Jeep Cherokee Facelift

[AutobahnSHO]

Butthurt makes for great forum sparring

[Morris Minor]

One thing about living in a rural area is that none of the import brands have dealerships in the small towns & cities; it's all domestics, no luxury brands. So it's less of a hassle to get a Chrysler/GM/Ford serviced & fixed than it is to trundle into a big city to find say a Honda or Acura dealer.

So that's why a Ford Edge or a JGC are on my radar to replace my wife's CLK. The JGC would be perfect for us as a mid-sized SUV with respectable AWD.  Consumer Reports loves it but it's *way* down in rankings because of an appalling reliability record. Whether the appalling record s deserved or not, I don't know. The JGC WK2 has been around since 2011 - surely they've ironed out the bugs by now - maybe FCA is just chronically incapable of screwing cars together properly.

[12,000 RPM]

I am surprised there aren't many import dealers by you. I work in a rural area and Honda, Toyota and Nissan have big dealerships there. Actually, I'm not sure there is an FCA dealership there. With an import, you won't need a dealership

[MrH]

One thing about living in a rural area is that none of the import brands have dealerships in the small towns & cities; it's all domestics, no luxury brands. So it's less of a hassle to get a Chrysler/GM/Ford serviced & fixed than it is to trundle into a big city to find say a Honda or Acura dealer.

So that's why a Ford Edge or a JGC are on my radar to replace my wife's CLK. The JGC would be perfect for us as a mid-sized SUV with respectable AWD.  Consumer Reports loves it but it's *way* down in rankings because of an appalling reliability record. Whether the appalling record s deserved or not, I don't know. The JGC WK2 has been around since 2011 - surely they've ironed out the bugs by now - maybe FCA is just chronically incapable of screwing cars together properly.

It has less to do with the ability to a screw things together properly, and more to do with they can't design things that screw together properly. Most reliability issues is due to poor design that manifests into inconsistent manufacturing.

[Lebowski]

I would not have confidence in jeep/Chrysler to "iron out" issues over any length of time.

JGC makes a good rental car as an alternative to CUVs/SUVs a class down that have comparable interior space.  I wouldn't buy one even if a Jeep dealership was the most conveniently located to me. Unless you really need the off road ability, a CRV is a better car in every way plus is cheaper and will depreciate much more slowly.  If you do need the off road ability, 4runner.

[WookieOnRitalin]

I would not have confidence in jeep/Chrysler to "iron out" issues over any length of time.

JGC makes a good rental car as an alternative to CUVs/SUVs a class down that have comparable interior space.  I wouldn't buy one even if a Jeep dealership was the most conveniently located to me. Unless you really need the off road ability, a CRV is a better car in every way plus is cheaper and will depreciate much more slowly.  If you do need the off road ability, 4runner.

I certainly agree with this sentiment. I want to love Jeep. I want to buy Jeep. I used to own a Jeep. But the inconsistency in quality from Chrysler over the years has been infuriating.

While I'm not a fan of a CRV, I do feel that typical BOF SUVs lack any kind of practicality unless you're like some of our clients who have to haul 5-6+ children around and didn't want a van (one clients has a sweet chevy or ford van for hauling her 65 children). Most people if they want to tow just have a truck.

I cannot personally think of many advantages of large SUVs are pretty nil compared to a lot of competition. You don't really get that much more space. You don't get the benefit of that much towing capacity (if you need it). Plus, the fuel economy hit makes it much costlier to own.

Sign me up for a Subaru any day.

[RomanChariot]

I am surprised there aren't many import dealers by you. I work in a rural area and Honda, Toyota and Nissan have big dealerships there. Actually, I'm not sure there is an FCA dealership there. With an import, you won't need a dealership

Fiat 

[r0tor]

My wife and I used to ride my motorcycle to the beaches in NY. Maybe Im weird but I thought people went to the beach to go in the water

You put a bunch of people in your SUV or several trucks/SUVs, load them with food, booze, fishing gear, kayaks, ect and drive a few miles up the beach until you reach a spot that nobody is within several hundred yards from you.... Park, setup your stuff, and relax...

[r0tor]

Lebowski can fill you in better on JGC reliability.

I can only tell you in 7 years on mine I've had to do...
- 7 oil changes
-1 set of tires
-1 thermostat
-1 shock
- 1 door lock
- Lots of gas
...and nothing else...

[Lebowski]

Lebowski can fill you in better on JGC reliability.

I can only tell you in 7 years on mine I've had to do...
- 7 oil changes
-1 set of tires
-1 thermostat
-1 shock
- 1 door lock
- Lots of gas
...and nothing else...

As useful as a sample size of one is, I'll continue to get reliability data elsewhere.

[r0tor]

"I needed this JGC to haul my bicycle and go to the beach"

"My RX-8 has seen a track day once every ~6 years ... I'm an enthusiast!"

Both financed so I can invest harder!  So rugged.

Wow, I use a SUV to do actual SUV things and a sports car to drive like a sports car.

So what, you tow a couple thousand pounds of groceries every week and do some sweet 0-25mph burnouts in your M3?

Save me the bullshit, you without a doubt have wasted more money on senseless vehicle purchases then anyone here - by a mile.

[Lebowski]

Wow, I use a SUV to do actual SUV things and a sports car to drive like a sports car.

Sports car things once every 6 years or so, awesome.  Would be better off going to a driving school once a war.

Minus snow my 4runner has done "SUV things" you're so proud of yourself for doing, I just don't feel the need to announce how rugged I am in unrelated threads. Unlike you I'll freely admit yeah, 99% of the miles on the 4runner could have been done by a minivan   Who cares.

