It’s hard to believe it’s been almost one year since Andy and I competed in the 2020 winter Alcan 5000 Rally. Who would have thought an old 1991 Japanese Domestic Market right-hand-drive diesel Pajero would be competing in temps that reached -40, much less finish strong in a rally that lasted 10 days and over…
Continue reading →
For more than 20 years, members of the Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) have put trucks, SUVs, CUVs, and other 4WD/AWD vehicles through their paces at the group’s annual Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year competition, also known as Mudfest.
Continue reading →
The Jeep Wrangler is a legend. That almost goes without saying. So when Jeep goes to redesign the Wrangler, they need to get it right. Behold, the all-new Jeep Wrangler JL. And while we haven’t driven a JL yet (stay tuned), we did get a chance to check out a fully equipped 2018 Wrangler JL…
Continue reading →
It’s been a while since my last update to the Project ZJ. We installed a new suspension and took it off-roading through Tahuya ORV last summer and it spent most of the fall plugged into a battery tender while my Dodge Durango gets driven more since the independent front suspension and 5.7-liter HEMI gives it better…
Continue reading →
Being Pacific Northwest residents now for over 10 years and counting, we’ve driven many miles of the famous Highway 101. As a matter of fact, we’ve driven hundreds of miles of it: all of Oregon, most of northern California, as well as parts of lower Washington.
Continue reading →
I grew up watching my dad fix cars and handing him tools as a wee lad. He’s been a mechanic since our family immigrated to the United States and tended to buy cars with mechanical issues to fix and drive. He worked as a master technician for a Mazda dealership, but we were a Mopar…
Continue reading →
Words by Andy Lilienthal; photos by Mercedes Lilienthal As we work on The PDXJ (project ’01 Jeep Cherokee), we’ve had an outpouring of support and help to get it upgraded, maintained, and well, fixed. Whether it’s the crew from ARB USA, the team at Nitro Gear & Axle, Jason from Outlaw Xpeditions, or our friends…
Continue reading →
Words by Andy Lilienthal, photos by Mercedes Lilienthal/FCA The Jeep Compass has had quite the evolution since it debuted back in 2007. I can’t say I was much of a fan of early iterations, what with its odd proportions and fairly anemic powertrain. So it’s amazing that for 2017, the Compass will come into its…
Continue reading →
During Portland Snopocalypse 2017, I’ve been driving The PDXJ (project 2001 Jeep Cherokee) quite a bit; it’s been pretty much unstoppable in the snow. Then again, vehicle is only as good as its tires. I must say, I’ve been very impressed with our Yokohama Geolandar M/T+ tires during this snowy mess.
Continue reading →
Portland doesn’t usually get big snow storms. We’re one of those cities that shuts down if an inch falls. So when a storm comes that that dumps 13″ of heavy, wet snow, the city becomes paralyzed.
Continue reading →