Buying 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee tomorrow

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Ok,FINALLY after waffling for months about getting a 2nd vehicle... first it was a Chevy Volt, then it was a ___________ (fill in the blank), I finally found a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.7l engine and the better transfer case, with brand new tires at a local used car lot for $8000. I test drove it for a good 2 hours, went back and then promptly signed on the dotted line, and I pick it up tomorrow!
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Any feedback for that era 4.7l engine? Or from Jeep owners on that era Jeep GC?

Im pretty excited and gotta say, it was very nicely loaded. Heated leather, moonroof, chrome rims, U-Connect, etc.
 
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4.7 is a solid engine, lighter and better than what it replaced. Early versions were prone to sludging.
 
Watch the 4.7l it's not the greatest engine. Has some head gasket issue and like to eat up rocker arms.
 
Yep....sludgers and head gasket issues....I had an 02 ram that I bought new that [censored] a head gasket with 90k..bottle of that expensive blue stuff in the radiator and off it went to be somebody elses problem 2 days later...I drove home in an new 09 HEMI
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Originally Posted By: ram_man
Watch the 4.7l it's not the greatest engine. Has some head gasket issue and like to eat up rocker arms.


If it's neglected or abused.

Yes the head gasket can fail if it overheats. So can the head gasket on a lot of other engines with aluminum heads.

If it overheats you can drop a valve seat.

135k on my '00 4.7 and it's running strong.
 
I drive an 04, but had a conversation a couple days ago with a guy in the parking lot that had an 05. It looked fantastic and I was stunned when he told me it had nearly 300k on it, you'd have never guessed by looking at it.

Just take care of it. Jeep Forum is a great resource as well, your's is a "WK" they have a specific WK forum.

Earlier 4.7's were kinda buggy IMO but if you keep up on maintenance and don't overheat yours, ever, it should last a long time.
 
Preventative maintenance is everything with Jeeps. If you maintain them, they are very reliable vehicles. Basic maintenance like fluid changes will make them last.

The 4.7L is a great engine. Like anything else, if neglected it can have some issues, but otherwise they are solid. My dad had a 1999 Grand Cherokee with the 4.7L. It was one of the earlier versions of the 4.7L prone to sludging. He sold it with over 200k miles on it running perfectly. A lot of those miles it had a dual axle dump trailer behind it. If driven carefully he managed to get 24 mpg on the highway. Not bad for a full-time 4WD vehicle with a V8. Congrats on your purchase! With good tires they are unstoppable in the snow.
 
Well, that's right in the middle of KBB used retail for that era of Jeep (sounds low to me, though). My folks had a 2005 Grand Cherokee 5.7 Limited. Nice vehicle, but it kept burning up rear axles. They eventually lemon law'd it back to Jeep. Something with over 100k miles, however, probably has all of the bugs worked out by now.

I don't worry about the 4.7L engine at all. And the transmission is good too (either the 545RFE or the W5A580). I'd pay close attention to other aspects of the vehicle...make sure all power accessories work (like windows and locks). Electrical problems seem to be Jeeps' Achilles Heel.
 
Wow, you were all over the place. You went from a Volt to a 10 yr-old Grand Cherokee? Congrats on your purchase. Good luck, and enjoy.
 
Originally Posted By: kkreit01
Wow, you were all over the place. You went from a Volt to a 10 yr-old Grand Cherokee? Congrats on your purchase. Good luck, and enjoy.


Yeah, I was looking for a new car for my DD. I wanted a Volt, but the time wasnt right... I will go back to pursuing a new DD when Volt 2.0 comes out. In the meantime, I will continue to use the Prius as my daily.

The Jeep GC fulfills a few needs me and my fiancee have. Our fleet consists of a FWD Ford Escape and my Prius. Both suck in the snow. Both of us work about 15 miles from home, so the Jeep can help us get to work in the winter when the sh*t (read: snow) hits the fan. Last year, we both missed about 5 days of work because we couldnt make it safely.
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Plus Ive always wanted a v8 Jeep. I wasnt sure I was ready to go "hemi" just yet... so when I found this particular Jeep with the 4.7l and all the options I wanted, I was ready to buy.

