Considering purchasing a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee

[tacobill]

Thai--no issues after 81000 miles. It was due for rear brakes next service--they were original. That's why she bought another RL. Absolutely bullet proof with zero issues. Only issue I saw on the forums was the trans cooler lines to the radiator. Subject to corrosion after 100k requiring radiator and line fittings. I got 18 average mpg, wife gets 17 as she is more of a lead foot.

 

[1engineer]

I see many of you ragging on the Ridgeline. Hate to burst your Toyota bubble, but the Ridgeline tows every bit as good as my 2012 SR5. Perhaps even better as it has 4 wheel indy suspension which keeps it planted on hi-speed bumpy curves. I've towed our former Hi-Lo with both and the Ridge handled it just fine.

Now as to the styling........well, it's not a good looking vehicle, but seeing where the 2014 4Runners are headed let's just say Honda beat Toyota to the ugly........but Toyota is right behind them.

For light hauling and towing, smooth ride and the convenience of a trunk, Honda succeeded. My wife loved her 2007 so much, she traded for a 2013. Niche vehicle for sure, but I wonder how many raggers here owned one.

I owned one. Great vehicle. Hauled and pulled fine. I needed a little more interior lockable space and better off road which is why I traded for the 4Runner. Ugly? Yeah probably. I hauled a lot of stuff with that thing. Put 75K on it and averaged the same gas mileage as my 4Runner.

 

[tacobill]

I owned one. Great vehicle. Hauled and pulled fine. I needed a little more interior lockable space and better off road which is why I traded for the 4Runner. Ugly? Yeah probably. I hauled a lot of stuff with that thing. Put 75K on it and averaged the same gas mileage as my 4Runner.

Very cool......I think many are put off by either the looks or the "unibody" structure. I owned mine until my wife stole it. Met a mechanic on our camping trip last weekend and he swears by "Asian-American" vehicles. Says he built his business and got rich fixing Ford, Chrysler and GM vehicles.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I see many of you ragging on the Ridgeline. Hate to burst your Toyota bubble, but the Ridgeline tows every bit as good as my 2012 SR5. Perhaps even better as it has 4 wheel indy suspension which keeps it planted on hi-speed bumpy curves. I've towed our former Hi-Lo with both and the Ridge handled it just fine.

Now as to the styling........well, it's not a good looking vehicle, but seeing where the 2014 4Runners are headed let's just say Honda beat Toyota to the ugly........but Toyota is right behind them.

For light hauling and towing, smooth ride and the convenience of a trunk, Honda succeeded. My wife loved her 2007 so much, she traded for a 2013. Niche vehicle for sure, but I wonder how many raggers here owned one.

The ridgeline is a decent car, but it fails to meet the definition of a truck; like I said, the closest comparison is an old El Camino. That being said, I do love all the storage compartments and neat little hideaway sections on it and I think many other manufactuers should take advantage of that type of idea more so. (The Avalanches have this neat side box storage which is an awesome idea to use up that unused space in the bed)

The biggest issues I have with the Ridgline is that it is not a truck, it is not body on frame, and it looks like a special needs Avalanche, and most of all it lacks the capability & reliability off-road that a BoF vehicle provides. They are really FWD vehicles with Transfer cases thrown on for the fact that I doubt they'd be able to sell a "FWD Unibody IRS Truck" (much like RAV4, Highlander, Sienna, MDX, ect ect... all FWD platforms designed to be FWD with tacked on optional AWD that still operates FWD Biased unless you lock the center diffs, which are weaker than your standard SUVS ones) and to be honest with you, if I am going to buy a truck, its because I am going to use it like a truck! You can do pretty much the same stuff you need out of a light duty truck in a minivan or van; the biggest reason other than the open back for a light duty truck (like the Tacoma) would be simply for its strength off-roading because you really can't take the minivan too well off-road (not that I wouldn't try ) and with that comes a real 4x4 system with a proper center diff lock and low range gears.

All that being said, I can't deny that they are useful for light duty hauling and light towing (truthfully people tow with a Prius, so towing is sort of subjective there unless you're talking big trailers and such.) You can do the same stuff you do in a Ridgeline in a minivan; hell the damn thing looks like chop topped minivan already. But I personally have not seen a single Ridgleline used as a fleet vehicle; I see more people using base model 5 lug, 4cyl Tacomas as their basic work truck more than a Ridgeline.

