Jeep Grand Cherokee

[Dieselman]

Aircon failures are common (£1000 to fix).

One of my staff at work has one and guess what went wrong. The aircon pipe snapped where it exits the compressor. This is a design fault and is bound to happen as the pipe isn't supported and the engine shakes it hard.

Strangely he didn't think it was working from when he purchased the car...hmm..

 

[Dieselman]

Yeah ... he was super p***ed when i got home .....

What even more than you were?

 

[l5foye]

reflexboy- have a look at a Nissan X Trail sport.

 

[andy_k]

reflexboy- have a look at a Nissan X Trail sport.

or a Toyota Rav4. If you are in the market for a "soft roader" there's not much that will serve you better. The X Trail will be the better off roader but for normal use the Rav 4 will win hands down

Andy

 

[reflexboy]

but a Rav and an X-Trail are a bit 'girly' though.

 

[BTB 500]

but a Rav and an X-Trail are a bit 'girly' though.

Personally I think the X-Trail is less girly than the Freelander, but any small 4x4 has "school run mum" written all over it!

 

[reflexboy]

Personally I think the X-Trail is less girly than the Freelander, but any small 4x4 has "school run mum" written all over it!

Now this is very true

 

[league67]

Grand Cherokee

Have 2004 Jeep GC in France. Awesome car. If you do realize that its not a saloon and will never handle / drive like one. Lot of people get disapointed by getting to a dealer taking Jeep / any 4x4 for that matter and expecting saloon / coupe ride /drive . Simply not going to happen. But ...
If you need a 4x4 that you can on snowy and icey roads in french alps and is not going to let you down Jeep is the answer. Had 2000 range rover there and gearbox overheating on the way up ( 0 to 2000 m altitude) and breaks overheating on the way down. Part exchanged it for Jeep (2.7 CRD black pearl) and happy as larry.

my 2 pence only of course.

 

[DieselE]

On Fifth Gear recently they crashed an MPV into a Discovery and the people in the MPV would have come off best. So if your other half wants a car for the school run etc it might be worth looking at an MPV instead. Of course if she wants a really serious 4x4 there's the Toyota Land Cruiser.

 

[jeremytaylor]

but a Rav and an X-Trail are a bit 'girly' though.

But you said it was for your fairer half.

Sounds like you plan on car-jacking her.

The general consensus is that both the Jeep and a Freelander are trouble, although strangely despite the problems owners seem to still like like (Mum's friends are on their second Freelander TD4).

Rav4 is probably the one to go for, but do you really need a 4x4 or is it just the 'image'. For example, the Rav4 is quite small and has the most ludicrous rear door that doesn't fully open because of the spare wheel. No 4x4 drives as well as an equivalent car, is thirstier, and smaller inside. Yes, you get the raised driving position, but so do countless other cars these days. I suppose the big tyres making parking easier for the fairer sex (no need to worry about the curbs).

My sis-in-law fancied a Rav4. Had a look, didn't like it. Looked at other cars and came home with a ... B200SE.

 

[ADY1983]

My Wifes step Mum got an 05 X-Trail last year and my brother inlaw just got a rav , because he lives down a lane and didn't want to damage.... his laguna
The X-Trail is good and isn't that girly imo, and my bro inlaw is a bit camp to say the least...

 

[Richard W]

****cough X3 cough*****

Expensive to buy, but the 2.0d is a cracking car, more boot space than the X5, 40mpg, more agile and handles better than any of the 4x4s on the market, including the X5....

Get past the 'couldn't afford an X5' comments and your laughing - well I am anyway....

[Runs and hides, looking for flame suit]

 

[jdrrco]

i was then sick in it on the way home due to being so hungover

Probably more to do with the appalling ride quality. I took one for a test drive for all the reasons quoted above (when I decided that 17mpg in the Outback just wasn't acceptable) and the whole car rocked and rolled over every manhole cover.

