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Jeep Cherokee

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  • sandyboysandyboy Member Posts: 114
    I have been out of car sales since 1996, 6 years now. I have a question for you. What is your base salary? That is what you'd make for your 56 hours a week, should you NOT sell anything. When I began in the business in 1969 it was $75.00 a week. When I left the business in 1996, it was also $75.00 a week, and this was universal. After mandatory taxes the net-net was $62.00 a week. On a $2,000 profit, a "lot charge" (way to steal money from salespeople) of $200.00 was deducted. I was paid 20% of the profit, so on a gross of $1,800.00 I made $360.00. Figure up from the moment she first said hello to the customer, until the customer drove off in the vehicle, how much time she spent either speaking with the customer, doing paperwork related to the deal or whatever else. Statistics say time spent per deal is 2 & 1/2 hours, average. So it's like $150.00 an hour, not UNrealistic in the 21st century!! She picked up an extra $360.00 on that deal. Personally, I would not have done what she did. It was not right, and I sure don't condone her doing such. To me, it's cheating.
    But, as an adult married man it's very difficult to live on $75.00 (gross) a week, unless you're in a cardboard box, under a bridge somewhere. If you wanna make $$ in the car business, get thee to a Toyota dealership. Those things sell themselves, and you'll have an easier time and make more money too. Go to one on "the highway" in a lower income area and learn all you can about financing, or the oppisite extreme, Mercedes in a wealthy area. This will also involve learning to play golf and joining a country club! The mark-up on a Mercedes is $6,000. You do the math.........
    and....Best of Luck!
    If & when you get sick of it, you can do what I did....Buy a Dunkin Donuts. The mark-up on a donut is (percentage-wise) double that of a car! and they stand in line waiting FOR YOU! $1.25 for a cup of coffee that nets you $1.05 profit.
    If you stay with cars, don't cheat your customers, you'll never get a referral or a repeat customer, and therefore you'll not build a customer base, worthy of 1 cent. Be honest, give them a decent deal, and don't let them take advantage of you. If they get fresh to you, walk away from them, telling them "If you will not respect me, then go elsewhere" PERIOD.
  • cherokeelmtcherokeelmt Member Posts: 22
    Thanks for the advice Sandy boy. I think I will stick it out for a while and see If I can live off of selling cars honestly. I refuse to comprise my morals.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    btw, Cherokeelmt, there are some fun discussions over in the Smart Shopper Boards where several other salespeople hang out. Check 'em out if you haven't already. Look for the "inconsiderate buyers" one too, LOL.



    Steve

    Host

    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • arlodogarlodog Member Posts: 8
    I have a 00 Classic, the lease runs out in Feb. I would not mind buying it but not at the price they say is residual. they say that price is set and they will not deal on it. It would seem to me that if they could sell it to me they save themselves the trouble of reconing it and trying to sell it. they are after me to "come in and get another one" is this story with the residual true or just more car jive?
  • sandyboysandyboy Member Posts: 114
    It's true! Chrysler will pay them the residual, and other "credits" so why should they sell it to you, FOR LESS?
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Just keep in mind that while you may be able to buy a similar jeep at a lower price (assuming that's true) you wouldn't know anything about it. It would depend on how much of a variance we were talking about, but I'd pay a slight premium to purchase a vehicle I knew everything about. I've known people to negotiate buy-outs, but they weren't with DC. I think they were still being overly agressive with their residuals in '99 and therefore to get those low payments you've enjoyed, the residual was set too high. They've learned from thier mistakes which you'll discover if you go lease shopping again. Plus you can't buy Cherokees anymore. Dealer I know says they've seen a bit of an increase in demand for clean Cherokees. Considering the liberty turd, I can understand.
  • sandyboysandyboy Member Posts: 114
    Yes, the worst thing they did was to discontinue the XJ Cherokee. Very, very little had to be done to bring it up to 2003 levels. The Liberty is a joke! Why does it have to be so darn high and look so top heavy? Why does it have practicly no room between the tailgate & the back of the back seat? Why does it have to have that goofy-looking "Neon-esque" front end on it? Do you think it could ever continue to sell for 17 consecutive years, as did the Cherokee? In Cherokee's poorest year, 2001 (because it was the last year) it STILL sold 129,000 units!
    DAIMLER-Cry-slur is no better at designing a tough sport ute than DODGE would be at designing a $165,000 car! Dodge might be better!
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    We can all cry in our beers together :) and then go off-roading. At least I can tell people mine was one of the last ones built.

