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Please expand on your question "is it worth having?". Do you mean 4X4 or what? If you have no need for 4X4 then it may not be worth having. Jeep will be cheaper and get better mpg with 2wd.
-Paul
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
mike
2001jgc, v8, 2wd, laredo
Seriously, you may notice that when you brake, there is a vibrating, similar to what you would feel if your tires were out of balance. It is not noticeable during acceleration or regular driving, only when you brake.
-Paul
Current miles 13,500 . Honestly though, after my previous posts a while back having spent 8 days with the tires in deep hot sand, I cant help but wonder if it helped push along the warper rotor problem.
I give the service guys a thumbs up however. They set me up with a nice loaner and did all the work as promised under warranty.
Dismayed in brakes, but still JGC loyal.
medic99
They told me that the TSB is NOT a recall, but only a guide to the technicians. I do have the extended warranty for 7 yrs/100,000. Any thoughts on how I could proceed with this?
-Paul
My boyfriend is going to be getting something else to drive besides his '98 Wrangler. He really wants a Grand Cherokee, but he has thought about the VW Golf.
I keep telling him that the Jeep GC isn't a great solution to saving on gas, but I don't really know how bad the gas mileage is on them either.
Each day he drives about 40 miles one way to work. He drives about 80-90 mph on the Highways, but he gets really poor gas mileage with the Jeep Wrangler. I think he fills up his tank about every 1 and a half to two trips. About 200 miles per tank. I believe it's a 15 gallon tank. So that's only 13-14 mpg.
He doesn't want to give up 4WD, so he will only get the Golf if he keeps his Jeep. I really think he will love the Golf and forget about having a 4WD vehicle.
The Golf is a lot cheaper then a Jeep GC. I also feel that the residual value is a lot better on the Golf. Also, he will probably be putting at least 20-25,000 miles on it each year.
Anyone have 50k or more on a Jeep GC in 2 yrs.? Any major problems? How's the gas mileage at high speeds? Can it handle high speeds (80-100mph)?
Thanks for any input
Just looking for some advice. I bought a 2000 JGC and from day one, I have had issues with it driving straight. I have taken it in numerous times and they can't seem to find the problem. I have had them adjust the casters or whatever the TSB dealt with. They seem to think it is the tires, something called radial pull but it sounds a little fishy. Does anyone out there have this same problem and if so what did you do to get it fixed? Thanks for your time!
(51,000 miles)..everything but the sunroof (it's v-6, leather, infinity, selec trac, dual power seats, looks almost brand new.
Or I can get a 2001 2WD with 18,000 miles on it for $19,000...cloth seats, no infinity, power seats etc.
Anyone have any opinions? I'm leaning toward the 4x4 but the 1999's have apparently had more issues then the 01's.
Thanks
1. While the JGC is a great car for me, at that kind of speed, I just don't feel safe in a car with that high of a center of gravity. And this is on a straight highway. In the snow or offroad, gimme the Jeep.
2. Mileage at 80+ sucks - literally.
3. The engine has more torque for acceleration and going offroad. It has enough HP to sustain the speed, but I just don't like the strain in puts on the car. Just my opinion. I tend to baby my Jeep.
For a 40 mile trip, get something that you can wind up and have fun with. If he is wanting a hauler to haul stuff during that trip the Golf, or even the Jetta (sedan or wagon) would be good choices. The Jetta and Golf TDI's (Diesel's) have VERY good acceleration and can haul the groceries and them some with style, fun, and safety.
-Paul
The Wrangler is pretty beat up and it has about 80k on it. Depending on his finances, he may keep it. Plus since it's so beat up, he probably won't get what he should on a trade in. I doubt he would want to deal with selling it privately.
sebring95
I know he fills up his tank at every 200-220 miles. He was having gauge problems and he had to learn the hard way (running out of gas) how far his tank could go. The Jeep Wrangler is like driving a box and there is a lot of resistance which causes bad gas mileage.
You're right, he does drive too fast, but there's not much I can do about that. The only thing I can do is help him make a wise buying decision. Personally, I want him to keep the Jeep so he has something with 4WD and get the Golf for everyday driving.
Paul
I know exactly what you mean. I hate driving in his Jeep. It's bumpy and loud (soft top). I feel unsafe going over 70mph. I have a '99 Passat and it purrs at 80mph wanting more. I bought it used and I will be getting a new one when this one goes. It has almost 100k on it and it's great. Watch it fall apart the next time I drive it
As far as hauling stuff, we like to have that ability. My mother has a 2002 Ford Escape that we use for big stuff. I think the Golf cargo room is pretty good though.
My wife and I researched the Passats (GLX 4Motion) but opted for the BMW. We wanted something with a bit more oomph, not that the Passat lacked that - we just preferred the BMW styling and its inline 6 just felt better to us.
-Paul
Good luck with the BMW....I'm jealous <:/
The M5 is nice, but a bit more than I need in a car.
