I've been renting a Heep Grand Cherokee

Fully loaded 2011, leather, in dash nav, the whole 9 yards.

I've had it as a rental for 3 weeks now...at first I really liked it to the point that I thought to myself that I would consider buying one if I were in the market for a new vehicle. But then I looked underneath.....full independent suspension and NO tow hooks or recovery points. Really? On a Jeep?

 

Here's what the rear end looks like...:




Some snow wheelin' in the rental ... so far hasn't gotten stuck, which is a good thing because recovery would probably do $2000 worth of damage to the plastic bumper covers and farings.




Just seems weird to me that arguably the biggest name in offroad capable vehicles dumbed down one of their premier models (the Cherokee) to the point that nobody in their right mind would build one up for trail use.

 

Its a Grand Cherokee! They are not marketed to the Off Road type people any longer. That why jeep has a 2door and 4door Wrangler now. The grand cherokee is in the luxury group i believe.

I used to have a 98 Grand Cherokee. loved it, if it hadnt blown the tranny I would still have it and it would be modded all to hell.

 

Its a heep (heap) just like you said!

 

Just Empty Every Pocket
Just Expect Every Problem
Just Eats Every Penny
Junk Everyone Eventually Piles
Just Expect Extra Payments

 

well look at the new ford explorer. it looks like a station wagon lol...i think that this grand cherokee is pretty legit tho...even if it is pretty much a big car it seems as tho they got it right this time....only time will tell tho if these new chrysler products are any more reliable

 

Just like every vehicle (including Tacomas), there are packages that you can get that have towhooks & other things. It's a rental...and doesn't have tow hooks. Get over it.

IFS/IRS is the wave of the future for most all vehicles these days.

But hey, give JEEP credit for offering a vehicle with FRONT & REAR lockers (the Rubicon - which has been around for 10 years).

I predict....Toyota will eventually go completely with electronic traction control and eliminate the locker.

 

I hit black ice w/ my 06 4x4 Tacoma & had 2k worth of damage to my plastic bumper & fender flares I guess I shouldda went allpro
Nice pics though

 

I would argue that they still market to the off road person. All the commercials I have seen lately on the grand cherokee have been "off road" commercials, where the Jeep is plowing through mud and rough terrain like its unstoppable.

 

There is an off road crowd and a mall crawl crowd. The average buyer of the new Grand Cherokee is mall crawl person who wants to think he/she can get over any curb.

I will admit I do like the new Jeep.

 

Totally agree that the average buyer is going to use it for nothing more than a mall crawler. Sucks that they put out these commercials about off roading, when in reality, shouldn't be used as such.

 

translation: if it hadn't of fallen apart, i'd still have it. which is why i don't own a jeep anymore myself!

 

true.

 

Those commercials make me cringe.

Yeah, they plow thru shit..... exactly how you shouldn't do it no matter what you're driving!

I had a Jeep and I can't complain about how reliable it was (seriously). Surely, it was built up and probably slightly overbuilt for the abuse we gave it, but isn't that the point? Build it strong enough to handle what you give it? I miss that jeep and the memories!

In terms of the GC - I wouldn't want a Unibody (anything) for offroading. I've helped people repair unibody stripped bolt holes & shit...not fun!

 

Ind. rear susp. is OK if the components are tucked well out of the way and beefy. There is no rear diff pumpkin. The Hummer H1 has ind. rear susp., as does the Oshkosh M-ATV.

On the other hand, would you pick a Grand Cherokee Limited over a 4Runner Limited?