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I have read all the reviews and most of the postings on the SUVs I am interested in considering. It looks like the Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd. looks like a pretty good choice. For the money it is better equiped than any other SUV out there, and the 7 year 100K warranty means that if I blow a tranny at 75K, then they cover it. (Less the deductable, but a lot less than the tranny I had to buy for my 1995 Nissan Pathfinder several years ago)
Thanks for the comments everyone, I'll report back when I bite the bullet.
MIKEnTN
Also, I'd SERIOUSLY consider the Trooper over the GC. For what you pay, you get quite a bit.
leo
My 98 Grand Cherokee 6-cyl has select trac and I leave it in full time all winter (very unpredictible roads here in Alaska) and 2wd in the summer. I think it saves wear and tear on the system in the summer time to be able to put it in 2wd.
My 98 GC will turn 56K today, only brakes, shocks, and tires so far. Its been a great truck, I plan on keeping it for another 100K or so.
Thanks
I did try the Toyota Highlander and while it appears to be a great vehicle, I just don't like it. It looks too much like the old Honda Minivans and I just can't deal with that. The Lexus is nice, but looks like an upside down easter egg. Again, it is a fine car, but just not for me.
The choice is a difficult one. 4Runner has the Toyota reliability, great ground clearance, and good style. It seems to be laid out very well. Considering that Toyota is about to introduce a new 4Runner later this year, the deals are pretty solid on them. The downside is the 3.4 V-6 does not seem to have as much get up and go as the Cherokee. The fit and finish on the SR5 Sport Editions I have looked at are very nice.
The Grand Cherokee is a very nice SUV. The limited models I have looked at drive very well, feel very solid, and with the 4.7 V-8 have a lot of power. Their mileage estimates are identical. DC is offering $2500 cash back, plus a 7 year 100K powertrain warranty. I am concerned about the reliablity issues with Chysler, but we also own a Town and Country minivan that has done very well for two years and our dealer's service department has been outstanding in working with a couple of minor problems. They even replaced a bracket that my son broke, under warranty. We told them he did it and that we should pay for it and they would not hear of it. This same dealer is where I would get the jeep, should I select it.
Decisions, decisions! At this point it is a dead heat. I have yet to see what they will give me for my trade, so that will also play a factor.
Thanks for the imput, I'll let you know what I have decided upon by this weekend.
MIKEinTN
You really can't compare a RX300 to a Grand Cherokee. The RX300 is a minivan with all-wheel drive and no towing capacity. I've driven one and they are not an SUV no matter what they want to call it. It could not make it up a snow covered driveway I routinely make in Jeeps and other 4X4 vehicles.
The Pathfinder and 4runner are comparable, although the V8, more sophisticated suspension, and superior 4X4 system of the grand cherokee makes it much more appealing for those that use their vehicles for their intended purpose. If you have no use for 4X4 or towing I don't understand the logic of buying any of these, but to each his own.
I bought a 1997 Wrangler. I think with jeeps, you either get a good one or a bad one. I happened to get a good one.
If only Honda made trucks! (convertible, 4x4 ones, that is!)
I have a friend who is a Toyota and Chrysler Master Mechanic, and he said to never ever buy a Grand Cherokee. He said those things eat tires, shocks, and alignments for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. From people I personally know who have them, that has held to be true. Too bad, because I think they are a nice looking car.
http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=38302
You want to talk about chewing up brakes, shocks, alignments, and front ends, look at GMC/Chevy trucks....I know, we used to own one.
I have a friend with a Grand Cherokee identical to mine, except hers is a 1996 and had 125K on it, she has also had excellent luck with it and no major repairs. I do agree that you either get a good Jeep or a bad Jeep, but I also think it depends on how its cared for too.
I have linked this discussion into that folder, but it will always reside here in SUVs.
Looking forward to meeting everyone!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
I'll say it again, the newer Jeeps are now among the most reliable brands out there. Consumer reports rated the 1999 Jeep and has not had an update since. The "imports" no longer have the "reliabilty" edge as everyone seems to think.
