Looking to replace my buyback TDi wagon. I have over a year, but can , and may move much sooner.
Wife and I drove both the Grand Cherokee, and the Cherokee today. I wanted to like the GC. But it was like a bus. Its just.....so....... big. I dont like SUVs that big.
I liked the way the Trailhawk drove, but the test drive was only a couple miles and on straight smooth road. Not a hard test. I have some reservations. The last chrysler product I had was hot garbage (2001 Dakota 5.9). So I dont trust Chrysler much, but I do like the smaller Cherokee, but only the TH.
I want a daily driver (Fuel econ will suck in any 4x4, I'll just have to get over it) That I can take on our soft sand beaches (eastern va and obx) and where ever I please in the mountains on weekends. This vehicle will get serious miles laid to it, probably 25K a year. I have a 25 mile ride to work.
Im reading the tranny problems are mostly worked out? I will only accept a v6 model.
I worry about heavy depreciation, but the trailhawk seems to hold value a bit better?
Also Im reading the 2018 is a re-design. Ive read issues with the headlights being poor on the current model, and the 2018 will get a facelift with single (normal) headights.
I have to admit there seems to be a lot of hate on the cherokee KL from (paid / not paid) reviews and opinions both. Not sure why really. I havent much time in one, but it seemed pretty good today.
The transmission issues are fixed. Most agree the fix was implemented midway through 2015 model year, but 2016+ will give more peace of mind.
2017 Trailhawks got the HID headlights, so lighting is fine.
Refresh is now looking like 2019 with 2018 being a short model year.
I have loved the Grand Cherokee for years and tried one while looking for a KL TH only to be surprised at how uncomfortable the size made me feel. Maybe an extended period of time with it would make me feel better. If you could rent a GC for several days, I'd suggest that to see if the size would grow on you.
Many of us here got the Max Care Lifetime warranty due to all the various failure points, but with today's cars they all have so many potential issues. You can search for more details here when the time comes. You can pay a lot less from a few online places (merely dealers that sell over the internet for less markup than most local dealers). It makes the added coverage a much easier decision.
I am not sure the TH is more immune to depreciation. If you typically keep vehicles long term, don't worry too much about it. If you are a frequent trader, it could be a factor, or you could consider lease options.
@Borsig, I was in the same boat 2 years ago. Tons of negativity with little positive offset. It came down to numbers for me. Did the numbers justify my lust for the TH. Number of vehicles sold vs number of issues reported. You will always hear more negative than positive, it's the way of the world, has been for centuries. It's why the news media exists.
You answered your own questions in your post. It is all about what you want to do with your vehicle. Are there alternatives, are they lower cost, better quality, etc.
I've had my TH since 10-31-15. The build completion was 01-15-15. Zero issues, sans a failed CV joint, which was repaired under warranty.
The Cherokee KL is heavy into electronic technology, as are most newer vehicles. You have to decide if those bells and whistles are something you need or want, then accept the risk of more opportunities for failure (and pleasure).
Like you, was a concern, especially coming from a 2012 Ford Escort which was plague with tranny issues.
My only issues with the Cherokee are the headlights. Out on a lonely desert road they pretty much SUCK as they were jaundice and weak. Since then they have been replaced but the cut off on the upper end blows as well. Hopefully in the next gen this is fixed but does nothing for those of us already in the pickle jar.
Aside from the lights the car is good on the pavement and for fire roading. Anything more than a fire road we take our wrangler. Even while fire roading, and you will experience this doing the beach thing, you will discover that the IFS and IRS do not allow much articulation and you will hyper extend the suspension and stuff the wheels into the wheel well. If this is not to your liking then I would suggest taking a Wrangler for a test drive. V6 wrangler gets close to the same gas mileage as the v6 cherokee. Only issue with the wrangler is when the mod bug bites and it WILL bite... The JKU (Unlimited 4 door) will also hold more for your mountain excursions.
Its hard to get past the negativity. I'll admit that. The tranny seems to be solved, but the sample size is only a couple years and few if any vehicles in the 100K plus range.
Im reading the mid refresh is 2018. Not sure what to believe. There are rumors of a 2.0L turbo, ala the ecoboost ford thing that may improve economy? But the thing weighs 4300 pounds. Not sure any 4 cyl is a wise choice, and turbos are just another bloody thing to break.
Lighting is / was a concern, but when you look at the IIHS report it suppsoedly does better than my wagon. I think my wagon is good once I added the super high power LED driving / fog lights. Im usually good at solving lighting problems ( I live rural, and deer are the devil)
I need more time in one behind the wheel to decide if I truly like it, and to see what 2018 holds. I'd probably wait until the 2018 MY is released, or more info is available maybe even on a mid 2018 refresh. Im still not sold on the front end. Id prefer a single headlight.
But I'd never pay full ask for one, not after seeing the nearly 10K some places are giving off on them. Thats the tempting part. If they do fet a refresh and I like the look better, Id have to wait until incentives are available.
Owner of a model year 2015 here. I have had a grand total of zero issues with the transmission. While its generally agreed the issues have been fixed, even back then it seemed to be a hit and miss proposition as I never have experienced them. I am at 45,000 miles, many of them hard off road miles, have 9 Badges of Honor and I have never experienced a single issue.
