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Comments
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2. Courtesy is mandatory
3. Take disputes offline, to a Host
Let's stick to the JGC SRT-8 please.
Steve, Host
I asked for pics of your car because I wanted to see what it looked like with the black gloss wheels that you keep mentioning. I also thought it would be nice to see pics of the cars that you said you have in your Member Profile.
My concern which I have voiced to Steve our "Host" is that information posted on this site be accurate, whether it is the type of tires and wheels that people are actually putting on their vehicles to mileage and driveability issues. I just want to know that when I ask a question, I get real answers.
To that point, has anyone that actually has a GC SRT8 experienced any high frequency drivetrain vibrations at low RPM's in 5th gear?
if you are seeing a number of "used" 2006's already is there some mechanical flaw that should prompt me to put off my purchase until 2007.
PS I am new to this site and enjoy the info very much, but have zero technical skills, so take it easy on me. I didn't think it was a stupid question to ask about mileage. Some days I drive 200 miles to work and back.
I don't know why anyone would sell an '06 for an '07 as there are so few changes between them. I don't think that people are dumping GC SRT8's for any mechanical reason. I do think that some may be panicing and selling them due to the high price of gas.
As I think I mentioned already, I was only getting 13 mpg on the highway at first, but after 2,000 miles my mileage went up to 15 mpg highway at 75-80 MPH with higher bursts. This just isn't a vehicle to get if you're looking for mileage. It is a vehicle for fun and attention...if you like that sort of thing.
The only thing he has done to the Jeep is have the undercarriage detailed, the paint professionally detailed and all the imperfections fixed in the paint. This Jeep looks better than show car I have ever seen. To show how he well he keeps his Jeeps he had a 2002 or 2003 overland with less than 4,000 miles in perfect condition that sold very quick for KBB retail price.
I like everything about the GC SRT8, only thing that has me worried is the front ground clearance (I measured it at 6.25" at its lowest point, the two steel bolts). Every darn municipality loves putting in more speed bumps and speed humps every year. Any of you SRT8 owners had any problems with the front air dam scraping on speed bumps or parking stops in parking lots?
Also how's the ride when you hit potholes or uneven pavement? As long as it's not worse than say a new Corvette that works for me. The dealer would not let me test drive the SRT8, they said they wanted to keep the mileage at 6 miles so they could get the highest price for it.
Thanks in advance for you responses.
Mileage - It was worse than I expected... I was only getting 13 mpg on the highway at first, but after 2,000 miles my mileage went up to 15 mpg highway...
I'm not sure what you expected and why you were disappointed, the mileage figures for the Jeep have been well publicized in all of the literature and reviews. The EPA figures, which are usually better than what one gets in the real world, were clearly posted on the window sticker (12/15). If you are getting 15 mpg at 75-80+ speeds that is decent for an SUV performance vehicle and you should be "pleased". If you are getting 15 now then that means 16-17 or more is possible after full break in and when driving with a lighter foot.
Like you mentioned, "This just isn't a vehicle to get if you're looking for mileage, it is a vehicle for fun..." and FUN it is!!
I don't know where dealers come up with this sort nonsense. Anything to try and make a current sale, sheesh. Technically, 2006 was the first model year for the SRT8 vehicles (a few 2005 300C's were made). Common sense would tell just about anyone, especially a dealer, that a massively popular vehicle lineup such as the SRT8 series would not be made for just one model year. The Jeep officially came out in January which means IF it were only being made for 2006 it would be 1/2 of a model year. How in the world would Jeep recover their development costs selling a few thousands vehicles? Find another dealer/salesperson, one who won't lie to you although that could prove difficult these days.
The Jeep SRT8 will for 100% sure be built for the 2007 model year, and 2008 is on the schedule as well. Trust that WK website, their advance information on future models has proven to be incredibly accurate over the years, moreso than any other source out there.