It doesn't matter what you buy, you can get a good vehicle or a bad one from any manufacturer.
And for "fanman8" his claims are without merit. He is basing his claim of "poor reliabilty" in the Jeep on a model that is several years old. That's fine to perhaps warn others looking for a used Jeep. But, he has not done ANY research on the newer 2000, 2001 and 2002 models which have improved dramatically. Yet he wants to badmouth the Jeep and claim the imports are so "perfect". He needs to read some of the posts in the MDX, Toyota and other "import" forums and make a list of all the CURRENT problems they have - it will be a long list for sure! Compare "Apples to Apples"!
See what Edmuund's has to say about the new 2002 Grand Cherokee--"Quadra Drive Whine, non supportive seats, QUESTIONABLE RELIABILITY." And again-" A SPOTTY RELIABILITY RECORD prevents us from giving the JGC our whole hearted endorsement. Do these statements suggest to you that the Jeep GC's reliability is near perfect?
just my .02
drive safe!
Resale: According to edmunds comparing limited grands and 4runners, '99 models are $19,400 and 23,200 respectively ($3800). '96 models are $12,700 and $16,400 respectively.
All things considered, I think it's obvious why the Grand easily outsells the 4runner 2 to 1. It also outsells just about all but 11 other models being built so there are just plain a bunch of them on the road.
Reliability: The difference between the highest rated vehicle and lowest is not that big of a swing. I'm not aware of a single model out there that is a flat out piece of garbage. Pretty much everything has some issues. My 97 Camry needed strut mounts because of a design flaw effecting 97-99 models. The pad/rotor issue on the grands is easily fixed by installing performance pads/rotors. Certainly not as big of a problem as the head-gaskets on 4runners a few years back. I'll buy pretty much anything out there right now as they are all well built for the most part. The niggling issues that pop up these days just aren't that big of a deal. I've owned my fair share of Toyotas as well as domestics, and today there is not that wide of a swing. Certainly not $4500 worth in this comparison as I've "heard and seen" plenty of 4runner's with problems as well.
Chrysler Recalls 1.6 Million SUVs
Thu Feb 14, 1:54 PM ET
By Justin Hyde
DETROIT (Reuters) - Chrysler is recalling about 1.6 million Jeep Grand Cherokees to fix what hundreds of owners say is a tendency in the sport utility vehicles to roll backward even when their transmissions are set in "park," the carmaker said on Thursday.
Chrysler, an arm of DaimlerChrysler AG , denied any responsibility for the problem, saying driver error was the most likely cause.
Federal regulators said the company's move would not end their inquiry into a wider range of Grand Cherokees linked to 364 crashes, 159 injuries and five deaths.
Chrysler said it had found no defect that could cause the problem, but would recall the vehicles anyway to appease concerns from regulators and customers, some of whom have sued. Federal investigators have said the automaker contended most of the problems stemmed from owners getting out of the vehicle while it was still running.
The recall covers 1993 through 1998 model year Grand Cherokees in North America. Chrysler said it would install a device inside the floor shifter to help ensure the vehicle's transmission is placed firmly in park.
Chrysler also gave customers several tips to ensure their vehicles were in park, including removing the key from the ignition when leaving the vehicle.
"We're confident this recall will be resolved based on our actions," said Chrysler spokeswoman Angela Spencer Ford.
But Tim Hurd, a spokesman for the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (news - web sites), said its investigation would remain open while it reviews data from Chrysler. In addition to the vehicles recalled, the NHTSA's investigation also covers Grand Cherokees made starting in 1999, which Chrysler said had a different transmission design.
DaimlerChrysler's shares were down 62 cents at $37.79 in Thursday afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange (news - web sites).
One class-action lawsuit is already pending against Chrysler over the problem. Some attorneys and investigators had claimed the Grand Cherokee's transmission was designed so that it would indicate it was in park even though it was actually halfway between park and reverse.
In November, the NHTSA said one of its investigators was able to replicate the problem on a Grand Cherokee three times. Chrysler claimed the government had gone to unusual lengths to test the vehicle, and said any vehicle might be susceptible to the problem under the agency's conditions.
