2004 JEEP CHEROKEE LIMITED CRD buyer advice.

[stevemcphee]

I'm looking for a winter hack after selling my E92 m3, i've got my eye one a 2004 JEEP CHEROKEE LIMITED CRD 2.5td. It's black with black leather and good spec. 104k miles with FSH. Has any one owned one of these or know of any issues with them. Ive not had much dealings with them or even driven one, any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance

[minimalist]

stevemcphee said:

I'm looking for a winter hack after selling my E92 m3, i've got my eye one a 2004 JEEP CHEROKEE LIMITED CRD 2.5td. It's black with black leather and good spec. 104k miles with FSH. Has any one owned one of these or know of any issues with them. Ive not had much dealings with them or even driven one, any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance

Welcome to PH Steve. Some good lurking there.

Sorry I have no advice but someone will be along shortly.

[Roo]

They don't have AWD and the injectors are a fortune.

[stevemcphee]

Is it not 4 wheel drive? selectable 2 or 4 with a high and low ratio box?

[stevemcphee]

minimalist said:

Welcome to PH Steve. Some good lurking there.

Sorry I have no advice but someone will be along shortly.

Thanks minimalist. Seems a busy forum with lots of advice available

[AnotherClarkey]

Check the aircon carefully - the compressors seize. Everything appears to be in order when you switch it on then it freezes up and ceases to work after a few minutes. Look for rust on the tailgate behind the spare wheel mount.

Seriously consider the 2.4 petrol instead of the diesel. It gets about the same economy (26mpg ish) and is far less agricultural. Slow though and it still has a DMF which failed on ours. Quite nice to trundle along in though.

[stevemcphee]

AnotherClarkey said:

Check the aircon carefully - the compressors seize. Everything appears to be in order when you switch it on then it freezes up and ceases to work after a few minutes. Look for rust on the tailgate behind the spare wheel mount.

Seriously consider the 2.4 petrol instead of the diesel. It gets about the same economy (26mpg ish) and is far less agricultural. Slow though and it still has a DMF which failed on ours. Quite nice to trundle along in though.

Thanks for that, i'm thinking about going for a look at one this week. i only mentioned the diesel as there is one for sale local to me. At what miles did your DMF fail? Sounds expensive, i take it you changed the clutch too whilst the box was off?

[minimalist]

stevemcphee said:

minimalist said:

Welcome to PH Steve. Some good lurking there.

Sorry I have no advice but someone will be along shortly.

Thanks minimalist. Seems a busy forum with lots of advice available

Indeed it is. Most people are friendly too.

Too many in-joke which aren't funny anymore though. You're probably quite adept at ignoring them already.

[300bhp/ton]

I'd say go drive one first. While more civilized in design than the predecessor it's still a proper 4x4 and will drive like one. For me this is a huge plus point, but for others it's not, as they want 4x4's to feel car like (I don't, I like, no need them to feel 4x4 like ).

I'm also not up on the transfer boxes on these, the earlier model had a different transfer box for different engine options. Some had a part time AWD option while others only had 2 and 4 wheel drive. This can make a difference to how deployable and usable the 4wd system can be.

Oh and you might want to research parts too, sadly Jeep UK are pretty useless and stupidly expensive. Source parts yourself and use indi's for any work.

[AnotherClarkey]

stevemcphee said:

Thanks for that, i'm thinking about going for a look at one this week. i only mentioned the diesel as there is one for sale local to me. At what miles did your DMF fail? Sounds expensive, i take it you changed the clutch too whilst the box was off?

We bought ours with about 80000 on the clock. The clutch and DMF had been done before we got it at about 72000 IIRC. The invoice in the file was for about £700. One other thing - the exhaust manifold cracked and had to be replaced (£300 ish). Despite all this we quite liked the old beast.

[stevemcphee]

300bhp/ton said:

I'd say go drive one first. While more civilized in design than the predecessor it's still a proper 4x4 and will drive like one. For me this is a huge plus point, but for others it's not, as they want 4x4's to feel car like (I don't, I like, no need them to feel 4x4 like ).