As far as ground clearance I have had no issues with the front scraping on speed bumps. It will slightly scrape some of the parking stops, but on mine has never caused any damage as it just lightly touches them. I can't comment on the Corvette ride comparison as I have not driven a modern day vette, and where I live there are very few potholes. On rough pavement you can certainly feel the bumps but they are not overly "jarring", I think it handles them pretty well for an SUV.
Certainly there are nicer riding SUV's out there, but there has to be some compromise when this much performance is added to the mix, and I think that the Jeep engineers did a magnificent job of balancing everything out. A lot of thought and engineering went into this vehicle. All of the reviews I have read, tons of them, have been overwhelmingly positive and after driving one for a few months I know why the "fun to drive" rating is off the charts.
There are a lot of different opinions on aftermarket air intake systems, some people like them, some dont. Performance-wise it is pretty difficult to improve over the "high flow" factory SRT8 system in my opinion. I don't for a second believe any of the claimed "10hp+" gains. And forget any mileage increase, ain't gonna happen. In fact, your mileage will probably be worse due to the fact that most people that have them tend to "get on it" a lot more due to the more aggressive "sound". But most importantly, the research I have seen shows that they let in more dirt than the factory system. Last but not least, they can me a pain to maintain and keep "oiled".
For Jeep SRT8 maintenance information and intervals see http://www.wkjeeps.com/wk_maintenance.htm
The other thing that I was disappointed about was the small gas tank, as that was one of the things that I had never thought about during my research. When you coupled the 20.5 gal tank with the 13 mpg highway, it made for a very short cruising range on a trip. I can live with 15 mpg and a 300 mile cruising range.
Whatever dealer told discoman that this was the only year for the GC SRT8 was flat out lying. As much as those of us that have them might love that to be true, it's not. I posted the estimated production numbers for '06 and '07 on message #306 a month or so ago. Those numbers are real and should be fairly accurate. The dealer salesperson is just trying to get you to make a quick emotional decision based on the age old technique of "you'd better hurry or there won't be any more".
As for the front ground clearance, I was concerned about that when I got the vehicle also, as a reviewer had mentioned it. However with 2,300+ miles on it, I have gone over a lot of speed bumps and parked in parking lots with concrete stops and have yet to scrape.
As resumespeed said, there are better handling SUV's out there. Handling on the SRT8 is a compromise. Hitting a bump in a high speed corner will get all of your attention when the back end jumps sideways. Although it handles A LOT better than a standard Grand Cherokee, this is really more of a "straight line" vehicle.
Sob!!
With very few exceptions you wont find very many GC SRT8's sitting on dealer lots, especially at MSRP or lower. The dealers that do have several units in stock for the most part have bought them from other dealers in hopes of selling them for outrageous prices. I think that demand will be still be tight even a year from now. If you look at the other SRT8 vehicles like the 300C and Charger demand is still incredibly high and those have been out for over a year (300C) and 9 months (Charger). Granted the 300C has proven to be the most popular SRT vehicle (8,000+ built), I think that the GC will eventually come in at No. 2, ahead of the Charger and Magnum versions. That is perhaps, until the Challenger comes out...
I own jgc limited w/hemi. I was seriously considering adding K&N or some other sort of " cold air intake ".
However, after talking to numerous people there was one central theme: maintenance and the possibilityy of allowing more dirt in the engine which could cause warranty to be voided... "
Also you're most likely correct about gas gains too... The gas you save occassionally will be lost because of the desire and need to accelerate every once in awhile to enjoy & utilize the air intakes added performance
I really wanted to upgrade to the 2006 SRT8 JGC
I kept such good care of my vehicle dealer offered to give me full trade in value ( yep, the value i purchased the vehcle for ). I did add some jeep factory enhancements and few other items. ( top notch floor & cargo mats, door sills, dust / non-allergic air con filter, regular detailing every week, etc... )
Anyway, how could one resist, I basically drove my car for little over a year and was being offered full trade in value, go figure.
However, my test drive experience with the SRT8 made me glad to have my JGC Limited w/Hemi.
If all you're looking for is bragging rights, then SRT8 may be for you.
