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Here's more:
http://money.cnn.com/2002/04/16/pf/autos/jeep/
I saw the recall too! I advised my dealer about it, right before I signed my life away for a 2000 fully loaded JGC Laredo. The dealer said we'll be getting notices directly from Jeep next month. Then we can get the little plastic shields installed. Fortunately, no reported incidents of engine fires. Keeping fingers crossed! Today is day (2) of ownership and I'm still in shock of how nice this vehicle is! I've owned (9) other vehicles since '94 and this blowes away GM, Ford, and Hyundai products. Total luxury from 10-way power leather seats to power moonroof, steering wheel radio controls, and a fun mini-computer with the overhead consule. My wife wants to move out of our house and into the Jeep! And I don't want to stop driving. Enough power from the inline 4.0, and the tranny is smooth as silk. Glad my Jeep was previously owned by a little old lady, literally.
I have been to many vehicle fires and dont recall a Jeep in a long while. How many pintos are still on the road ? How many pick ups with side mounted fuel tanks ?
Dealers Prepare for Jeep Recall
Steve
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mdjeepman, what do you mean "all the time" to Chrysler and "to some degree Ford and GM"??? Gimme a break, have you ever counted up the recalls by Ford in the past couple years? Ford dwarfs Jeep recalls in the same period!!
Infinity? Didn't Consumer Reports just rate them terrible for comfort, especially with a few passengers aboard? And they also stated "unimpressive handling". To me they look similar to the new GM SUV's. I'll take a Jeep any day!
It sounds like a pretty decent vehicle but I have never driven one so I cannot comment on the ride or comfort level. But I have driven a ton of other different SUV brands, owned a few different ones, and so far by a long way the Jeep GC has been my favorite. Fit and finish are beyond perfect, and so far not a single problem after over a year of driving. I don't keep my cars more than 2-4 years, that "new car smell" gets me every time I get near a showroom. But next time I'll check out the QX4 and take one for a spin.
The all have recall issues just scan the other news groups. Its part of QI as I see it.
I won't bad mouth Toyota or any of the other foreign makers. If you choose to buy American or not thats fine - not my battle. I will say this however, there are always sacrfices when you move from one manufacturer to another. Could be leg room, head room, off road, repair cost, parts cost, styling. Always something.
Interestingly enough we contrast these foreign car manufacturers against the behemoths of Detroit. Size matters ? Why wouldnt these huge manufacturers have more recalls then other small operations ?????? (And yes I realize how large Toyota is)
As far as Jeep "frequency of repair" you must not have looked in the back at those charts or you would have seen outstanding results across the board for Jeep Grand Cherokee in the past couple years. The 2001 models are well above average from top to bottom. For some reason, in the text descriptions, CR keeps quoting from their 1999 reliability reports, of which that was a bad year for the new Jeep. But for 2000, 2001 and now 2002 reliabilty is right up their on top, well ahead of a lot of the competition.
As for your QX4, I'd be willing to add up repair/maintenace bills between what you will spend in the next few years and what I will spend. The QX4 may be "more reliable" but the dealer will bend you over good on those $1,000 5k "tune-ups". And yes, read some of the message boards on the QX4 and you'll see that owners have problems like everyone else.
Finally, I'd rather have a vehicle that is much more comfortable, better designed, and a lot more fun to drive. The QX4 Minivan does not fit that requirement, and in some reviews owners have really complained about the uncomfortable seats. I have to ask you, gotothelight, is that something you want to deal with for 10 or 12 years???? Looks like you might be using some of the "savings" from your repair account for a chiropractor!
3 1/2 years, 80Kmiles, and a few minor problems later they go shopping for a new SUV. Test drove Landcruiser, QX4, and JGC Overland. Anyone want to guess what's in the driveway? Someone that likes the useful/practical characteristics of the Jeep isn't going to be easily swayed into something else.
I wouldn't put the QX4 in the mini-van category like I do most other SUV's. It's basically a Pathfinder which is a fairly capable SUV. Needs some more in the engine department, but not a bad vehicle particularly if you have very few plans for doing anything more than pavement pounding.
