the thing is, neither are absolute necessities. I've got Cooper Discoverer ATs on right now, and they've got plenty of tred right now. I'm really looking for some advice about the light bar though. It would be mainly a cosmetic addition, simmilarly w/ adding the more agressive tires. so how about some OEM light bar chat?

i do go at night fairly frequently. we usually bomb around an old quarry and have a bonfire. i just want to be sure that if i do get the lightbar, it won't put too much strain on the electrical system.

Light bars are cool, I'm just to high on the looks of the factory one, a metal bar would look more manly and rugged than does that plastic one from jeep. As far as tires, it's hard to beat BFG AT KO's, they have good road manners, not to noisey, look and are very aggresive. I've used them for years and love the looks and performance.. Thier the number 1 tire in desert racing and score and after using them I can see why. Pure mud tires look good, put can be very noisey on the road and wear fast for the price. BFG AT KO's rocks the blocks and reaches the beaches hee hee !!!

Ok, lets add some real tech here. Yes, the light bar does put a drain on an already overtaxed or perhaps poorly designed electrical system. It's sort of annoying to have my headlamps dim when I roll the windows up and down, add the four lamps on top and you are just compounding the problem. The light bar is a gimmick to make the Renegade look more "off-road" and serves very little purpose in the real world. Yeah, it looks nice, but it also cuts you mileage and some seem to make wind noise, though mine doesn't appear to. the main issue I have with light bars in general is they illuminate your hood a lot more than anything else. Yes, they do throw a lot of light out in front, but if you are getting too much reflected back at you from the hood, then you aren't seeing everything there is to see. This is true even of your dash lights. For those of you who run you dash lights on the brightest setting, you would be surprised how much better you could see at night with them dimmed down. I know some of you are saying that I'm full of crap right now, but it's a proven fact. If you want to test it, look out your windows of you house on a dark night while you have lights on in the room. Can't see much can you? Now turn the lamps off, and you lose the glare and reflection on the glass and you can see much better, eh? If there is less light shining at your eyes themselves, then your pupils will stay open and take in much more light and therefore you can see better and further at night. So, even with a lightbar, how much are you really seeing? I know with mine, the stupid thing is aimed so high that it's next to useless unless you are looking for owls or something. Yes, it can be aimed, but it's next to useless, so I haven't bothered. One other point is the thing looks retarded with the covers on, so I run mine without, which happens to be illegal in many states including VA, but I haven't gotten anything on it yet. If you really want more light, add a nice set of Hella or PIAAs up front where they will do the most good. About the only excuse I can see for lights up top are for flood lamps that shine to the side, or for pencil beams in something like a Baja racer that travels at high speed. Just my .02