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Jeep Grand Cherokee

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Comments

  • jeppingjepping Member Posts: 30
    It's been almost two years since the last time I posted a message here. So let me give you a quick history. Leased a 99 JGC V8 QD on 4/1/99 after six months of hell and annoyance Chrysler bought the car back and gave me a 2000 model . The problems with the 2000 model year:

    1) Axel whine got progressively worst after about 10k miles.
    2) Replaced the brake master cylinder.
    3) Replaced front axel boots.
    4) Replaced driver and rear passenger window motor.
    5) Passenger side door lock actuator has been on order for 2.5 months.
    6) Bad rotors.
    7) And are you ready for this? "BUMP STOP" just started at 25k miles!

    And a lot of minor adjustments and stuff not worth mentioning. . I agree with some of the previous posts that all the cars and SUV's might have problems, but I think in Jeep's case this happens more often then not. My lease is going to end in about a month and surprisingly I found myself checking out the new JGC Overland at the local dealer (where almost everyone knows me by firs name). Can someone out there save me from reading 800+ posts and tell me what seems to be the major and common problem (s) for 2001-2002 JGCs?
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    You know you want it. What's the odds of getting three out of three problematic ones??
  • fanman8fanman8 Member Posts: 65
    One bad Jeep Grand Cherokee - shame on Chrysler, a second bad Jeep Grand Cherokee - shame on you. What's the odds of getting a third problematic one? Shame on anybody that didn't learn from the first two. Just my two cents.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    thanks for the thoughts...it is interesting that you saw fewer rollovers with JGC, yet, statistically, there is no reason for good or bad drivers to flock to either vehicle as a group, i.e. I assume a random number of good and bad drivers buy each vehicle...having said that, and realizing that any vehicle can be flipped by someone, maybe the JGC has good stability, maybe a slightly different center of gravity (???)...on the other hand, the 2002 Explorer was supposedly widened to reduce rollover...has your experience shown a reduction in the re-designed Explorer rollovers, or am I just whistling in the wind???
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    I have a '99 JGC LTD V8 with QD has about 22,000. (why the mileage is low is a story in itself). With the exception of the rotors that Jeep has been fabulous and more often than not my five star dealer gives me a gratis oil change. I still enjoy driving it as much as the day I got it. It has looks, power and the QD system is not to be beat.

    I just gave back our Quest, which was on lease. We did a bit of car shopping. Test drove the new Maxima, Altima, Highlander, Escape and Explorer (twice). Really liked the Explorer, but my wife who was going to get the car thought it was too big. We were vacillating and vacillating on what car to get until just by chance we pulled into a BMW dealership. Took one out for a test drive and that was it. We ordered a 2002 330i. It was for my wife, but she gave the car to me :), and said she would have to make do with the "slovenly" Jeep.

    I would like to get another Jeep when the lease expires, either the Overlander or another limited with the HO V8. We'll see when the time comes.

    It's been a while since I've posted here. I don't characterize the Jeep as better or worse than any other vehicle, they just had some first year production problems, quality control issues with basic components and problems that should have been fixed a long time ago (read: rotors).

    The route to making SUVs like cars IMHO is ridiculous. The car manufactures are tripping over themselves to make their SUVs drive, look and feel like a luxury sedan. The Jeep to me is beefy, muscular vehicle that can do what it's looks say it can do. That's why I bought a Jeep. If I wanted a luxury SUV that is masquerades as a sports car I would have bought an X5.
  • mjday1972mjday1972 Member Posts: 77
    I apologize if this is redundant, but I've recently been experiencing a higher than normal amount of wind noise in my '99 JGC. Has anyone else experienced this problem? If so, what was done to resolve it? I'm still under warranty for this vehicle, so I'm going to see if the dealer will repair uner said warranty. I do see a gap in the weather strip in upper right-hand corner of the windshield. I suspect that this is the problem, but I want to know if anyone else has dealt with this and what they've done.

