2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4.0 from North America
Summary:
Good vehicle for the price I paid ($24,500)
Faults:
The first issue I had was at 10,000 M. The front rotors began to shudder and were "repaired" under warranty with an recall notice.
We move on to 18,000M when once again we feel the shudder. The dealer from whom we purchased the Jeep resurfaced the rotors, at no charge this time, even though we were out of the 12,000M limitation. A star for them. I believe the Service Manager felt sorry for us or guilty since they were previously replaced with a RECALL NOTICE with upgrades, a super-duper never have trouble again factory solution to the problem.
Since then I have replaced rotors at my expense 3 times, and had them turned free once for an average life of 15000M. I found a shop where they charge more for what they do (not dealer service prices mind you), but they stand behind what they do and are friendly and take of the customer's needs (me). I bought the last set of rotors in 2006.
The second problem I had was with the headlights. The plastic turn yellow from the heat over time. I waited 2 years to replace them only because of the price. The dealer price was $800 for the pair. I didn't fair much better at NAPA, ($120 less). So I come to the end of the search one day on Ebay and bought a new PAIR for $96 with $10 shipping.
The problem I have now is the drivers seat is broken as I have seen others describe in reviews. I am going to investigate the repair hoping it will be as easy as I've read in the reviews.
The cloth upholstery is lacking in endurance, but I can live with that.
General Comments:
My wife had always wanted a Jeep SUV. I bought this one for her since she and my daughter used it as the primary transportation. She is still happy overall, as am I.
The engine and transmission have been no trouble. I perform as much of the maintenance as I can in regularly scheduled intervals.
The ride is okay for an SUV (I am a truck person).
The performance is good for a heavy vehicle with a six cylinder, low end primarily. Cruising at interstate speeds 60-70mph suits the Jeep well, however the 40-55mph range especially on 2-lanes provides extra work on the transmission. With a set of Michelin tires, I have the best handling I've experienced since we owned it.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 4th April, 2009