* the only thing you'll be able to brag about is horse power.
* vehicle does't look all that great, really be honest
with yourself... Looks good, but not great
The SRT8 isn't comfortable at all:
* you feel every single bump or abberation on the road
* you feel worn out, beat up, tired & exhausted after
riding in this vehicle
* i test drove this vehicle over roads i drive every day
the SRT8 made me feel things i never even knew existed
on the road. it amplifies every bump, abberation, etc...
Handling is terrible above 75 mph
* with all this power 420hp you'd expectt more
* once i got above 75 mph, the vehicle felt " UNSAFE "
* didn't track well, had to constantly compenstate to
keep vehicle straight
* didn't maneuver well either. making turns felt like
vehicle would loose control
* my jgc w/hemi feels great from 80 to 120mph
* i love jumping on the accelerator when demonstrating to
friends the power of the hemi as we watch and feel
vehicle accelerate smoothly, comfortably, safely and
effortlessly from 80mph to 120mph in very short span
of time and distance.
* not so with the SRT8...
* the dealer and i, took this vehicle out and made numerous
acceleration test. Goal was to see how fast the pickup
and acceleration was between 60 to 100 mph.
vehcile felt so unsafe and squirrely, that i never
wanted to go beyond 75 mph
imagine that 420HP and you can't even drive above
70 mph without feeling very nervous & anxious
* you may ask what dealer would allow someone to push a
new vehicle that hard, the same dealer & sales man that
sold me my 05 jgc limited w/hemi.
i've often had thoughts about that later...
i test drove my 05 jgc w/hemi so hard that it dawned
on me later, i never broke the engine in...
we were constantly stopping and stepping on the
accelerator or while crusing stepping on the
accelerator to see how fast it would go ( top in )
or see how fast it would accelerate
to top it off, they let me take the car home for a
week ( with no obligation to buy ) and test it.
i showed and test drove that vehicle hard all week
with my friends...
so again, it dawned on me later, i never broke the
engine in. in fact, i'm amazed it runs as well as it
does still.
my point, i bought the jeep so this dealer knows i
don't play. if i like it i buy it
i was willing to trade my vehicle in and spend and
additional 15K on amenities & upgrades which jeep
didn't offer with this vehicle
SRT8 Interior has nothing to brag about.
a. the metal gas & brake pedals nothing special
b. interior isn't an upgrade from jgc
c. stick shift handle is nice,
d. they should have offered one the ability to upgrade
substantially, but they didn't
e. since this vehicle will be driven on hard pavement
and NEVER see dirt or bumpy roads, trips to mountain
with deep snow, the ride & finish ( inside & out )
need to be superb to compensate.
* imagine you're driving some place with your sweetheart
* you want to impress her and she's dressed to impress
* she even had her toes manicured & they look good in
the new pair of sandles or shoes she's bought to
emphasis, she had her toes done
* if you live by the beach, you see a nice stretch
of land where you can park closer to the shore.
* girls like to gaze, snuggle, share, etc...
* forget it in this vehicle, air dam is too low
* and she won't want to mess up her pretty toes
* walking across that strech of land
* if you're crusing through the mountains later with
same young lady and you see a stream or lake you'd
like to get closer to so the two of you can sit in
the car and chat ( you know how girls love to chat )
* forget it in this vehicle, air dam is too low
* and she won't want to mess up her pretty toes
* walking across that strech of land
* you're in the city, going to a game and paved parking
is full, but there's plenty of parking in parking
area that's unpaved, grassy, dusty, dirty, bumpy
* forget it again, air dam too low for dips and
rises to maneuver in that area
* Since you can't take this vehicle any where unless
it's paved like a race track, they should have options
for serious upgrades, like following, but they don't:
* leather, suede throughout
* better wood trim
* better console upgrades
* better stereo, more power & speakers in cargo area
Other than the raw specs of 420 HP, i didn't like this vehicle at all and it actually made me appreciate my jgc more.
