-Ever-

I actually already know that I enjoy driving this car. My parents own a 1998 Cherokee Limited that I really like driving, and could really do so as a daily driver. I'm considering selling my current car and getting one for myself though and must consider the 'longer run'.
While I do know that I like the car, I'm not sure how they generally hold up. I ran some Kelly Blue Book prices and found 1997's-1998's with generally low miles (~20k-70k) in excellent condition are quoted at around $10,000 which really is quite good. Are these cars known to go into the 150k-200k mile range with mild problems or are they built to be shorter lived, like in the 100k mile range?

Let me know if you have any info, thoughts, stories, etc. regarding the car.
Thanks
-Tim

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--Acknowledge your weaknesses--

merkerguitars

My mom owns a 1997 limited jeep grandcherokee and here's what I think of it.

It has a dodge 318 magnum in it. Hers only has all time 4wd and it sucks gas very very bad (about 16mpg on the highway).

It hauls a huge alumcraft boat around (really nice towing power)

There is one suspension part that me and my dad have had to have replaced 3 times...not pricey just not sure why it keeps on breaking.

We had to rebuild the rear different once cause of a bearing that went out.

Interior is kinda small.....cramped back seat pace......but i'm 6' tall...

Thats pretty much my knowledge of them we haven't had any major problems with it engine with and it has about 140k on it.

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steelerz

I've got a 2002 and already have went thru 2 set of brakes. Had to put on rotors this last time. It's been a big problem with this model that they fixed (they hope) in 2004. Other than the brakes I like mine pretty well. I was a parts manager for a jeep dealer 94 thru 97 and some had a lot of problems while some you only saw for oil changes. I know a guy who's got a 97 with over 100,000 miles and he drives it everywhere. You never know. There's good ones and bad ones. I've always thought they were good for a 100,000 miles. After that I don't know. Just my 2 cents

tfpfreak

I have a 98 with 98,000 miles and the only thing besides tires that I have put on this vehicle is an alternator and battery. I love it. I travel alot so it is very nice to drive.

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Scorps

When I worked of a Dodge Dealership I got to drive the 50th Anniversary one around for a day...it was damn nice, turned alot of heads....it was Black with 18 inch chrome rims and well it had a different sound to it. It sounded like the factory put a nice set of exhaust on it!

Peryn

If you want used.... get the 98 Limited with the 5.9L. Beastly engine for that car.

dont know a whole lot about the new ones, other than the I6 will last forever (i have an older one at 254k right now), but just isn't enough power to move the Grands around. Also, get one now if you want to do any seriou off-roading, as the 05's will loose the solid front axle for IFS.

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Confederate

Grand cherokee has been regarded by four wheeler magazine as one of the best 4 wheelers-stock. With a solid front axle and a good articulating suspension, and a nice transfer case, it is often overlooked by wheeling enthusiasts. It is very capable offroad and is still nice enough as a daily driver with seating for 5 plus cargo.

shakran

Are you looking for a car that can go offroad? If not, keep in mind that to support the "rugged" image, the Jeep requires a much larger fuel budget - I only mention this because gas is projected to rise to an average of $2/gallon this summer, and I would personally hate filling up an SUV at those rates.

Scorps

what does IFS mean?

-Ever-

I'm actually really not into any kind of image. I just like it's ability to handle utility well. To be honest, I'm really not 100% set on a Jeep yet, I'm just testing the waters. I must say that I do like the larger size though when I imagine myself getting a smaller four-door.

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Embracing the goddess energy within yourselves will bring all of you to a new understanding and valuing of life. A vision that inspires you to live and love on planet Earth. Like a priceless jewel buried in dark layers of soil and stone, Earth radiates her brilliant beauty into the caverns of space and time. Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home And experience of this place to visit and play with reality. You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster...
--Acknowledge your weaknesses--

-Ever-

I think it meands independent from suspension.

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Embracing the goddess energy within yourselves will bring all of you to a new understanding and valuing of life. A vision that inspires you to live and love on planet Earth. Like a priceless jewel buried in dark layers of soil and stone, Earth radiates her brilliant beauty into the caverns of space and time. Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home And experience of this place to visit and play with reality. You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster...
--Acknowledge your weaknesses--

Scorps

Oh ok...im not a jeep guy so I don't know!

shakran

i'm sure it was a typo, but just to make sure it's clear, it's independent FRONT suspension.

What I'd do is go drive a buncha cars. I wouldn't be surprised if you found one you liked a lot better than the Jeep. Cars have the advantage of sharper handling, greater efficiency, and it's pretty rare that you need to haul so much stuff that only an SUV would do the job.

-Ever-

Cool, thanks for the insite. Yeah I really did notice how bad of miles per gallon it got while I was on the long drive home from San Diego.
Thanks bud. Have any recomendations where to start in the $10-$12k range?
Peace
-Tim

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Embracing the goddess energy within yourselves will bring all of you to a new understanding and valuing of life. A vision that inspires you to live and love on planet Earth. Like a priceless jewel buried in dark layers of soil and stone, Earth radiates her brilliant beauty into the caverns of space and time. Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home And experience of this place to visit and play with reality. You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster...
--Acknowledge your weaknesses--

shakran

still shopping used?

you can easilly get a 4 door Integra (even in GSR trim) for that price. Accords, camrys, maximas should be around there as well (these of course are all used, but so was the Jeep). Avoid the Altima because it just plain sucks.

I'd probably look at the Integra first. They're fun cars with razor sharp handling, and when you drop the back seat there's a crapload of cargo room (you can actually get more useable cargo room if you go with the 2 door btw because the hatch opens wider than the trunk. Better handling too 'cause there's more body flex in the 4door)

You'll notice I mentioned all Japanese cars. That's because these (especially anything Honda/Acura) very rarely fail to go well beyond 200,000 miles before they die.