The Cherokee has been solid thru and thru. The headlight complaints are just that. Complaints. People have various preferences and tolerance levels. To me, I have not "seen" pun intended, any issues with illumination from the headlights. They work for me.
Finally, I have the Trailhawk model and its been very solid off-road. It takes you were you want to go.
I own a 2016 TH, with just over 80000KM (49700M) on it now. Still on first set of brakes, (soon to be replaced), no issues with the transmission, and I upgraded the lighting with an aftermarket HID kit. The TH has reliably taken me anywhere I want to go, and with some upcoming mods, anywhere I think I might want to go.
At various runs Wrangler owners are impressed with the capability of even the stock TH.
First, welcome to the forum. It's a good faith measure in your future purchase that you're approaching the community with your issues.
The problem is, you're reaching out to a very small subset of people who are enthusiasts about their Cherokees. Most of the users that have had major issues have either had them repaired under warranty, or they've left the forum since they're no longer owners.
If you want the Cherokee, then you should get the Cherokee.
If you're afraid of the negativity of the first two model years, then don't get the Cherokee.
Any vehicle purchase you make is going to be a gamble. Even the most "reliable" brands, have issues and problems. There are zero cars on the road that are perfect in every way, shape or form.
Personally, I have an August 2014 built 2015 Trailhawk. I love it, I abuse it off-road, and I've never enjoyed a vehicle as much as this one.
Im finding that dealers of Jeeps are..... not what Im used to when dealing with VW/ Audi and BMW. My god the games. Destination is 1325, until you point out that doesnt match the sticker, then they reduce it as a 'favor'. "No one includes destination in the price". Seriously? Ive never not had it included. 789.00 proscessing fees. Its..... abysmal. Then again, 10K off the Trailhawk L plus is significant. Then prying out of them if the 0% financing is good WITH that discount is like getting blood from a turnip.
I get the buyback notarized today, but have no date... yet. I want to see what the 2018s offer, but 10K off is a lot. Is that a common number for these vehciles? It seems the markup is way high and dealers are often giving huge incentives. Honestly, it needs to be in the 31K range to compete with what else we are looking at (like the cx5, or Alltrack / allroad which is, yes, a different animal)
I liked the truck but I need more time in it. Iwish they'd release the 2018 plans already so I could make a decision.
Most of us here bought the vehicle in part BECAUSE of the way it looks. If you don't like the current look then I'm not sure why you're even considering the vehicle.
FWIW my ‘17 TH L was $6000 off msrp sticker back in March. Destination was on the sticker (995) and interest was 3.9%. I did my research on the internet, already knew I thought it was fair price, somjust dealt with internet sales. Test drove it, told them I’d take it, then they found me another $500 off for veteran discount (so $6500 total). Was approx $32k after discounts. Have had zero issues, about 700 miles on it now and enjoy it every time I drive.
i would be happy to help if i can, i've helped a few members on here before. with the questions you've asked and the concerns you've posed, have you looked at leasing? you'd have the same ownership experience as someone who bought theirs retail, but you have an opportunity three years into your ownership experience that most other people wouldn't have: you're free and clear, and in a position to make a decision. you can either walk away from the car with no obligation, or you can buy it and own it forever. buy it retail and you don't have that option. there are extremely attractive lease offers on the Cherokee right now, it might be something to consider.
Thoughts on TH
1: the commute/street ride is great, however it struggles to get the mileage listed because of the ride height, drive ratio, etc. (I love it. Drives Great on the street. specially in sport mode.)
2: I have had 0 issues with anything. bought it used with low miles and haven't had a single problem. it does shift hard from 2nd to 3rd sometimes, but not noticeable by the average person.
3: Sand is no problem. I recently took a trip through 4' deep sugar sand and never had a single issue. didn't need 4x low or locker.
4: The stupid auto stop/start is annoying as anything I've ever had on a car. when you pull in to a parking space, it shuts off, then starts when you put it in park, then shuts off again when you get out. If you are waiting to pull out, make sure to roll a little to get it started again, before trying to pull out in front of someone. It can make for a dangerous situation when trying to make a quick U-turn, etc. because it shuts off and you need it to go immediately. I TURN IT OFF EVERY TIME I GET IN.
go for it. You will be happy. (ps the 2001 Dakota does not represent the quality of current Fiat/Chrysler products)
I wanted a TH when they first came out, back in 2014. I knew about the initial issues with the transmission. Chrysler attributed the problem to a programming error, and held all built Cherokees at the plant in Toledo until a fix was ready. Chrysler reprogrammed all the built Cherokees, and test drove each one before letting them loose on the public. At the time I thought that this was a good move on the part of Chrysler. No completely new model is free of defects. I don't care who makes them. I kept following the transmission issues, and decided to wait. I was curious in August, 2016 what kind of deal I could get; so, I built one on the Jeep site. I was really going to wait until the 2017s came out to actually purchase one but it doesn't hurt to shop! I submitted my build to my Dealer and within an hour I made an appointment to see the salesman. Chrysler pre-approved me for 0% financing. Sweet. When I went to my appointment, the first question that was thrown my way was if MT was a deal breaker. I said yes it was. Short story: 2017s were now being built and MT was dropped! But, my salesman was smart: he located two in MT; one with less, one with more than my build. Since I had to have MT or nothing, I bit on the one with more. 10 months, 5,300 miles later, I could not be happier. Only issue I had was an elusive squeak which took a couple of trys to locate: loose roof rail mount, driver's side rear. That being said, I love this Jeep. I get complimentary marks wherever I go. Awesome. The only test drive I had was in one with ADII. I don't even recall the model, but it had cloth seats. I am even happier with the items that I didn't want. This Jeep grows on me every day. I can't tell you what to do. I can only give you my thoughts on this. Ultimately, in the end, you will have to listen to your heart.