    Thanks in advance for the help.
  • paramedic99paramedic99 Member Posts: 64
    Interesting question. If you review the NHTS NCAP data for SUV's you will find that the Explorer and GJC are both rated "2 stars" for rollover resistence. The only one getting "4 stars" was the MDX. What factors in here in terms of rollover frequency as seen on the street or in the scrap yard as sebring95 mentions ? Not sure I have that answer but I have a few ideas:

    1-center of gravity of vehicle
    2-suspension and anti-sway bars
    3-braking systems
    4-"Flex" of components
    5-wheel base dimensions
    6-speed
    7-experience of driver
    8-road conditions
    9-tire type and condition
    10-steering type and response

    These are what immediately come to mind. Have I seen Ford Exp rollovers with blown Firestone tires ? Absolutely. But I am not going to theorize on why. I posted a comment out on an EMS site looking for other comments from FF/Medics to see what their experiences are and will update this group should any data come of it.

    There are some things with the JGC that appear different when looking at the two vehicles such as the short ends relative to tire placement on the JGC that increases the wheelbase. I think the Ford has greater distance - does this factor ? Maybe.

    I agree also with sebring95 regarding flipping a vehicle. There are lots of crazy combinations that I have seen in types of vehicles rolled and how they did it. Sliding on ice/rain and then hitting dry pavement can flip and SUV probably more so than rapid maneuvers.

    I offer this advice. If you want to go offroad and be able to use your SUV in that capacity I think there are few solid options the GJC being one of them. If you want the on road safety in bad weather etc of the 4WD etc perhaps looking at a AWD Subaru or AWD Minivan is more suitable both have low rollover risk and are quite comfortable. If you truly want an SUV because you like them, are into sports that require offroad access etc then the GJC is in my opinion the best option as it looks good in suburbia and works great in the great outdoors.

    I do not like Ford products for various reasons as I noted before. The interiors, dash components, switches, handling etc are just not what I like. I have owned several 4WD vehicles including Chevrolet, GMC and Dodge and had zero problems, great utility and offroad and comfort. I cant say I had a bad experience. THe GJC is by far the most useful and comfortable and capable SUV/PU I have owned.

    We have the GJC and a 02 Subaru Outback Ltd which incidentally is incredible in bad weather, does very fine offroad for a "car" and if you check the stats will find it has more ground clearence then a Ford Explorer. So what does that tell you ?

    Good luck.

    Medic99
  • tloke1tloke1 Member Posts: 185
    I still stand by the newer 2001-2002 Jeeps and say that the reliability on those has improved dramatically. You can go through hundreds of posts and you will find very little problems noted on the 2001 and 2002 models. The 2001's have been out more than a year and a half and other than rotors I haven't seen any of the problems that the 99-00's had. Go for it Jepping, the new ones are well worth it!
  • rb123rb123 Member Posts: 51
    This is what I think of the jgc vs explorer. After having two jgc's a 96 and 99 I decided to give the all new 2002 explorer a try will I had that 02 explorer about five months this was about how long I could stand it. Now I am back in a 2002 Grand Cherokee. I will be the first to admit I should have checked the explorer out more before the purchase and this would have saved me a lot of time and money. After only having the explorer only a few days I was getting sick of the cheap and I mean cheap interior not only are the materials cheap but it seems like to me they went to great lenghts to make sure it looked cheap. Had I know the so called leather seats were so cheap I would have went with the cloth. So when the rotors were warped at 1500 miles this just made matters worse and then there were a few other problems I had to take it in for. Several rattles a bad body mount and the check engine light several times. The salesman talking me into going with the v-6 instead of the 8 big mistake what a dog very underpowered and it was so unresponsive it just made matters worse. If you have any plans at all to go off road forget it with the explorer they have it almost sitting on the ground and it is now designed at all for off road use. But I have a higher standard of what I expect after having two grand cherokees and this is why I went back to another one much nicer vehicle.
  • solemansoleman Member Posts: 3
    Hello fellow Jeepers:

    I currently own a '98 GC Laredo (46k miles, basic options) and a '99 GC Laredo (43k miles), both have SelecTrac and the inline 6-cylinder. Before these, I leased a '96 GC Laredo. I have never had any major mechanical problems with any of these vehicles, and have thoroughly enjoyed all of my "Grands".

