Want to Buy a Grand Cerokee. Help!

[Root Moose]

I've heard that on the highway, at around 60 mi/h the V8 will get a few mpg more than the I6.

 

[Xjaddiction]

That '02 looks good. Get them with around 100,000 miles on the clock. Get the V-8 as IMOP the I-6 is too weak for the Grand, and they were really restricting them to pass emissions. That's why Jeep no longer uses the I-6. The 4.7L is a great motor, and tou can expect to get over 200,000 miles out of them if they've been taken care of.

Honestly, you will find the 3rd gen grands, WJ's, to be a nice ride and fun to drive with the V-8. I think they are a great expi vehicle. The fit and finish won't be as great as the newer Yotas, but the power of that V-8 will more than make them worth a purchase. Not to mention they are much less than the Yotas.

 

[cocco78]

The 4.7 will get better mileage than the 4.0L... The WJ is just a bit heavy for the 4.0L. I'm pretty sure all the V8's got the quadra-drive, I don't ever remember seeing a V8 that didn't have it. I constantly got 20-22 on the highway with my 99 WJ with the 4.7, around 17 in town if you stayed out of it. The 4.7L is damn zippy to. Only problem I noticed is around 100k miles the axle diff's wear out and the quadra drive doesn't function as good.

I also think the wj's ride and drive better than the newer wk's, and the WJ's have a way nicer interior. The Wk's are all junky plastic feeling. You also have way more suspension options with the WJ as well.

I even towed with it a time or 2 and was pleased with it. I did a round trip from MI to NC and back, averaged 11mpg over the whole trip.

 

[Ford Prefect]

The v8's only get an mpg or 2 less than the I6's.


I have a 4.0 in my zj, it's a great motor but sometimes I wish it had more power. If I could do it again I'd get a v8.

That is accurate in the ZJ, but in the WJ the V-8 actually gets Better mileage than the I-6 (as I believe I stated earlier.)

The runner. Well, I like the older runners, the 90's models, but the new ones are just UGLY!

If you had the cash your best bet would be to go with the NEW Grands that are coming out soon. Those things are amazing right out of the box, they do everything you would ever need in an easy trail/dd jeep. PLUS you have the added bonus of not having the truck drive itself into things like the Toyotas.

(personally I would never buy another toyota for the simple reason that they are tiny inside. Sure sure they have tons of cubby holes, but if you can not drive the thing what is the point!? Then again I am 6'5, but talk about no leg room.)

I would also get into the back of them and check out how you fit back there. Not that you will ever have to, but I should think that it would be nice to know if someone our size or larger would be comfortable back there with the seat where you like to put it.

Good luck then.

 

[Jeff H]

I'm pretty sure all the V8's got the quadra-drive, I don't ever remember seeing a V8 that didn't have it.

The Selec-Trac transfer case was available with the V8. They are rather rare, though.