Need vehicle opinions - Jeep Grand Cherokee

[Bugeater]

So I'm thinking about breaking my streak of buying minivans at 5, and am considering a small SUV. I like the style of the 99-02 years, and they're in my price range.

Anyone have experiences with these? There seems to be a lot of them out there. I'm leaning towards one with the IL 6 cyl since it probably does better on gas and the V8 is really crammed in there and likely a bitch to work on.

Thoughts?

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Frosty

. Not sketchy at all.

Didn't even catch that. I saw an ad for a Grand Cherokee this weekend, it said it had the V8, and I went and looked at it yesterday and when I got to the dealership it had "six cylinder" written on the windshield. They weren't open so I still don't know what it really has in it.

[COchief]

Originally Posted by Frosty

That one seems fishy as the price seems much lower than it should, unless the manual knocks it down that much.

Ha, welcome to America sir. People here are fat, lazy, and want the path of least resistance while simultaneously stuffing their faces with big macs and a gallon of coke. Especially in NE (grew up in SD so I can say that).

Kind of kidding, but also kind of not

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Frosty

That one isn't as nice. It doesn't have the 3.3 3.0L V6 or the automatic 5-speed manual transmission.

It doesn't say anything at all about what engine it has in it, which is another pet peeve of mine. I just went on a rant in the random thought thread about these idiots that post these ads.

[COchief]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

It doesn't say anything at all about what engine it has in it, which is another pet peeve of mine. I just went on a rant in the random thought thread about these idiots that post these ads.

He's F-ing with you, X will only be 3.3 with supercharger or without.

That car joint screwed up and put 3.0 instead of 3.3.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by COchief

Ha, welcome to America sir. People here are fat, lazy, and want the path of least resistance while simultaneously stuffing their faces with big macs and a gallon of coke. Especially in NE (grew up in SD so I can say that).

Kind of kidding, but also kind of not

Last year, I was car shopping and only wanted a manual. I didn't see much of a discount for them (though a dealer will nail you on a trade-in with a manual). People seemed like they wanted to charge more for them - "rare 5-speed manual". Maybe it's a regional thing.

Originally Posted by COchief

He's F-ing with you, X will only be 3.3 with supercharger or without.

That car joint screwed up and put 3.0 instead of 3.3.

I was just laughing at that dealer ad listing two different engine sizes as well as two different transmissions.

[COchief]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Whoops, mis-pasted. This is what I meant to post.

http://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/3649400467.html

Here is my philosophy and you can agree or not.

Spend 4K on a high mileage X and most likely have something go. I mean these are reliable as hell but you're gambling with anything approaching 200K. Then you end up spending 1000-1500 and have a legit vehicle again for 5-6K.

Or

Spend 5-6 right off the bat, get a 110Kish vehicle and know nothing will be go wrong if you know how to find a car.

Option A $5k 176K mile vehicle (after something goes, you could have nothing, it's always a gamble)

Option B $5k 110K mile vehicle

Also take in effect general wear and tear and things like rust, look at the difference between a vehicle with 40k vs 110k, usually a pretty big difference.

[COchief]

Originally Posted by Frosty

stuff.

Totally regional, way more manuals in a state like CO or WA then NE.

Also dude, I knew exactly what you were doing. Don't want to be snarky, but I probably shouldn't have had to tell you this specifically.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by COchief

Also dude, I knew exactly what you were doing. Don't want to be snarky, but I probably shouldn't have had to tell you this specifically.

I wasn't actually talking to you. I was piggy-backing off of your post.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by COchief

Here is my philosophy and you can agree or not.

Spend 4K on a high mileage X and most likely have something go. I mean these are reliable as hell but you're gambling with anything approaching 200K. Then you end up spending 1000-1500 and have a legit vehicle again for 5-6K.

Or

Spend 5-6 right off the bat, get a 110Kish vehicle and know nothing will be go wrong if you know how to find a car.

Option A $5k 176K mile vehicle (after something goes, you could have nothing, it's always a gamble)

Option B $5k 110K mile vehicle

Mostly agree when it comes to imports, but when it comes to domestics like the Grand Cherokee as far as I'm concerned anything can go wrong after 100k. So I'd rather go low end and bank the extra money, and be well prepared for any problems.