Hey golight, NO - my Jeep has never seen the inside of a repair shop. Never. And since I have a V8 it is not part of the preventative "recall". rb123 really stated things very well, you need to read his post again (# 1024).
And WHAT info I have posted is incorrect? The part about calling the Q4 a "minivan"? I guess it looks more the the new Trailblazer, nothing innovative at all about the styling. But, that's just my opinion.
LOL...What Chrysler dealer knows ANYTHING about TSB's and recalls? This is NOT surprising!
fastdriver
Steve
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LOL... Glad to hear that there's ONE good one around. Then again, maybe he knows what your part-time job is and wants you to put in a good word for "5-STAR" DC dealers?
fastdriver
PS Even when the WHOLE world knows about a recall OR a TSB, the dealers STILL play dumb! I think you know that as well as I do, especially if you host Chrysler boards.
Actually he approved the out-of-warranty repair and didn't dispute cause over the phone, otherwise I wouldn't have driven across town.
I have had success asking "Is there a TSB out on this" and haven't been lied to yet.
Dealers Rule! ;-)
Steve
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SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Great new about your JGC not ever being in the shop. You may want to go and read through the JGC problem board though to see what the future holds for you. Rotors?
Meanwhile, here's some more info for you to soak up while you ride around in your QX with a sore back:
"Apparently horrendous gas mileage for the QX4 though"
"You gotta be nutz to buy the infiniti. Resale is dreadful"
"I found the QX4 to have a noticeable lack of headroom in the front. I found this to be rather strange since I'm not a particularly tall guy (5' 10"), but I was constantly aware of my head/hair brushing up against the roof during my test drive today"
"On the Infiniti, the CD changer gets relocated to the cargo area and you have no way to change CDs in the front at all (not even a single disc). That alone caused me to opt *out* of the Nav system on the QX4." (A true example of MORONIC engineering!!!- tloke1)
"The MDX significantly outperformed the QX4 in the IIHS crash test"
Vs Lexus: "If you wan't a more reliable vehicle, one with better resale value and superb service, get the RX300"
"Rear legroom is a problem with the QX4"
"Seat adjustment a little hard to get to on the QX4"
...and too many other things to list, outta time...
So, if we're gonna do REAL comparisons (which I am sure you don't REALLY want to do) let's base it on unbiased facts and compare the JGC to the QX4 not other vehicles.
Engine sludge? You must be thinking of Toyota. It seems that you regret getting the QX4 and wish you would have bought the Jeep instead. That's ok, you'll soon tire of the boring drive the QX4 provides and will want to step up to a real SUV, and we all know that "there's only one".
This is just an example of what I hear all the time.
thanks.
Steve
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This was posted by mthomas3 on the QX4 board today.
"I know jefferson1964 was just trying to stir up debate, but I have a real life account of a friend, Bill, who owns a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, 4.7 V8, Quadradrive limited slip for all 4 wheels. He went 4-wheeling with us last month in the Arizona desert and got stuck twice. I got to pull him out once with my QX4, and an old beater chevy pulled him out a second time. The highly touted limited slip for all wheels is worthless at best.
His Jeep GC is now 8 months old now, and has been to the shop for warranty service an amazing 9 times. The vehicle has failed to start at work twice, and had to be taken to the dealer on a flatbed truck. Bill is still waiting for a couple of items to be fixed. My QX4 is 7 months old, and has needed no trips for warranty service, and everything works perfect.
Bill is now planning to trade his Jeep GC in for a QX4 or a PF. If jefferson1964 is listening and interested in a nice 2001 Grand Cherokee Limited, I can set him up with this pristine example."
Everyone knows someone with a JGC that's had problems, but nobody knows anyone with a Q with any problems. Which is reasonable since Jeeps sells 16X more. 3X as many if you include the Pathfinder. I personally know 6 people with JGC's. None with Nissans. I'm pretty open-minded and not overly brand-loyal. I buy what I like. I just don't like the Pathfinder as much as a JGC regardless of reliability. Apparently the majority doesn't care either.
