1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4.0L from North America

Summary:

Solid, reliable, and cheap!

Faults:

Number one gripe; Electric locks aren't working.

Typical suspension "clunk" under floor when hitting large ruts or potholes.

No other problems.

General Comments:

I have always been a Jeep fan. This will be my fourth Jeep, and my first Cherokee. I've had three Jeep pickups, all having the tried-and-true "Straight-Six" engine. The power and durability of the engines are superior and are built to last.

I know a lot about Jeeps, and I didn't think twice about the mileage this Cherokee had on it when I bought it (134k). It's not uncommon to find them with over 200,000. They're like Hondas, but can go anywhere. Simply keep up on oil changes and typical maintenance and they will outlast you!

Any 1987 or newer Cherokee with the "Straight-Six" engine are the best pick, since they have a "bullet proof" engine and have a better track record than the V-6's. Mine is a '98 and still looks, runs, and works like new, inside and out (has more than 135,000 on it). Plus, it has no problem "beating the pants off" other cars on the street.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th April, 2004

1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4.0 V6 from North America

Summary:

Garbage, this vehicle is a repair pig

Faults:

Inside rear view mirror fell off in the first 2 years. It fell off again in 2003.

Rear wiper assembly unscrewed itself and fell off. I repaired it.

Dash lights, speedometer, etc all failed. Dealer repaired it.

Broke again one month later, same repair had to be done again. Covered under warranty.

Passenger door developed an awful creak.

All items listed below happened just after the warranty expired:

Front rotors wore out at 30,000 km. I replaced them at my expense.

Front rotors were recalled by Chrysler and they replaced them again, free.

Air conditioner completely broke just after the warranty expired. Very expensive repair.

Heater dials broke in 2002. Very expensive repair due to heater coil being located under passenger side dash.

Replaced all gaskets, everything was leaking in 2003.

Gas gauge started working improperly in 2003. It showed the tank was empty just after I filled it up with gas!

Heater broke in the winter of 2003/04.

Radiator rusted out in 2004.

Rear brake seals had to be replaced due to leaks in 2004.

General Comments:

The Jeep Cherokee Sport is the worst vehicle I have ever purchased. It was a repair pig.

Do not be mislead by people who review this vehicle and state it is great and performs well. You will be misleading yourself into believing it is a reliable SUV. It is not! It is fun to drive, especially in snow! No doubt about it. It is also a nice looking vehicle. If you love to spend money on repairs, go for it. They come fast and regular.

This vehicle is made of poor parts that break on a reliable time table. I started carefully researching this series and discovered that the problems I had are typical of this series.

I have had this SUV from day one. Make sure you read reviews from original owners and not from people who have just purchased it. Trust me, this SUV is a repair pig.

I will never buy another Chrysler product again. First and last. I complained to Chrysler customer service and the response back was, "It is disappointing when an unexpected repair occurs".

On a good note, the front seats are comfortable. There is excellent cargo space. The back seats are not comfortable at all. Bench seating. In a rear end collision, the passengers in the back seats will all suffer whiplash. No head rests.

One last note, it eats a lot of gas!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 18th April, 2004

23rd Apr 2004, 14:01

Well my only question would be, didn't you just saay forget it and sell it before doing all these repairs? My jeep rules.

5th Jul 2004, 22:50

I agree with the other comment added. You must have just had a bad example of a Jeep. I've got a 1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2.5L Turbo Diesel with 240,000kms on the clock, and it has never had a thing wrong. It's reliable, efficient to run, looks and drives like new and is a pleasure to own.

If your Jeep was supposedly that bad, you should have sold it before you spent all that money. I love my Jeep. They really are great. Chrysler sure do know how to build a 4x4.