This vehicle may be able to accelerate more quickly than mine from a stop light, but once we're crusing, i'll out maneuver this vehicle anytime and feel perfectly safe doing so and so will all the passengers with me
Additionally, who wants to be " overly " concern and careful when driving a vehicle, especially a jeep.
It's absurd having to be concerned and conscientious about
driving over: speed bumps, deep drive ways, parking curbs, etc... in a jeep, go figure ...
Nope, this car definitely doesn't do it for me...
If i had to choose between the SRT8 and the Toyota RX350, i'd buy the toyota RX350 and i don't even like the RX350, but at least i would be getting something much more useable, fun to drive and show for the money
You take your friends for a ride in the SRT8 and they'll feel tired, beatup and abused when the ride is over. They won't be impressed with what you paid for the acceleration, because all they'll remember is how uncomfortable they were.
Even the dealer had to admit, it was worst than my jgc and he didn't recommend i buy it...
Again, this was a dealership that was willing to offer me full trade in value for my vehicle to make a sale.
I was definitely motivated to upgrade before i test drove the SRT8... But going to the SRT8 would have been a serious downgrade.
Can't even put bike rack in rear because there's no hitch
Pluses : it's fast
Minuses : you won't want to drive it fast because you'll
feel unsafe & uncomfortable at freeway speeds
that's a shame, even camery feels better at 7
Those are some serious acquisations. My SRT as well as probably everyone else's on this board will argue with you that this is the most wicked and fun to drive Jeep ever made. Looks? NO OTHER JEEP LOOKS BETTER! The plain-jane JGC is a good lookin' vehicle, but the SRT with it's suspension hunkered down around those 20" wheels and the added body treatment makes it the best lookin performance SUV out, including the froggy-Cayenne and the boxy-RR Sport.
As for the ride, you won't get that cushy ride as in the lesser JGC's. The trade off is a vehicle that'll cruise at 150-160 mph all day until you take your foot off of the accelerator. My SRT barely feels like it's moving at 75-mph, so I've never experienced that "unsafe" feeling. Are you sure that the tires on the SRT was properly inflated?
BTW, your 5.7L(330) HEMI will not be able to out-hustle the 6.1L(420) at any speed. I had one and know it doesn't work like the 6.1L. The 5.7L is a GOOD match for the size and weight of the JGC, but the 6.1L is an AWESOME match for the SRT. If this was the case, then people wouldn't even bother with the SRT if they thought they'll be able to get the numbers from the smaller HEMI.
And lastly, people don't buy performance cars because of their Cadillac-ride or the placement of the cupholders or because they want to match a Toyota Prius' gas mileage. They by them because they want to go fast and they want to go fast now!
I'm sorry that you had a terrible experience, but judging from the long line of potential owners, your experience was isolated. Try driving another to see if it'll erase some of your "unsafe" worries.
You are very bitter about this vehicle why? You obviously are happy with your jgc 5.7 Hemi, which is great, but your comments are reall off the wall. Everyone who sees this vehicle or drives it, Loves it. There is always one person who does not a particular vehicle, and you are one in a million.
It also makes me laugh when people drive a high performance vehicle and state they feel unsafe when driving it hard or at high speed. Thats the beauty of this vehicle. It is american power, not cushy computer controlled driving that some of us have become accustom too. To me that is the best atribute of the GC-SRT8. I know if I stomp it I need both hands on the wheel and need to devote my full attention to driving, Not snuggling or drinking a latte but driving, and that moment of flooring it and the car giving its all is what driving is about. My dads 505HP cayenne that I love doesn't give you that, it is driven too much by the Porsche computer and holds some of its power back, not so in my SRT-8.
But we all have our own opinion and thats a good thing. The SRT-8 is definitely not for everyone and if you are serious about buying one and have any doubt be sure to drive it first.
As far as getting "full value" for your trade in, the ONLY way that would be possible would be if they had a HUGE markup on the SRT8, WAY above MSRP. Your 1-year old Limited would only be worth, at best, $10,000 below original MSRP. Your salesman is throwing you a line of BS.
