2014+ Jeep Cherokee Forums banner

Cherokee Media Day Postponed

6K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  Zhe Wiz 
#1 ·
#2 ·
Yea, Jeep is postponing/cancelling this media drive to continue making tweaks to the powertrain. Jeep says that this is not a big deal =, but Jalopnik counters that this is the first time it has heard of a company cancelling or postponing a media event because of the car itself. Making these tweaks just a few weeks out may be a cause for some alarm.

Do you think that this cancellation is just a minor bump in the road, or does it point to some more serious problems that Chrysler/Jeep is having with the new Cherokee?
 
#3 ·
While I am disappointed that this news means we will wait longer for our Cherokees, this news actually elevates my confidence in this vehicle. The engineers and managers are actually taking the time to correct problems and not launch a half-baked product, even if it means delaying the media. The old Cerberus Chrysler would have just launched it and left the early adopters with the problems.

Chrysler has shown us with the Dart, Grand Cherokee, and others that it can engineer a class-leading product. It looks like the engineers are taking their time with the Cherokee so that it will be similarly great.
 
#8 ·
Chrysler has shown us with the Dart, Grand Cherokee, and others that it can engineer a class-leading product. It looks like the engineers are taking their time with the Cherokee so that it will be similarly great.
Please dont rope the Dart in with great. CEO Marchionne is thoroughly displeased with the Dart. Civic is outselling Dart 5-1 and Cruze is outselling Dart 4-1.

So much for a class leading product, engineered so great that no one wants one.
 
#4 ·
Jeep seems to be taking its time with everything. Production of the current models of the Avenger, Wrangler and Grand Caravan are all being continued to 2015, 2018 and 2017 respectively. This is because the new models will not be ready to go for their previously announced launch dates.

A delay isn't the worst thing, but if the product comes out and it is not perfect, even with the delay, I will be greatly disappointed (and so will Chrysler.)
 
#5 ·
This is exactly what destroyed the launch of the Lincoln MKZ. Fords marketing program was ramping up around the Superbowl but issues were delaying the actual production of MKZs. After viewers had been exposed to the all new MKZ they flocked to dealers for test drives only to be informed we have none and we wont for a while.

Jeep seems to of caught the issue early on before a Ford like fiasco ensues but its definitely not a good move to give scathing auto journos an excuse to speculate why the Cherokee wont be appearing on time.
 
#11 ·
I'm getting worried. The 2014 Grand Cherokee still seems to have plenty of bugs being worked out, some rather serious if the posts on jeepgarage are any indication. A lot of the tech in the GC is also in the Cherokee. It's that tech that has drawn me from the Japanese brands (all I've owned are Toyotas and Subarus in the last 10+ years) to Jeep. I LOVE the tech in the new vehicles Chrysler is releasing. BUT, I'm scared that perhaps they're not up to the challenge, and the vehicles have TOO MUCH tech to be reliable. I SO WANT a Jeep, but I want to buy not lease this time, so reliability is important. I'm afraid I'm going to have to go back to my comfort zone - Subaru - even though they are very boring cars compared to the Jeeps.

The good news is I don't have to buy until late April when my current Subaru's lease expires. That gives Jeep a few months to get things going, but every delay makes that "debug" window smaller. They're going to lose a potential convert if they don't get their act together SOON.

Zhe Wiz
 
#13 ·
Yes, Subie is relatively boring compared to the Cherokee and GC.

If I thought the Cherokee and GC could make it to 100K without issue, I wouldn't be worried. My nephew just rebuilt the engine in his Forester after 250,000 miles. I've had 3 Subarus, none past 50,000 miles, but never had an issue with any of them, other than boredom. :)

I don't expect the type of reliability I have experienced with Subaru, Toyota, Honda and even Mitsubishi. Average is good enough for me, I'm just worried that there will be too many first year issues for it to even make it to "Average". I'll need a vehicle April 2014 so first year is unavoidable w/o extending my lease or finding a temporary car, which I may do if the Cherokee's reliability is the only issue and it turns out to be the one I want.

That diesel GC is awfully tempting though. Hopefully it will be released before April 2014 so I can try it out. :)

Zhe Wiz
 
#15 ·
This next vehicle I have plans to keep for 10 years, which will be about 100,000 miles for me. Otherwise, I wouldn't care about reliability.

Zhe Wiz
 
#17 ·
If you drive a vehicle responsibility and maintain it I don't see why a vehicle can't get 100k without much of a sweat.
The 100k rule goes way back when that was a rare event.
My 08 JK Unlimited is over 75k without a hiccup in the engine or powertrain.
I don't think its so much a question of if this or any other car can make it to 100K, I think it's more a question of how many times and for how long it'll be in the shop during those 100K miles.

It's a new model so I'm quite certain reliability will be below average. How far below and do I want to deal with it when I could have a perfectly reliable, boring Japanese car?

Not sure yet, but at this point I'm leaning toward the diesel Grand Cherokee. It'll have a few more months of bugs worked out, plus I think its a size I can live with for 10 years.

I still haven't test driven anything, so it's all subject to change.

Zhe Wiz
 
#19 ·
Of course, but that's not the point. I've come to realize that no matter how "free" the fix is, you are never reimbursed for your time and aggravation. A few problems is tolerable, but a vehicle that is in the shop once a month for one thing or another becomes tiresome real quick.

I just have to decide if I want to take that risk or not. Hopefully by April I'll have a pretty good idea of the Cherokee's issues and can decide my level of comfort with them.

Zhe Wiz
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top