Speaking of, I had a few pleasant surprises today, after picking up the Jeep! It was snowing, we only got about 2" but I had to drive the Jeep home from the car lot. Well, turns out I have the RainSense wipers! I also pulled a build sheet from the Jeep owners site, and I was very happy to know that I also have the Boston Acoustics stereo with amplifier, and 3.73 (IIRC) rear axle ratio. The U-Connect works great too.

Ive been driving the Jeep all day, probably putting 100 miles on it. It really drives great. Unfortunately, it is only averaging 12.9mpg. A FAR cry from my Prius's current 46.9mpg average. But the Jeep wont be a daily driver, so the Prius will still serve its purpose.

Im going to (of course, Im a BITOG'er!) change the oil tomorrow with 5w30 Edge and a Mopar oil filter. Then I will change the spark plugs (required every 30k miles in the 4.7l!)
 
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Originally Posted By: DSparks
Yep....sludgers and head gasket issues....I had an 02 ram that I bought new that [censored] a head gasket with 90k..bottle of that expensive blue stuff in the radiator and off it went to be somebody elses problem 2 days later...I drove home in an new 09 HEMI
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Congratulations on your purchase! The 4.7 in the WK should have the 545RFE which is a very good transmission. 12.9 MPG seems very low. I would try resetting the average MPG on the trip computer and see what you get - especially on the highway. Flat highway at 65 MPH should get you in the neighborhood of 20 MPG IMHO.

Best wishes for many trouble-free miles.

Andrew S.

'96 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 42RE NP242 247K (All original drivetrain!)
 
Originally Posted By: dnastrau
Congratulations on your purchase! The 4.7 in the WK should have the 545RFE which is a very good transmission. 12.9 MPG seems very low. I would try resetting the average MPG on the trip computer and see what you get - especially on the highway. Flat highway at 65 MPH should get you in the neighborhood of 20 MPG IMHO.

Best wishes for many trouble-free miles.

Andrew S.

'96 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 42RE NP242 247K (All original drivetrain!)


Ugh. I have reset the avg. mpg on the trip computer twice - once when I bought it, and again after I put some gas in it.

Im going to venture that it needs spark plugs bad. And I havent even checked the air filter yet. Not to mention an oil change too. lol.
 
What kind of driving? Spirited or normal? Highway or city? Regular driving in city 12.9 sounds a little low but not too far from what it should be.
 
Interesting mileage.
My 04 quad cab 4x4 hemi truck would get a consistent 20mpg on the highway with 4x4 engaged in the winter. I couldn't say what the city mileage was since I was cruising from site to site every day and I never shut it off all day.
To be honest I think the hemi gets as good mileage as the 4.7 or better,but the hemi is a newer design as well. The 4.7 is a carry over from the 318-360 days.
And with mds average mileage would be higher with the hemi.
I like the grand Cherokee. I thought about buying one last year but I already had a 4x4 I could leave with my ex for emergencies so why spend money if I've already got a paid for unit that'll do the job for her.
Congrats on the new ride.
 
Originally Posted By: [email protected]
Unfortunately, it is only averaging 12.9mpg.


That's about right. Its current estimated fuel mileage ratings are 14 city and 19 highway. It was originally rated 15/20. With the cold weather you're suffering right now, 13 mpg in the city sounds perfectly normal. You probably can eek out 20 mpg on the highway in milder weather. That's just what it gets; it's an older 2-valve V-8 engine.

The Hemi version is rated 13/19, so it's very close. Individual variances between two vehicles could easily take up that difference.
 
Today I changed the oil and put in Edge 5w/30 and a Purolator oil filter - Im going to save the Mopar oil filter for the next OCI.

The Jeep runs so nicely, I'd hate to do anything to it. But after buying it used, and with 103,000 miles, logic tells me to change the spark plugs (30k mile intervals) and change the axles/t-case fluids. From what Ive read on the Jeep forums, the vehicle may get better mpg's with new plugs and fluids.
 
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