I find it hard to believe that ANY dealer would let a customer take a brand new vehicle out for a one WEEK test drive. No way.
There are other holes in your story. You stated that if you were going to get the vehicle you were going to have to "spend 15k amenities & upgrades which jeep didn't offer with this vehicle". Exactly what "upgrades" would be needed that are NOT offered on the standard Grand Cherokee model? You mentioned "better stereo, more power & speakers in cargo area" but the stereo system in the SRT is EXACTLY the same as what is offered in the non SRT model.
"Better wood trim"? Your Limited model has plastic wood trim, the SRT has the more expensive silver aluminum trim. The SRT8 also offers a better cluster with more features than your Hemi Limited (like oil temperature).
I have had no problems driving over speed bumps or parking in grassy parking lots. A few weeks ago I was out on the beach driving across the sand, right up to the shoreline, even a few feet into the water, no problem whatsoever. My wife did not have to mess up her pretty toes.
The SRT offers much better handling and cornering than the Hemi Limited. Something you failed to mention was the braking ability, far more advanced in the SRT8. Driving in heavy rain feels much safer in the SRT than in the Limited, a lot less hydroplaning.
You can put a bike rack on the back with the optional trailer hitch.
The metal brake/gas pedals ARE special, not only do they look nice they offer better grip ability than the stock pedals.
As far as the ride quality, yes it is a stiffer ride than the Limited/Overland models. Did you happen to check the tire pressure levels? If the pressures were way off, as is often the case on new vehicles, then that could have substantially affected the ride and handling quality.
Well if nothing else, I think that you set a record for length of a posting....and all that and you didn't say anything of substance. Some of it was a bit odd, especially the part about your girlfriend's "manicured toes" (has this become a fetish forum?)
The fact that you may think that a standard GC has better styling than a GC SRT8 is subjective...odd, but subjective. But you are entitled to your opinion. However, that you think that the SRT8 ride is harsh just shows that you have not driven or owned a true performance car. The fact that you said you would rather own a "Toyota RX350" (I think you meant Lexus) shows that you are comparing apples to oranges (and don't know cars).
I agree with resumespeed that there are a lot of holes in your story. It really does sound like more of a bitter rant. Enjoy your standard Grand Cherokee. I think that we all agree with you, you just aren't cut out for an SRT8.
To expore the seemingly impossible statemants you made:
(1) You're getting full price in trade on your '05 Jeep. Boy I can't tell you how often that happens, well actually I can, NEVER.
(2) The dealer let you take a Jeep SRT8 for a week long test drive. The possibility of this being accurate is even more remote than the possibilty of statement #1 being true.
(3) Handling of the SRT8 is terrible, not on par with an '05 GC, stop please, my sides are hurting from doubling over with laughter, you're killing me.
(5) Toyota RX350, non-existant. Lexus however has one. While technically an untruth if it were alone this would be a completely forgivable mistake for anyone with little automotive knowledge to make.
(6) Every other statemant made, LOL.
Again to restate what I've already alluded to, while truth escapes you, there is a clear opportunity for you to pursue a career in humor. Very funny stuff here.
Thanks!
Ron
I'm now hoping to be grinning after next week!
There are currently no repair-related production delays, nor have there been for a long time, on the Grand Cherokee. They have been rolling off the assmbly lines on a daily basis for months.
What track are you considering?
Even without having done the SRT8 class, I can still say that you will have a great time. You will probably come away wanting more and may well get bitten by the bug to do a 2 or 3 day performance driving school (I think the Barber folks count on that)....and then on to the racing schools...
If I go, I was going to to to Road America, as it was a very familiar track for me, however they aren't offering any more dates there. Looks like it will be Mid Ohio if I do it. It's another great track and only three hours away.
Ron
I think the website is www.srttrackexperience.com, and they have a contact email on there...they were very helpful (I also wanted to confirm that we would be able to drive a Viper, which they did confirm - I had found that website before I found this website and confirmed it here too.)