Jeep Grand Cherokee Revealed!

[Tave]

2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland CRD 4X4, Base MSRP:   $45,855
Side Steps:                                                               + $   995
Total:                                                                         $46,850

Again,

[Catman]

x 2

[2o6]

Madman, are you 5'2" or something? What's with the side steps?

[Madman]

Madman, are you 5'2" or something? What's with the side steps?

Oh, so that's what the  thing is all about?

No, I'm 6'0".  But you're forgetting I have two kids.  I'm sure they would like to be able to get into the thing without taking pole-vaulting lessons.


Cheers,
Madman of the People

[the Teuton]

Why not just get an E350 wagon and save some $$.

[SVT666]

x 2

visually lower the front bumper?    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[cozmik]

I think it looks pretty good. I like the exterior much better than the frog eyed current generation. Interior looks pretty nice as well. Even has real wood, not plastic, which is nice to hear. Will be interesting to see how it drives. So far looks promising though.

[TBR]

Since when does saving a few bucks on a tank of fuel come into play when we're talking $50,000+ vehicles?

A smart person would certainly consider it when looking at two vehicles that are the exact same except one is $1000 more expensive and gets a few more mpgs and generally people who can afford to buy $50,000 vehicles are relatively smart (and by afford I don't mean they can get a $50,000/72 month car loan with $0 down).

[TBR]

Oh, so that's what the  thing is all about?

No, I'm 6'0".  But you're forgetting I have two kids.  I'm sure they would like to be able to get into the thing without taking pole-vaulting lessons.


Cheers,
Madman of the People

For small children the door handles are the problem, side steps don't help that.

I am speaking from experience, my dad has always had a 4x4 truck and once I could reach the handle I never had a problem.

[Madman]

For small children the door handles are the problem, side steps don't help that.

I am speaking from experience, my dad has always had a 4x4 truck and once I could reach the handle I never had a problem.

They're not that small, they're 11 and 13.  Tall enough to reach the door handles but still small enough where I think having an extra step would be safer.  Not that I'm in the market for an SUV.  But if I were to buy one, I think I would want some steps or running boards just to make entry and exit easier for them.

Cheers,
Madman of the People

[SVT666]

A smart person would certainly consider it when looking at two vehicles that are the exact same except one is $1000 more expensive and gets a few more mpgs and generally people who can afford to buy $50,000 vehicles are relatively smart (and by afford I don't mean they can get a $50,000/72 month car loan with $0 down).

If you can actually afford to buy a $50,000 car, gas ain't an issue. 

[TBR]

They're not that small, they're 11 and 13.  Tall enough to reach the door handles but still small enough where I think having an extra step would be safer.  Not that I'm in the market for an SUV.  But if I were to buy one, I think I would want some steps or running boards just to make entry and exit easier for them.

Cheers,
Madman of the People

Quite frankly, that's absurd. If your ~5' children have difficulty getting into a SUV safely they'll need more help than running boards can offer.

[TBR]

If you can actually afford to buy a $50,000 car, gas ain't an issue. 

It isn't an issue, but all things pretty much equal, you're going to buy the vehicle that is cheaper to run, that's just common sense. If you don't drive very much, it'll be the ML350. If you do drive a lot, it'll be the ML320 CDI.

[Rupert]

It doesn't even have anything close to A/T tires. What a pile of crap.

I wonder if it still has a solid rear axle, even.

[ifcar]

Not that I'm in the market for an SUV

Then what do you care if they offer a diesel that no one else was buying?

[GoCougs]

M/T had a diesel vs. hybrid mid-size SUV test this last issue; diesel BMW X5 vs. diesel Tourag vs. diesel M-B ML320 vs. hybrid Lexus RX400h.

Guess which was not only the quickest/fastest, but had the best MPG and was also the cheapest?

Passenger vehicle diesel usage is DOA save for irrational fanboyism and/or crushing Euro-statist taxation schemes.

[ifcar]

M/T had a diesel vs. hybrid mid-size SUV test this last issue; diesel BMW X5 vs. diesel Tourag vs. diesel M-B ML320 vs. hybrid Lexus RX400h.

Guess which was not only the quickest/fastest, but had the best MPG and was also the cheapest?

Passenger vehicle diesel usage is DOA save for irrational fanboyism and/or crushing Euro-statist taxation schemes.

Diesel technology is cheaper than hybrid technology. To suggest otherwise based on a Lexus hybrid costing less than a diesel Mercedes is somewhat silly.

[2o6]

M/T had a diesel vs. hybrid mid-size SUV test this last issue; diesel BMW X5 vs. diesel Tourag vs. diesel M-B ML320 vs. hybrid Lexus RX400h.

Guess which was not only the quickest/fastest, but had the best MPG and was also the cheapest?

Passenger vehicle diesel usage is DOA save for irrational fanboyism and/or crushing Euro-statist taxation schemes.

Diesel is more efficent and cheaper. Those are two big complaints with "hybrid" technology. Also, the RX is camry based. The other cars are based RWD, and are actually useful Off road. The Lexus is useless off road.



