Buying used WJ... What to keep in mind?
 

My girlfriend is looking to buy a used Grand Cherokee from about
2001-2003 and I wanted to ask, is there anything in particular that should
be questioned or avoided with these years? I've got a 95 YJ and could
help her with buying a Wrangler, but she wants something bigger. Any
suggestions on what to look or or to avoid?

Thanks

Re: Buying used WJ... What to keep in mind?
 

The only thing I can think of, is it may have a aluminum rear end
housing, that could easily be bent off road, or the use of a service
station floor jack, and lead to howling bearings. Carry a magnet.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Artur Jorge Duque wrote:
>
> My girlfriend is looking to buy a used Grand Cherokee from about
> 2001-2003 and I wanted to ask, is there anything in particular that should
> be questioned or avoided with these years? I've got a 95 YJ and could
> help her with buying a Wrangler, but she wants something bigger. Any
> suggestions on what to look or or to avoid?
>
> Thanks

Re: Buying used WJ... What to keep in mind?
 

The only thing I can think of, is it may have a aluminum rear end
housing, that could easily be bent off road, or the use of a service
station floor jack, and lead to howling bearings. Carry a magnet.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Artur Jorge Duque wrote:
>
> My girlfriend is looking to buy a used Grand Cherokee from about
> 2001-2003 and I wanted to ask, is there anything in particular that should
> be questioned or avoided with these years? I've got a 95 YJ and could
> help her with buying a Wrangler, but she wants something bigger. Any
> suggestions on what to look or or to avoid?
>
> Thanks

Re: Buying used WJ... What to keep in mind?
 

The only thing I can think of, is it may have a aluminum rear end
housing, that could easily be bent off road, or the use of a service
station floor jack, and lead to howling bearings. Carry a magnet.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Artur Jorge Duque wrote:
>
> My girlfriend is looking to buy a used Grand Cherokee from about
> 2001-2003 and I wanted to ask, is there anything in particular that should
> be questioned or avoided with these years? I've got a 95 YJ and could
> help her with buying a Wrangler, but she wants something bigger. Any
> suggestions on what to look or or to avoid?
>
> Thanks

Re: Buying used WJ... What to keep in mind?
 

The only thing I can think of, is it may have a aluminum rear end
housing, that could easily be bent off road, or the use of a service
station floor jack, and lead to howling bearings. Carry a magnet.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Artur Jorge Duque wrote:
>
> My girlfriend is looking to buy a used Grand Cherokee from about
> 2001-2003 and I wanted to ask, is there anything in particular that should
> be questioned or avoided with these years? I've got a 95 YJ and could
> help her with buying a Wrangler, but she wants something bigger. Any
> suggestions on what to look or or to avoid?
>
> Thanks

Re: Buying used WJ... What to keep in mind?
 

"Artur Jorge Duque" <ajduque@oitunix.oit.umass.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.55.0504081351160.4703@shell1.oit.u mass.edu...
> My girlfriend is looking to buy a used Grand Cherokee from about
> 2001-2003 and I wanted to ask, is there anything in particular that should
> be questioned or avoided with these years? I've got a 95 YJ and could
> help her with buying a Wrangler, but she wants something bigger. Any
> suggestions on what to look or or to avoid?
>
> Thanks

You might want to check this out:

http://www.cs.cornell.edu/Info/Peopl...Jeep/main.html


The site is old, but after owning an '01 WJ for 2 1/2 years I have to admit
he got most of the facts right. The site's been up for over five years, he
had an axe to grind with DC so take it all with a bit of skepticism.

Biggest issue IMHO is front rotor warpage, which DC fixed for me by
replacing both front calipers & rotors FOC under warranty. Unfortunately the
problem came back about 5k miles later. The real fix is to replace them with
NAPA solid cat iron rotors and be done with it. (DC uses a composite rotor
to save weight & cost and it simply doesn't work.)

Other little issues I had, wacky fuel gauge, always pulled a bit to the
right but never wore the tires badly, shift linkage came loose at the trans
& trans pan leaked. Wasn't a bad vehicle, however, and I loved using it
here in the Southwest for taking friends 4 wheeling, camping, etc. Shitty
tires for off roading, need to be replaced with a proper truck tire. The
4.7L engine was superb, powerful and economical. My neighbor has one nearly
identical to my old one (I replaced it with an F350 Power Stroke for towing)
and has nearly 100k with no major issues other than brakes.

Re: Buying used WJ... What to keep in mind?
 

