jeep cherokee

[wavelength]

At the risk of starting another spat of land rover versus everything else 4x4 Has any one out there experience of Jeep cherokee 2.8 diesel. The new shape, not the proper square shape jeep. Just looking at one - reasonable price for a 4x4, goes well, loadsa bling and cruise control so I can have a kip on the motorway! Reports seem to vary between wouldnt have anything else to would never,ever have another at any price. Might be the Kia Sorento or even an L200 otherwise.

[codprawn]

Jeeps are better 4x4s than the Jap or German stuff but build quality is pretty lacking!!!

A very good mate of mine was an auto electrician for quite a few years - he loves Yank cars(V8s of course) but he said that the electrics and everything were way behind European standards - when I saw the insides of the Crhyslers and Winnebagos etc I saw what he meant!!!

The old cherokee was a load of crap - leaf springs at the back for God's sake!!! The new one is much better - has a very good 4x4 system etc.

Compared to the OLD Discovery I would say the new Jeep is better but compared to the NEW Discovery 3 I would say "no contest" unless it is price driven of course!!!

If it is down to price what about bying a Disco 3 from an importer???

Yes the Jeep is a great car - but then so is the new Disocvery - test drive them BOTH first!!!

[codprawn]

Sorry was getting them mixed up with the Grand Cherokee - the normal one is in the same class as a Freelander etc - in which case - NO COMMENT!!!

[gavin]

Wonka build the bits for them, choclatey soft gearboxes , and generally build strength and toughness of maybe cooking choclate, spoil yourself, take a leaf sprung Jap 4x4 for a test drive, enjoy the technology the Japs put into their fine vehicles, dont be mucking around with Landies, there will always be a place for them on Heartbeat though

[Pete7]

Dave my dad has just blown up his older square version and its effectively parts now. It would fit into a standard garage which was important to him. However there wasn't as much room inside for driver and passengers as my disco and the finish a bit plastic with very soft suspension for big fat american arses. Air con was a bonus though. Given a choice I would still rather have my TDI auto disco with real springs though (sorry Gavin )

Pete

[wavelength]

Thanks for that-yep same size as freelander which was an attraction. The business case for the L200 is better but it ain't 'arf big. I wouldnt have considered the jeep had we not seen a three month old one for sale in a garage in the back of beyond and she who must be obeyed liked it immediatly-it was the roof bar/lights that did it! Mind you begs the question why did the first guy get rid! I dont need much in the way of 4x4 capability here, just a bit of extra grip when the slipway is muddy and the CRV will do that and it is the most reliable bit of kit I have ever had. But I fancy some time off and a few trips round my old boating haunts in Scotland and that means beaches and steep grassy tracks. You dont do them in a CRV!Well not uphill anyway Think it will be the L200

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by gavin

Wonka build the bits for them, choclatey soft gearboxes , and generally build strength and toughness of maybe cooking choclate, spoil yourself, take a leaf sprung Jap 4x4 for a test drive, enjoy the technology the Japs put into their fine vehicles, dont be mucking around with Landies, there will always be a place for them on Heartbeat though

You are SO sad!!!!!!!!!!!

[gavin]

.

[codprawn]

I rest my case..........

[wavelength]

[Nasher]

Pete

Interesting point about fitting in a standard garage.

My (New Shape) lwb 3.2td Shogun fits in my garage even with the roof bars as long as you retract the door mirrors on the way in.

Trouble is you can't get out again!

I have to climb over to the passenger side to get out as I'm lucky enough to have a double garage, If I'm putting new pads or anything in I have to do one side then turn it around to do the other side.

Nasher.

[Pete7]

Think you need a bigger garage

[Hightower]

Perhaps you should go buy one of these: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MODIFIED-LADA-...QQcmdZViewItem

Manos once said he loved these Lada's!

[codprawn]

Those Lada's are actually pretty good off road - as are the old Suzuki jeeps - trouble is they are bloody awful on the road - make a Series III look civilised!!!

[Brambles]

Originally Posted by wavelength

Think it will be the L200

Dave, If you go down the Jap route, it might be worth having a look at the new Toyota Hi Lux. There is a company near me who import them & they really look the business "in the metal"

Ian

[Alan]

Dave,

I've had a Jeep Liberty (as Cherokee's are known in North America) for 9 mths now. Cant comment on the 2.8CRD is mine is 3.7L V6 petrol. I have the Renegade version with both fulltime and parttime 4WD, underbody protection, LS rear diff, rock rails and umpteen watts of roof mounted offroad lighting!

Positives....Its comfortable, looks good and the body feels well put together. Its a comfortable daily drive has performed well in the limited offroading I've done it in and has been great in the snow.

Negatives...Its bloody thirsty (14.5 Mper USG), in 14000kms I've had the front brake discs and onboard computery thing replaced under warranty. There is more transmission noise than I think is reasonable in the 21st century, although the jeep dealer here says its characteristic of the vehicle. (So obviously they go to the same school as Land Rover dealers! ). Oh, and the paint is coming of the plastic clipon wheelarches which apparently isnt covered under the warranty cos, you know I've been driving it on the road so its clearly my fault!

Would I buy another one? No, I have to say I wouldnt, but thats partly cos I would like something bigger but also due to the problems I've experienced with it. The only thing that would tempt me back into one here at least is that they now sell the CRD in Canada. Its about the only diesel SUV out there apart from the monster 6litre 1 ton trucks. With gas prices on the rise, it could be a contender.

Hope these rambles from across the Atlantic are of help!

Alan

[wavelength]

Thanks Alan-the front discs seem to be a recurring problem folk have with new shape cherokees. As does the transmission.
That Hi Lux looks good. Last year the coastguard sent me on a 4x4 course despite having driven their 4x4s for the last twenty years and not lost one of em (well not yet anyway!). The course was at Wem (thought that was just the postcode when the joining instructions came thru-but it is a town), Shropshire. We did the course and the assesment in Hi Lux pickups-couldnt believe where they wanted me to take it-or the fact that me and it were still in one piece afterwards. An experience for someone who only usually drives 4x4s on beaches, and tries to avoid the soft stuff at all costs. I still try to avoid the soft stuff though-there must be a mound of paperwork to fill in if you lose a CG vehicle and you're certain to make the front page of the papers into the bargain!. Current CG vehicle is a Terrano-used to have landrovers but oh the problems we had! The Terrano has never had a fault!

[JIY]

Dave,

I had a new Cherokee 2.8CRD LTD last year - I only kept it for about 3 months though.

I loved the Jeep image, and it was very quiet and comfortable on the motorway, but hard work on other roads. It does roll a little and "bounds" over undulating surfaces. I couldn't better about 23mpg with mixed running, so it is also pretty thirsty for a diesel. Although the build quality is not fantastic, the car seems durable, but you can expect a few rattles along the way!

I now have an X3 diesel, which I love and does a minumum of 34 mpg, whatever I do with it.

Please pm me if there's anything else you'd like to know.

Jim

[Simon B]

Take a look at the Toyota Hi-Lux Surf they seem pretty tough and are coming in as imports at a reasonable price.

[Nick Hearne]

What about the Nissan X trail or Pathfinder?
Or you could spoil your self & go for the best & get a Disco 3