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Grand Cherokee?

Discussion in 'General' started by apchasse, Apr 28, 2006.

  1. apchasse

    apchasse Well-Known Member

    Anyone have any thoughts on the grand cherokee as far as gas milage, reliablilty, towing?

    I cant make up my mind what I want for a vehicle.... I know I already asked about other vehicles and I have gone anywhere from pickups, to vans and suv's.... I just cant make up my mind...
     
  2. Putter

    Putter Ain't too proud to beg

    What years are you looking at? What motor?
     
  3. apchasse

    apchasse Well-Known Member

    99-02 with the V6
     
  4. Putter

    Putter Ain't too proud to beg

    Good motor, may not be the strongest out there, but reliable enough. The only problem I have seen with those is in the drivetrain. U-joints are a pretty common replacement. I like the interior and they are pretty roomy.
     
  5. fazer

    fazer Banned

    towing with the v6.....hmmmm. whatcha towing?

    the in-line 6 back in the day had some umph enough for towing something small. maybe a 5x8 enclosed max. was that still in there in the '99-'02?
     
  6. 600 dbl are

    600 dbl are Shake Zoola the mic rula

    I own a 99 Cherokee Limited (73,xxx miles). The most I've towed with it is a 5x8 with two bikes. Did exceptionally well without a real decrease in Gas mileage.

    On that note I will say that I will never own another Cherokee again. There is a grinding noise when I make very slow sharp turns that no one can seem to tell me what it is. The AC went out, the passenger window will not go down, I've replaced the alternator, CD player is shot, the list of little shit going wrong is almost endless. I understand fully that the vehicle is almost 7 years old, but considering the low miles I've put on the thing I cannot justify owning another one.
     
  7. frackadelic

    frackadelic Buddha Stalin is Chronic

    The aerodynamics of the Jeep Grand Cherokee were designed with the idea that the SUV would be traveling within 2 car lengths of a semi truck. Unfortunately, if you are further than this or are not behind a truck at all, you will loose 5-6 mpg from what is indicated in the owner's manual.:Poke:
     
  8. stickboy274

    stickboy274 Stick-a-licious Tire Dude

    Does it only happen in one direction? I had a jeep the used to eat rear wheel bearings because I would park it in the lake when I was on my sea-doo. It seems the rear end would fill with water, who knew?


    It was always the same side and it was only noticable in slow turns that loaded that side.

    BTW, the A/C drain on those always leaks into the pass. floorboard. That's why they start to smell when they get older.
     
  9. prostang117

    prostang117 Member

    i own a 02 grand cherokee with the 4.7 v8 and i pull 2 bikes in a 6 x 12 enclosed trailer with all the gear with no problem ... i got 18 miles to the gallon on the way to summit last weekend through the mountains of west virginia .... my .02
     
  10. stickboy274

    stickboy274 Stick-a-licious Tire Dude

    18mpg!! dammitt that would rock. I get 8-11mpg. Of course I'm pushin' 18k and grabbin all the wind out there with my truck and trailer. Plus I have a 4.10 gear. at 75 it's at 2600 rpm. The 7.3 takes big gulps at that rpm
     
  11. prostang117

    prostang117 Member

    stick i parked beside you at vir
     
  12. fazer

    fazer Banned

    i have had 3 vehicles with that engine in them:
    - '00 durango
    - '04 durango
    - '03 dakota

    i haven't gotten over 16 without towing anything!!!

    when i tow i usually get 8-10mpg (6x12 v-nose with 1-4 bikes in it plus gear)

    i love that engine...but the gas mileage sucks.
     
  13. prostang117

    prostang117 Member

    guess i got a good one fazer
     
  14. stickboy274

    stickboy274 Stick-a-licious Tire Dude

    Kewl, I've been racing moto gp on the ps2 with my kid.
     
  15. fastfreddie

    fastfreddie Midnight Oil Garage

    my personal experience:
    i've had two 2-door cherokees with the i6/4.0 and currently own an '02 grand cherokee overland...it has the 4.7HO.
    all 4x4 auto.

    '94 cherokee sport off the showroom floor...passenger vent window leaked, unfinished paint on bottom of passenger side rocker...both fixed under warranty, no other problems. great motor. foolishly traded for pick-up.

    '98 cherokee sport, special ordered with all the bells and whistles. buried it in a ditch when 3 weeks old...took two big 4x4s and a tow truck to get me out.:D put 70,000 trouble-free miles on it including towing heavy twice cross-country and numerous light towing with a 6x10 before it ended up on its roof, totaled. great motor. great off-road.