I'm also not up on the transfer boxes on these, the earlier model had a different transfer box for different engine options. Some had a part time AWD option while others only had 2 and 4 wheel drive. This can make a difference to how deployable and usable the 4wd system can be.

Oh and you might want to research parts too, sadly Jeep UK are pretty useless and stupidly expensive. Source parts yourself and use indi's for any work.

Thanks for that, the price of parts was concern but i thought this was only when they were first released in the UK?

The one i will be viewing is switchable 4wd, handy for my living in the sticks up in Scotland

[stevemcphee]

AnotherClarkey said:

We bought ours with about 80000 on the clock. The clutch and DMF had been done before we got it at about 72000 IIRC. The invoice in the file was for about £700. One other thing - the exhaust manifold cracked and had to be replaced (£300 ish). Despite all this we quite liked the old beast.

Definitely worth searching through the service file to see if its been done then. Sounds like it will have been done with it having 104k miles on it.

Thanks again.

[crofty1984]

I had a 1996 Cherokee. The engine was surprisingly thirsty and not that powerful. The 4WD was only to be used on really slippy stuff (as it was a proper lock-everything job).

To be honest though I'd have a 4.0 with LPG if I was looking for a winter hack.

[AnotherClarkey]

stevemcphee said:

Definitely worth searching through the service file to see if its been done then. Sounds like it will have been done with it having 104k miles on it.

Thanks again.

The accessory belt tensioner goes too - doesn't actually seem to cause any harm but can cause mighty squealing when on full lock. Honestly, I am not trying to put you off, ours was pretty refined and very comfy in marshmallowy kind of way. Had a nice unstoppable feel on rough tracks and in snow. Interesting and very robust body construction if you delve into some of the technical articles on the web. Check these few things out and don't pay too much money - people usually want to give the pertol ones away and I reckon they are a better bet than the diesel overall.

[Roo]

stevemcphee said:

Is it not 4 wheel drive? selectable 2 or 4 with a high and low ratio box?

The manual cars are 2WD with a selectable 4WD transfer case with low range option but no centre diff so can't be run as AWD.

300bhp/ton said:

Some had a part time AWD option while others only had 2 and 4 wheel drive.

Almost. The ones that have AWD (The 2.8 CRD auto or 3.7 V6 auto) have 2WD, 4WD full time (basically AWD) or 4WD part time. Part time being the operative words as it could only be used 'part of the time'. i.e. when there was no need for a centre diff as this locked the transfer case and could only be used on surfaces that allowed for wheel slip when cornering.

[rossb]

it doesn't really help - as we have a 2002 i think - cherokee 3.7 v6 auto as a winter/paddock vehicle - the fuel economy of 16 mpg makes the e90 m3 look frugal! But have put some tyres on with v.agressive off road tread pattern which means in part time 4wd - it does not get stuck in snow/muddy paddock and will tow just about anything. touch wood - not had any problems on ours - if it has part time 4wd - and you have some decent off road tyres - it is a useful workhorse when the going gets slippery - details on the transmissions here - http://www.jeep.com/en/4x4/faqs/ - it is also built like a brick outhouse and although very primitive is a dependable old beast

[sim16v]

I've got an earlier '98 4.0 Grand Cherokee on LPG and it has been great.

It does the equivalent of about 36-40mpg on gas, even when towing and has never got stuck!

I've had it for about 3 years and it has been reliable in that time.

Biggest expense so far is a new battery last month.

It needs the front suspension looking at now, but it is borderline bangernomics so it might just get left as it is!

[sawman]

I know its not exactly what you are looking at, but we have had a 2003 3.7l petrol cherokee for just over 3 years, It has been completely reliable to date, it will pretty much go anywhere in the winter with mud and snow tyres. Its pretty comfy. It is a bit thirsty but these days it doesn't do huge mileage.

The performance of the 3.7 is amusing, but I have never tried the diesel version. Generally the petrol versions are cheaper to buy than the diesels, so you could get the V6 and keep the change for extra petrol, or look at an lpg conversion

Edited by sawman on Tuesday 20th November 22:15

[jay140285]

The 2.8 is a better engine than the 2.5 TBH.

Have a look on some of the Jeep Forums.