1989 Jeep Cherokee Laredo 4.0 V6 from North America
Summary:
An awesome vehicle that I will never sell!
Faults:
Had a strange problem with the crank sensor the first year I bought it, which ended up frying a lot of the electrical.
The radiator runs hot, and I am currently driving without the thermostat until cooler weather.
Had to have the engine replaced: related to the crank sensor problem, though, so didn't get too bent out of shape.
The front windshield leaks water all the time, especially in the winter, and water has shorted out the radio. I keep forgetting to have it resealed until it rains when I drive it and my feet get soaked.
Had half the fuel injectors replaced at 195000 miles.
The drivers side window now gets stuck- there's something blocking the crank chain, I guess. Can still use it, just can't roll it down all the way.
The interior is in excellent shape... except the headliner which started caving in at about 230000 miles. Intend to fix it myself this autumn.
No cup holders, and the arm rest storage is hard to get into when driving.
Both side view mirrors can't be adjusted easily, and the passenger side on actually fell off a few months ago when I was washing it. (Just the actual mirror part, not the whole thing. Easily fixed.)
One quarter panel seems to have lost its' clearcoat, but I'm wondering if it was a repair paint job from the previous owner that wasn't as good as the rest. The rest of the car looks great, except where people keep opening their doors into mine. The dents are really hard to get out.
Go through brakes fairly quickly, but I think that might be the driver's fault...
One side of the roof rack has come loose, and is very difficult to get reset. The bolts now work themselves loose.
Both hydraulic arms went out within a month of purchase. Had the same problem with my other jeep, so I haven't fixed it. Just use a wooden rod to hold it up.
The metal rings around the keyholes are all meessed up, and you have to sort of fish it into place before inserting the key, otherwise you miss the locking cylinder thing.
General Comments:
Excellent head room and comfort for everyone... I'm 5'1" and my husband is 6'7", and we both fit in this vehicle comfortably, and with simple adjustments.
More room than I know what to do with, and hauls heavy loads very smoothly.
Even before replacing the engine with the same type of engine, this car has awesome power. I am generally able to leave my friends with their new, fancy cars in the dust.
The handles keep falling off the side adjustments on both front seats, and I keep losing them or they suddenly slide up under my foot while I am driving.
My other Jeep didn't have any heat to speak of, so this thing feels like it toasts me. Takes a while to warm up the whole cab, though.
Some of the replacement bulbs are getting hard to come by, and expensive.
I don't think I would ever like a new vehicle as much as I love this one! It has personality, I even named it "The Red Pig!" My other Jeep would still be sitting in the driveway right now, too, if the bottom hadn't rusted out due to the water getting trapped under the replacement interior.
It handles well, especially in any of the 4WD options, and seems to have a much lower center of gravity than you would think a vehicle of this size would. It handles corners and banked roads with ease, and doesn't sway when driven.
Maintenance and repair costs on this thing still don't run as much as a car payment would ever be, and parts are easy to find and usually easy to replace yourself.
I paid something like $2000 for this car, and have more than gotten that back. It's "bluebook" value is higher than that, but I doubt I will ever sell it.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th July, 2004
20th May 2010, 00:14
I wouldn't sell this vehicle either. For as many problems as you have had with it, I would be ashamed to even ask money for it. Maybe I would donate it to an auto shop for a project at a high school or something.