OK, help me out here...

I do a lot of driving for my company.  I usually put about 20 - 30,000 miles on a car every year.  Right now I have a 2000 Chevy Impala which I have no complaints about.  

What I am looking for now is something that is 4WD and has towing capability.  I work in construction and having an Impala is not necessarily great when you have to haul tools, gear, etc. for a month on the road.  I don't want a P/U because that isn't what I need either.

I have seen a lot of Jeeps run for a LONG time and know that they are tough vehicles.  The Cherokee seems to be a basic SUV type vehicle with the strong 4.0L S6.  I've been in a few and liked them especially because of the power they seem to provide.  They are for the most part no frills (well, they do have all the normal options) but strong vehicles.

Maybe I'm looking at the wrong one, maybe another vehicle will fit my needs.  Anyone have any opinions?

Chevy S-10 Blazer.  My sister had to do a lot of construction-site driving, b/c she did soil analysis, and her '90 Ford Festiva wasn't too practical.  She bought a '96 Blazer.  She loved it. Got rid of it last year for a 2003 Pontiac Vibe.  

My parents bought a 2000 Blazer in 2003.  That would be the one generation to get (98-present).  

Loved it till the TrailBlazer we got in July.  

The Cherokee is good reliable transportation for a mid size SUV. Hwy mileage is reasonable - 22-25. I've had 2 and put over 250K miles on each one.

But if you're on the road a lot I would get a Grand Cherokee with the 6 cyl. Same reliability and capability but the ride is much smoother on the road.

As Jeep no longer makes the Cherokee you'd have to buy a used one. Dealers frequently get lease return vehicles that don't have a lot of mileage on them.

Now if only Jeep made the Cherokee with the GC suspension.

My '95 cherokee with about 120k miles is still going pretty strong, but it doesn't have a lot of towing capacity, really.  It has trouble keeping a steady speed on steep hills without downshifting and coming close to redline.  I wouldn't want to think about towing a heavy load up those hills.  Put a 4.7 stroker moter in it, and then you're talking.  

XJ's are a pretty darn solid machine considering it's a unibody-based SUV.

We have a 96 Sport purchased new (not even 60K yet!) and the only troubles have been:

The rearview mirror broke off the windshield
The rear hatch struts blew out
and for some reason, the 5 speed just doesn't shift as smooth as I think it should.
(probably just my driving style, though...)
Lastly, I'd prefer do get the locking hub kit that frees up the front drivetrain in 2WD.

All said, we're very happy with it.

Now, if I could just convince the g/f that JeepSpeed is a good idea!

Jeep Cherokee Forum




Good site with information you might be looking for.  Picture is of one of members rides.

Quoted: Chevy S-10 Blazer.  My sister had to do a lot of construction-site driving, b/c she did soil analysis, and her '90 Ford Festiva wasn't too practical.  She bought a '96 Blazer.  She loved it. Got rid of it last year for a 2003 Pontiac Vibe.   My parents bought a 2000 Blazer in 2003.  That would be the one generation to get (98-present).   Loved it till the TrailBlazer we got in July.

Funny you should mention the Blazer.  We have one now which my wife drives.  Its our second one.  We liked the first one so much we bought a second one but its been more trouble than the first.  Things are going on it that went on the first one when it was much older or didn't break at all.  Luck of the draw I guess.  At this point we are both looking to move into something different after driving Blazers for about 10 years.

I think the Jeep is a much stabler platform both on and off road compared to the Blazer with less tendancy to roll on curves.  

Quoted: The Cherokee is good reliable transportation for a mid size SUV. Hwy mileage is reasonable - 22-25. I've had 2 and put over 250K miles on each one. But if you're on the road a lot I would get a Grand Cherokee with the 6 cyl. Same reliability and capability but the ride is much smoother on the road. As Jeep no longer makes the Cherokee you'd have to buy a used one. Dealers frequently get lease return vehicles that don't have a lot of mileage on them. Now if only Jeep made the Cherokee with the GC suspension.

I've never actually been in a Grand Cherokee so I can't judge road quality.  I'll have to take a quick trip in both to see what the difference is.  I know there is a price difference between the two like the Cherokee is basic, the Grand Cherokee is, well, as the name implies.  

I spent some time in Jeep Cherokees in the past and that is why I kind of focused my attention on them now.  I know I'll have to get used but from what I've seen getting a used one isn't that big of a deal based on the fairly decent reliability even with higher miles.  