    All we need is someone with some cash to set up an importing business to bring in the slightly modified ones they are now building in China (http://www.beijing-jeep.com/english/index.html) Too bad a North American company didn't buy the tooling and start producing them.

    It's hard to accept the cancellation of such a good selling, reliable vehicle that had all the tooling and factories paid for (and was making tons of profit for DC) just to produce something that "seems" to fit the market image better. If they would have done one more upgrade to the XJ including a rear coil suspension, a split rear seat with headrests and maybe a little more rear seat room they would have a contending vehicle for way less than the cost of producing the Liberty. Plus they should never have gotten rid of the 4.0 I6 in this class of vehicle. A simple, proven engine that nearly equals the 3.7 and offers more low end. I just hope someone up at DC eventually offers the 4.7 in the KJ.
  • arlodogarlodog Member Posts: 8
    I know that i got low payments because they set the residual high, the last thing in the worl i want os a Liberty or a GC so i guess I guess i will take it back and look for something else. The dealer i go to has one the lot for almost 1900 less than my residual price. I know the one I got but it is not worth that much more to me. Thr GM triple zero thing looks good
  • sandyboysandyboy Member Posts: 114
    Lengthen the XJ 6". Split that 6" two ways. Add 3" to the cargo area in length, and add the other 3" to the rear seat entranceway(s). Lengthen the rear doors 3". Add the factory option of a Power Moonroof. As you said, rear coil suspension and a split rear seat with adjustable headrests and a center fold-down armrest would be a nice touch. Make 16" tires & wheels standard across the line. Split the rear window, "a la" Ford's Escape, and allow the people who want cloth interior to order & get the 2 options that are restricted to the Limited, that being the overhead console & the Infinity audio system. For those who don't go "off Road" but want the 4WD for snow offer a "soft ride" suspension option. Make the exterior spare tire attachment a no-charge factory option, giving buyers a choice of where they want the tire, and if they chose outside, put it in a nice plastic color keyed cover, like Mitsubishi does on their Montero. Lets get that glove box light back in there, too. Can we get thicker pile carpeting in there as well?
    There....that's just about purr-fect!
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    even if it would have taken a ton of work to update the 4.0L for whatever emissions, they could have used their new 2.4 for those looking for a 4cyl. It would work better than it does in the liberty, considering a 4cyl liberty is 300# heavier than a 6cyl Cherokee. Then throw the 4.7L V8 in as the larger engine choice. Probably have to lose the AW4 tranny which would suck (can I say THAT without getting deleted??) but you've got to give up something I guess. I'd give up the ultra-reliable tranny for the 4.7L in a 3400# vehicle:)

    arlodog: if you can pick up the same vehicle for $1900 less I'd give that baby back and get the other one. Knowledge of the prior vehicle isn't worth that much. Maybe a grand, max. I bought a Tahoe on the 0% for 36 month deal back in July. New vehicles are selling like hotcakes now. We decided to sell our Galant and when talking to the salesman we bought it from, he said he's sold one used vehicle this month. This is a rather large dealer and this salesman has been there for nearly 10 years so he's no slouch. Delivering new cars like crazy, used ones are just piling up. I may just keep the car if I'm going to take a bath on it. The thing many people don't realize is that if they are trading, they are getting killed on the trade-in value, so the actual savings are negligible.
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    ...we'd now have a Grand Cherokee. What we've described is almost exactly what the ZJ was. The problem with these upgrades would be to keep the price of the vehicle cheap enough to still be in the same range as the Liberty. They probably could have done it now that they've moved further upscale with the WJ Grand Cherokee.