    I am considering upgrading my '98 Laredo to a '99 Limited. The Limited has 11,550 verifiable one-owner, local miles, a power moonroof, the 4.7L V8, QuadraTrac II (not QuadraDrive though), a factory towing package, and of course all of the other Limited "niceities" from that model year. The sale price on the dealer lot is $22,990.

    Questions: Is the sale price for the Limited a fair price? What can I expect as a trade-in price on my '98 Laredo (Northern WI)? Will I experience more frequent trips to the fuel pump with the V8 than I currently do with my I6?

    I have not begun any negotiations with the dealer.

    Thanks for your time.
  • paramedic99paramedic99 Member Posts: 64
    I would use the Edmunds TMV data for the trade and the new vehicle. Also check the Kelly blue book. I just traded my Dodge p/u on a 02 JGC and got above Edmunds TMV and Kelly on trade and paid below invoice on the new one. Nice deal. Lucky I suppose but the data on this site and the Kelly was very helpful. Either way good luck.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I think most here will agree that '99 was the worst year in terms of problems. I know there was some tranny issues, along with misc. other things. That being said my in-laws '99 has had no problems in 65K. I still would be more leary of a '99 over other years. Having a local owner, and assuming you can contact them to find out everything is square, it might be a good deal. If this was just another Jeep on the lot, I might be concerned with a 4 year old vehicle with 11K miles.

    There's very little difference between the V8 and I6 as far as mpg. The 4.7L is a sweet motor in almost all respects.
  • jeppingjepping Member Posts: 30
    Thanks for your feedback tloke1. The only other SUV that I'm thinking about right now is the Envoy but I'm concerned about it's reliability as well. Also, $4,500 in cash from Chrysler sounds really tempting (If they extend it past 2/28).
  • paramedic99paramedic99 Member Posts: 64
    How do you manage $4,500 cash back ?

    Also, on the Envoy a close friend of mine and very well known mechanic works for a GMC dealer currently says the Envoys are not reliable, are constantly in for repairs and are not well built. I have to say I do like the way they look however and feel to drive.

    Just an FYI
  • jeppingjepping Member Posts: 30
    Sorry my mistake paramedic99 that's $3,500, $2,500 rebate + $1,000 lease loyalty.

    I've read about the Envoy/TB problems in the town hall but they seem to be fairly minor compared to the problems I’m used too, and I really like the way they look and drive too, I also like the OnStar, since my wife is going to be the primary driver and could get good use out of it. It's a bummer that Jeep doesn’t offer a factory installed navigation system. Also another feature that I would like to have in the Jeep is the rear air conditioning controls and vents.
  • paramedic99paramedic99 Member Posts: 64
    Gotcha. I got worried. I bought and got the $2,500 and was thinking I could have got more - greed I guess. What happened to the loyalty rebates ????

    Anyway, the Envoy has some fabulous features. A bit more pricey altough they have some incentives. I think its $2,002 cash ?? I like the GPS link to the Palm OS platform on a PDA. More versatile then the onboard since you can throw it into a pack and hike or climb etc with it. I am looking at one now but have not decided. Just an option you may want to consider if on board navigation is a must. The Rangerover has one as well that I was playing with (in friends SUV) last week. Very nice system and true off road. Pricey however, although a lease may be reasonable.