    '02 overland...great motor. great drivetrain(quadra-drive II), off-road prowess is amazing for a luxury vehicle. extensive towing, lock-up solenoid in tranny failed after 40K(?) miles, front brakes(rotors) suck...unless you don't mind replacing every 20k miles. cd-changer crapped at 97k, left c/v joint crapped at 110k, AC re-charged. all replaced either under warranty or as a matter of course. this vehicle rocks. 16-17 avg mpg. 6x10 trailer, 12-14mpg. hi-way best better than 20+ mpg at the speed limit. 0-60 just over 7 seconds. 115k and still rockin'.

    note concerning the i6/4.0: '99 and later have weak heads that crack.
    note concerning the 4.7HO: 330ft/lbs torque!
     
  16. tony 340

    tony 340 Well-Known Member

    I still have my 99' I bought brand new 7 years ago.

    I have the I-6 and and Selec-Trac drive.

    That engine is a great workhorse. I get 16-18 highway, 75ish mph.
    I have 180,000 on it and the engine works very well. I towed a full size bobcat two summers back. The engine is good until you have to go up a big hill with a good grade on it. I've towed 2 bikes on a landscape type trailer to a bunch of tracks. It needs just a bit more power.

    Repairs I've done myself
    -new transfer case (oil change shop left plug out)
    -new rear end
    -new water pump
    -new power passenger door lock
    -new power liftgate lock
    -transmission speed sensor
    -spark plugs, air filters, and 02 sensors, battery, trans fluid/filter
    -universals
    -most pain in the ass, BRAKES, Brakes all the frickin time. I must have done 7 or 8 brake jobs now.
    -all new tie rods up front
    -3rd set of tires
    -windshield

    Repairs when new under warranty
    -rear end replacement
    -steering wheel assy. lube

    Overall a great SUV. I've had experience with 2 blazers, explorers, mountaineers, and durangos. IME I like mine the most. Especially the 4 x 4. I've towed so many people out of the ditch in Ski Towns on vacation I lost count. I leave a tow strap in in the winter. Great SUV. Plus I got my more expensive parts at the junkyard very cheap.
     
  17. Jugglenutz

    Jugglenutz Well-Known Member

    I have a 99 gc for sale...Its already proven its much more reliable than the bmw i just got which will also be for sale as soon as i get it back from the shop...

    I've put about 100k on mine, and dumped about 1300 into it for maintenance...I had to replace the rear end which is the achilles heal of all gc's...they are notorious for going bad...the thing i love about the jeep, is its never once left me on the side of the road...the other thing that was replaced was the transfer case...

    As for all round use..

    I like it more than the bmw, but it doesn't get 29mpg...closer to 18-19 on the highways...If i top off the 20.5 gallon tank, i can come close to 400 miles...it's generally in the 360s with more city driving...

    As for towing, I don't think it would have a problem with something bigger than a 5x8...I used it to pull my 5x8 and it had no problem for racing, even with it fully loaded...furthermore, i used it to tow stuff back and forth to college...I rented a 6x10 or 6x12 from uhaul double axle and it towed it just fine as well, even with the jeep fully loaded and the trailer fully loaded.

    The 4 wheel drive is absolutely awesome in the snow too...never had any problems going out in any type of conditions...
     
  18. svracer177

    svracer177 Well-Known Member

    I've put about 100k on mine, and dumped about 1300 into it for maintenance...I had to replace the rear end which is the achilles heal of all gc's...they are notorious for going bad...the thing i love about the jeep, is its never once left me on the side of the road...the other thing that was replaced was the transfer case...

    Not to be a dick. But in a 100k, a rearend and a t-case? They are frickin junk. We had Jeep at our dealership, Toyota/Jeep. I serviced both. Obviously it's not a Toyota but they are such pieces of shit I couldn't say a nice thing if given all day to come up with something. Just my jaded opinions from getting fucked by there shit warranty pay maybe.
     
  19. Jugglenutz

    Jugglenutz Well-Known Member

    I was thinking about swapping to a little tacoma pickup for my next car...little 4x2...any idea on what kind of gas mileage they get?
     
  20. stickboy274

    stickboy274 Stick-a-licious Tire Dude

    Metro with the three cyl. 60mpg.

    You gan get one for each foot.
    Would that 120 mpg, or 30?
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2006

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