carbon fiber leather instrument panel hood would also look nice, but still not worth waiting for IMHO.

Thanks to everyone for their responses! Much appreciated.

am I missing something whats so fun about hammering into speed bumps?

am I missing something whats so fun about hammering into speed bumps?
My niece's husband goes fast over speed bumps because he figures that if he can't feel them it isn't hurting the car. Then he was puzzled why his front end was always out of alignment and why the bushings and shocks only lasted a matter of months (not to mention bent wheels, A arms, struts, etc.). Go figure. My dad is a retired mechaninc and taught all of his kids to take care of their vehicles. As such, I hate seeing anyone abusing and misusing any car or truck.

Put my down payment on a black one on Sunday! Getting excited. Dealer here in Portland says it will here in 4 weeks or so. Full sticker price unfortunately. They wouldn't dicker at all.

Promise to take speed bumps vvvvvvvery slowly. Can't promise to do anything else slow in the new ride. Hope it as wicked as I've read.