I don't get the 'jeep' thing

[Dasfinc]

I'm being a thread whore today, I apologize...

Why do you love/hate the 'jeeps of the 90's'

I've driven an 89, and 93 Cherokee with the 4.0, I've driven a 96 Grand Cherokee with the 4.0, and I've driven a 99 Grand Cherokee with a V-8 of some kind.

I've HATED all of them. They always felt as though they were 'crashing' down the road the ride was so rough and damn near everything squeaked/rattled like crazy on all of them except for the 99 GC. the 4.0 motor feels EXTREMELY unrefined compared to the V-6's in competitor trucks. The interior felt EXTREMELY dated in the 96 GC I drove as well (I believe it was the year before the interior revision granted, but still, the Blazer/Explorer felt light-years ahead of even the 99 GC *just personal opinion!!!*)

I've never driven a Wrangler, but can't imagine its any better, if not worse because of the shorter wheel base... aside from alleged better capability off-road compared to their competitors, I can't understand why ANYONE would have purchased a Cherokee over an Explorer or Blazer (or path finder, or 4runner)... ever? Why were they/are they so popular still?

Click to read more...

 

[machausta]

My wife *liked* her 97 GC Limited pretty well, until all the front suspension went out at once. The 4.0 was a holdover from the AMC days, and is actually one of the most reliable engines out there, period. Not highly refined, but the Limited added some nice appointments like dual heated seats that halfway work, leaky moonroof, and the seats that are supposed to automatically adjust depending on the keyfob used to unlock the doors but would occasionally go batshit crazy for no reason.

On second though, they are pieces of shit.

 

[DanJ]

 

[bikrboy128]

funny, because i've hated every explorer ive driven. the 4.0 is noisey and powerless, the transmission shifts like horse-shit, the interior is a joke, and the suspention/ride quality is terrible.
this is excluding the 2011 explorers, because those are pretty nice.
my 2000 GC has dualzone climate control, heated leather seats, in dash navigation, 10 disc CD changer, and a very smooth ride (even with my lift and tires). find an explorer with those features

it's not hard to understand why people buy them. jeeps are nice when they're properly taken care of. the ones you drove werent.

 

[Primalzer]

Ahh man I loved my 92 4.0 Cherokee. It was loud, rattly, dangerous, and slow. But god damnit that bitch would start every day. Didn't burn a drop of fluid. Never broke. And the 4.0 seemed about as refined as a GM 3.8 of the time, which isn't saying much.

 

[JDHedman]

 

[machausta]

99+ Jeeps are much nicer than their predecessors...

I still wouldn't own another one though.

 

[DanJ]

I've always had a thing for Wranglers. My grandpa and uncle probably had 8 of them between the two of them over the years. I saw one a little while ago that had pulled the carpet and X-line or Rhino liner coated the entire floor. I was

 

[Outlaw]

I have a '98 XJ (Cherokee) and I love it to death... I'll never sell it. It's so basic, easy to work on and can go through anything. I've pulled way more than I should have with it and it just refuses to give me any issues, and I'm past the 150k mile mark.

 

[Primalzer]

The 4.0 is bullet proof, I don't give a shit about refinement

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

The 4.0 is bullet proof, I don't give a shit about refinement

x2

ive fucked with jeeps for a long time and a stockish jeep with open diffs will walk through places a range rover with lockers couldnt

you can fix a jeep with a screwdriver, rock and a 2x4

fuck 2011 exploders, the rental we had was smoking the trans just going over some mountains towards Tennessee

i still have most of my 75 cj5 sitting under my shelves i liked it so much i kept the driveline

 

[hellraiser319]

IDK, I drove a... somewhere in the late 90's, XJ today, it had some power, but [granted the suspension needed work and the brakes were bad] it handled like a limp noodle. And the transmission. Whew. Did not like how it shifted. Maybe it was because dude at work only paid $500 for it, but I felt "meh" about it.

 

[bikrboy128]

"alleged offroad capability"

you know what i dont get. how one can buy a ford ranger, then feel compelled to buy a second. then go on bashing jeeps calling them junk
truly mind blowing.

 

[Eagle]

I'd rock the shit outta a rubicon

 

[Eagle]

that and offroading was really one of the best hobbies I think I ever had. its just tons of fun, most people are cool folks, you get to mix in camping and drinking while on trips and you get to really DRIVE through challenging terrain - and I'm not talking about waist deep water either. I'm talking about driving down a trail made of boulders the size of your average DD.

My fav pic to toss around from my offroading days:

 

[hellraiser319]

^haha K5 FTW!

 

[Eagle]

heck yea man, that truck was kick ass.

fuel injected 350, TH400, NP203/205 doubler, D60 up front D70 out back, hummer wheels w/42" TSLs, 1410 ujoints everywhere, hydro steer, fully caged...

Good times.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

did you ever have hair?

OOooooo double box
whyd ya get rid of that beast?

 

[Eagle]

I ditched it when I was getting ready to move out of streamwood. Couldn't see moving it to a new neighborhood... didn't need anything else to propagate the white trash stigma if you know what I mean. (so instead I built the TA mullet mobile once I moved in)

It was a sick truck. it'd pull the wheels in double low, 2 or 4 wheel it didnt care It might only have moved 2 feet while doing so... but still.

 

[Chester Copperpot]

That's sick dude...

