Bought a used Grand Cherokee

[CincyDavid]

So, we've been leasing Honda cars and SUVs for years. The lease on the '16 CR-V was ending soon and NOBODY in the household liked it much.Seats like a park bench, noisy on the highway, uncooperative CVT. We moved about a month ago too, so the mileage limitations on leased vehicles were going to be a potential problem, so I decided to buy something used. It had to be big enough to carry 2 large-ish dogs and be nice enough that my wife was willing to drive it/be seen in it.

I was looking for a Dodge Durango but was having trouble finding one at the right price. I landed on a 2011 Grand Cherokee Limited, Mineral Gray with black leather, 4WD, 5.7L HEMI, 84xxx miles. One owner car with a hard rooftop cargo carrier included. My wife LOVES the carrier, since she keeps threatening to take the dogs to Hilton Head and that would give us room for luggage, kids and dogs.

Picking it up this evening. I told me wife, whatever you do, don't try to pull in the garage with the carrier on the roof!

 

[StevieC]

The engines are a good engines and the MDS works well if equipped. Can't remember if 2011 has that in the G.C.'s

Drive happy!

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

My cousin has had five of them. The current one still holds the low mileage crown at 200k.

 

[CincyDavid]

The plan is to drive it till it dies (or I die, as the case may be). I'm going to look it over more thoroughly over the weekend and start changing fluids and tidying it up. The dealer did a pretty good detail job but I still like to wax door jambs and whatnot, and really look it over.

 

[slug_bug]

Nice vehicle! If you don't have service records from the previous owner I'd change ALL fluids ASAP. Transmission, transfer case, front and rear axle fluid, coolant. All are rather pricey through the dealership and many people skip them.

 

[JeepWJ19]

I got excited for a second because I thought another person was going to join the WJ club.

My parents love their 3.6 WK2. It's been great. Just a great looking SUV.

 

[VNTS]

Does it quadra lift?

I have a 15 Overland with the hemi, QL and the QD2. It has the ZF 8spd, you probably have 545RFE trans, have that in my 02WJ.

I would change the fluids and rust proof it, if your going to keep it for a while, note will never go back to a crappy 4 banger cuv once you get the Hemi LOL

 

[Lyman]

Originally Posted By: JeepWJ19
I got excited for a second because I thought another person was going to join the WJ club.

My parents love their 3.6 WK2. It's been great. Just a great looking SUV.
Ha Ha , Me too. That was my first thought.

 

[jeepman3071]

My father has a 2013 with the 5.7L. Just passed 120k miles with very few problems. It is a fairly easy vehicle to service, the transfer case and differentials all have both fill and drain plugs.

 

[CincyDavid]

No Quadra-Lift, it does have the MoPar 545RFE and Romik stainless steel running boards. I didn't realize how much bigger it is than the CR-V until I had to get it in the garage.

My previous Jeep experience has been 2 XJ Cherokees, one with 2.8L 5 speed, the other 4.0L automatic, they were both primitive but tough. The 2002 WJ Grand Cherokee was a bit of a problem child...4.0L, the 4wd system with the big lever in the console (can't recall what it's called). Mechanically sound, but door interior trim panels kept trying to fall off, went through window regulators one after another, driver's seat frame broke when I leaned over to grab something out of the back seat. The tall skinny Goodyear Wrangler ST tire sidewalls were so flimsy my tire guy had trouble getting them seated on the wheel bead when I replaced them. I wound up locating a set of used 17 inch GC wheels with good Michelins and selling the stock wheels and tires.

I have put about 50 miles in the Jeep...so far so good. Comfy seats, very quiet aside from tire rumble from the Cooper Discoverer tires, college age kids think the TV/DVD player with headphones are cool for some reason, and like the concept of heated seats front and rear, although in the summer it's irrelevant. Seat bolsters are vinyl, only the centers of the seat base and back are real leather, but it's all in good shape.

 

[CincyDavid]

Update...my wife LOVES the Jeep. She has named it Big Boy, which is weird because she generally just refers to cars by color, unless we have two of the same color. I keep finding cool things about it: auto-dimming mirrors, NAV system, rain sensing wipers, auto dimming high beams, remote start, oil, coolant and trans temp read-outs. The HID self-leveling headlamps are nice too. 14.6 MPG so far, mostly surface street commuting. VERY solidly constructed, no squeaks or rattles, doors feel substantial. I washed it, waxed it, put leather conditioner on the seats. It's a great way to get to know a car and find little flaws. So far I have seen two little dents up high on the quarter panel, almost look like hail dents. Too small to mess with trying to fix. Some stone chips on the front bumper cover, but nothing outside the norm.

I'm not a fan of FCA products as a rule but I'm very happy with the GC.

 

[OVERKILL]

Great to hear!