    Good luck regardless of your choice. The first 36K are covered anyway !
  • vette_z06vette_z06 Member Posts: 2
    I've had my gc for a year and a half. so far the only problems were with the brakes. when pressing them down on a high-way, a rithmic shaking occured. this was solved when I went in for a brake job and they changed the rotors. that has been all of my problems and I drive hard, considering that my previous car was a 97 cobra. (family...). maybe I'm just lucky since I see so many people saying how many problems they have with their gc
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    I will now apologize for any past negative comments I made about the quality of Jeeps. A few days ago, my dad traded in our old '92 Cherokee Laredo and upgraded to a '97 Grand Cherokee Laredo, 4.0 engine. It has 63k miles on it now, and we paid $10k for it. We bought the Jeep last Friday, and just this past weekend, we drove it nearly 400 miles. I can only say that I am still a proud member of the Jeep family. This GC rocks so much, I may just bring it to the Jamboree.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Check out the Consumer Ratings for your vehicle (both New and Used). Feel free to write your own. (The Rating will be found in the upper right when you drill down to your make and model).

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • paramedic99paramedic99 Member Posts: 64
    Just wanted to throw some more rollover data for ya to digest. Snow and ice this AM up her in NE and many MVA's on the way in. I came upon two rollovers on the NYS Thruway - both were Explorers.

    Unfortunately I also saw an 02 JGC with most of the front end smashed but a a very safe and unharmed driver standing roadside on a cell phone.

    paramedic99
  • anonymous02anonymous02 Member Posts: 1,538
    I am in New England (Mass.), and haven't seen any snow, just a quick flurry not even to be considered a squall. No accumulation and ground is dry.
  • paramedic99paramedic99 Member Posts: 64
    Figuring that this was national listing I was using NE to mean Northeast although it dawned on me that NE was more identifiable as New England ! Sorry about that.

    We had snow in Upstate NY yesterday about 2-3 inches with ice in the AM that was gone by 5P after it warmed up to 49. I am a die hard skiier and winter sports buff and would love to see 50 inches of snow. But like you have not seen much.

    Thanks for seeking the clarification.
  • mdjeepmanmdjeepman Member Posts: 21
    I have a 99 JGC 4WD I6. When I was in the dealership service department a while back, I inquired about getting my jeep an alignment. The service manager gave me an interesting response. He said as long as I didn't NOTICE anything wrong with my alignment, such as pulling to one side, then he recommended not getting an alignment. He said the way jeeps are built, alignments are not USUALLY needed on a regular basis unless it has been involved in an accident or something. I have to think the service manager was talking to me on the level. Why else would he have suggested such a thing and miss the opportunity to service my vehicle?

    I would appreciate any advice or opinions on the need to get an alignment. I haven't noticed anything wrong with my alignment, but I sometimes wonder if I am doing myself a dis-service by not getting one anyhow.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    I would have the alignment checked at least once yearly, more often if you hit some bad potholes or concrete stoppers in parking lots...don't know why dealer said what he did, but to wait until you "feel" something wrong may take 1000s of miles off the life of your tires...you may be off just a few degrees, never feel it, but wear out 50K tires in 20k miles...on a personal note, I purchased a used vehicle with 26K miles on it...when I let go of the steering wheel, it drove perfectly straight, but the entire tread was worn off the outer half of BOTH front tires.. whatever was out of alignment was equally out on each side, the the tires were completely shot, but I felt absolutely nothing from the front end...while it may be nice for the dealer to "save" you money, this is one time I believe his incompetence or sheer lack of knowledge may be showing, IMHO...
  • bluesun99bluesun99 Member Posts: 16
    I just got my April Consumer Reports magazine. Is it just me or are these folks just dead against Jeep. They have nothing good to say on the GC (except its off road ability) and give it black marks. Yet when you turn over to the owner ratings page the 2001 has nothing but red circles which indicates the owners are quite happy with their Jeeps. It also shows a big decline in problems since 99. All the SUV's from across the pond receive oozy comments. This has been consistant for years. Are they biased? Frankly I'm quite pleased with my 2002 Limited with 247 miles on it.
  • anonymous02anonymous02 Member Posts: 1,538
    I never had to align my Civic. It never strayed off course, nor did it ever wear the tires funny.

    I was told not to do one unless you need it, and I believe it.

    "Don't fix it if it ain't broke!"

