The earlier Jeep Cherokees built a great reputation based on simpler technologies and a very simple and basic cast iron engine very similar to 1960s American Motors base engines. The later engines including the 2009 are not nearly as dependable but Jeep enjoys the profits as they ride out the fading reputation of older models and the uninformed used car buyer who doesn’t know from beans what’s under the hood of a vehicle can be very disappointed for their ignorance. By now the old reliable models are sinking into scrap yards, some with 400,000+ miles before giving up the ghost. Very few later models will ever hang on that long.