Hi group,
>
> I've been in the market for a new [to me] car. I've been starting to
> lean towards Jeeps because my father has had such AMAZING luck with
> his. He's got a 94 Cherokee that's pushing 200k, and it still runs
> like a champ (even though it rides like a beast). It's got the 4.0
> engine, and in the past 7 or 8 years that he's had it, I think he put
> less money into it than I've put into my (crappy) Korean car in the > past one year.
>
> So now today I had the pleasure of getting to drive his Jeep to work
> in this Nor'easter we got up here in New England, and having never
> driven in the snow with a 4WD truck, I gotta say, I don't think I can
> ever drive a 2WD car again. So I've been looking towards
> Jeeps..mostly Grand Cherokees and Wranglers, and I'm fairly certain so
> far that if I were to get a used Jeep I'd most definitely be getting
> one with the 6-cyl 4.0.
>
> But then I saw this most recent issue of Consumer Reports. Now I'm a
> bit disuaded, because it only goes back to 2000 but it certainly
> doesn't appear to like Jeeps all too much. Did Jeeps really drop THAT
> much in quality from 1994 to 2000? Or was my dad just INCREDIBELY
> lucky? Or is Consumer Reports just very, very wrong in that regard?
I don't think CR likes any SUV.
So really just looking to see if Jeeps have gotten to be as bad as
> Consumer Reports is making it seem, and if they have, to find out when
> Jeeps started going downhill.
>
> Thanks group,
xpost added for rec.autos.makers.jeep+willys (more traffic there)
First, make sure you understand the difference between full-time and part-time 4wd. Part-time is only for use on slippery surfaces (use it on pavement and the transfer case will grenade) Full-time (like my ZJ) is always in 4wd but has a limited slip in the transfer case. While they give you 4wd they will not fully lock the drivetrain. Some transfer cases offer both FT and PT modes.
Also rear and front diffs. Most common upgrade is a limited slip rear-diff. Only hard core off-roaders actually need front lockers. A locking rear can cause spinout when you corner on ice.
As for reliability: It really depends on what model and year. Some years and models had more problems than others. Take for example my 1993 ZJ. It's got
148,000 on the odometer (I don't commute far) but 16 years on the drivetrain etc. Brakes, tires, shocks, bushings, headlights, radiator, harmonic balancer, header, and some other minor work. The 4.0 I6 is as solid an engine as you can ask for.
Might check some of the boards and specialty sites like these folks.
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If you decide not to go with a Jeep but still want capable 4wd, I suggest Subaru. They are quite capable but being mostly car lack ground clearance.