If every JGC was as unreliable as the ones posted here, you would be forever stuck in traffic as the streets would be overflowing with stranded motorists. Our local dealership is a Jeep, Chevy, Dodge, Chrysler combo and all the service is combined in one building. I've yet to see the building full of JGC's as one would expect if all 2.4M of them required repairs once a month. None of the six people I know that have JGCs have had more than one or two problems, one with well over 100K. I have the maintenance records for my in-laws '99 because it's owned through our company, I'll list everything below, amounts rounded:
Purchased July '99, '99 Limited 4.7L, quadra-drive, moonroof, infiniti CD with changer. Paid $33,200 including tax/title.
5,400 miles: lube, oil, filter (LOF) $22
11,600: LOF, brakes replaced & rotors turned because they were squealing $22
17,200: LOF, $22
21,300: LOF, complained of clunk when coming to a stop, ordered new drive-shaft: $22
24,600: LOF, replaced drive-shaft, replaced rear cargo-cover, replaced air-filter: $39
30,400: LOF, changed tranny, diff, transfer case fluids, $134
36,200: LOF, $22
41,400: LOF, $22
48,600: LOF, $45 (Jiffy lube, what a rip)
49,100: New tires, $550
52,400: LOF, front pads and rotors replaced, $187
58,100: LOF, air filter, $37
64,300: LOF, clunking when turning sharp, checked ordered axle, $45
66,900: LOF, replaced front axle, $310
72,400: LOF, $24
Bought a new one a few weeks ago and an employee is buying this one for $15,600 which was what the dealer offered on trade plus the tax difference for not trading on the new one. Based on the many other vehicles we have in the company fleet, none of this is excessive or out of the ordinary. Many cars have lost more than 60% over that amount of use. Of course we don't normally sell them for what a dealer offers on trade either but will for an employee.
I've personally put several hundred thousand miles on Toyota Camrys (anyone want to argue the reliablity of those?) and according to bigorange my '97 Camry would have been a lemon because it had a couple problems. Anyone that thinks you can drive a vehicle and never have a single problem is living in a dream world. I've never seen one and I've owned quite a few Toyotas that were far superior to anything else I've owned, but still not absolutely flawless.
Anyway that's the details on what you call a lemon JGC. I calculate $1503.00 in maintenance and repairs during 70K miles counting tires. You perform book maintenance on your Q and get back to us with your number. Don't forget to include tires! Also to make it truly fair, make sure you stick a horse trailer behind it a few times (just pull it empty since the Q isn't spec'd to handle the weight), and at least once a week drive a 4 mile stretch of fire-road a Lexus RX300 wouldn't make it out with 3" of snow (they tried).
steve_ Apr 27, 2002 9:31am
Steve
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Thanks
i hope this helps..
The 1993 model has been "the best vehicle I have ever owned"! The only problems have either been self induced or minor in nature. I don't have my record just in front of me, but I know I had a coil go out at about 90,000 miles, and replaced the rotors when I did the brakes at about 100,000 miles. We had a door seal fail at about 50,000 miles. The one nagging problem has been the rough idle on the 4.0 L inline 6. That has been going on since we hit about 75,000 miles, and the dealer doesn't have clue on how to make it better.
So, that is my story and I'm sticking to it! This "car" has taken me all over the west coast. It tows my boat every year to and from the lake as well as one trip per year to the Seattle area (about 200 miles) and has taken the boat over the Siskyou mountains twice. Empty, I get 20+ MPG, and towing about 10 MPG.
I intend to buy a 2002 with the 4.7 L to get a little more power without giving up too much in the MPG department.
PS: What's with the guy who wrote the last article for Edmunds where he complains about the ride? If I wanted a car, I would buy one. I like the fact that I have the choice to buy a vehicle that will put the Utility in SUV. It tows, it hauls, it commutes. I can't imagine towing my 5000 lbs. of boat and trailer with an Exploder (pun intended). And a Lexus? I don't think so!