Quoted: Jeep Cherokee Forum patricksnorton.com/cherokee/action/riverroad/Img_0442.jpg Good site with information you might be looking for.  Picture is of one of members rides.

Thanks for the site, a LOT of info there!

Quoted: Quoted: Jeep Cherokee Forum patricksnorton.com/cherokee/action/riverroad/Img_0442.jpg Good site with information you might be looking for.  Picture is of one of members rides. Thanks for the site, a LOT of info there!

Also check out www.naxja.org

Here is my $.02.

I had a XJ (cherokee)  that I had 120,000 miles on. It was super reliable.  The only engine worth getting is the inline 6 4.0L.  The only mechinical problem I had with it is the water pump went.  I spent alot of time driving on some very difficult trials.  It never failed to impress and get through more obstacles than people with what looked like more capable rigs.  They are well known for having 200,000+ miles on them with few problems.

My other comment: I have driven lots of different grand cherokees for company vehicles.  The older models 1998 and earlier are terrible.  Very unstable.  If you take a corner with a little speed there is a lot of body roll and you can feel it woulndn't take much to roll it over.  (I never had that feeling in my XJ)  The newer grand cherokees are more stable but still don't impress me.  Two of our 1999 grand cherokees have had lots of mechanical falures.  The rear axles are terrible and the transmissions are some of the worst shifting automatics I have ever driven.  I haven't driven any of the 2005 grand cherokees yet so I don't have any comments about their second redesign.

If you are thinking about a jeep get an XJ, regular cherokee.  

Quoted: Here is my $.02. I had a XJ (cherokee)  that I had 120,000 miles on. It was super reliable.  The only engine worth getting is the inline 6 4.0L.  The only mechinical problem I had with it is the water pump went.  I spent alot of time driving on some very difficult trials.  It never failed to impress and get through more obstacles than people with what looked like more capable rigs.  They are well known for having 200,000+ miles on them with few problems. My other comment: I have driven lots of different grand cherokees for company vehicles.  The older models 1998 and earlier are terrible.  Very unstable.  If you take a corner with a little speed there is a lot of body roll and you can feel it woulndn't take much to roll it over.  (I never had that feeling in my XJ)  The newer grand cherokees are more stable but still don't impress me.  Two of our 1999 grand cherokees have had lots of mechanical falures.  The rear axles are terrible and the transmissions are some of the worst shifting automatics I have ever driven.  I haven't driven any of the 2005 grand cherokees yet so I don't have any comments about their second redesign. If you are thinking about a jeep get an XJ, regular cherokee.

Strange that you talk about roll and transmissions of the Grand Cherokees.  I just happened to run into a co-worker a few minutes ago who sports one.  Its a 2002 model and he has a pretty strong dislike for it.

He said its like driving a brick with wheels.  He then tossed me the keys and let me take it for a spin.  Needless to say I wasn't impressed.  I thought my Chevy Blazer felt "loose" when cornering (not that fast, > 30 MPH) but this thing takes the cake.  I really couldn't get a good feel for the transmission because I only went around the block and didn't get moving that fast.

I think I'd rathre have the regular Cherokee.  I know the back seats don't have that much leg room but they are tough vehicles.  That's what I am looking for.

Towing wise I don't think it would be that much.  I have a little trailer for pulling lawnmowers, a quad, something like that.  I figure the Cherokee ought to handle that without a problem.  I'm not going to be pulling a boat or a big camper.

Two Words, CLEATUS....

BAD MILEAGE!!!

I have an 01 cherokee.  I love it, but it gets worse mileage than my 8 cylinder!

I bought an XJ with 60,000 on it.
It now has over 120,000 and I haven't put any money in it other than regular maintenance.
I've chased coyotes through fields, forded creeks and pulled 4 wheelers with it.
Best vehicle I ever had.

Quoted: Two Words, CLEATUS.... BAD MILEAGE!!! I have an 01 cherokee.  I love it, but it gets worse mileage than my 8 cylinder!

How bad is bad?  

My wife drives our Blazer in and around town, picking up the kids, shopping, etc.  It has one of those trip computers that tells you how many MPG you are getting instantly and on average.  When I was in it last night she had an average MPG of 14.7.  With a 17 gallon fuel tank that's 250 miles on one tank.  Not good in my opnion but that's how its working out.

Quoted: How bad is bad?

I think we calculated 17-18 mpg.  But I guess all that torque has to come from somewhere.

Hell I'll take that over my Blazer!  Yeah, and torque is a good thing especially if you plan on ever pulling a trailer.  

You guys are great, thanks for the info!