But my Jeep is no slouch. I got the limited version and I personally like how it was done inside. It's hard to drive my Honda after driving the Jeep or the 325. I wish the Jeep has the resale value that the German and a lot of the Asian cars seem to have.
-Paul
-Paul
We looked at both lexus and Acura, they felt too sterile, beautiful cars but no passion.
The Germans do build fantastic cars.
Until then, I was only trying to point out in a humorous way - ;o) - that the discussion was getting off topic. You did notice that, right? There's no need to get defensive or be insulting.
Thanks for pointing that out. I hadn't noticed! ;-)
tidester
Host
SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
And don't call me sweetie.
Thanks.
From what I can see, there's 3 inches of pedal travel. Don't know how much this equates in forward/backward movement in relation to the normal, fixed pedal position. I would guess this option is more of a benefit to shorter drivers?
The system also ties in to the 2-position memory settings (that's why they say it isn't available on the 02 Laredo) and the Vehicle Information Center.
I don't know if it's possible to retrofit this option. If it is, it would be a considerable amount of work to do.
1. serpentine belt is cracked. I looked at it, I see small cracks on the underside of the belt, but isn't this normal wear? And shouldn't it be good for more than 40,000 miles? cost est. to get fixed by dealership was $110.
2. Right rear axle seal (leak). Cost est. to fix $225.
3. Front differential cover (leak). Cost $90
Again please respond with how important you think each of these items are and which are most important to fix first, if at all. Thanks again.
As for the leaks, given the Jeep history of transmission problems, I would address them, particularly if you live in a drier area or you 4x4 a lot, where a lot of dirt can get in.
I've had a few leaks in my drivetrain, but the dealer took care of them under warranty (I have the extended). Since they replaced the seals, I have had no further problems. I usually have a private mechanic do maintenance for me, and every time the thing is on the rack for rotations or oil change, I have him check for leaks.
Spending the 225+90 now for the leak repairs is a LOT cheaper than if you ignore it and have to replace the diffs. Same with the serpentine at 110.00
If your Jeep is out of warranty, there is no reason you couldn't take it to another mechanic to do this work. Pick one you trust if you can. You may find a better price. But on the fluids, make sure they use stuff approved for use in the 99 JGC.
-Paul
I had something weird happen. I was driving in the rain, first time in the rain in a while. I turned on the windshield wipers to the normal operating position. Everything was normal for a little while. Then the wipers stopped briefly, and started again. It was almost like they went into the intermittent mode by themselves. As it was raining pretty steady, I fooled with it a little, moving it from normal operation position back to intermittent, then off, they back to normal operating position and fast operating position. It still was acting like it was in intermittent mode when it was in normal or fast operating position. I kept fooling with it, and suddenly it worked "normally" again, by itself it changed to the full time normal operation like it was supposed to be doing all along. This has got me puzzled. Anyone else have this problem? Anyone know what the fix is and aproximate cost? Maybe it will just go away on its own as easily as it came and start working normal from now on. I can always hope. What concerns me is that it will stop working completely one day when it is raining really hard and I am on some highway traveling 60 mph
(My wife still laughs at me when I whimper now every time I see a Jeep, but the Diesel Excursion we replaced it with has a LOT more room)
I was in TOTAL shock when I went to sell the Jeep outright because the dealer only wanted to give me 4k for it... I know - high miles, but it ran perfectly (better than new with the FIPK's extra 26 HP) and looked brand new... Tried eBay, put it in the paper, parked it at the corner where 6000+ cars a day drive by and had only one serious looker...
Ended up going to the local CarMax that only offered me $7500 for it !!! No matter that Edmunds, KBB, etc all quoted 12 to 16k+ even with the miles... I know I will regret it and I should have kept it, but they caught me in a $ crunch
It is definetly going to come back to haunt the car dealers in that they sell high and buy low...
It's just not fair!!!
And I took the FIPK off it before selling it... if you want 26+ easy bolt on horsepower PLUS better gas mileage - get this K&N air filter injection performance kit - make me an offer !
Seriously (and I don't know if you are), buying and selling on the Town Hall boards is not permitted.
tidester
Host
SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
Also does anybody know a good online location to get Mopar body parts? My daughter kinda messed up the front bumper of the JGC, basically tearing half of it nearly off. I have looked at wjjeeps.com to find out how to take the bumper (cover?) off and suspect it isn't too difficult. But I would like to try a Mopar bumper for it instead of going with an aftermarket version.
Any hints or tips would be GREATLY appreciated.
-Paul
Has anyone had any luck getting Chrysler to "step up to the plate" in helping them out with a new transmission? The crazy part is that now Jeep offers a 100,000 mile warranty, but I missed out on it by buying 90 days too soon.
Thanks,
Pete
There are models that have higher instances of problems. Most of the big three have had problems with tranny's, although I don't think it's as wide-spread as some think. Vehicles that sell in vast numbers (Explorers, Grand Cherokees, Taurus, etc) have plenty of complaints, but it's not that wide-spread as a percentage. If you sell 150,000 units per year of grand cherokees it's likely you'll "see" more problems than something like a RAV4 that sells 50,000. Not saying the grand is more reliable than a toyota, but you get the picture.
