Which jeep?

[Ruskin]

I am going back and forth on an suv.  I am thinking of a 99 or later.  I have read reports on Jeep Cherokee; however, there still is the CJ and now the liberty.  Then the question of 6 clylinder or v8. 

The Laradeo seems to be a compromise as to luxury compared to limited.  I suppose if one is looking at a vehicle why pay extra for what the limited offers?

I am skeptical of the ragtop on jeep as to securtiy for STUFF one carries.  I think the hardtop covers that.  In Florida an AC unit that cools the vehicle is great in August.  I asked a friend about his CJ's AC.  He said the AC just bearly cooled the interior when it got hot.  That would push me back to the Cherokee.

The Liberty has not been researched.  I think there is a diesel version.  Any input?  I guess that covers all that Jeep has to offer.

[PartsMan]

I bought a 2005 liberty 2x4 sport for my wife new.
We have not had any problems at all.
A couple of recalls is the only reason it has been to the shop.
My only gripe is gas mileage is 20mpg at best and 16 to 18 around town.

[flintlock]

Definitely the 6 cylinder, its tough and proven...The thing about a Wrangler, they are cold in the winter and hot in the summer...The floorboard is covered by a rubber mat, so no insulation to keep the heat out from the transmission...The hard top offers little or no rollover protection...

I bought my daughter a '98 Cherokee with the 6 cylinder, it has been a very reliable vehicle...

[R.W.Dale]

 The Jeep's AMC 4.0 I6 is the epitome of reliability where the 318 dodge v8 is one of the most fuel hungry, unreliable and underpowered things with 8 cylinders.


 The trick to buying a GOOD jeep is to buy a model that uses the fewest dodge parts. Example a 90's cherokee will use an AMC engine a Japanese transmission, a New process x-fer case and Dana axles. The only Chrysler corp funkiness will be the EFI system. Buy a model with the v8 and you get a dodge engine and tranny. A reliable gasoline engine is something chrysler corp has yet to master producing.

 Whatever you do NEVER EVER buy a jeep with a V6 engine

[30-06man]

don't get me wrong but a lot of parts for jeeps come from japan and i haven't had any problems with them. the diesel is a 3 cyl i think. i haven't test drove one but on the 4x4 show on the outdoor channel said it was the best in the jeep because of good mileage and plenty of torque.

[Ruskin]

I kinda like the thought of a diesel; however, there seems to be some changs taking place in the diesel world.  I noticed that the diesel formulation at the pump says low sulphur.   Does that mean it won't work in certain diesels.  Will there be a problem with owning a diesel in the future because of different grades?

I believe jeep dropped the diesel because of regulations that made it hard for them to met emisson standards.

Was there two jeep diesels- a 150hp and a 160hp?  I haven't seen any listed for sale.  Why?

[30-06man]

not sure. the diesel fuel you see is the standard diesel. it doesn't affect my dodge anyway. when i fill the tank completely ill buy a small pack of diesel fuel supplement but i do the same and get one if i fill up the ford explorer accept its the gas supplement

[Simple Man]

I am crazy addicted to Jeeps. I have owned every model they have produced except for the commander.
Personally my favorite is the Cherokee and nothing newer than 99. They started getting crappy past the 1999 model. They are very capable 4x4's off road and very easy to lift. You can put a complete suspension lift on a Cherokee in about 4 hours (one guy). The inline 4.0 is a wonderful engine and darn near bullet proof. If taken care of they will run 300K miles.  If you buy one of these you will want to look for one that has the towing package since it will have the Chrysler 8.25 rear axle which is very heavy duty and much heavier than the Dana 35.

Wranglers are nice but don't buy one with a 4cyl, they will barely pull their own weight. They are just as easy to lift as the Cherokee.

Grand Cherokee's are ok, they are alot heavier than the Cherokee and do very well on snow. They are a  little more difficult to lift but look good when they are. These come in both the 4.0 6 cyl and the 318 V8. I like the 4.0 the best but the 318 is a great engine. I have had several trucks and jeeps with the 318 and I consider them to be one of the best engines on the road. 

The Jeep liberty is a nice jeep but I hate that they went to the 3.7 V6 engine. I have not had any problems with my wife's Liberty, it has been a good Jeep. The Liberty did come out with a diesel and they are great engines. They get around 26 mpg and have great resale value. They are hard to find though because there is a huge demand for them in the jeep community.

Whatever you buy I am sure you will be happy with it.

Here are a few of my Jeeps.












The Liberty is getting ready to get a lift kit.




Not a Jeep but one of my babies anyways.

[cap187]

Wrangler.. Of course!  Had a '76 CJ and picked up a '93 YJ a year ago. 

Saw a Liberty wrapped around a tree at 50 when the driver fell asleep, destroyed to the point that the rear differential was in pieces.  He was lucky and survived.

Here's mine (I hope this works)

[GatCat]

Diesel info for those who asked, to the best of my knowledge. The diesel used in the Liberty's were Italian made. They have been discontinued for now, in this country. All over-the-road diesel fuel sold now is Ultra Low Sulfur, which can be used in any diesel engine, but is mandatory for 2007 and newer engines, that have much different emission equipment. Kinda like the old days when unleaded was introduced, you could use unleaded in any engine ( yea, it was hard on "regular" valve seats), but you couldn't use leaded fuel in the new "unleaded" vehicles. If you have a pre-2007 diesel, it is probably a good idea to use an additive when you use the new fuel, "stanadyne" is often recommended, but there are other brands. If you buy it in bulk, then transfer it to a small, easy to carry bottle in your vehicle, it doesn't add much to the cost of a fill up. The fuel additives increase the sulfur, for lubrication, and increase the "cetane" level, kinda like octane in gas engines. It also prevents gelling at low temps.
I'm pretty new to the diesel scene, bought a new 2005 Dodge  a few years ago, and one of my sons just recently bought an '04 Dodge, also diesel.
Also, for those thinking about a wrangler, but are concerned about heating/cooling in extreme weather, how about adding some removable insulation to floor, and maybe to the interior of the hardtop??
Mark