    If only Honda made a Jeep.
  • jefferson1964jefferson1964 Member Posts: 330
    My wife wanted another vehicle so i gave her my 2001 escape. I had always wanted a jeep and purchased a Black 98 JGC 4x4 special edition, 51K miles for $12K one owner garage kept all service records showroom mint condition i mean a real cherry. I drove it home my wife took it around the block and gave me back the escape, lol :-( I have a question though, I dont know which 4x4 system i have. It has a lever on the right side of the driver seat that has 4x2, part time 4x4, 4x4 Hi, and 4x4 Low. Can any of you jeepsters tell a new owner that never had a 4x4 what system this is??
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Sounds like Selec-trac or whatever they happened to call it in '98. Basically part-time 4X4 is only to be used on slippery surfaces. 4X4 Hi can be used on any surface and the powertrain will transfer power between the rear and front tires as slippage occurs. You never want to run 4X4 part time on anything but slippery conditions. It locks the front and rear differentials together and you'll tear stuff apart using it on non-slippery surfaces. It is however superior off-road, hence the choice.

    I would run 4X2 unless you feel you might need addtional traction. Then 4X4 Hi (full-time) is a good choice on rain/snow/ice covered roads. The part-time system will work fine off-road as well, particularly if you're just driving fire-roads or fields etc. Deep mud, rocks, etc. then the part-time system is better.
  • bobhex40bobhex40 Member Posts: 63
    I have a 2001 Limited and I am thinking of getting the front tow hooks in chrome.. Can you install them yourself?
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    I believe you were lucky...while this is not science, and only my personal belief, I would check the alignment once yearly for the same reason I change my oil on a routine basis, rather than waiting for the engine to seize...so, while I can appreciate the logic "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," checking wheel alignment, due to its ability to misalign in a multitude of dimensions, is part of routine maintenance, altho performed much less frequently than oil changes..
  • jefferson1964jefferson1964 Member Posts: 330
    eom
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Some routinely need alignments others may never. I've had my '01 now for 35K and have done some off-roading as well as run alot of very rough roads. I put high-performance shocks on last week and had the alignment checked and it was within specs. IMHO, it seems solid-front axle vehicles (like Jeeps) don't have alignment problems like cars and IFS trucks.

    If the service manager regularly checks alignments and they rarely need it, he probably can make a good assumption that it's ok unless you can feel it. Of course an alignment shop isn't going to tell you a particular vehicle rarely has alignment troubles, but a dealer might because most people trust someone that gives it to them straight. If you don't trust him or think it's out of alignment, you'll pay them to do it regardless.
  • mdjeepmanmdjeepman Member Posts: 21
    I own a 99 JGC Laredo, 4WD, I6. I love my jeep. It has not had the problems I have read about on this forum except for the fuel pump problem. That was fixed under warranty over a year ago and has been fine since. I have not had problems with transmission, gear whine, brake rotors, window motors, or any of the other things I have read about. I feel blessed. I have around 34000 miles on it now. And the power is great even on the 4.0 I6.

    Back in September, as I was driving down the highway, I heard a loud crack. I thought maybe a rock hit the windshield. It took several days before a noticable crack appeared in the windshield. It started near the very bottom, middle part of the windshield. Over the course of several days/weeks, it became quite a prominent crack going across the bottom part of the windshield (passenger side). Not really in my field of view, not that bothersome, so I haven't gotten it fixed. But I have noticed, since my crack happened, more and more Jeeps with cracked windshields. I am beginning to wonder if Daimler/Chrysler is using an inferior product or design on their windshields. Maybe it wasn't a rock that did it, but just a stress fracture or something along that line.

    Has anyone else noticed this? Any ideas on the design flaw theory? Know of any manufacturer recalls about this matter? Any and all opinions are welcome.

    PS. Thanks to all those who responded to my alignment question. I would still be interested in more opinions on that matter.
  • paramedic99paramedic99 Member Posts: 64
    Just my thoughts. Yes you can install the tow hooks but sometimes it involves cutting out the "plastic" shroud that dresses up the front end to gain access to the frame. Usually the holes are already there so dealers etc can add them easily. Some already have the cut out. I added them on a p/u once - piece of cake.