Diesel has it's benefits. For example: The Fiesta Econetic. It gets 60 US MPG. The Loremo LS uses a diesel engine (along with other tricks) and is able to get over 100MPG. The VW 1 liter car was a diesel and got superb MPG's. We haven't seen Hybrid technology do anything like that.

[RomanChariot]

Here you go, prices of both vehicles with the running boards/side steps I would want.

2009 Mercedes Benz ML320 BlueTEC AWD, Base MSRP:        $48,600
Running boards:                                                         + $    650
Total:                                                                         $49.250

2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland CRD 4X4, Base MSRP:   $45,855
Side Steps:                                                               + $   995
Total:                                                                         $46,850

That's exactly $2,400 difference between the two.  Not a huge difference, is there?  Anyway, it's a moot point since "Due to certification issues", Chrysler stopped taking orders for the 3.0 turbo diesel as of 4th February 2009.  Damn EPA bastards!!!


Cheers,
Madman of the People

I agree that it would be nice if they offered the diesel engine in the Jeep but your price comparison is not quite fair.  The Overland package comes very heavily optioned.  The ML320 base price does not include leather seating, navigation system, power folding dimming mirrors, etc..  Those features might not be important to you but they are the reason that the Jeep is even close to the price of the MB.  Option them the same and the price difference grows dramatically.

[Laconian]

Diesel is more efficent and cheaper. Those are two big complaints with "hybrid" technology. Also, the RX is camry based. The other cars are based RWD, and are actually useful Off road. The Lexus is useless off road.



Diesel has it's benefits. For example: The Fiesta Econetic. It gets 60 US MPG. The Loremo LS uses a diesel engine (along with other tricks) and is able to get over 100MPG. The VW 1 liter car was a diesel and got superb MPG's. We haven't seen Hybrid technology do anything like that.

None of the cars available with hybrid configurations are as inherently biased for fuel economy as the cars you mentioned above. The Insight was a good first crack at an all-out economical hybrid car, but the idea has since fallen by the wayside. Who knows what a 3rd generation hybrid could be capable of if installed in a rinky dink Fiesta?

[Tave]

I agree that it would be nice if they offered the diesel engine in the Jeep but your price comparison is not quite fair.  The Overland package comes very heavily optioned.  The ML320 base price does not include leather seating, navigation system, power folding dimming mirrors, etc..  Those features might not be important to you but they are the reason that the Jeep is even close to the price of the MB.  Option them the same and the price difference grows dramatically.

He's also comparing the range-topping Jeep to a middle-of-the-pack ML.

If he wants Jeep to offer an efficient, small diesel 6 on the Grand Cherokee, it would probably be placed closer to the front end of the model line, exactly like the Benz.

Therefore it would sticker much closer to the $32,420 Laredo 4X4 or $39,310 Limited, probably splitting the difference. So now you're looking at something that's $15,000 cheaper than what he's comparing it to, before options (15K = almost 50% of the Jeep's price), besides which few people are probably cross-shopping these two vehicles anyway.

Of course, none of Jeep's real competition offers a diesel, which was the point, which is why he had to resort to such a strange suggestion.

[GoCougs]

Diesel technology is cheaper than hybrid technology. To suggest otherwise based on a Lexus hybrid costing less than a diesel Mercedes is somewhat silly.

Diesel technology is more expensive once one starts talking close to equivalent performance and emissions, however.

[2o6]

Diesel technology is more expensive once one starts talking close to equivalent performance and emissions, however.

Good point. Bottom line is:

Pick your poison. Different method of achieving the same result. (I think an "eco" version of GM's Volt technology would be amazing)

[ifcar]

Diesel technology is more expensive once one starts talking close to equivalent performance and emissions, however.

Some people are interested only in the cost savings of higher gas mileage, where the diesel wins. That's not to say, of course, that hybrids don't have advantages too when they're done right, but diesels have been able to sell profitably in the cheapest cars available while hybrid technology remains pricey.

[WookieOnRitalin]

The new Grand Cherokee looks great. Love the new Interior. The Exterior looks a little soft for me, but I could live with it.

The question I want to know is this a true Jeep or a pretender? I buy Jeeps to punish them and not to look good in the grocery store parking lot.

[Morris Minor]

Who's going to build it? Doesn't this come a little too far past the "Cause of death: Not enough cretins left to buy the crap cars" tipping point?

[giant_mtb]

I thought Jeep GCs were rather popular.

[Morris Minor]

I thought Jeep GCs were rather popular.

Imagine a restaurant that produces one tasty popular dish and ten more dishes that give customers food poisoning. The popular dish is not enough to stop the restaurant being closed.

[Atomic]

i really like it inside (especially) and out! this is exactly what jeep needs NOW! the 2010 (or 2011) chrysler 300 is mighty sweet, too, as is the next dodge charger and durango. HURRY, chrysler! 

[Tave]

Imagine a restaurant that produces one tasty popular dish and ten more dishes that give customers food poisoning. The popular dish is not enough to stop the restaurant being closed.

I hope you didn't forget about the Wrangler...