Has anyone ditched the spare onto a roof basket to create more cargo room under the rear floor? The negative is, that would block (some of) the pano roof, and would only be for trips where we needed said room, but its a thought. The cargo capacity is a negative for me too. I'd rather have the spare on the roof if I need a spot for gear.
Reading the allpar forum, there seem to be insiders there that say the rear is changing too. Its interesting, I dont know if those guys are full of BS, or are actually on the inside. I'll be resisting temptation until I at least SEE a refresh model.
The issue with the rear cargo area is the opening to the vehicle, not the actual capacity. Its a black hole for storage for boxes, bags and anything else that fits through the hatch, but you're not going to fit a medium sized chair in the opening.
Based on all of your posts, treating them as one, it seems like you like the idea of the Cherokee, but you don't like the Cherokee.
right and the documents Ive seen today, say 2018 is a short MY, and ends feb 18. Id bet they release info in late summer, or fall, with a summer release.
I think they un-hosted it. I have it grabbed on my machine at home - was a chart showing the base price, and premium price category changes to the front lighting, and someone mentioned it was not supposed to be out and was 'top secret'. The premium models will get turn signal, DRL and high low integrated lights with high mounted fogs / drivers where the turn signal is hosted on the new basic models. (About where the actual xenons are on the 17 - but they will be shaped like the new rectangular turn signals) Basic models the fogs stay in nearly the same place, lower.
It looked like 'premium' models will have Xenons, and basic models will have halogen with seperate high and low bulbs side by side. IDK if they are projectors.
Also it's been said that the kinked angle on the grille will go away, and that the rear is in fact changing with the plate moving to the center of the rear hatch with an inlaid area.
The changes to the front look great, and it looked as if they may have AFS mounted too. I'm pretty excited to see what the changes bring. I do worry about reliability in a new turbo 4 though, and would either grab a warranty or just get the six if he FE difference isn't that great. Android auto and the new generation radio unit is another big welcome change.
I really like these changes, a lot. Probably enough to move the refreshed model well into first place over anything else. Without the TH trim, I wouldn't be interested at all, however.
Significant changes in appearance would allow the platform to live another 4 years or so (Look much different to most folks) and does make sense.
Didn't read all five pages, but if it's still relevant to the OP and/or the present conversation...
I took delivery of my 2015 Trailhawk (April 2015 build date, V6) on 6/30/15, so almost exactly two years ago.
I just rolled over 81K miles today. Yes, that's over 40K per year. I laugh at the OP's suggestion that he "drives a lot" at 25K.
I bought the lifetime/unlimited maxcare warranty b/c 40K per year and the horror stories about the tiny, tiny percentage of bad trannys.
The only problems I've had in 2 yrs. / 81K miles have been a defective battery (caused by one bad cell), replaced as a "good will gesture" by FCA and a bad coil, which was replaced under the maxcare warranty. Otherwise, it's just been oil changes per the EVIC, air filters (always DIY to avoid the dealership markups!), and tire rotations w/ every oil change.
The only warranty I ever bought was on my TDI (read - HPFP detonation causing 6k in damage, and DPF woes) and it was around 1500.00
I plan on keeping this one (ONY if I buy the jeep) for a LONG time as an old 4x4 that works well is a great, great tool.
Im interested in this max care warranty. All the places Ive had that offer 'lifetime' warranties, you MUST use their dealer only for service, and have all the overpriced oil changes done there. A lifetime warranty on engines that allows DIY seems like an outlier to me.
ETA - looks like the 'chryslerfactoryplans' website quotes 3,000 for this plan, for a 4x4 cherokee. I can fix a lot of broken things for 3K. Is that the going rate?
Prices vary widely depending on who you purchase from (various dealers or direct from FCA). You'll want to give Clay Robbins @ Zeller Motors a call for a quote on the current rates, but the dealers have pretty much unlimited authority to adjust their prices. It can also be easier to roll it into your financing that way (assuming you're financing the purchase).
If we like this thing enough, with the refresh it will probably be a keeper, as a true 4x4 is never not useful if it just sits and is paid off.
This thing seems like it would really pay off around the 200K+ mark.
Is it combined, or a single trip thats more than KBB value where they just pay you out? Either way if you do keep it for 10+ years and 200-250K, I cant see it not paying for itsself. I can work on things just fine, but there comes a point where hassle and time is money. especially on newer cars.
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