1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo from Ecuador
Summary:
Nasty
Faults:
I used to be very happy with my SAAB, but here in Ecuador, there are no SAAB dealers. A Jeep also fits better to local road conditions.
General Comments:
My Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 1998 ZJ 4x4, was assembled in Venezuela in 1998 according to its documents. Anyway, there is a sticker on valve cover saying "273", which is an old LA engine. My original owners manual says 5.2 liters V8.
I couldn't find any info about Grand Cherokees assembled in Venezuela, even though they are the majority of Grand Cherokees here in Ecuador. It makes me mad, because I don't know exactly which block this is. I would like to consider it as a Mopar 318, as the owner's manual says to tune it a little.
The dimmer makes the indoor lights blink, fresh air doesn't come in, air conditioning is a constant issue.
Still, I love my Jeep.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 11th August, 2011
3rd Feb 2012, 11:17
I do also own a Grand Cherokee in Ecuador. She's a Limited V8, 5.2L with only 127000 km on her shoulders.
However since the time we got it, this is about 5 years ago, we had to keep on changing parts with the original ones, since here in Ecuador, people are used to get cheap fixings, compromising the normal development of the car as it gets older. Most of the parts, we could find them in the only shop that distributes Jeep parts; this is located in Quito. However some of them are not available here, and we've had to bring them down from America, which is not a big issue if you have money and patience to get them cleared through customs, that is it!
Now, finding a good Jeep garage is becoming a challenge. There only a few, and most of them, if not all, are used to replacing damaged parts with fixed old ones, and that is definitely breaking on my nerves, and breaking other parts in my car. Unprofessional mechanics, who tune up V8 fuel injected engines by screwing things they should let the actual computer do for them!
Now another deal, is when you purchase a Jeep, they make it look nice and neat, but its history would never be clear, and so in cases like yours, you will end up with a different engine than it's meant to have.
I hate the process, but I tell you something, on these road conditions and for general safety, I would rather drive an old Grand Cherokee than a brand new crappy Chevrolet in Ecuador.