Please tell me your experiences with the Cherokee

[haz]

I was asked by a friend to give him some tips about the Cherokee 2001 model, cuz he's consdering buying one .... God knows why, but I told him I would help him.

All I know is it's a gas guzzler, doesn't handle too well on the road, breaks down and it's ugly. Part from that, what do you know about it?

All info is good info... (he will be using it for work, stashing equipment in the back so he'll need the space - plus "towing" his boat. He will not take it off road)

thx guys,

haz

[zenkidori]

We had one of the same generation for quite some time. If you keep up on maintainence they aren't that bad, but if you don't(which we didn't) they do tend to break. They work well for towing, road trips and that sort of thing, but aren't sporting in any way. They work well for what looks like he'll be using it for. They are good for a larger family. If you only have one or two kids, a pickup may be better. You can haul and tow more, and basically convert it to an SUV with a topper.

[haz]

Originally Posted by zenkidori

We had one of the same generation for quite some time. If you keep up on maintainence they aren't that bad, but if you don't(which we didn't) they do tend to break. They work well for towing, road trips and that sort of thing, but aren't sporting in any way. They work well for what looks like he'll be using it for. They are good for a larger family. If you only have one or two kids, a pickup may be better. You can haul and tow more, and basically convert it to an SUV with a topper.

How was the depreciation? (sp?)

What tends to break, if not looked after?

Does it put out a great amount of tourque/NM since it's good for towing?

Thx zenkidori,

haz

[matt_shaw]

Tell him to find a Grand Jeep Cherokee, much better vehicle

[zenkidori]

Originally Posted by haz

How was the depreciation? (sp?)

What tends to break, if not looked after?

Does it put out a great amount of tourque/NM since it's good for towing?

Thx zenkidori,

haz

our center differential wasn't serviced regularly and ended up breaking, as well as the electronic 4WD system, so it stayed in 4WD all the time(kind of irritating for parking). I have no idea on the numbers, but my dad traded it in for a newer ford ranger.

[C53A_4G63T]

This Puerto Rican kid in my class calls it a Chair-o-key. I can't stop laughing when he does it.


Yeah, this is all i have to add to this thread.

[ESPNSTI]

Originally Posted by C53A_4G63T

This Puerto Rican kid in my class calls it a Chair-o-key. I can't stop laughing when he does it.

A former colleague of mine from the Dominican Republic couldn't pronounce Ford Focus properly, it always sounded like Ford Fuck-Us.

[p0w3r]

Jeep Cherokee? not the Grand Cherokee?

If its the Cherokee then please dont do it. My aunt had one and she hated every single moment of it. The engine is thirsty and has no power at all. The ride quality was just horrible...especially on the highway. The seats suck and well...i cant really say anything good about it apart from the fact that its probably good for off-roading even though your friend doesnt need that.

The Grand Cherokee is much better overall and has a bearable ride even on the highway so if he is set on buying a Jeep, definately go for the Grand Cherokee.

[jetsetter]

Don't bash the 4.0 I6. It is a good engine but more suited for offroading then anything else. A Grand Cherokee with the 4.7 V8 is a much more balanced vehicle.

[bartboy9891]

Originally Posted by matt_shaw

Tell him to find a Grand Jeep Cherokee, much better vehicle

i really dont like Jeeps at all, but i'll still admit that the Grand Cherokee is a very good value when you get it secondhand. My friend has an 02 with about 95K miles on it, and its in very good condition. He got it for like $12K and the only problem that has arisen is some of the electronics (driver side cant control passenger windows for example).
and if he's just wants to tow and toss stuff in the back for work, then a pickup would be a better idea.

[Mischief007]

I heard they are an electrical nightmare but to each his own. I've driven a few but I do hate SUVs. Seats are really soft even for leather seating. Steering is light. I would probably say to go for the Grand Cherokee. Much better looking, in my opinion. Both engines are torquey so it can tow quite nicely.

Laredo model
http://www.intellichoice.com/reports...and%20Cherokee

Limited model
http://www.intellichoice.com/reports...and%20Cherokee

Canadiandriver.ca links:
Grand Cherokee:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articl...ndcherokee.htm
Cherokee:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articl...01cherokee.htm

Hope this helps somewhat.

[zenkidori]

oh, uh, we had a V8 and leather, so was it the grand chair-0-key?

[p0w3r]

Originally Posted by zenkidori

oh, uh, we had a V8 and leather, so was it the grand chair-0-key?

yup, the regular cherokee only came in 4.0l I6 version

[No Boss]

I always thought they were pretty comfy, but alot smaller inside than they look from the outside.

[Blind_Io]

I had an '01 Cherokee Sport - here is a list of what it has required so far:

- Bonnet and roof paint had to be stripped and re-applied because of cracking
- U-joints replaced
- Check engine light came on repeatedly for a "Minor fuel system leak" that could never be found even after preasureizing the system with smoke to find the leak. This happened at least 6 times.
- Never holds the alignment for more than a few months (granted it was being taken offroad, but nothing that serious and our other SUV did the same trails with no problems)
- New rear springs
- Broke the weld for the right rear shock absorber mount and taco'd the shock
- Front differential just had to be overhauled
- Front U joints had to be replaced AGAIN!

All this is in addition to the cacophony of squeaks, rattles, bangs, and shudders the car has developed in a very short time period. The steering is loose and requires constant attention while driving just to keep it on the road, it's loud and has a cramped back seat. Depending on the trim he is looking at the Cherokee is known for overheating and having cracked manifolds, however most these problems were fixed by 2001.

All that being said, I loved having my Jeep - I had purchased an extended bumper-to-bumper warranty that paid for itself many times over - and that was a great load off my mind, but it was still a pain having it in the shop all the time

Pros:
tonns of torque, and lots of power
Great noise of that 4.0 L inline 6
One of the best engines Jeep ever produced - never had a problem with the motor itself
Decent offroader
With a few modifications it makes a very good rockcrawler for very technical trails
More cargo room than Liberty
More clearance than Liberty
Better approach and departure angles than Liberty
Better acceleration than Liberty
Better offroad ability than Libery
Not gay looking like the Liberty
Good suspension travel for wheeling
It's not a Liberty

Cons:
Poor build quality
Could really use at least one locking diff for wheeling
Skid plates should be standard
Poor on-road handeling
Won't last very long - especially if subjected to abusive trails
Frequent trips to the shop

Overall, I would not recommend the Cherokee unless you had plans to replace everything between the rims and the motor with heavy duty offroad components and strengthen the unibody to handel the stresses of wheeling. It's not very good for on-road use and althought it can handle most trails without a locking diff it has a real handicap. Just know that you are buying a money pit that will continue to depreciate rapidly.

Tips:
Get under the car and check the drive lines for circular or spiral gouges from wheeling, also look at the differential covers for damage - these are the first signs of abuse. The muffler and the rest of the exhaust system are also prone to damage from wheeling - mine looks like it was hit by a truck.

[haz]

Damn Blin Io ... that's bad news. Hope you are OK

So, I'll prolly advise him to get an used Toyota Landcruiser instead .. hehe ..

haz