    As for the windshield - the Jeep is a unibody I believe and I wonder if when things loosen up some the cross vehcile rigidity or torsion causes things to flex and glass, is probably a weak point to accept it. Used to happen with the older TA's and Camaros. You could hammer the accelerator and torque - quite literally the t-top roofs right out of the car. I had a friend of mine, and his vehicle did this after we changed the rear end and ramped up the HP.

    Just a thought.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    With the unibody, I think you have to take the front bumper off to mount the hooks. On my XJ I had to pull the front bumper, all the plastic pieces, and loosen the alternator to get one of the bolts through. Not an easy project for the novice, IMHO.
  • anonymous02anonymous02 Member Posts: 1,538
    What would make you think you need an alignment?

    Usually, one waits for uneven wear, a funny feel in steering wheel, or pull to one side or the other when you let go on a straight, flat road.

    Anything else is a waste of good money.
  • milousmilous Member Posts: 39
    Bluesun99, I know exactly what you are saying, they certainly do not like Jeeps. I have repeatedly stated that I think Jeeps have come a long way in reliability since the woes of the 1999 models. And I noticed too that the owner ratings in the back were almost perfect for 2001, and excellent for 2000, yet the Grand Cherokee is also on their list of used cars to avoid. I don't get it! I am more than pleased with my 2002.
  • fanman8fanman8 Member Posts: 65
    The reporting is done without bias. It is true that Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Infinity, continue to dominate the reliability portions of the reporting. They should. These companys have in the past and continue to build more reliable vehicles than the rest.

    Of interest to note: Mercedes also did not fare well in the reliability area. The best Mercedes only got average while others are poor in reliability of the 2002 models. That is a black eye for a top luxury line. It kind of makes you wonder is it because of Chryslers influence on the product line that these ratings have slipped?
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I wasn't aware that MB ever had a gleaming reliability rating. Most people, including myself, agree you've got to pay to play for the German cars. Granted your probably going to get many trouble free miles from the engine/drivetrain, but anyone that says German cars don't have more general "problems" than other makes is crazy. We're considering an Audi A6 now, and even those on that forum agree they aren't perfect when it comes to annoyance type things. But that's ok, same as the Jeeps, it's worth it for something more interesting and entertaining for the most part. I've had my fair share of appliance Toyotas.

    And I think you have it backwards, I'm not aware of any Chrysler influence going on in the MB line. Chrysler was bought-out by MB regardless of how they want to word the transaction and any influence going on is coming from the MB rank and file.
  • jeppingjepping Member Posts: 30
    Hello everyone.

    After three years of very close relationship with the local Jeep dealer’s service department it’s time to let go! I finally decided to go with the Envoy. 250 miles so far and I love it. It’s amazing how quiet and smooth this truck is and it makes me wonder how any body (Including myself) would put up with the JGC’s axel whine and wind noise.
    Any way, I don’t want to put down JGCs since I still believe they are among the worlds best off-roaders. Hopefully you guys will have better luck with your Jeep.

