2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Landrover, Range Rover, Jeep or whatever - off-road or not, this is the one.

Moderators: guru, SJG

User avatar
Richard Moss
Site Owner
Posts: 13630
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:48 pm
Location: Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
Contact:

2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by Richard Moss » Thu May 03, 2012 7:22 am

Allow me to introduce my new toy: a 2001 WJ Jeep Grand Cherokee Limted (4.7L V8).

Purchased yesterday at a very attractive price, it has leather interior, fake wood, CD player (knackered), rust around the sunroof and a wonderful engine note! Almost sounds like an 800 (except that would be real wood!).

210,000 km and goes like stink. Drives nicely and is smooth and reasonably refined. It has a 2" suspension lift, Bilstein shock, engine rebuild 20,000km ago and a fruity exhaust. Jobs to do include fix the sunroof rust, repair/replace the switch for the folding door mirrors, fix a few bumps and scrapes, replace the CD player and so on. Nothing major (I hope).

Image
Image
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

User avatar
Very Tall Brad
Rover Guru
Posts: 6606
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:27 pm
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by Very Tall Brad » Thu May 03, 2012 8:36 am

At last. Someone here has bought a proper 4x4. I do like these. Now my Fronteras have gone, I shall be looking for one of these Jeeps for next winter. Excellent!
No longer an 800 owner!

MG Mal
Rover Guru
Posts: 1916
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:31 am
Location: Wiltshire
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by MG Mal » Thu May 03, 2012 9:34 am

Very nice Richard (if you like Jeeps lol)

Brad Wrote:
At last. Someone here has bought a proper 4x4.
Excuse me? I take it I towed the Coupe' down to you on the back of a metro then? LOL :shock:

Theres a proper 4x4 on my drive, it's green, and it's not a gin palace of gadgets, and it's not something generaly used for the school run in Chelsea. :mrgreen:

Mal.

User avatar
Very Tall Brad
Rover Guru
Posts: 6606
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:27 pm
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by Very Tall Brad » Thu May 03, 2012 3:34 pm

Ooops! I meant a powerful and civilised mud plugger rather than a tank like yours or an underpowered namby pseudo off roader like my old 2.0 Frontera Sport. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
No longer an 800 owner!

MG Mal
Rover Guru
Posts: 1916
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:31 am
Location: Wiltshire
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by MG Mal » Thu May 03, 2012 5:01 pm

Tank? Tank!? :shock:

Mines not a tank! :D

Its just short of being an armoured personel carrier, but not a tank LOL :mrgreen:

User avatar
CHR15E
Site Admin
Posts: 13235
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:32 pm
Location: Notts. J28 M1
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by CHR15E » Thu May 03, 2012 6:55 pm

How does it compare to the old one Rich?
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
Relapse of 1 in 2021 Now Sold

User avatar
Richard Moss
Site Owner
Posts: 13630
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:48 pm
Location: Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
Contact:

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by Richard Moss » Thu May 03, 2012 8:32 pm

CHR15E wrote:How does it compare to the old one Rich?
Smoother, faster, much more refined, faster, louder, bigger, more thirsty, faster and louder! Then inside is much more upmarket, too - the extra 10+ years of development really shows. It feels softer too, but that may just be the fact that the old one has polybushes and very firm shocks.
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

User avatar
CHR15E
Site Admin
Posts: 13235
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:32 pm
Location: Notts. J28 M1
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by CHR15E » Fri May 04, 2012 5:43 am

Is the steering any better?
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
Relapse of 1 in 2021 Now Sold

User avatar
Richard Moss
Site Owner
Posts: 13630
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:48 pm
Location: Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
Contact:

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by Richard Moss » Fri May 04, 2012 5:50 am

It's a similar design but seems to be better - that said, I haven't ever tried a ZJ that was in 100% condition!
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

User avatar
CHR15E
Site Admin
Posts: 13235
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:32 pm
Location: Notts. J28 M1
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by CHR15E » Fri May 04, 2012 7:25 pm

It's the one issue I have with mine if I'm honest.