"Artur Jorge Duque" <ajduque@oitunix.oit.umass.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.55.0504081351160.4703@shell1.oit.u mass.edu...
> My girlfriend is looking to buy a used Grand Cherokee from about
> 2001-2003 and I wanted to ask, is there anything in particular that should
> be questioned or avoided with these years? I've got a 95 YJ and could
> help her with buying a Wrangler, but she wants something bigger. Any
> suggestions on what to look or or to avoid?
>
> Thanks

You might want to check this out:

http://www.cs.cornell.edu/Info/Peopl...Jeep/main.html


The site is old, but after owning an '01 WJ for 2 1/2 years I have to admit
he got most of the facts right. The site's been up for over five years, he
had an axe to grind with DC so take it all with a bit of skepticism.

Biggest issue IMHO is front rotor warpage, which DC fixed for me by
replacing both front calipers & rotors FOC under warranty. Unfortunately the
problem came back about 5k miles later. The real fix is to replace them with
NAPA solid cat iron rotors and be done with it. (DC uses a composite rotor
to save weight & cost and it simply doesn't work.)

Other little issues I had, wacky fuel gauge, always pulled a bit to the
right but never wore the tires badly, shift linkage came loose at the trans
& trans pan leaked. Wasn't a bad vehicle, however, and I loved using it
here in the Southwest for taking friends 4 wheeling, camping, etc. Shitty
tires for off roading, need to be replaced with a proper truck tire. The
4.7L engine was superb, powerful and economical. My neighbor has one nearly
identical to my old one (I replaced it with an F350 Power Stroke for towing)
and has nearly 100k with no major issues other than brakes.

Re: Buying used WJ... What to keep in mind?
 

"Artur Jorge Duque" <ajduque@oitunix.oit.umass.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.55.0504081351160.4703@shell1.oit.u mass.edu...
> My girlfriend is looking to buy a used Grand Cherokee from about
> 2001-2003 and I wanted to ask, is there anything in particular that should
> be questioned or avoided with these years? I've got a 95 YJ and could
> help her with buying a Wrangler, but she wants something bigger. Any
> suggestions on what to look or or to avoid?
>
> Thanks

You might want to check this out:

http://www.cs.cornell.edu/Info/Peopl...Jeep/main.html


The site is old, but after owning an '01 WJ for 2 1/2 years I have to admit
he got most of the facts right. The site's been up for over five years, he
had an axe to grind with DC so take it all with a bit of skepticism.

Biggest issue IMHO is front rotor warpage, which DC fixed for me by
replacing both front calipers & rotors FOC under warranty. Unfortunately the
problem came back about 5k miles later. The real fix is to replace them with
NAPA solid cat iron rotors and be done with it. (DC uses a composite rotor
to save weight & cost and it simply doesn't work.)

Other little issues I had, wacky fuel gauge, always pulled a bit to the
right but never wore the tires badly, shift linkage came loose at the trans
& trans pan leaked. Wasn't a bad vehicle, however, and I loved using it
here in the Southwest for taking friends 4 wheeling, camping, etc. Shitty
tires for off roading, need to be replaced with a proper truck tire. The
4.7L engine was superb, powerful and economical. My neighbor has one nearly
identical to my old one (I replaced it with an F350 Power Stroke for towing)
and has nearly 100k with no major issues other than brakes.

Re: Buying used WJ... What to keep in mind?
 

"Artur Jorge Duque" <ajduque@oitunix.oit.umass.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.55.0504081351160.4703@shell1.oit.u mass.edu...
> My girlfriend is looking to buy a used Grand Cherokee from about
> 2001-2003 and I wanted to ask, is there anything in particular that should
> be questioned or avoided with these years? I've got a 95 YJ and could
> help her with buying a Wrangler, but she wants something bigger. Any
> suggestions on what to look or or to avoid?
>
> Thanks

You might want to check this out:

http://www.cs.cornell.edu/Info/Peopl...Jeep/main.html


The site is old, but after owning an '01 WJ for 2 1/2 years I have to admit
he got most of the facts right. The site's been up for over five years, he
had an axe to grind with DC so take it all with a bit of skepticism.

Biggest issue IMHO is front rotor warpage, which DC fixed for me by
replacing both front calipers & rotors FOC under warranty. Unfortunately the
problem came back about 5k miles later. The real fix is to replace them with
NAPA solid cat iron rotors and be done with it. (DC uses a composite rotor
to save weight & cost and it simply doesn't work.)

Other little issues I had, wacky fuel gauge, always pulled a bit to the
right but never wore the tires badly, shift linkage came loose at the trans
& trans pan leaked. Wasn't a bad vehicle, however, and I loved using it
here in the Southwest for taking friends 4 wheeling, camping, etc. Shitty
tires for off roading, need to be replaced with a proper truck tire. The
4.7L engine was superb, powerful and economical. My neighbor has one nearly
identical to my old one (I replaced it with an F350 Power Stroke for towing)
and has nearly 100k with no major issues other than brakes.