Edit- To be clear, I'm not a fan of the Ridgeline; but I am sure it has its place among... unique people. I just feel that the Ridgeline does fit the majority of potential 120 Platform buyers needs if they are seeking any off-road capability and thus in this context it is quite out of place and a poor choice.

 

[Telepi]

But you like the Ridgeline? The Ridgeline is a cross-over under that ugly bodywork. The Ridgeline and Pilot share the same platform, same drivetrain, and are built on the same production line.

I thought about it for about 12 minutes and 28 seconds. And only becasue the engine didn't have the dumb cylinder shut off feature the Pilot had. Then I relly looked at it and had panic attacks picturing myself behind the wheel. That's when I discovered the 4Runner, which became my only choice.

 

[M1911]

I just feel that the Ridgeline does fit the majority of potential 120 Platform buyers needs if they are seeking any off-road capability and thus in this context it is quite out of place and a poor choice.

I'd bet that 99% of 120 Platform buyers never take their truck offroad.

 

[tacobill]

..............
Edit- To be clear, I'm not a fan of the Ridgeline; but I am sure it has its place among... unique people.........

I will tell my wife that she is indeed, unique people. :heh:

 

[Y2KSR5]

I have owned every generation of JGC, a 3rd, 4th and 2 5th Gen 4Runners. The latest Jeep JGC was a 2012 Laredo X 3.6L and current T4R is a TE. The 11-13 JGC are much better than the prior JGCs. My 12 Laredo X was MSRP 39,9xx...the same as my 13 TE. With the JGC I got 6500 off MSRP with minimal haggling compared to 3000 off TE. JGC gave me leather, dual climate, remote start, keyless access, much better stereo, power lifgate, selec terrain 4wd, moonroof, tow pkg, load leveling shocks, 18" wheels with Michelins, tow hooks and skid plate pkg. The JGC was nicer inside....by far. Seats were more comfy, 4wd system was good for a daily driver. 3.6 performance was about the same as 4R. JGC had less wind noise and drove more like a car (uniframe). I MAINLY dumped it to go back to a 4R so I could get out of something everyone has and get a vehicle like the TE that is solid, reliable, simple, different and holds its value. The issues with my 2012 were headliner rattle when sunroof shade closed. Tiny rust spots in all door jambs. Dual climate system was making noise when shutting off/on in cold weather (potential huge $$$$$$ bill out of warranty), high pitched whine at decel 44mph on cold days (diff or transfer case I would think) and load leveling shocks replaced for clunk per TSB. The chrysler dealers are a horrible place to spend a day waiting for your JGC to be fixed/serviced. I would give the 2012 a 7 out of 10 mainly for features and ride quality. It loses a LOT of value FAST. The market is flooded with them and rental agencies. TE is more of a truck, its cool, different and will hold it's value like no other SUV. That's my take. Go to jeep garage forum. For some reason the '14s were having lots of issues....more than the 11-13s and if you do get a JGC do NOT get the air suspension.

Here is more info on complaints about the 2014s.

http://www.jeepgarage.org/f107/

Lots of issues!! More than the 11-13. I think they went to an all new electrical system. I'd stay away from 2014s and stay away from 2011s (water leaks). And 12-13s....stay away from Quadra Lift equipped. Here is a video of a 2014 doing some cool things. Lol

Broken Jeep - YouTube

 

[cbreze]

Here is more info on complaints about the 2014s.

Trouble Shooting/Problems/Service - Jeep Garage - Jeep Forum

Lots of issues!! More than the 11-13. I think they went to an all new electrical system. I'd stay away from 2014s and stay away from 2011s (water leaks). And 12-13s....stay away from Quadra Lift equipped. Here is a video of a 2014 doing some cool things. Lol

Broken Jeep - YouTube

What a cool option. What will jeep screw up next? How do they sell ANY of those things anyway?

 

[Jayhawk5G]

Just a couple thoughts.

First there is no denying that the front page of the 5th Gen section and the front page of the WK2 section are polar opposites. Others have pointed out and it's true the WK2 section is thread after thread about issues raning from powertrain, to fit and finish, to electrical. The 5th gen section is mainly build threads, trading up threads, tire choice threads, etc. Basically as others have pointed out people enjoying their vehicle threads. The problem threads are pretty basic stuff, we have the luxury of nitpicking issues whereas the WK2 guys have major powertrain issues.

Second, there is a luxury to knowing that my 4Runner isn't going to to let me down, isn't going to start to fall apart before the warranty is even over. While the JGC beats the 4Runner hands down in the looks department, thats really where it ends.

 

[Thai]

Here is more info on complaints about the 2014s.