Lol at "senseless" purchases - I buy what fits my wants and needs and don't need to chestpound how awesome I am for it. M3 no longer fits my wants and needs 3 years later, of the 3 vehicles I've purchased I've happily kept 2 of them for like 7+ years and even the outlier at ~3yrs is prob about average for new luxury car buyers. Yeah I'm really beating myself over the head for that senselsss mistake 

[SJ_GTI]

Butthurt makes for great forum sparring

+1 

I love these threads.

[FoMoJo]

Makes me chuckle .

[r0tor]

So are you trying to say nobody should buy a Miata unless they track it every week?  Dude, it doesn't take much to exploit and have fun with the limits of a 240hp car in daily driving.  It's not like I bought some 400+ hp track special model....

Face it, my total car purchases in 14 years is less then your epic waste of an M3 purchase your trying to bail from... and you want to give advice on what people should be buying?!?!  Holy fuck dude...

[Lebowski]

Makes me chuckle .

Rotor's insecurity is the comedic gift that keeps on giving.

[r0tor]

Lol at "senseless" purchases - I buy what fits my wants and needs and don't need to chestpound how awesome I am for it. M3 no longer fits my wants and needs 3 years later, of the 3 vehicles I've purchased I've happily kept 2 of them for like 7+ years and even the outlier at ~3yrs is prob about average for new luxury car buyers. Yeah I'm really beating myself over the head for that senselsss mistake 

You spent what, close to $200k on a Vette, 4Runner, and an M3 when all you needed was a used Corolla and a seat cover.  There would be bankruptcy parties on every street corner if people used your logic for car buying.

[Lebowski]

So are you trying to say nobody should buy a Miata unless they track it every week?  Dude, it doesn't take much to exploit and have fun with the limits of a 240hp car in daily driving.  It's not like I bought some 400+ hp track special model....

Didn't say that at all, but if someone buys a Miata and comes in here acting like a complete twat "I use my Miata for SPORTS CAR stuff!  You are all less enthusiast than me!" while tracking it once a decade sure, I'll call them a phoney.

Face it, my total car purchases in 14 years is less then your epic waste of an M3 purchase your trying to bail from... and you want to give advice on what people should be buying?!?!  Holy fuck dude...

I wasn't aware there was a who spends least on cars competition going on here. That you need contemplate gap insurance tells me regardless, you bought more car than you can objectively afford.  Letting that slip was -100 internetry.

[r0tor]

Lebowski Guideline to vehicles...

- Work Commute?  Need at least 400hp track car
- Groceries?  Body on Frame SUV
- Camping?  Tank
- Home Depot? 18 wheeler

[r0tor]

Didn't say that at all, but if someone buys a Miata and comes in here acting like a complete twat "I use my Miata for SPORTS CAR stuff!  You are all less enthusiast than me!" while tracking it once a decade sure, I'll call them a phoney.

Do you know the difference between a sports car and a track car?

[Lebowski]

Lebowski Guide Line to vehicled...

- Work Commute?  Need at least 400hp track car
- Groceries?  Body on Frame SUV
- Camping?  Tank
- Home Depot? 18 wheeler

Shit, none of those will fit my bicycle!

[r0tor]

Shit, none of those will fit my bicycle!

Oh fuck, you probably need an F250 Super duty

[r0tor]

Can I ask if you use low range on the 4Runner to cross all puddles, or just the ones bigger then a cup of water?

[Lebowski]

Can I ask if you use low range on the 4Runner to cross all puddles, or just the ones bigger then a cup of water?

How much area is the cup of water spread over?

[r0tor]

How much area is the cup of water spread over?

Oh I don't know, maybe 1 foot?

Oh better yet, did you ever lock up all the diffs and be a complete badass and climb a curb in the mall parking lot?

[Lebowski]

Oh I don't know, maybe 1 foot?

Oh better yet, did you ever lock up all the diffs and be a complete badass and climb a curb in the mall parking lot?

Have you confused who has said what ITT to this point?  You realize you're the guy bragging about your "rugged" SUV driving on a beach with a CRV on it.  I've driven on beach before and never felt the need to post about it

[r0tor]

Lebowski Guideline to vehicles...

- Work Commute?  Need at least 400hp track car
- Groceries?  Body on Frame SUV
- Camping?  Tank
- Home Depot? 18 wheeler

-continued Lebowski Guidelines-

Single dude with a small cock -> Vette
Single dude trying to score a MILF -> M3
Post Baby daddy I hate my life -> CRV
Find a mistress -> Mercedes GT-R
Pre-nup negotiations -> used Civic
Marriage -> Suburban
Divorce -> used Altima
Single -> 911

[r0tor]

Have you confused who has said what ITT to this point?  You realize you're the guy bragging about your "rugged" SUV driving on a beach with a CRV on it.  I've driven on beach before and never felt the need to post about it

Ohhh... Did you go beach crawling at Daytona following a convertible Mustang GT?

I once made it too AND from a grocery store with my wimpy unibody SUV.  I was sweating the 3 gallons of milk though - damn things are heavy!  Good thing I have a tow package.

[12,000 RPM]

That you need contemplate gap insurance tells me regardless, you bought more car than you can objectively afford.  Letting that slip was -100 internetry.

He can afford it, he was just covering his spread. Lol @ a finance guy not knowing about arbitrage

[Morris Minor]

Can I ask if you use low range on the 4Runner to cross all puddles, or just the ones bigger then a cup of water?

Where I come from that could be construed as an anti-gay slur: puddle-jumpers = gentlemen who are good with colors, style conscious, know what's in their flowerbeds, avoid walking through puddles, etc.