Apparently once again I have the car buying process backwards. I buy the car, then research it. In checking Edmunds, I find that the 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo is rated somewhat below average. More disturbing is that the consumer reviews seem to be about 95% negative, and they frequently have the same complaint about a serious malfunction that seems to occur around 30K or 40K, and the dealers don’t seem to be able to find the problem. The thing I don’t know is this a likely thing to occur, or does it happen in just a small number of the cars, i.e., I don’t know the denominator. And the stickered gas mileage of 17/21 from CarMax for the 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 6 cyl engine doesn’t seem to be based on anything I can find on the web. So, I have to decide whether to keep the Jeep, or bring it back to CarMax which has a 5-day, no questions asked (I’m sure), return policy.
Pros of keeping the Jeep: Comfy, nice to drive, 4WD, in pretty good shape (only 18,000 miles), I bought the six year extended warranty, more room than my Impala.
Cons: I’d have to sell my 2008 Impala, which I like. The Jeep doesn’t have XM radio or OnStar. The potential of something going wrong with the Jeep appears to be a lot higher than something going wrong with my Impala. I’d be getting probably about 7 miles less per gallon with the Jeep.
You are likely going to have more frequent and more expensive repairs with the Jeep compared to the Impala. The 4WD system has a lot more parts to maintain and repair if they break. The electrical systems on Jeeps are frequent problems. They get poor mpg fuel economy.
There must be reasons that you wanted to make the trade. Your after buying research is correct and if you can take it back, perhaps you should.
You have 20:20 hindsight. At the Consumer Reports web site the Grand Cherokee bounces between ‘worse than average’ and ‘much worse than average’ overall reliability through the years. Particular problem areas are driveline, engine, body integrity/hardware/squeeks/rattles. Up to you how much it’s worth spending to avoid potential problems.
I see a place for a Jeep Cherokee as an excellent off road/severe conditions vehicle for a lower price than many competitors new. If you keep the mileage down, it can give you good service as a second/third vehicle. Personally, in severe conditions, I want a MORE reliable vehicle and would not recommend one regardless of any extended warranty. What good does that warranty do for you when you brake down…does it keep you warm ? You quickly loose confidence in a vehicle you can’t trust.
My niece and husband swore by them and at them for years, as they bought 4 of them over time, going from one to another waiting for the bugs to be worked out. They finally gave up and now purchase anything but…
I brought the Jeep back to CarMax. Don’t believe the “No Questions Asked” return policy. They grilled me for 15 minutes on why I was bringing it back.
When you need a Jeep, rent a Jeep. Otherwise, drive a nice reliable, comfortable car that gets decent gas mileage. I would not describe a Jeep as “comfy and nice to drive”. Jeeps fall into that category of rent rather than buy (along with boats, planes and ____).
Twotone