-Ever-

Yeah I've always felt that the Integra was a decent small car. Here's one of my conflicts though. I own a really fun, good condition turbo 300zx that I'm considering selling for this cash. I'd feel like an idiot to sell it for another small car, which is why I guess I'm leaning towards something like a Jeep. I realize I've still got a lot of thinking to do though. Why can't I just have all of em?
-T

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--Acknowledge your weaknesses--

shakran

out of curiosity, why would you want to get rid of the 300Z? Those were frigging AWESOME cars.

I have a feeling you'd really miss that car if you ditched it

-Ever-

Hah, I figure you'd say something like that. Well I could say a lot about it, but if you're truely interested, read below. It's what I recently posted on my car forum:

"So I'm moving out for the first time and going to be going to school in San Diego this coming Fall. Of how much I'm madly in love with my Z, I'm considering selling it for a better daily driver. There are a few reasons for this. One is that I'm going to be driving home and back a few times a year and really don't look foreward to putting that kind of mileage on the car (550 miles each way). Second, we're selling our beater Suburban soon and I won't have a car to use for road trips (I'm considering a grand cherokee) and there's no way I'm strapping a storage shell on the Z
I basically figure that I should maybe sell the Z before I begin putting even more miles on it. I just passed 70,000 on the odometer and feel that someone might be able to put it to better use than me running it up as a daily driver. Man I wish this could be my project car... "

So I'm basically wondering if I'd be better off letting it go now before I begin to maybe face turbo problems or the such. It's also overdue for an expensive 60k checkup. I've kind of been getting these ideas lately where I don't like driving a sportscar daily. I'd love to have some sporty/luxory car like an M5 or an Audi for daily use, and a 300z or the likes for a sweet project car. Shucks.

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Embracing the goddess energy within yourselves will bring all of you to a new understanding and valuing of life. A vision that inspires you to live and love on planet Earth. Like a priceless jewel buried in dark layers of soil and stone, Earth radiates her brilliant beauty into the caverns of space and time. Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home And experience of this place to visit and play with reality. You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster...
--Acknowledge your weaknesses--

shakran

You seem unsure Were I in your spot, I'd probably go out and get a relatively inexpensive car as a daily driver. Worry about the road trip car later. Also, 550 miles isn't really all that much for a Nissan. Those things have excellent longevity.

I'm just sayin', if I were in your shoes I'd be kicking myself about 2 minutes after the buyer drove my Z away

Scorps

Oh man if I had a car like that I wouldn't let it go...even if the wife said i had to let it go because we need a "family" car...buy another 4 door sedan, SUV or a Minivan for her to drive


Man when I lived out in BC with my GF and daughter I drove a friend of the family 1867 Chevy Camaro with a 454, blower, 4 on the floor and a NOS kit, that I used maybe once or twice!


now my GF didn't like the car(she could drive the stick) but to much power for a 5 foot 5 95 pound 19 year old girl

She wanted a 4 door sedan or a SUV type vertical, but hell I was driving this Muscle car for free all I had to do was put gas in it!

I wish I still had that car

Chingal0

I love my Jeep, altho it does have some problems here and there, main one now is that the intereior lights and back window lock keeps shorting out, which is kind of a pain in the ass, but other then that, it has been great. I havent really taken it offroad real hard, I did get stuck in a golfcourse once and got out fairly easily, but thats another story. It does use alot of gas tho, 38 bucks to fill it about 3 days ago, and it is due again, granted I drive it everywhere, but still it's pricy.

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shakran

A civil war era camaro! That's REALLY RARE! I really liked the variable horsepower design - the horsepower was limited only to the number of horses you hitched to it.

Had to be done

-Ever-

Lol, too funny.

Yeah I guess I'll take a step back for a bit. I just really wish I could afford another car for my daily driver and mod the hell out of the Z. I've just got to start by dropping about $1,000 into a 60k tuneup and I'll have everything set. I think the turbo's will be kicking for anoker 20-50k at least.

Another thing I havn't mentioned is that I'm saving up for a bike right now. One thing I considered was having a cool jeep to cruise in daily, and get all my sport needs out on the bike...

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Embracing the goddess energy within yourselves will bring all of you to a new understanding and valuing of life. A vision that inspires you to live and love on planet Earth. Like a priceless jewel buried in dark layers of soil and stone, Earth radiates her brilliant beauty into the caverns of space and time. Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home And experience of this place to visit and play with reality. You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster...
--Acknowledge your weaknesses--

shakran

don't forget that if the turbos decide to die, there are plenty of wrecked Z's in junkyards. It's not too hard to get turbos from junkyards, and sometimes I've gotten lucky when getting one for friends - the dealer thinks it's a HVAC blower or something and I get it for like $15. Those are good days.

Also, if you can scratch together $3000 or so you can get an older Honda Civic or CRX in excellent shape that will run about 5 days beyond forever.

annie1

i didnt take time to read all the replies...
I drive a 99 grand cherokee limited, got it used about a year ago. 85k miles on it. Im a stereotypical girl so i dont k now much about cars, but I havent had any problems with mine at all besides that its a gas guzzler. I love mine but if you want to be practical, realize gas prices arent going down anytime soon, I spend almost 50 dollars a week to drive that car... YUCK!! but no, no technical problems, i even have the previous work history from previous owner, all good, all regular maintanance got specific questions, pm me.

Chingal0

Fuck, the gas for my Jeep is unreal also. 2.11 a gallon here, and it is about 50-60 bucks a week. Damnit!

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