Steve, Host
There are one of two simple things your dealer can do to resolve this (takes 15-20 minutes)...
1) Reflash the PCM to wipe out the memory and let the PCM default to the stored factory settings so it can relearn a normal shifting pattern.
2) Have the dealer check for a PCM software update, which are issued on a fairly regular basis. Installing newer software along with the above procedure usually resolves the problem.
If no PCM software updates are available, at least have your dealer do number 1 above to wipe-out the bad memory. By doing this, you'll at least rule out an expensive internal trans problem as the source.
This has been a cronic problem since the intro of the WJ model in 99. For this reason, your dealer should do this for free. Mine does. Insist upon it the next time you're in for an oil change.
Either way, you'll immediately notice an entirely different shifting pattern as the PCM and trans are in a relearning process. That's normal.
The drawback is that down the road in time, the shifting problem will likely return. There's something that DC just hasn't gotten right after several years of this software development. There's immediate improvement, but the PCM somehow relearns all of its bad habits. It's not rocket science, but they really need to resolve this after the 4 years they've been using this control system.
For myself, I can't figure out how the PCM learns bad shifting based on my driving habits. I don't beat my vehicle or make jackrabbbit starts/stops. I drive it pretty easy compared to most people I see on the road around me. So I'm a little skeptical about the JGC's "learning trans"... it certainly isn't learning the bad habits from me! :O)
My 99 was really good for this problem. Seems like everytime I took it in for an oil change, the dealer always had a new PCM software update. They'd automatically download it without asking. After 5-6K miles of driving though, it would be back to rough shifting. It was something I just learned to live with.
I've noticed that my 02 is developing a hesitant, stumbling shift into 5th. Had it in for an oil change yesterday and they checked for a PCM software update. None currently available. I have to take it back in so they can finish some other work they lacked the parts for, so I'm going to have them reflash the PCM to wipe out the memory.
As for mirrors... there have been reports of dealers replacing the entire mirror/drive mechanism just because of a cracked mirror. Don't let a dealer do this to you. The mirror glass alone can be replaced. The dealers have the TSB about this, so if they give you any grief about it, refer them to TSB# 2301502 (NHTSA# SB634077), dated 4-02.
Thanks for your comments on my '01 Cherokee transmission problems. I'm driving it from Chicago to the dealer in Michigan for some sort of resolution (I hope) this Saturday....
Pete
prrpkg@aol.com
This really doesn't seem normal but please explain the "normal" sounds assoc. with a Jeep. Is it also normal to hear a noise from the back of the Jeep when you tread on the gas? Could it be as bad as the rear end or other issues mentioned.
Have faith in you guys to give the best and worst scenarios. Being a female, I really need a history as what to look for (symptoms of rear end problems, transfer case or just somthing as simple as wind or tire noise). Definition of whining sound, etc.
Original warranty is off but have a dealership warranty. I don't want the dealership to put this off as nonsense since they already did a state inspection and claimed everything is ok.
Appreciate any advise you can provide. I'll be setting up an appt. with my local mechanic but don't know how familiar he is with Jeeps.
Yes, the noises you hear can be associated with the transfer case, drive shafts, tires or the bearings and differentials in the front or rear axle housings. The last is the most likely source of the noise.
This noise can be described as a whine, howl or growling and it will fluctuate when getting on or off the gas. This is due primarily to DC putting pressure on the axle manufacturer (Dana) to cut costs. The parts aren't held to as tight of a tolerance as they normally would be. It's also my understanding (from an article I read on the subject) that Dana reduced some of the machining operations during the manufacturing process and they started using cheaper materials wherever they could. An example of this would be changing the differential housing from cast iron to aluminum... which obviously allows more noise to be transmitted.
Another issue associated with the axles are the durability of the differential pinion (or carrier) bearings. If tight manufacturing tolerances aren't held, bearings can wear prematurely and cause these kinds of noises.
I haven't heard anything definitive on whether there have been actual part or differential failures, or whether the replacement of these parts is being done in an effort to quiet the axles simply because of customer complaints.
I can't tell you whether to worry about this or not. The noise is subject to personal opinion. I've had 4 JGC's and every one of them have been noisy in that regard. Even my 02, although it's much quieter than any other JGC I've had. I'm used to it, so it doesn't bother me as much as it might bother someone else. I've had 4x4's that were much noisier than the JGC. I've never had any breakdowns or part failures with any of my JGC's because of this noise. So personally, I don't consider this to be a big deal.
On the other hand, you have a warranty, so take advantage of it if the noise bothers you. Peace of mind is important too. If you don't and something fails later, you'll be looking at a 4-figure repair bill. There have been several TSB's issued on the noise problem so the dealer shouldn't be playing dumb about it with you. By all means, have it looked into.