Jeep Grand Cherokee...Love It or Hate it? Help!

by Larry
(Texas)

Okay...I know that I have ragged on the Jeep Grand Cherokee for a long time. And rightfully so depending upon how one looks at this top-of-the-line road beauty/beast.

Coming from a history of Jeep CJ and Wrangler ownership, among other 4x4 brands, the "Grand C" just never appealed to me. At best it was a nice family SUV...a bit pricey when new...but served a purpose (I suppose) for a segment of the population that liked this sort of option in a vehicle.

I never even thought of ever wanting one, much less owning one. My 1987 Comanche pickup and my 1995 Wrangler YJ were just about all I needed. Or, so I thought.

Let me digress a little. I have always loved exploring the great outdoors. The more secluded and rough...the better. Consequently, my Jeeps of choice have not let me down in that department. However, I live in the city; miles from any good country exploring. Even the dedicated off-road parks are quite a distance away.

So, my Jeeps end up as hard pavement daily drivers the majority of the time. Also, neither one is very comfortable for extended driving. Plus, most of the nearest off-road locations are relatively small in area and focus mostly on hard core rock crawling.

I am not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. I have put a lot of personal time and money into building and maintaining my Jeeps, past and present. I learned the hard way that tearing up my Jeeps on a pile of rocks did not make me very happy. No more!

I recently sold my Wrangler. Now, I am seriously considering a used pre-2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4. The GC is beginning to look more and more appealing for longer road trips, with the added ability to do some mild to moderate off-road exploring. My wife loved the Wrangler but never felt comfortable riding in it or driving it. So, the Wrangler is history...for now.

Here is where I could use your help.

If any of you folks out there in Jeep-Land read this, please comment below regarding your thoughts and/or experiences regarding the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Should I, or shouldn't I? Your ideas may push me over the edge whether to take a chance on loving or hating the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Thanks,

Larry H. Morton
www.4-the-love-of-jeeps.com