Faults:

My first car was a heavily used 1997 Ford Escort. That car never gave me any trouble whatsoever until the engine finally gave in.

That is when I bought a used GC with 94,000 miles, but a newly replaced engine. I have only had the car two years and I have had the crank sensor replaced, two bad tires, a window motor go out, electrical problems with the tail/brake lights, rotors replaced, and the oil pump pressure gauge dropping to zero for no apparent reason.

Makes me miss that ugly Ford Escort...

Faults:

I purchased a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee in January of 2006 to replace my 1991 JGC Laredo that was flooded due to hurricane Katrina. Clean Carfax and one owner. Loved the leather interior, working AC and heat.

My mechanic of over 25 years was back in business and my first trip was to purchase a set of tires. Well, tires, a brake job with rotors and an alignment.

The next repair was a thermostat. I had the oil changed every three months and tires rotated as well. My mechanic plugged numerous nail holes for free.

Replaced the rear tail and brake lights on the driver's side for $90. AC service $200.

The next big expense was a fuel line kit. Thanks to the extended used car warranty, the insurance picked up most of this over $600 bill. My mechanic moved to another city.

Right before last year's mandatory evacuation, the battery died - battery plus new terminals $140. My extended insurance expired in February 2009 and the fuel line kit went out again in March. Not a happy camper with this out of pocket expense.

Recently learned that the ABS sensor is going bad, and the engine light code is pointing to a switch in the transmission.

Will I drop $1000 for an ABS system or $4000 for a transmission? I don't think so. Did I mention that it is time to consider replacing brake pads again?

My old Jeep had power steering pump problems and no AC. I paid cash for it. It looks like I will be stuck with another card note, but I need reliable transportation.

General Comments:

This narrative finds me at a crossroad - the CARS program will probably lead to my replacing the Jeep with something else. I love the ride, but I cannot afford to have OEM parts failing this fast. The Jeep has less than 65,000 miles. I only travel to work, church and around town.

It handles great on these bad streets and can jump a curb. I don't need the stress of a broken vehicle and no reliable mechanic.

Faults:

Brake calipers locked up on the front end the first day I bought this rolling money pit.

I have replaced the power steering pump 4 times in the last 6 months.

The driver side and passenger side power window motors both went out within one week of each other.

The steering stabilizer was replaced 2 months ago.

The heater and A/C have been worked on multiple times. (6+)

Main computer completely replaced.

It is now in the shop yet again for the A/C and also the cruise control.

General Comments:

Overall I love this vehicle, but it has turned into a labor of love. It is one of the most comfortable vehicles I have ever owned, and drives and responds great to acceleration.

However, this vehicle is not for somebody with a light wallet. This machine was poorly assembled with sub-par parts. I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone who is not prepared to dump quite a bit of money into it.

The smartest thing I have done is buy the extended warranty, which has luckily covered almost everything. (I still have to pay the $200 deductible every time it hits the shop doors, but has also saved me a lot of money.)

This vehicle looks great and is nice to drive, but be warned, YOU WILL SPEND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY MAINTAINING THIS VEHICLE! I will not buy another Jeep due to this experience, but I will drive this one until it dies, which could be tomorrow for all I know.