I'm assuming you meant 6-7k for option B, but going that high is actually a bigger gamble because that would deplete my savings to the point that if something major still goes wrong with the more expensive vehicle, I'd be risking wiping out what I have left.

It's all a freaking crapshoot really.

[Hoover]

I don't want to squat on this thread, but my wife is wanting a new car and wants to get a Honda Odyssey. I'm not a fan of mini vans, but I've never had one. The other problem I'm having is that I think its crazy to spend 42K on a decked out mini van when we could spend the same amount and get a AWD suv. I'm trying to talk her into a Highlander, Pathfinder, or something similar.

What say you guys?

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by kaplin42

New Jeeps are awesome, just because soccer mom's like them, doesn't mean that you can't actually use them for off-roading like I do all the time. Typical BS though "if it's newer than X year, it's not a Jeep. If it's got 4 doors, it's not a Jeep."

You can lift, and mod, and deck out the new Jeeps just as you could the old ones.

Anything made after the CJ models IS CRAP!

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Hoover

I don't want to squat on this thread, but my wife is wanting a new car and wants to get a Honda Odyssey. I'm not a fan of mini vans, but I've never had one. The other problem I'm having is that I think its crazy to spend 42K on a decked out mini van when we could spend the same amount and get a AWD suv. I'm trying to talk her into a Highlander, Pathfinder, or something similar.

What say you guys?

I've always bought minivans over SUVs because they're generally cheaper (resale wise, not necessarily the case for you since you're buying new), they tend to have a more car-like ride and they usually do better on gas. Hell to the no on spending 42K on one though. If I was going to drop that much on a vehicle it would have to be something totally bad-ass.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Mostly agree when it comes to imports, but when it comes to domestics like the Grand Cherokee as far as I'm concerned anything can go wrong after 100k. So I'd rather go low end and bank the extra money, and be well prepared for any problems.

I'm assuming you meant 6-7k for option B, but going that high is actually a bigger gamble because that would deplete my savings to the point that if something major still goes wrong with the more expensive vehicle, I'd be risking wiping out what I have left.

It's all a freaking crapshoot really.

The used car market really, really sucks right. Stuff is either so expensive that you might was well spend a bit more and go new or it's clapped out crap that the seller thinks is made of gold.

We ended up going with a 2000 Impreza with 120K miles for $3600. I'm still going to have to put about $1500 for new clutch, timing belt and A/C compressor. I would have preferred to just get the cheapest new car I could but the insurance was insane.

Originally Posted by Hoover

I don't want to squat on this thread, but my wife is wanting a new car and wants to get a Honda Odyssey. I'm not a fan of mini vans, but I've never had one. The other problem I'm having is that I think its crazy to spend 42K on a decked out mini van when we could spend the same amount and get a AWD suv. I'm trying to talk her into a Highlander, Pathfinder, or something similar.

What say you guys?

The Odyssey is probably more family friendly and gets better mileage.

I think spending $42K on anything is insane but that's just me.

[COchief]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

It's all a freaking crapshoot really.

Agreed man, balancing the equation, a lot of people don't seem to get it which is kind why I broke it out like that. Remember asking price is ASKING price. 500-1000 of should be no problem. Even if you hate negotiating, just say "I'll give you this" and then walk, it it's reasonable they'll take it or call you back the next day and take it.

I don't want to tell you what to do, but I have spent years in this vehicle sector and looked at the specifics of most of these models for an embarrassing amount of time.

If you like the looks of X/pathfinder and drive a couple and like them. Eliminate any other possibility and take the time to find the right one. There is nothing close to the value of these Nissans. Grand Cherokee is a ridiculously inferior product to these trucks (current Jeep owner). Notice when I posted my original statement, 3-4 car dealers/car guys immediately followed with "can't disagree".

Unless you hate them, buy one, there is nothing better for the money.

[COchief]

Originally Posted by Frosty

I wasn't actually talking to you. I was piggy-backing off of your post.

Cool, I was kind of like "really dude?"