What's The Point Of Owning A 'Luxury' Car Anymore?
08-30-16, 07:46 PM
#166
Lexus Fanatic
Chrysler can throw all the leather they want inside of the Jeep GC, that still doesn't mean the interior is of overall higher quality than a comparably-priced RX. Personally I can't understand why people spend so much on these Grand Cherokees. There's something about the Jeep name that Americans love despite their mediocrity and poor reliability. Similar to the love affair with mediocre Tahoes, Yukons, and Escalades.
For $50K a Q5 3.0 with luxury package (leather dash and doors) floats my boat a lot better than either of those two.
For $50K a Q5 3.0 with luxury package (leather dash and doors) floats my boat a lot better than either of those two.
Now, that doesn't mean that everything Jeep makes is worthy of being on the front page. I have never been impressed with the Compass or Patriot, and, on my review last year, I found the then-new Renegade to be little more than a toy with questionable build-qualty. But the JGC is a pretty impressive vehicle, if you simply go look at it.
08-30-16, 07:50 PM
#167
Wow, I am looking for something more practical than my S5 and you guys have really made me want to check out the Grand Cherokee. They turn my head every time I see them on the road. No brand snobbery here.
08-30-16, 07:54 PM
#168
Lexus Fanatic
The only (possible) fly in the ointment with them is a worse-than-average reliability rating from Consumer Reports. Steve (SW15LS) owned a 2011, and said he had electrical issues with it....then replaced it with a 2014 that was reliable. Bitkahuna has one that is maybe a couple of years old, and that has (apparently) been reliable from the start.
08-30-16, 08:14 PM
#169
Lexus Fanatic
What you find from reading the forums is that the electrical issues were sorted through after 2011 and after the refresh in 2014 (mine was a very late build 2014). I know many people with them, there are 4 within eyesight of my driveway, all are happy.
08-30-16, 08:41 PM
#170
Lexus Fanatic
Still, IMO, probably the best source available for auto-reliability.
08-31-16, 05:10 AM
#172
Lexus Fanatic
One cannot expect a two-and-a half ton, truck-based SUV to have the road manners of a Miata.
08-31-16, 07:19 AM
#174
Lexus Fanatic
08-31-16, 08:45 AM
#175
Lexus Champion
If you get around to checking out the GC, let us know your thoughts. I didn't know much about them but saw a couple of well equipped GC's at the auto show and was impressed. Beautiful interiors.
08-31-16, 03:59 PM
#176
Lexus Fanatic
I'm not sure I agree with this writer, though, on today's JGC...IMO, it is quite opulent.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars...rand-cherokee/
Ever since the Jeep Grand Wagoneer died in 1991—after 29 years without a major redesign—Jeep hasn't truly had a top-of-the-line luxury SUV. Sure, the Grand Cherokee is great, and you can get it with all kinds of high-zoot luxury options, but true opulence hasn't been a part of the Jeep lineup for more than 20 years.
Luckily, that will all change around 2019 or so, when Jeep adds both a Wagoneer and a Grand Wagoneer to the top of its lineup, above the Grand Cherokee.
That's the word from Jeep brand chief Mike Manley, who told Automotive Newsthat the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will be built on the platform of the next-generation Grand Cherokee, but they'll be more than just trim lines.
"The Wagoneer name represents, historically, the pinnacle of premium for the Jeep world," Manley said. "But in the same way as you may have an Overland and a Summit, you have different trim levels. So you could imagine the use of Wagoneer to denote a really premium vehicle, and Grand Wagoneer takes it to the very next level. If you were to use that as your naming strategy, that's exactly how I would use the trims."
An addendum to the Automotive News article clarifies that the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will be separate vehicles, rather than option packages added to the Grand Cherokee.
If you're holding out for a return of the slab-sided woodie wagon, like the 1984 example shown above, maybe don't hold your breath. But as far as legendary nameplates we would love to see make a comeback, the Wagoneer name is at the top of the list. And maybe we'd spec it with wood wallpaper, just for fun.
08-31-16, 05:52 PM
#177
Lexus Champion
Well, I respect your opinion on it. Darth Vader looks, though, generally aren't my cup of tea......though the Mercury Marauder (remember that from 1999?) managed to do it fairly decently. It was somewhat underpowered, though (I test-drove one)....that 302 HP 4.6L V8 just didn't have the torque that the long, heavy Marauder needed to be a true muscle-car. The Grand National/GNX powerplants IMO, weren't all that impressive, either, even with some of them running over 300 ft-lbs, of torque. I'll admit, though, that that was partly because I had grown up, some 20 years earlier, with the REAL performance engines in the 1960s......including the 1969-70 Buick GS400, whose enormous 455 c.i. V8s, also used in Pontiac GTO Judge models and Olds 4-4-2's, were running some 500 ft-lbs. of torque. Though others exist, the only car that I've personally driven since then, that even comes close to that kind of power, is the Mercedes E63 AMG.
But they were crude compared to the evolution of V8's in the decades afterwards. One thing with the GN's, Trans Am's was the lighter more agile handling due to lower curb weights. A lot of those old cars would not corner or stop worth a dang.
08-31-16, 06:25 PM
#178
Lexus Fanatic
As far as handling went, all else equal, the torsion-front/leaf-rear Chrysler products had somewhat of an advantage over other designs. But, compared to today's vehicles, yes, even the MoPars back then handled like boats. Part of the problem was the primitive, recirculating-ball steering that almost everybody used back then, which was not only sluggish, but tended to develop free-play across the middle with age and wear.
08-31-16, 07:21 PM
#179
Lexus Fanatic
I'd love it if they brought back a 3 row Wagoneer. It's going to be a long time before I can buy a two row vehicle again.
08-31-16, 07:27 PM
#180
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Good point......that's because it sometimes takes Consumer Reports a year (or more) for its reliability data to catch up with actual customer experience. The questionnaires are sent out only once a year.......I get them myself.
Still, IMO, probably the best source available for auto-reliability.
Still, IMO, probably the best source available for auto-reliability.
yes, and '14 got the 8 speed auto and the new infotainment system, both of which initially had glitches. i got the '15 and they added active noise cancellation and acoustic glass on the summit trim. my 8 speed and infotainment system have been issue free. the only lame part i found was that the uconnect app for the phone is too slow to be useful (communicating with the car over sprint's cell network). my car has a 3G hotspot in it too which might be useful to some but i ain't paying for slow in car wifi. also, the sub is too loud for most for my mp3 playing in my view and non-adjustable (the 3 band tone equalizer isn't sufficient).
one thing that blows me away is the 22 buttons on the steering wheel
i can control almost everything without taking my hands off the wheel.apparently '17 is the last year for the current design. excited to see their next gen.