    The bottom line seems to me that the Cherokee was replaced not because it didn't have consumer demand, but because it was veiwed by management as not being what the consumer wanted in a vehicle.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    a hundred thousand consumers just threw away their money every year on something they really didn't want? DC is dumb. A CRV or Escape is in the same price range but yet people kept buying XJ's. The Grands are nice, but they are quite different IMHO. They have a bloated non-hussle feel to them, along with a ton of complexity that make them scary with a ton of miles on them. This is the same thing that's happening to Toyota. The old Tacomas & 4runners were rather simple and even with extremely high miles reliable. 10 years out the most expensive repair on an XJ would be an engine/tranny. It's one thing to sink a couple grand into parts that extend the life of the vehicle (drivetrain components) but when the auto-climate control module blinks out and it costs you $1000 to fix, that's the pits. Nothing like general run-of-the-mill parts costing 1/4 of the vehicles value.
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    DC is dumb.

    sigh

    The Cherokee is gone.

    grin

    At least I still own one.

    You're totally right sebring. After 10 years (and 200k+ miles) you might have to replace a gasket or two in the engine or maybe have to do a rebuild but that's just the perfect reason to get a stroker (www.accuratepower.com). Then you could have a 4.7L in the XJ...

    I found the same thing with VW. I had an '87 that I put 360k km on in 5 years with nothing to fix but a valve cover gasket ($20) and a '93 Passat that cost me $3000 in repairs in one year for electronics and 'minor' items.
  • cherokeelmtcherokeelmt Member Posts: 22
    I am a salesman at a Chevrolet dealer. Last night we took in an 02 Blue Liberty limited in a trade for a Trailblazer. I thought great here is my chance to trade in my 99 cherokee limited for an equally equipped Liberty for cheap money, Because I can get them for what they paid for it. After a good look at the liberty I didn't even have to drive it, It was cute! It reminded me of a New Beetle. I will stick with my 4.0 Bad [non-permissible content removed] Cherokee, Wholesale price or not!
  • snorskasnorska Member Posts: 9
    Hello all,

    I have a Cherokee Classic 2000 equipped with the keyless entry system.

    When I use the remote to unlock the doors, it unlocks all four doors but the liftgate remains locked.

    If all doors and the liftgate are unlocked and I use the remote to lock the doors, all doors lock up but the liftgate remains unlocked.

    When I tried this, I can hear the mechanism engaging behind the liftgate lock, but the state of the lock remains unchanged.

    Does anyone know if the remote is supposed to lock/unlock the liftgate?

    Please help.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    It should lock/unlock with all the others. It sounds like it's receiving power if you can hear it. I assume it locks/unlocks with the key? If so, then it's something in the mechanism between the switch and the lock itself. Shouldn't be to big of a deal to fix.
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    A friend of mine with a 2000 GC had this same problem. Jeep replaced the power locking mechanism under warranty.
  • snorskasnorska Member Posts: 9
    Thank you Sebring95 and Boggse!

    Yesterday I have taken the Jeep to the dealership to have the master shield re-applied.
    If it is done every three years, DC offers a lifetime warranty on all body panels.

    I have mentioned the lift-gate problem, and the service advisor said that the remote should not open the lift-gate lock.

    When I insisted, knowing from you guys that it should work, the service advisor checked with the service manager and acknowledged the problem.

    The remedy was, and I quote from the work order, "repaired spread terminal to rear actuator".

    There was no cost for the repair, still under warranty, but the master shield cost was 115$.

    Thanks again.
  • paulepaule Member Posts: 382
    I'd be a little nervous if my gauge was reading that low.

    I would change the oil pump just for peace of mind. You may have a bit of junk in the oil pan and it may be blocking the oil pickup a little bit. If it blocks it enough,...........