Take one for a drive by all means but make sure you can cope with all the extra costs of valeting every time you take any passengers in it...

 

[sym]

****cough X3 cough*****

Expensive to buy, but the 2.0d is a cracking car, more boot space than the X5, 40mpg, more agile and handles better than any of the 4x4s on the market, including the X5....

Get past the 'couldn't afford an X5' comments and your laughing - well I am anyway....

[Runs and hides, looking for flame suit]

Didn't notice you'd gone for an X3 Richard ... my only experience of it was when they lent me one for the day while mine was being serviced, and the height / corner of the drivers door nearly took my eye out when opening it ... maybe I'm just too short, but I found it really awkward getting in and out ! Otherwise was OK - but I didn't get the diesel - I'm sure that would have been better than the 2.5 petrol !

S.

 

[Vips]

My mechanic has a Y reg petrol version and has had it for less than a year and hates it. There are issues with reliabilty, ride and comfort is poor. He only got it cause it was going so cheap.

It is also not economical in terms of fuel, (petrol version anyway). On one occassion when he was testing it for new MOT, I had to sit in it and rev it up to 2500 rpm's for a few minutes. During that time, the digital gage showed 38 miles to next filling station. When I'd finished revving, it should only 35 miles!!! And I din't even get off the ramp!!

 

[WLeg]

We've just "borrowed" an X3 3.0D Sport. Very impressed. Nice handling, decent performance, 40mpg.

Thanks Elephant insurance...!!

Sadley, once the Freelander has been repaired, it will have to go back......

 

[Geordiemark1]

If you look at the Grand Cherokee for what is then its a good vehicle, after all it did win luxury off roader of the year in 2001.

I've had a 4.0litre Grand Cherokee Ltd for the past 3 1/2 years and it done everything I've ever asked of it.

Its big, its got all the toys, leather as standard and with the lpg conversion as cheap as chips to run. I pay 34p a litre for my gas at a local supplier which on a run is the same as getting 60mpg on petrol!

No its not as good as an X5 but its quarter of the cost and the same can be said for the range rover or any of the other big 4 x 4's.

I've just bought a CLK 55 AMG so the Jeep is going, but if I could afford to keep it I would. For the price I'll get for it, its a lot of car for the money.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4640042851&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

 

[Seamster15]

WOW 60mpg. My ML320 on LPG only ever gets the equivalent of 34mpg Max.....

 

[Geordiemark1]

I pay 34 pence a litre for my gas. Petrol is 96 pence at my local station.

Round the doors I get 15 mpg this equates to getting 42 mpg on petrol and on a motorway run I get 22 mpg which works out to an equivilent of 62mpg.

I'd say thats about the cheapest luxury motor I've ever run. It was great when the company I used to work for was paying me 40 pence a mile travelling money.

 

[Richard W]

Didn't notice you'd gone for an X3 Richard ... my only experience of it was when they lent me one for the day while mine was being serviced, and the height / corner of the drivers door nearly took my eye out when opening it ... maybe I'm just too short, but I found it really awkward getting in and out ! Otherwise was OK - but I didn't get the diesel - I'm sure that would have been better than the 2.5 petrol !

S.

Yes I didn't broadcast it too much - I do remember being very vociferous in the criticisms of my old ML in a well known thread so I hoped no-one would remember that!

But now I've had it for a week it's a cracking car, just like a big 3 series on stilits! Handles well, good economy, great performance considering it's 'only' a 2.0d. I do agree with the comparison with the 2.5 - the diesel is almost as fast (faster than the auto), much more economical and far higher residuals. Noting your comments WLeg, we couldn't stretch to a 3.0d those really are the best of both worlds!

We bought it after an accident in France left our car undriveable and the 4wd we hit only suffered a broken bumper and foglight. The accident wouldn't have happened if we'd had 4wd so now I've already got a spare set of rims with snow tyres on for next years excursion!

I must admit I don't have any issues getting in - but then again I am quite tall!