jage Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Well, my wife isn't going in for an auto MJ so I need to buy her another Jeep. She really likes the Grand Cherokee WJ, which I think ran from 1999 to 2005. The question is, where is a good place to find one? Any issues I should be concerned about, apart from it not coming with a pickup option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 DO NOT buy a 1999 WJ with the 4.7L V-8 engine and the Quadra-Drive system. I bought one and I had it for all of 9 months before Chrysler bought it back to stop me from going lemon law with it. In that time, it was in and out of the shop probably a dozen times, including once for an entire week while they had a special technician that the factory FLEW IN work on just my Jeep. Every single thing he touched ended up even worse after he had "fixed" it than the totally unacceptable state it had been in before he started. Problems ranged from transmission to transfer case to rear differential to weird electrical gremlins that nobody could trace. Brakes warped on a daily basis. I even had an instance of real, honest to G-d, pee-in-your-pants death wobble ... in a stock vehicle, on the stock wheels and tires, that had never been off-road ... driving down a state highway in New Hampshire at about 50 MPH. Unbelievable. Oh, and did I mention driveline vibrations? DON'T FORGET the driveline vibrations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I think you'll be happier with a late-model XJ. Personally, I'm staying away from the entire line of Grands. Not a fan of the ZJ or WJ, and the WK is just a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilotblake Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I think you'll be happier with a late-model XJ. Personally, I'm staying away from the entire line of Grands. Not a fan of the ZJ or WJ, and the WK is just a joke. That is pretty harsh. I have a 00 WJ, bought it with 20,000 miles and it now has 104,000 miles with no major mechanical issues. Brake warping is an issue with the stock rims, but other than that the only issues I have had with my WJ has been brought on by shady dealership mechanics. If you want what makes the late model XJs so great go with the 4.0 not the 4.7, personally I have to say the V8 is quite snappy and throw on a magnaflow or flowmaster muffler and it sounds nice and throaty. My wife loves the Grand cherokee, especially in the winter, its road manners are very predictable. Start sliding in the wrong direction, just give it alittle gas with the wheels in the direction you want to go ang your set(full time 4wd). People are always afraid of what they don't understand. Give me a product I will find you someone who thinks it sucks. I cannot speak for the WK, but I have owned a 4.0 ZJ and own a 4.7 WJ and neither one ever threw me any "major" fits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I think you'll be happier with a late-model XJ. Personally, I'm staying away from the entire line of Grands. Not a fan of the ZJ or WJ, and the WK is just a joke. That is pretty harsh. Wasn't meaning to be harsh, I apologize if it came out that way. I've driven ZJs, never really liked them. I went to an "expo" at a local Jeep Dealership in 04, and they were showing off the WJ, promising they'd never make a bigger or bulkier Jeep just to keep up with the other companies. (Then again, they also had an article in the paper teasing about bringing the MJ back) Then they made the WK(Also not a fan of IFS). Personally, I'll most likely not own anything but XJs or MJs in the reasonably far future, but to each his own. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 To the OP: Its really up to you. If you want something that should be good to go, with an aftermarket warranty, go with a dealership. There can be good finds everyonce and awhile. If you want to meet the previous owner, go private. Some will swindle, and play a fool, but be sure you know how to read people. If it looks like a turd, smells like a turd, and acts like a turd, its a turd. Clues to bad private owners are "Never noticed that", "Never did that for me", "Thats not important", "Doing that for a long time"... Usually those are my red flags. Its a buyers market right now, and blue book is high for most vehicles. Take no crap, and the worst thing you can say to a salesman is, I'm leaving. Thats when the gloves come off, and you will get the best deal. And don't mention a trade (if you have one) until you agree on the price of the Jeep, then bring in the "oh, I guess I have this to trade in... " That way you get the best price before the fluff your trade in price.. Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jage Posted October 12, 2009 Author Share Posted October 12, 2009 I think you'll be happier with a late-model XJ. Been there done that- endured a new '01 White XJ for five years as some kind of sick punishment for missing a 96 Upcountry package because we didn't have cash in hand on a Sunday... Not only does she not want the same thing, but the Jeep engineers managed to make the cabin space really small in 97, the back doors (like all 4 door XJs) were horrible. I wouldn't take a free XJ from after 1996 if I had to drive a Honda fit instead... Anyway, it's a WJ or an FJ Cruiser. I just thought there would be a nice comancheclub-esque forum somewhere so I could avoid cesspools like JeepForum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Anyway, it's a WJ or an FJ Cruiser. I just thought there would be a nice comancheclub-esque forum somewhere so I could avoid cesspools like JeepForum. Didn't like my response? :dunno: Rob L. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 You can get the WK with the diesel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 You can get the WK with the diesel. :drool: Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I'm very fond of ZJ and WJ suspension/steering parts that upgrade our MJ's and XJ's, but that's about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Not that I'd want to put gas in it, but a 98 ZJ Limited with the 5.9l would be nice. Know nothing about the WJs, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I have a 04 WJ, 4X4, with the 4.7 V8. I LOVE MY WJ! I tow everything with it. The 4.7 is an awesome engine for it's size. I have asked more out of that little guy than I should have ever done. If you are serious about getting a WJ here are a few pointers. Stay away from any WJ with the 4.0L. They are slugs with the 6 and get horrible gas mileage. Stay away from 4.7 HO in the Higher end models. They are strong but require high test gas. Also the WJs that the HO comes in have a lot of problems. The best bang for the buck is the Special Edition. They were only offered in 2002 and 2004. You get the look of a limited with out the blend door and heated seat problems. I have great luck finding Jeeps on Craigslist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jage Posted October 12, 2009 Author Share Posted October 12, 2009 Cool. Colorado is kind of crappy for CL- everybody thinks their junk is gold. Not just Craigslist, here is a not atypical ad from Autotrader, private seller that's pretty close to me: http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?c ... =241681781 $25000 for a stock charcoal V8 with 70K on the ticker. Oh, wait there are new brake pads... I'm suprised he's not asking more. OK, well that's pretty high but never-the-less, shopping around here is tough. There is a pretty big jump in price from 100K miles. There are a number of 125K for around $9,000 but typically something as low as 70K will be listed for $16,000. 100K comes in right around $12,500... stuff I can't get Edmunds to match up to. This is not new: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9502 They say people are hurting but we just had to offer $5000 over and still barely beat another couple out on buying a house... this is after 1.5 years of looking and getting beat on 5 different offers. After about the fourth one sold out from under us I started believing my realtor when he said "there is another offer". Frankly, I miss the midwest where people understand the value of a buyer when times are tough. People don't want to deal around here so I'm probably going to go out of state and eat the vehicle shipping. I know, I know, it sounds like a whine but it's more: :wall: and :headpop: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Anyway, it's a WJ or an FJ Cruiser. I just thought there would be a nice comancheclub-esque forum somewhere so I could avoid cesspools like JeepForum. Speaking as a dedicated Jeep enthusiast ... take the FJ Cruiser. Jeep supposedly fixed "most" of the problems endemic to the 1999 WJ by the 2001 model year, but the fact they completely revamped the Quadra-Drive system only a year or two after introducing it tells you it had some major design flaws. The 4.7L engine doesn't like to run below 3,000 RPM. At low speeds, the older Chrysler 5.2L feels like to has a LOT more torque. Neither the 5.2L nor the 4.7L is anything to brag about in the fuel economy department. If you MUST have a WJ of 1999 or 2000 vintage, get a 4.0L with the 242 transfer case. Yes, it's underpowered for the vehicle, but it's reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aemsee Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 We leased a 04 WJ 4.0 242 for my wife in 04. 36,000 miles and no problems other than rear axle seal leaks. Looked and looked for a replacement. Wanted a 4.7 but "settled" for a one owner 2001 4.0 Laredo with 48,000 miles on it. Adult owned and driven. To me that is the key. One owner, adult owned. Don't know if the rear seat was ever sat in. Non smoker and no damn dog hair. That will ruin a vehicles faster than anything. To me the 01/02 4.0 engines seemed to have more pep than the 03/04 versions. Her 04 was a slug compared to this one, and this one gets a couple more miles per gallon consistantly over the 04. :dunno: (both RE trannys, 242 and 3.55 gears.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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