    Happy Jeeping!
  • akroegerakroeger Member Posts: 16
    Good luck with the Envoy, jepping. I hope it gives you many miles and years of good service.
  • paramedic99paramedic99 Member Posts: 64
    Good luck and keep us posted.
  • bigorange30bigorange30 Member Posts: 1,091
    My fully loaded QX4 that I just bought did not cost that much. Incidently, did you see that the April edition of Consumer Reports states that the QX4 is the most reliable vehicle (not just SUV) of 2001. The RX300 was runnerup. Go buy a QX4, its much more reliable and a little cheaper.
  • oldjeepguyoldjeepguy Member Posts: 10
    This subject has probably been discussed, so my apologies in advance, but I spend time on the Wrangler board and am new to this one. I just parted with my beloved '96 JGC Limited, and take possession of my new Overland on Friday. My questions are these: sales literature says optimum performance (265 HP) is obtained w/ premium fuel, but that the engine works fine w/ regular gas (presumably at around 235 HP?) I'd much appreciate it if owners of new Overlands or Limiteds with the HO V8 would take a moment to let me know if their experience running regular gas has been OK, and whether or not they really feel the extra oomph that they supposedly get from premium fuel. Or is mid-grade a good choice? Do you vary your fuel grade based on performance requirements anticipated for that particular tankfull (towing, mountain driving, etc)?
    Presumably all this engineering magic is possible through a sophisticated system of knock sensors and variable valve timing? Does anyone have a link to tech data on this engine? Thanks in advance for the help, and happy Jeepin'!!!
  • oxx93oxx93 Member Posts: 67
    With regular gas, the hp should be 260. With premium it should be 265.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    The Overland is my next Jeep. Since I don't have an HO at this point I'll hazard a guess. If you're easy on the gas you can use regular and not notice the difference. But towing and/or hard accelaration using regular 87 will cause the engine to retard the timing to compensate for the pinging that will probably take place. You will probably have to drive the vehicle hard in regular and hard on premium to notice a difference. That's what the knock sensors are for.
  • jefferson1964jefferson1964 Member Posts: 330
    Just wondering, they are having it closer to my home this year up in Missouri im in Texas, didnt know if it was worth the drive, anyone?? Thanks in advance, Jeff
  • envoy2002envoy2002 Member Posts: 26
    This is my first (and probably only) post to this group. I had a '98 JGC Limited and traded it in for a 2000 JGC Limited on July 7, 2000. When backing out of the dealership (15 miles on the odometer), my first clue about poor quality occurred when the steering wheel shuddered and made a "honking" noise when turning. 33,000 (city) miles later, the front and rear drive shafts have each been replaced twice, the steering column and components have been replaced 4 times (only after TSB came out), climate control failure 1x replaced, and front bearings 3 times rplaced (most recent time was only 6,000 miles since the prior replacement)-- how the bearings disintegrate in an enclosed apparatus baffles me -- and axel whine repair performed. Fortunately service department replaced my rotors 3x under warranty (interestingly, the service manager told me --"chrysler knows they use low quality rotors, but won't do anything about it)Well, I said all that to say this: Chrysler is buying back my vehicle! Moral of this post is to let you all know that the arbritration process works! In a matter of 2 weeks the National Center for Dispute Settlement contacted me numerous times, set up an arbritration date, notified Chrysler in Detroit, and Chrysler called me and made me an offer. Mind you, this was going to be arbritration, not a "lemon law" suit. So, as it stands, they offered me a clean close out (turn in the keys and walk away) or, the deal I took was the "mathematical" deal where Chrysler refunds me every penny I paid (that's 19 months of payments, my down payment, and bug deflector shield)minus a "usage fee" which is the mileage driven times a certain factor and any rebate used when getting the vehicle. The usage fee pretty much offset my payments (I'll actually get $100 back there) but I get my $3000 down payment back, too. I would have gone for another JGC, as I really like the looks, style, and ride, but can't tolerate anymore of it's inherrent problems. So, I am now in a 2002 Envoy SLT. The ride is much smoother and more technology is inside the cabin, but it doesn't do the 0 to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds like the Jeep! I guess I can live with a 1 second slower engine knowing (and hoping) it spends more time in my garage than the service garage. Good luck to all, and hope this post lets you know arbritration works. By the way..it worked for my friend who got out of his 1999 JGC Limited, too.
  • paramedic99paramedic99 Member Posts: 64
    I wish you luck with the Envoy, but please see my previous post and cross your fingers. A close friend who is a GMC cert. mechanic at a very busy Ny dealership is totally surprised at the poor quality, unlimited problems, repairs and failures of components on the Envoy. He said almost all have been in for: computer chip failure, brakes, drive shafts, universals, alternators, and interior components.

    Dont get me wrong. I think the Envoy looks and rides great and have always been a big GMC fan. Just not sure if you stepped out of the kitchen, into the fire ????

    Glad the process went well, keep us posted on your results.
    Paramedic99
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