The "Jeep thing" exists because Jeeps are some of the best vehicles ever fucking made, period. Except ones with the 5.2 Chrysler boat anchor. That thing is fucking worthless. The AMC 4.0 however, the only 3 engines I can think that are just as reliable/bulletproof are the Ford 300, GM 350, and GM 3800. My 99 XJ has 268,000 miles and that thing cranks over no problem every morning. It cranked over no problem sitting in my parents driveway when I was living there during the winter in the freezing cold we had. It also started up on the very first crank when that huge blizzard rolled through and snow got in the engine bay, before I went out and pulled Suburbans and Expeditions out of ditches with this midsize SUV.

I change the oil every 4000-6000 miles with M1 synth 5w-30 and it loves it. Burns a little bit of oil because obviously with 268k miles, some of the seals are going and only when the engine is cold. One day when I can, I'm going to completely tear that motor apart and replace every seal and make sure the head/manifold and bottom end are all good. I have no doubt in my mind that thing is going to surpass 300,000 miles. I just need to get some bastard packs from an S10/Blazer and replace the front shocks and springs. Or save up and get me a 4" lift so I can put some nicer, meatier tires under it.

If you think Exploders are nicer and more capable than Jeeps, you're delusional. Blazers are definitely nicer but not anywhere near as capable.

 

[Stink Star]

i agree with the 4.0 being as reliable as the ford 300 I6 and the 350 chev, but reliability doesnt mean shit since the total package is trash. i mean ecotecs are a great engine but cobalts are rolling trash piles... are jeeps good offroad? of course but 98% of them are driven by soccer moms that have never even touched grass let alone gone all offroad. also most people that buy them are ignorant to 4wd vehicles and never maintain them properly so most go down the road like a dump truck (this goes for any 4wd suv honestly)

 

[GraFFix]

lol...I own a 97 cherokee with the 4.0 in it and pretty much all of the things you said are true. Its not the most refined vehicle...maybe a little slow, have a bouncy ride, doesnt handle the best, interior is bland and has no bells and whistles. the truck in itself is as basic and simple as can be. but you know what, I love the truck.

I drive the jeep pretty hard, and run over shit when i get a chance. I bought it 2.5 years ago with 75k on it and it has about 105k on it now. Ive had close to 2000lbs inside the truck a few times and it pulls it no problem...might of been sagging a bit in the back but it did the job fine. only issues Ive had was the AC compressor bearing going out. 175 bucks in parts and 2 hours of my time it was back on the road. this is the easiest vehicle ive ever worked on. change the oil and keep up on the maintenance and it will last me for another 10 years if i wanted.

I dont know what else to say, I guess its just a Jeep thing....

 

[Tuner World]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciaSFORCr9A

The v8 jeeps are POS IMO. Transmission issues, gas mileage sucks, and aren't really that powerful. The i6 are nice though. I have a buncha jeep friends and they love em. We took my cousins jeep to our farm and it handles the mud after a thunderstorm real nice.

 

[ktraver97ss]

I only like my TJ because I can take the doors off and air condition my balls.

Really though, the 4.0 is pretty reliable being that it is basically a tractor motor that hasnt changed much in years. Everything on it is simple, change the fluids, brakes, etc and it just keeps on running. Mine is the wifes DD for now, but once its paid off and I get her into something nicer its going under the knife. 4" LT lift, 35s, fenders, bumpers, winch, body armor, exo-cage, lockers, etc.

Ya know the feeling you get after racing a sports car, that intense rush of adrenaline? You get that same feeling trying to climb a steep muddy hill in a Jeep, flinging rooster tails of mud 30' behind you while praying the front end doesnt start walking sideways.

 

[Dasfinc]

funny, because i've hated every explorer ive driven. the 4.0 is noisey and powerless, the transmission shifts like horse-shit, the interior is a joke, and the suspention/ride quality is terrible.
this is excluding the 2011 explorers, because those are pretty nice.
my 2000 GC has dualzone climate control, heated leather seats, in dash navigation, 10 disc CD changer, and a very smooth ride (even with my lift and tires). find an explorer with those features

it's not hard to understand why people buy them. jeeps are nice when they're properly taken care of. the ones you drove werent.

I'm sure it goes both ways to an extent *Jeep and ford changes through the years*

The 4.0 after like 98 got the 5R55E wish has been smooth as silk in my 00 ranger, but I will agree that the OHV 4.0 does not have as much grunt down low as the 4.0 jeep motors. The interior got a big revision for the ford in 95, and admittidily fords as mentioned in another thread, like to eat their own front ends.

I think your newer model GC is WORLDS better than my explorer (97), but I'm thinking more along the lines of the mid model Cherokee's and GC's previous to your generations.

"alleged offroad capability"

you know what i dont get. how one can buy a ford ranger, then feel compelled to buy a second. then go on bashing jeeps calling them junk
truly mind blowing.

I bought the first one because it was $800 and a 4 cylinder 3 years ago for a DD, the second one fell into my lap

but seriously, when you have a truck that goes through a fairly serious transformation over the course of 3 years, you learn quite a bit about them, and it becomes preferred. now I know the ranger/explorer platform inside and out so I'm comfortable working on them. I am in no-way saying they are bestest or fastest

I'm REALLY thinking specially about Cherokee's and pre 99 GC's as 95TbirdLX pointed out.

I said "alleged" because I've never been in any 'real world' off-roading situation with any of the trucks I've ever driven, so I have no comparison. Do Cherokee's have solid front ends from the factory? if so, it would be agreeable that the should be better of road but I said what I said because again, I have no experiences with any.