Hurd said the NHTSA had asked other automakers for data about any similar problems they had observed. The NHTSA so far had found that among 23 SUVs, the rate of rollaway complaints for the Grand Cherokee was five times greater than for any other automaker's SUV, and four times greater than for the Dodge Durango.
Sean Kane, head of Strategic Safety, an Arlington, Virginia-based vehicle safety research firm, said automakers often offer to recall vehicles as a way of avoiding embarrassing information coming to light in an NHTSA inquiry.
"I'm glad to hear DaimlerChrysler is taking this action because there's a whole host of people who have been injured," he said.
"Be good... or be good at it!"
Short excerpts are okay with proper citation.
tidester
Host
SUVs
WHY don't you "experts" understand that the Consumer Reports review is for a model that is FOUR years old, the 1999's!! This is also the model year that Fanman has. CR has NOT run a reliability test report since, NEITHER has anyone else. The other magazines you mention do NOT have any reliabilty figures either - they simply have stated a couple of minor things they didn't like. Everyone seems to be harping on the problems of YEARS ago, the into of the redesign in 1999. I agree with the others, my 2001 Laredo has been PERFECT. Fit and finish are perfect also, not a single minor problem at all. I just love the vehicle, what a pleasure it is to drive.
Yet, "fanman" wants to blacken the entire Jeep image based on a 4 year old vehicle that he happen to have a lot of problems with. It could have just as well been a Ford or an Acura. We'll see how long his Toyota lasts, better get the sludge remover out and hope that your warranty covers a new engine! And by the way, I have spoken with a lot of '99 Grand Cherokee owners at different events and plenty of them have had NO problems with their vehicles. Many have over 100,000 miles on their V8 engines and still runing strong.
Whatever Fanman replaces his Jeep with his chances of getting a vehicle with problems are just the same NO MATTER what brand he decides to get...one of the main reasons I like my Jeep is the looks and style, miles ahead of the others, especially the overbloated and god-awful looking Sequola or whatever they call it. I bet it's a lot of fun to park and maneuver around!
My questions:
1) Any recommendations on checks or specific inspection tips to validate condition of bushings?
2) Is anyone aware of websites to identify and purchase these bushings from?
3) Any suggestions on replacement? I will do the work myself.
Thanks
"It could have just as well been a Ford or an Acura. A Ford well maybe, an Acura, NOT LIKELY!
Ammons2- You have a differential that is noisy. The noise you are hearing is most likely the whine of gears that are prematurely wearing. This is a common problem with the JGC. Mine was replaced and the new one is getting louder and louder just like the original one. I'll have it replaced near the end of my warranty around the time I get rid of it.
tloke1 I don't wish to blacken Jeeps image. That is not my intent. I do, however, want people that are looking for reliable Sport Utility vehicles to be aware that the Jeep Grand Cherokee is a Chryser Product and hence it's reliability is compromised. But hey, its not just me that feels this way. Edmunds own review of the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee addresses the problems associated with its reliablity. They at least seem to feel the new Jeep Grand Cherokee still has problems with its reliability. I welcome your comments on Edmunds review. It sounds like you may have a good Jeep. Well, count your blessings. Comparing the Jeep GC to an Acura in terms of reliability is really where you've lost all credibility with me. Please!!!
Never had rotor/brake peoblems, did have rear spindle bearings go in the 1999, and the radio in the 96, all were fixed in one day. Front axle wine in both, and driver power window motor in the 99. Besides that they have been great. If only could get more than 14 miles/gallon around town, 21/22 on the road is good.
Test drove an 02 CRV no thanks.
With all the consumer cash DC is giving towards the GC I am getting a sunroof this time and still keeping close to the same lease payment as my 99.
Mike
I think we just have different levels of expectations. Yours are obviously lower probably because you have come to accept the Chrysler problems as "normal" (?).
WHAT problems? I haven't had any with any of the Jeeps I've owned. But you must be right since you have a Mustang that has only one problem. The focus here, in case you have missed it, is a comparison between the NEWER models. You still want to talk about Mustangs?