Replacing Wrangler - Grand Cherokee or Wrangler?

- B
- Brad and Julie Vaughn
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Nov 24, 2003 6:58 PM

I have a 2002 Wrangler Sport with 45000 miles on it. Most of these miles were put on in the first year due to a work/home distance problem. I am thinking of taking advantage of the Interest deals Chrysler has now and replacing it to get back in line with mileage/age and with warranty. Money not being the issue(Up to about $35000) so No Overlands :-), I am trying to decide between another Wrangler and a Grand Cherokee. Here are my questions:

The greatest use 4wd gets for me is snow driving here and while on trips. Where I live in Missuori, I have to drive twisty roads for about 6 miles before I get to routes that are clean. I fear that getting a GC will make this more difficult due to lack of manual trans. I have always found the control of a stick helpful on these roads. Any thought on whether I might run into trouble with a GC in this situation?
I really like the inline six found in my wrangler and see that the same is available in the Laredo edition of the GC. Is it REALLY a pooch however since it is bigger and lacks the manual trans? I was going to mate it to the Sectrac so I could get a 2wd setting when I want it. Any gotchas with this TC?
I have liked the rather bulletproof nature of my Wrangler and a previously owned 89 Grand Wagoneer, and 77 J10. Has the GC been too civilized for soccer mom use and has lost some of this ruggedness/reliability?
The main reason I am thinking of swithing to a GC is that my wife wants to travel more on weekend trips and whatnot. Has anyone taken some long trips in these things and found them comfortable for it?

Thanks for your help.

- K
- Kevin Sperle
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Nov 24, 2003 8:36 PM

I have found the GC to drive wonderfully in the snow. My brother lived in Vail for 5 years and I drove his 99 a few times in some wicked storms and it handled awesome. My parents also have a Overland and they drive it in the CO mountains all the time. I drove it back to WI with them last year and it handled great on snow/ice. The full time 4 wheel drive and traction control more than makes up for any loss of control due to manual/auto tranny. Personally I have found them hard to fishtail, and I TRIED pretty hard a few times in my brothers.

Depends on where you're gonna wheel it. It handles great off road, but doesn't have the clearance to be a rock crawler (in stock form).

Drove to WI in the parents Overland and found it was a lot more comfortable then when I drove my old Celica or my 2000 Cherokee :-) Heated leather seats are nice, now if I just had a spare 38,000 for an Overland of my own!

- L
- Lon Stowell
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Nov 24, 2003 9:41 PM

Approximately 11/24/03 10:58, Brad and Julie Vaughn uttered for posterity:

I wouldn't think you'd get enough snow to make this an issue. I drive a GC in the Sierra's all the time and am very pleasantly surprised how nicely the thing [4x4-Hi] scoots around on the tight twisties covered with snow. Not even hardcore snow tires.

With the V-8's the GC scoots. With the I-6 it scoots good enough and has low end torque enough to suprise a ricemobile. Much better than the newer Explorer with the V6 or even a Mitsu Montero Sport with V-6. Lighter vehicle. With the trailer package and the 3.73 rear, you can cruise at 70 at roughly 2000 rpm. The i-6 does get a bit noisier than the V-8 as you go much above 2500 and by 3500 it has pretty much given all the torque it can give.

If you climb mountains much or expect to tow anything in upthehill downthehill territory the V8's are worth the few extra bucks.

It isn't a Wrangler, but much nicer than the Grand Wagoneer. Good enough for unmaintained logging roads, etc. Probably a lot better than that, pretty sure it has more guts than I care to explore since it is too heavy to push easily.

I drive one from the left coast over the sierras to nevada, utah, colorado, wyoming a lot. This is where the GC has it all over the Wrangler. Those are looonnnnnnggggg drives in a Wrangler compared to being nice cross country cruises in a GC.