Trouble Shooting/Problems/Service - Jeep Garage - Jeep Forum

Lots of issues!! More than the 11-13. I think they went to an all new electrical system. I'd stay away from 2014s and stay away from 2011s (water leaks). And 12-13s....stay away from Quadra Lift equipped. Here is a video of a 2014 doing some cool things. Lol

Broken Jeep - YouTube

Isn't it easier just to avoid Jeep GC altogether?! Geez..wow!

 

[Catchlight]

In real estate it's location, location, location . . .

. . . and in vehicle selection it's quality in three areas: design, assembly, and performance.

I haven't read this entire thread, so pardon me if it's redundant to state that one of my motivations in buying a 2011 Trail Edition is that it was designed and assembled in Japan, where quality control remains high. I also made sure that it was assembled and shipped pre-tsunami, in case that tragic event caused a temporary dip in QC.

The Trail has run flawlessly for over two years. How many JGC owners can say that?

 

[03_4x4Runner]

At least Jeep is willing to try new things like the adjustable ride height and willing to give us many more engine and drivetrain options . Also there will be more Jeep problems reported because there are many more Grand Cherokees made compared to the 4runner. My wife wants one over the 4runner just because of the power lift gate.

 

[1engineer]

At least Jeep is willing to try new things like the adjustable ride height and willing to give us many more engine and drivetrain options . Also there will be more Jeep problems reported because there are many more Grand Cherokees made compared to the 4runner. My wife wants one over the 4runner just because of the power lift gate.

Go back a few pages and look at percentages of problems, not the actual amount.

If you own a new JGC you have a 1 in 2 to a 1 in 3 chance of having to get it repaired.

If you own a Toyota 4Runner you have a 1 in 7 to a 1 in 10 chance of needing some type of repair. Big difference.

I love innovation and think that what drives us forward. I prefer to be reliable and durable with proven tech than sitting on the side of the road with innovative tech. A lot of people sure like the bling though.

 

[STX4Runner]

Looking at the Jeepforum linked to just a few posts back in the thread would be terrifying if you are considering buying a Jeep. 77 pages in the troubleshooting/problems/service category! Yikes. Also just take a look at the some of the tread titles: 2014 GC Totally $#@% dead, 2nd Breakdown in just over 2 weeks!!!, Oil on plugs, should I be concerned? um, yes (emphasis mine).And this is just a sample. This is not meant to bash Jeep or Chrysler, just an observation. Also, the Jeep forum is vastly different from ours. We have threads about offroading, mods, camping, road trips, fun had in the vehicle and just a few questions about problems. They have thread after thread of problems. I for one am glad Toyota has kept the 4R reletively simple rather than succumb to the temptation of adding electronic wiz bangs and needless do dads that cause major headaches.

 

[cbreze]

Just a couple thoughts.
While the JGC beats the 4Runner hands down in the looks department, thats really where it ends.

I respect your subjective opinion, but just don't see that at all. To me the new jeeps look like bling toys, not off road, hard ass driven workers, but then I've seen no modded out for off roading new JGC's yet either, and doubtful I will , as I can only guess at how they would fall apart over some rough roading. But beauty is definitely in the beholders eye.

 

[zznalg]

Why is this thread so addictive? I find myself checking out new posts like 10 times a day.

 

[Jayhawk5G]

I respect your subjective opinion, but just don't see that at all. To me the new jeeps look like bling toys, not off road, hard ass driven workers, but then I've seen no modded out for off roading new JGC's yet either, and doubtful I will , as I can only guess at how they would fall apart over some rough roading. But beauty is definitely in the beholders eye.

While I love the TE styling, I think the styling of my SR5 and the LE leaves something to be desired.

The JGC range is much wider, so sure the Overland and Overland Summit can get blingy, but the Trail Hawk or Laredo X are much more toned down. There are tons of lifted WK2 pictures out there, trust me I searched for a bunch when in a moment of weakness I considered trading the 4Runner for a 5.7 Limited, then I remembered everything that went wrong on my 05' and the horror stories about the new ones on jeep forum.

I would consider a Jeep in the future, but not with their QC the way it is now.

 

[chetJ]

Looked through the first few pages of that Jeep forum- wow crazy stuff on there. Major issues everywhere.

 

[M1911]

Looked through the first few pages of that Jeep forum- wow crazy stuff on there. Major issues everywhere.

And that's exactly the sort of thing that makes me pause when thinking about a Jeep GC. I hate unreliable cars.