Especially when you've been driving a decent driving car for a bit. It's a shock to say the least. :lol:
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
Relapse of 1 in 2021 Now Sold

User avatar
Richard Moss
Site Owner
Posts: 13630
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:48 pm
Location: Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
Contact:

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by Richard Moss » Fri May 04, 2012 8:18 pm

It's very much designed for off road use first and onroad is a secondary consideration. It is rather vague, though!
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

User avatar
CHR15E
Site Admin
Posts: 13235
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:32 pm
Location: Notts. J28 M1
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by CHR15E » Sat May 05, 2012 5:21 am

Do you think on road was even secondary? :lol:

I like mine but after driving a car it shows up how bad a design it is. I live with it but don't like it.

Though I'm not sure what the alternative is for similar money? A rusty Disco no doubt. :lol:
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
Relapse of 1 in 2021 Now Sold

User avatar
Richard Moss
Site Owner
Posts: 13630
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:48 pm
Location: Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
Contact:

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by Richard Moss » Fri May 25, 2012 8:23 pm

I realise that I haven't updated this, perhaps because I'm still trying to evaluate it.

On road this WJ is leagues ahead of the other one (the ZJ) in terms of space, performance, refinement etc and makes a decent family car as long as you can stand the fuel costs (which I can). Off road, though, it's nowhere near as capable as the older one. It's heavier and too softly sprung and is currently sitting on narrower 245 tyres, all of which mean that it's harder work to drive on sand. Also the transmission is a bit of a pain - it is effectively 2wd until the rear wheels start to slip and then the fronts get power, too. This means that it's a bit on-off-on-off and not as predictable as the older one.

It does, though, have a lovely engine and more power than I could ever need - on or off road. The extra space compared to the ZJ is very useful and compared to the Luminaro it's positively palatial - and being a 5 door is much more practical than the 2 door Lumina. Using the WJ eliminates the moaning and groaning from the rest of the family!

To get it sorted it needs: new shocks, stiffer springs, new brake discs and pads, sunroof repair, new door mirrors plus a few other things. To be fair, though, it needs that stuff for on-road use, too.

So, the cunning plan is now:

Do the necessary jobs on the WJ to bring it up to scratch and use it as a (mostly) on-road vehicle, with occasional off-road use.
Do the last few remaining jobs on the ZJ and use that as the primary off-road vehicle with occasional on-road use.
Sell the Lumina because the kids moan too much about it being a 2 door. Shame really, as it's the best on-road vehicle of the lot.

Of course, this may all change next week :)
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

User avatar
Richard Moss
Site Owner
Posts: 13630
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:48 pm
Location: Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
Contact:

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by Richard Moss » Thu Jun 21, 2012 6:45 am

Well, plans have a habit of changing, don't they?

Since my last post I have replaced the front and rear discs/pads, half of the exhaust, front CV boots, engine mounts and a few other bits. I have TWICE replaced a wheel bearing which has been wrecked (it would appear) by a faulty CV joint and also discovered that almost every other rubber component underneath the car is knackered.

All at would not be so bad if I was getting any driving pleasure from it but it's on-road handling is so bad that, coupled with it being useless on sand, it just feels like an expensive waste of time.

So the new plan is; fix and flog. Fix it up well enough to flog it and buy something more suitable for on-road use. A people carrier (e.g. Chrysler Voyager) would fit the bill, be cheaper to run, more practical and hopefully more reliable. The red Jeep will stay an be treated to some TLC and maybe some more upgrades.
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

User avatar
Richard C
Site Admin
Posts: 4958
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:48 pm
Location: Gloucestershire
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: 2001 Grand Cherokee WJ V8

Post by Richard C » Thu Jun 21, 2012 8:19 am

Keep the chevy :D
Richard

@Rich_Clements

1989 827 Si Fastback, Manual, Pulsar Silver Metalic
2013 Vauxhall Astra 1.7CDTi EcoFlex, Macadamia

Post Reply
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests