Jeep Grand Cherokee pre'06

Anyone any experience?
Feel like a 4x4 is needed in the family stable.
At times, need a larger family vehicle, 4x4 handy in the winter where we live (poor excuse really for the few days a year!) trips to the tip etc, you know what I mean.
Pre '06 for cheaper car tax, couldn't face £500+ a year in road tax for a low annual mileage vehicle.
Like to be a bit different, so don't fancy Land Rover vehicles, being so common, older Rangies etc, soon look 'old'.
20 years ago ran a Jeep Wrangler 4 lt Limited as a daily and loved it, was totally reliable and hard as nails.
The 99-05 Grand Cherokee ticks a lot of boxes, nice 4.7 V8 option (sound awesome with the back boxes removed apparently), the styling to me still looks good especially the last '04/'05 models.
Cheap! £3K appears to buy a good one, some with LPG conversions too.
With the '06 tax threshold thinking buy one now while still available and look after it infinitum.
The kid in me would want to jack it up, add 31" wheels with wheel arch extensions, and put a LED lightbar on the roof ready for the Zombie apocalypse!!

Am I mad thinking of buying a third V8?

Not at all Mike.
I'm just in the process of getting a Supercharged Range Rover myself pure class in my opinion.

Is there a known issue with head gaskets on these cars?
Pal of mine had one years ago and he had a nightmare with it and recall him saying this was common.

My dad has had loads of Rangies over the years, from his first back in '84 to several P38's, sometimes two at once, one over here and one at his pad in Spain, but none currently.
Friends have them too, one has a restored '82 and a new £100K one too!
Had the chance to buy from a friend the only Overfinch converted 2 door CSK, but passed on that because it was basically rotted, and that is the problem with the older Rangies, rot.
Those that have bought the newer, but first gen L322's have had nothing but problems.
Defenders are silly money for what they are.
Even Jeep Wrangler are silly money, seen as iconic, and the Grand Cherokees in comparison same age are bargains it appears.

Needamaser said:

Is there a known issue with head gaskets on these cars?
Pal of mine had one years ago and he had a nightmare with it and recall him saying this was common.

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Haven't noticed that to be a problem reading the US forums.
The 4lt straight 6 is probably more reliable being a cast iron truck engine, but the 6 vs V8 debate over in the US is divided it appears.
Few issues with the ventilation system, but nothing that springs out to say 'avoid'.

I'm also looking, fancy another ML AMG, loved the 55, looking at 63s, quick, though a few Internet horror stories, Jeep V8, just not convinced though still looking at them. Possibly a V10 Touareg as a stealth machine. Landys seem everywhere up here, though probably because they are good, Porsche is the same.

The XC90 4.4 V8 is a cracking all round choice. Don't think you can't get a cheaper pre-March 2006 one though which is a shame. Awesome capable tool, safe, reliable & cheap. I paid 5k for mine 1 owner from new with full Volvo Main dealer history on a 56 plate.

rockits said:

The XC90 4.4 V8 is a cracking all round choice. Don't think you can't get a cheaper pre-March 2006 one though which is a shame. Awesome capable tool, safe, reliable & cheap. I paid 5k for mine 1 owner from new with full Volvo Main dealer history on a 56 plate.

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I have looked for yours, after what you have said about them before, couldn't find any for sale anywhere (v8s)!

They do come up. There was a nice one for sale in South Wales a month or so back. Not sure if he sold. I will dig out the details & send over if you like?

I'll be selling mine later this year once I have chopped in the wife's Freelander 2 SD4 HSE for a Disco Sport Dynamic Lux. We have had it for 3 years since 3 years old & it has been great but time to crack open the wallet & get something newer/better......ouch.

I really can't fault it.

Just had another look, Pistonheads, Ebay, Autotrader, not one V8, i'm interested if you can find an advert for one!

They are rare for sure but do come up. I waited quite a while & bought mine trade off an indy dealer up North who got it out of Fawcetts Volvo in Reading. I had it serviced there last year to keep history nice. 1st owner bought it new from Fawcetts & had it 10 years. Did 192k miles in 10 years with an 18k mile service every year on the button. Then chopped it in for a new XC90. New £4.5k gearbox done in 2015. It has now done 202k miles & not much wrong with it at all. Drives like 50k miler.

I am going to get wheels refurbed, service & replace slightly noisey interior heater blower as makes an annoying back ground whine. Nobody else seems to be able to hear it but I can! Other than that it is great. It is a dark blue SE Lux Nav with rear privacy glass & rear entertainment. Not sure why the owner had that as looks like the driver was the only one who sat in it & used it.

Mine was very cheap at the time though & I expect even still now. The mileage didn't worry me as many global V8 owners have done 300, 400 & 500k I have heard of. They are certainly built to last.

I will keep my eye out to see if any pop up. I've always got searches running. Find me a £30k Disco Sport Dynamic Lux & you can have mine for 5k

I am weary of anything over 100K, but 200K?
Probably because my experience of high mileage cars (company cars, BMW's mostly) that once they go over 100K they start to fall apart!

Obviously lower mileage is better but I've driven 50k mile cars that have driven 100 times worse than this 200k miler. It mainly did motorway miles & had main dealer servicing every 12 months. A V8 with 313bhp isn't stressed that much so it has worn the miles extremely well.

If you can get one with 100k or less then great & preferred for sure. I wanted an Executive with the upgraded DynAudio sound system but waited & nothing came up. I couldn't ignore this one @ 5k so went for it. Certainly don't be afraid of miles on these babies.

philw696 said:

Not at all Mike.
I'm just in the process of getting a Supercharged Range Rover myself pure class in my opinion.

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So true

Early L322 are best avoided, they improved dramatically post 09 but so do the prices. A good cheap Jeep GC is a good option, they wear miles well and both 6 and V8s are bullet proof as long as oil is changed regularly.

Why do you need a V8 to go to the tip , if it won't go under the barrier revving it to get their attention is just going to **** them off

As is the norm for me another bottom of the market purchase probably the cheapest L322 ever sold, a 2003 RR HSE TD6 bought with a goosed engine for £1000 , it's had a lot of money spent on it , 2 owners from new, 12 years and 3 years, 2013 it had a new gearbox, last year new air suspension which are the big ticket items, I've just had a 90,000 mile engine fitted in it , 1st owner just got everything it needed fixed, loads of history with it.

It's not fast by any means but adequate for what it is, 1st RR I've ever owned and I love it, like driving a big armchair.

Though I've already started on the "upgrades" tyres were low so I've bought some new take off wheels and tyres,an android head unit to bring the choons into the 21st century and a LED interior light kit

I wouldn't worry about mileage , look for something that's had all the big jobs done whatever you buy

Looks nice Darren and I would say that was a Bargain and totally agree as to how comfortable they are.
If a Range Rover is good enough for the Queen they are certainly good enough for Phil Wilkinson.

Thats cheap and as you say one with all the work done can be a good buy. We sold our 03 Vogue with 90k on the clock for £6k earlier this year and like this one all the big jobs had been done although it was still on its original engine and box. A Celtic remap of one of these releases another 75BHP and almost 30% more torque which increases performance significantly, it also improves mpg by 25% well worth £250

I had an L322 RR for a while, it was rubbish. Terrible handling, so soft it felt like it wouldn't make a corner. They are full of charm but really, they're ****. Had a P38 4.6 HSE many moons ago that was better than the L322 but also not very good. I like RR a lot but every experience I've had tells me they are not well made.

One of the two cars I've owned that I should never have sold was my Touareg R50. These are silly quick, well made and very rare so still £18k up for one, even though they're now 10 years old. The v10 is good too but actually the 3.0 v6 is a better buy (stay away from the 2.5 which is underpowered). We've had two v6s and both were great.

From a Jeep perspective, I briefly had a Patriot Startech version which looked cool but was rubbish. My cousin in Abu Dhabi has the SRT version of the Cherokee and loves it. They made some noise!

TBH I don't really see the point of a 4x4 with a big engine in , they're never going to handle like a fast saloon or coupe , I'm sure the 5.0 supercharged puts a massive smile on the drivers face but I feel it was built to keep the yanks happy where petrol is / was cheap and bends are few.

I'm very happy with the TD6 engine but may look at the performance upgrade when I've fitted the android head unit , 19" wheels, led interior lights kit , carbon fibre interior trim.

It's like a drug , you just can't stop