GF bought a JGC Limited 4x4

[LandCruiser]

Got to drive one of these to Tahoe over the last week.

Compared to the current gen 4Runner the Chrysler V6 is faster, the transmission is smoother, and the gas mileage is substantially better.

There are twin LCDs in the instrument cluster and the dash and the interface is seamless for navi, HVAC, radio, and BT.

Seats are very comfortable and the sunroof is huge.

No idea what the off road prowess of this thing is, but it has full time 4x4 with a proper transfer case despite being a unibody construction.

Handling is surprisingly porky for a vehicle this size.

Definitely Toyota has a long way to go with interior comfort and features when it comes to the competition.

 

[philsey]

This is AMAZING news!!
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Well, the part where you have a girlfriend that is ....

 

[Oldmanb777]

They have always been a pretty good ride, considering the size of the vehicle. And pretty capable as well. My sister has one also. They live several miles up a dirt sometimes muddy and snowy road. their driveway is a steep rocky drive. Probably 400 yrds. long. They tow a 12 ft box trailer with it a lot. It does all very well. I think the "snow" mode gets rid of the worthless traction control witch helps immensely.
I have had to turn traction control off with the gX to get up their driveway, while following them, towing that trailer up there. I think the Toyota/Lexus is more robust, truck like rig. The new GC is probably a bit more road friendly. Our GX has more room in it, and certainly is a lot more comfy in the back seat. Their daughter drives a TRD pro. And I think it has more room, and I think the back seat is a bit better as well. I think the TRD pro with its locker would be a bit better off road, but not as good on slick pavement. The ride is a bit better in the GC. Its more car like, the Toyota is more truck like. I would pick the Toyota offering if I'm doing more "work" or off road stuff. I'd pick the GC if I was doing more highway/street/traveling. I think the GX is much more stable pulling a trailer. But the choppy ride in the gX/4 runner isn't as comfy as the GC. I don't like all the Electronics in any of them. Since you are in the area, they live on Trout Creek Pass at about 9000 ft.

 

[Hepar]

I agree that they've always been a notch above as far as comfort goes. Where they've continually fallen short is reliability. Especially with the electronics of the Grand Cherokees.

 

[RockyMountainT4R]

Our recent experience: Wife (GF from several decades ago) was looking for a new ride. We have an old friend who works at a Fiat Chrysler dealer. We liked the looks of the GC so he gave us one with a 3.6 to take home, run around town, onto the Interstate and into higher elevations to experience some inclimate weather. Nice and comfortable and heavy.

We also test drove another SUV about the same size that had similar ground clearance and a superior (amazing) stock full time AWD system. SWMBO drives rutted, eroded, muddy, snowy gravel roads and forest service access, as well as, fast on the Interstate, mountains and around town…no rock crawling.

This vehicle also felt faster to triple digits than the GC getting onto the interstate, had better high end acceleration on long straight stretches (less strained and better top speed) and felt stable. Overall, a quiet cruiser.

It was more nimble (with shorter turning radius) around town, more car like. The reliability ratings were also superior to the GC and it has excellent resale.

Inside, there is better overall cargo capacity, excellent front head and leg room and plenty of room for dogs in the back. Nice sound system.

$6K less than GC.

She chose an Outback 3.6R Limited w/nav/highly rated eyesight safety system. I prefer the GC’s appearance and image, but she’s happy, for now…that’s what matters.

 

[Oldmanb777]

We have had 5 GC's run through the family. Sister, Brother, ours etc. Not perfect reliability, but one has almost 500K on the clock, and another has well over 300k on it with minimal issues. Our 98 was a late build. End of production run, left over parts etc. It has been the worst of the bunch. In fact it has everything go wrong on it that all the others have had combined. I have spent a whopping grand total of $4700 and change in unscheduled maint on that car since new. The things that irritate me about it are the bean counters really had a hand in price point economics. They did things with them that any back yard highschool mechanic would know better than to do. Like the corporate screwed up Dana 44 in the rear end of the V8 powered ones. (Dana 44 was one of the better light truck Diff's not as good as a Ford 9 inch, but strong and simple and Chrysler really screwed it up!) And the "Bonded" factory brake rotors, REALLY!!!!!!!! The new ones are not at all like the older ones. The 98 and earlier are just a TJ, or wrangler suspension with a unibody on it. Live axles, coils, radious arms etc. The 99- late 2000's are very similar with different powerplant and trans. Don't know when they went to independent suspension on all 4 corners. Some of the 99-about 2004 had Torsion lockers in the diff's They were called Quadradrive. (I think)

And when Daimler got ahold of the design work the car got shrunk. It really needed to be about 4 inches longer, and maybe an inch or two wider. About the size of the similar year Durango. and Daimler deleted the spare tire, that's why they are inside, afterthought on their part.

 

[Oldmanb777]

I think for a street car and inclimate weather car, I would have picked the Subby as well. They have proven themselves for long time.
I saw an article about their mfg plant. That was really neat how they use every available resource. Like the rooftops etc. Suppose to be the most efficient mfg plant in the world.

 

[Teeth]

Agreed

The JGC a friend bought is, in almost every way, much nicer than my same year (2015) 4Runner I bought. Its got more get up and go, WAAAY nicer interior, more bells and whistles, better mileage... I know that mine will have a nicer resale value but that's not really why we bought a new car. I also like the 5th gen exterior styling better, but if I had it to do over again, I'd get the J**P.

 

[Oldmanb777]

I must say, I enjoy these threads when people can set aside their emotions, I'm a car guy, so hard for me to do. But the comparos, after owning for a while is fun. We bought the gX because, well I wanted more truck like performance, but also wanted to take other people with me. People who may not be comfortable in a back seat designed for kids. That was always one of my gripes of our GC. The rear seat, is ok for an adult, for shorter trips. But I have friends, and a Mom-in-law that struggles to get in and out of the back, and is not comfy for more than 20 minutes. Our old wagoneer was a great size, and worked extremely well in all that we put it through. It was highly modified, but size wise it was perfect. Ours is a first gen GC. My sister's new one is much better, but compared to the gX, its not good to your passengers. The 4 Runner that my neice has, is also better in the rear, I think. I have not ridden in the rear enough to know for sure.
I sure have found the gX to be hard for me to warm up to though. I think because it's ugly. But its a very nice car, and I think adequately capable. And when I retire, we might be doing some towing with it. I have a nice pickup for the, but the gX will do some of the duty as well. Compared to the 98 GC, it would easily to twice what the GC would, despite the mfg claims. The gC is very nimble, as compared to the GX, but not very stable. My Sister's new one tows better, but not by much, and doesn't have the power and torque, again despite the mfg claims.

 

[derryck]

I think every other SUV on the planet is superior to the 4Runner if you take reliability and off-road prowess out of the picture. The 4Runner lacks most of the creature comforts and technology present today in almost every other vehicle. I wanted to buy a GC Overland when I bought my 4Runner but my dogs love the roll down back window and the dead nuts reliability of the 4Runner coupled with concerns on the GC reliability landed me here. My brother still daily drives my 01 4Runner and it's closing in on 400K with the only major repairs being a transmission rebuild and new suspension around 250K which is entirely acceptable in my eyes.

 

[Oldmanb777]

Something I never thought would be any kind of issue, but is. The GX when you fold down the back seats, the floor isn't flat. I would never have thought it would be an issue. The GC not only folds flat, but the bench part can come out in only a minute. That gives even more flat cargo area. But here is an odd one, if you don't remove the bench, the front seats hit it if yo slide them all the way back, limiting front seat travel. :mmph: It's just the compact size of the GC. everything is a very tight fit.

 

[ddnww]

But who was reliability, dependability, quality?

and who was transmission problems, electrical issues, Chrysler product?

 

[derryck]

But who was reliability, dependability, quality?

and who was transmission problems, electrical issues, Chrysler product?

If you could speak English in the future then the rest of us could respond? I know it sounds crazy but I promise I won't call INS.:eyebrows:

 

[ddnww]

If you could speak English in the future then the rest of us could respond? I know it sounds crazy but I promise I won't call INS.:eyebrows:

I think what you're attempting to say is to use proper grammar, English is the language I communicated in.

 

[Thai]

I’d say that you need a new GF...find a gal with good taste this time! Someone who buys the only damn Jeep that is worth it...see below:

 

[RUNTHAT]

I think what you're attempting to say is to use proper grammar, English is the language I communicated in.

:bravo:

 

[TacoRunn0517]

If the JGC had the reliability of the 4Runner, that is the vehicle I would've picked. I test drove one before I bought my 4Runner and it is a more comfortable ride for a heavy DD-er like myself. And since I don't have a family at the time, the smaller cabin space wouldn't have been a huge difference for me. It all came down to reliability for me. I'd rather have an "outdated" vehicle that will age well than a more refined vehicle that will be problematic more and more as time goes on. I do way too much driving to deal with a vehicle that will decide not to work early on in its life. I like to keep things until they don't work. I really like the looks/features of the JGC. I just don't have the time nor the money to find out the problems that I know other Jeep owners have had.

 

[Oldmanb777]

That was probably the biggest reason I bought the gX instead of what I really wanted, The Range Rover. I just couldn't deal with a car that needed constant tweeking, even if covered by warrantee.
I think when you buy American cars, you have to understand, the bean counters are in charge. It's more about whats cheaper, than whats better. That was my issue with our GC. Even though any back yard tech would have known better, the bean counters ordered it done anyway. Took a car that in many ways was great, and really hit the mark, and the bean counters made sure it missed the mark. Really too bad. And American car buyers, don't do maintenance. Just put gas in it and go. Even checking the oil is rare., let alone changing it. American car buyers just generally don't take pride in thier drive. They just drive, (an do a pretty poor job of it).

 

[LandCruiser]

That was probably the biggest reason I bought the gX instead of what I really wanted, The Range Rover. I just couldn't deal with a car that needed constant tweeking, even if covered by warrantee.
I think when you buy American cars, you have to understand, the bean counters are in charge. It's more about whats cheaper, than whats better. That was my issue with our GC. Even though any back yard tech would have known better, the bean counters ordered it done anyway. Took a car that in many ways was great, and really hit the mark, and the bean counters made sure it missed the mark. Really too bad. And American car buyers, don't do maintenance. Just put gas in it and go. Even checking the oil is rare., let alone changing it. American car buyers just generally don't take pride in thier drive. They just drive, (an do a pretty poor job of it).

The Japanese also like to count natto.

You just get a car that has a cheaper interior than the competition, or has an antiquated drivetrain, infotainment, or something like that.

My 2013 4runner looks like an antique next to cars its age, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it would be nice to have some seating, interior, and infotainment options from this century. And it wouldn’t kill them to throw at least one highway gear into the transmission.

 

[Oldmanb777]

The Japanese also like to count natto.

You just get a car that has a cheaper interior than the competition, or has an antiquated drivetrain, infotainment, or something like that.

My 2013 4runner looks like an antique next to cars its age, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it would be nice to have some seating, interior, and infotainment options from this century. And it wouldn’t kill them to throw at least one highway gear into the transmission.

I think they have gone "tried and true" to get the reliability that we all looked for when we bought, not the latest and greatest new fad, that could need some kinks ironed out. I think your right though. The gX isn't as refined as the price would suggest, etc. It does have the highway gear, in fact its a bit too high for our uses. It has 3:90 rear end ratio and would benefit from 4:10.
And a lot less electronics would be good. It has the extra gear in the tranny, you are probably talking about. What about a console between the rear seats, cars much cheaper have them, but not the gX. The bench seat isn't available on all models either.
I think Toyota wants to live on their reputation of reliability, rather than the latest and greatest fad. I actually really appreciate that. I would even step back a few more places, like that horrible throttle response. I would guess EPA and HTSA and CAFE are driving lots of what they do as well. Too bad.