Meet Our New Long-Termer, Sorta
No, this isn’t my new car. That’s still two weeks away, at least, as the wheels of the insurance machine grind exceedingly fine. It’s the next closest thing to my new car — my father’s new car. Insofar as he bought it at my direct suggestion, and insofar as no manufacturer has ever given us a long-term Cayenne or Mulsanne or all the other piggy vehicles cluttering up apartment garages everywhere from Automobile to Autoblog, we’ll take our long-termers where we can get them.
This is replacing a 2009 ML350 4Matic. The best thing you can say about the 2009 ML350 was that it was much, much better than the 1999 ML320. But the best thing you can say about the new Grand Cherokee is that it is, in many ways, the best product in its segment. This particular one is a relatively conservative choice: an RWD Limited Pentastar with just a few options. To Dad’s chagrin but my secret joy, it happens to have the Class IV towing package on it. It’s not quite the loaded SRT-8 I suggested, but the Limited probably represents the best value for money in the lineup and it has everything you could reasonably want in an SUV that will basically be used as an airport runabout.
The dealer was Hilton Head Chrysler Jeep, and the sales and finance people involved were Mike Greggo, Dustin Adams, and John Lyons. They made Dad a square deal on the Benz and the Cherokee, enough so that I expect his overall costs for the next 75,000 miles to be lower despite the additional expense of purchasing the new vehicle.
We’ll keep you apprised of the ownership experience as it progresses. While this purchase might not sound like a bold move to most TTACers, it is to my father; it’s the first domestic-brand vehicle he’s owned since he chopped in his Town Car on a 1987 Maxima SE stick-shift. Watch this space!
More by Jack Baruth
Comments
Join the conversation
I have had a 2014 Limited JGC 4x4 for a month and 2600 miles.......love love love it. Last car was a 2008 E350 (gave to 16 year old daughter) and prior to that a 2000 S500. After several years and a combined 200,000 miles in those two cars, I am 100% happy with the Jeep fit, finish, ride and overall luxury. I am in a snowy area and own acreage where I do need the 4x4 (used to keep a 2004 Ram 1500 truck around for such duty, traded it in on the Jeep). I agree the Limited is the best value of the JGC lineup....I have the optional sunroof and top of line UConnect 8 inch screen with Nav, but those are the only options. Many, many thousands less than Overland and not very much at all more than the Laredo. I had a hard time finding a Limited 4x4/gas V6/sunroof/nav, had to search 10 dealers online. Lots of 4x2's and Hemis out there, and lots of Laredos and Overlands/Summits. The diesels are easier to find than I thought but at $4,500 and higher price at the pump, it makes no economic sense unless you have other reasons to get one, which I did not. On Chrysler reliability we have had a '93, '94, '04, '11, '12, and now my '14 JGC in my extended family and all have been very troublefree...as was my '04 Ram 1500, not one problem or repair in 10 years.....unbelievable.
Pentastar. 'Nuff said. In all seriousness though, how does the Pentastar move the Grand Cherokee around? I have a '12 Wrangler Sport 2 door with the 5 speed auto.... originally I wanted the 6 speed manual but this one came into my dealership as a trade and I got a smoking deal on it, it even had more equipment then I was looking for (I was going to go for a totally base model brand new Wrangler- power nothing, steel rims, soft top....) this puts it at roughly 4000 ibs- certainly not a lightweight. Even so with the auto and heavy weight, it moves. Though I don't have exact times, it *feels* like a 6.5 to a low 7 second 0-60. Merging and passing isn't a problem. It's rated at 285 hp and 260 ft.ibs of torque. I'm quite happy with my Jeep and it makes up for the POS Chrysler Concorde my parents had in the early 00's. I'm curious to see what your take is on it's performance Jack when you feel well enough.