    It's a bit of a pain to get the oil pan off but if it was me, I'd change it. Make sure you have a torque wrench to reinstall the oil pan.
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    I replaced my stock shocks with Bilsteins this weekend. Highway ride is greatly improved. Everything at highway speeds is much less harsh without giving a floaty feeling like an Oldsmobile. Slow speed head-toss is a little better, but high speed ride/handling was most affected.

    Also, I flushed the radiator. Does anyone know of a way to get to the petcock without removing the headlamp surrounds, grille, and turn signal? If so, let me know. That was a bit of a pain.
  • mhall02mhall02 Member Posts: 38
    Your right, the petcock is a pain, I flushed our 2000 Sport last year and I couldn't believe how hard it was to get to, what were they thinking? Other than that maintenance has been fairly simple, drained the tranny twice with the nice drain plug on the bottom of the tranny (AW-4), changed the transfer case fluid twice, and the oil isn't too bad either. Spark plugs were a bit of a chore with the coil bar or whatever its called over the spark plugs. 61,000 miles and still running strong, great vehicle.
  • russrickrussrick Member Posts: 3
    My 16 month old (2001)Chereokee-Laredo has had transmission problems. I am being told that it probably needs to be replaced. While I have "racked up" 42,000 in this short time, it is all highway driving. Does anyone have knowledge of Chrysler helping out to defray the cost even though the warranty has expired? My local mechaanic says that they do "tons" of Chrysler product transmission work.
    Pete
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    I am betting you are out of luck getting Chrysler to pay for it. Unless that is, you happened to opt for the 7/70 powertrain warranty. I think this is standard now, but I don't know when it was added, so I would double check that you are out of warranty. I would also ask you local mechanic how much of the "Chrysler" work is Cherokees. I was under the impression that the AT in Cherokees were pretty reliable.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    it's quite common for manufacturers to pay for warranty repairs after the warranty period. At such a low mileage it shouldn't be a big deal. I have a relative that got a new transmission at 80K miles and only paid a few hundred bucks for labor. They may ask you to pay something, but if one dealer won't go for it, take it to another. You're always better to go to the dealer that originally sold the vehicle new, but sometimes they are just crappy dealerships so you could try another one. You could also call chrysler directly if you don't get anywhere with any of the dealerships. I've known folks to get results that way too, but you really should exhaust all possibilities directly with the dealers first.
  • sandyboysandyboy Member Posts: 114
    Any of you experience this:
    You buy your Jeep from ABC Jeep. They treated you right during the sale and you have found their service to be very good! Suddenly, the place is sold, new owners come in & fire all of the folks you delt with, from the guy in parts to your service writer, your salesperson, the Asst. sales manager, and the tech who usually worked on your Jeep. The new people seem nasty to the "old dealer's customers" ~ They seem to bend over for the new customers, who have bought a car from THEM. We are the "old" dealer'sa customers....
    This is what I fear, as my wonderful dealership of a great salesmen, great service advisor and great parts guy, have all jumped ship, so to speak, because of who bought the place.....and nobodys talking about WHo the Who is.....
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    Has anyone here done an H4 conversion on their Cherokee? I am considering the IPF kit from Rocky Road Outfitter.


    http://www.rocky-road.com/xjipf.html


    I do not want to spend the time upgrading my wiring, so I would most likely go with the 55/60W or the Magic J-Bulbs. If anyone has any experience with these, please let me know what you think.

  • fvpfvp Member Posts: 147
    Tire question for all you Cherokee experts:

    I have a 2001 Cherokee Sport with 13,700 miles on it and, unbelievably, the stock Goodyears are just about shot. I was interested in going up 1 size to 235's for my next set of tires.
    Will the larger sized tires rub? Someone told me that the larger tire will rub unless the sway bars are removed and/or the truck is lifted.
    Can anyone help? Thanks
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I don't think 235's will rub, but the typical 235 will be very close. There is actually a little bit of size difference between brands/models of tires even though they are classified the same. Check www.jeepsunlimited.com for more info than you can digest.

    I had the same tires on my '01 and they lasted to about 35K miles but I hated them from day one. Terrible tires! I went with Michelin LTX-AT which is a more aggresive tread than those Goodyears. The Michelins ride, handle, and are MUCH quieter and I've got 20k miles on them now and still have 10/32nds of tread. The braking is MUCH better with the Michelins. You can actually feel them grabbing, where the goodyears would just slide around alot. We have a population explosion of deer here, so I unfortunetely get to test my brakes/tires on a regular basis. In the mud the Michelins are sooooooo much better and I'm anticipating the snow traction to be better as well. Just got them in the spring and no snow yet.
  • fvpfvp Member Posts: 147
    Thanks sebring95! I may just stick with the 225's but I do agree that Michelins are the way to go. The Goodyears are down to 5/32nds - and thats with my wife's easy driving.
    I thought the LTX-AT's did not come in 225' - only the XCX-APT did. Have you gone to the larger 235's?
    One other question - I have a hell of a time getting into 4 wheel low. I do it according to the book - rolling slowly with the tranny [automatic] in neutral and then pulling the lever from 4 high, past N to Low. Any special tricks that I'm not aware of or am I not doing it correctly? If I was stuck [at a standstill] somewhere and need 4WD low I don't think I could get it to engage with moving or a lot of grinding.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    you've got it right on the tires, the XCX-APT is the same tire, so to avoid confusion I just called it the LTX-AT. I stayed with the 225 since I'm more concerned with snow/rain than mud.

    4lo is tough on an automatic, and sometimes it takes a few times. Hard to get everything synchronized in there. I've found quick motion works best. Trying to ease it in just gets hung-up grinding gears. I just give it a whack. I'm not sure how much 4lo will help once your stuck anyway unless you can't muster up the power to spin the tires. I usually try to anticipate what's going on. Anywhere around steep hills I go for 4lo in advance just to ease up on everything. I think it helps reduce spinning the tires also because the revolutions are reduced from normal throttle input.
  • apex3apex3 Member Posts: 1
    Looking at a 95 Cherokee sport tomorrow. 4x4 with 50k miles. Anything I should look for?
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    235 should be fine.
  • solasola Member Posts: 3
    I did the Hella H4 conversion -- much more white light, but the downside is much bigger light dispersion. You just have to be careful angling them in properly. All in all, its a much needed upgrade for any Cherokee.
  • cherokeelmtcherokeelmt Member Posts: 22
    Hi all, I have a 99 Cherokee Limited and have gone through two bug deflectors. The first one was a useless 3m stick on that the car wash did a number on. Then I got a screw on type that replaces the grille screws with ancors and bolts that way. It seemed pretty flimsy and weak. This morning I went through the car wash and the "high powered" Blow dryer sent half of my bug shield flying! It split in half! Does anybody have a successful Bug shield and if so what brand? Thanks Ryan
  • sandyboysandyboy Member Posts: 114
    Sorry I do not know of a bug shield that can stand up to the violent abuse dished out by car washes. My advice would be to seek out a HAND car wash, where you car is gently washed by hand, rinsed off with a hose, and hand dried with a chamois. You can find them in your yellow pages under "AUTOMOTIVE DETAILING" ~ they're around, but you have to look for them. Your car will look alot better for it too!!
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    I ordered the IPF kit. It should be here in a few days.
  • fvpfvp Member Posts: 147
    Sorry to bring up the tire subject again but my local tire guy told me that if I want to step up a tire size to go to 235/70R15. He claims that if I go up to a 235, go down to 70R from 75R.
    Anyone agree or disagree?
  • ealmeealme Member Posts: 6
    My daughter's 1996 Jeep Cherokee was experiencing starting problems for a week or so. It appeared to be that the battery was drained and being that it was nearing the end of it's rated life she bought a new one. The starting problem did not improve, and as a matter of fact, actually worsened until we were afraid that it wouldn't start at all on the morning that we were going to take it in to the shop for perhaps a new starter motor.

    Amazingly, that very morning the Jeep started up perfectly as if nothing had ever been wrong. It has started perfectly for the last few mornings. Can anyone tell me why the gods have been favorable this time, since this vehicle has started to cost her an amazing amount of money lately trying to keep it running.
  • galooshgaloosh Member Posts: 1
    I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with either the BBB or Consumer Affairs in getting Chrysler to pay for a post-warranty repair for an item that was repaired during the warrant period?
    My 1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport had a water leak at the blower motor housing which necessitated the replacement of the carpet and padding due to the terrible musty smell that enveloped the vehicle. Now four years later the leak and odor have come back. Chrysler will not repair the vehicle - basically telling me it was my fault since I did not opt to purchase the 7/70 warranty! Has anyone else had a similar problem? Any help would be appreciated!
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    If you go with a wider tire(225 to 235), you will need to reduce the aspect ratio(75 to 70) to prevent/reduce speedometer/odometer inaccuracies. It will help maintain handling characteristics as well.
  • fvpfvp Member Posts: 147
    Tomorrow I am going to get four new 225/75R15 Michelin LTX M&S. I decided to stick with the stock size and go to a tire store that specializes in Michelins vs. getting a "Club Tire" that only is sold by NTB or Sears [such as XCXAPT].
    Plus, the add ons per tire at NTB[balance:$11.00, stems:$2.50, tire disposal:$2.00 and state fees:$1.00] are much higher than at a local store. For instance, the local guy charges $1.00 per tire for disposal, which means in addition to the profit on the tires, NTB makes a buck on each tire they take in. I'd rather give my business to a local guy anyway.
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    I almost got the Michelin LTX M&S. Instead, I got Toyo Tranpath S/U which I have been very pleased with. They have since been superceded by the Toyo Open Country A/T. A friend who was buying at the same time got the Michelins, and she seems very happy with them. Anyway, I am sure the LTXs will be a great tire. Enjoy!
  • fvpfvp Member Posts: 147
    I'm glad you have had success with the Toyo's - I have to admit, I didn't give them much consideration. I live in Western PA and you don't see those tires around here much.
    I know a number of people that have gone to the Michelin tires and all give them a thumbs up.
    I'll let you know how things go with the Michelins - I sure hope they last longer than the stock Goodyears [13,600 miles].
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    The Toyos are actually an all-terrain tire as opposed to a Highway All-Season, like the GoodYears and the Michelins. The Toyos probably aren't as smooth and quiet as the Michelins on the road, but they are definitely better in both areas than the GoodYears, plus they are pretty good off-highway when needed. My stock GoodYears lasted about 28,000 miles. I think they were the Wrangler RT/S. Anyway, they were crappy, and I am glad I got rid of them. I have 24,000 miles so far on the Toyos with 7/32 of tread left . I imagine I will get Open Country A/Ts when it is time to replace these.
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    I installed the IPF H4 Replacement Headlights last night. The difference was dramatic. The light was brighter and better defined. I still have some fine tuning to do with aiming one of the lamps, but I am very pleased with the improvement I got for about $100.
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    Does anyone have one? Is there a huge increase in wind noise or decrease in fuel economy? Now that I have AAA, and I wouldn't have to get the tire down myself, I was thinking it might free up some luggage room inside.
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    I've thought about doing it myself but since my wife parks it daily in a parkade with only 6' of clearance...

    It will kill 1 or 2 mpg and will raise the centre of gravity a bit. Lots of people have done it but if you're going to be mouting anything larger than the stock tires, maybe more than to 31" diameter, you might want to look at a rear bumper and carrier instead. A 30" tire will fit inside the Cherokee with a little love.
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    Many current model SUVs wouldn't fit in that parking deck. A Liberty Limited 4WD would have less than 1" of clearance. A Liberty Renegade wouldn't fit due to its light bar.
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    I had to measure the height of the Jeep when I saw that. A stock Cherokee with a roof rack is 5' 9". I've been in the parkade and it is low, but sometimes they post the signs lower than it really is.
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