Cosd Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) What do you know guys? All being well I'll be buying my first 4x4 in May. I do 200 motorway miles a week traveling to work and back and another 50 miles maybe in addition to that here and there. I like my creature comforts hence something like this but also want to use it for shooting. To be fair my off road driving will consist of driving grass verges rather than hard core off road so to speak. For my budget of £5k-£6k'ish I'm looking at an 03-04 plate. What sort of mileage are these good for? Is there a number to steer clear from, 100k everything falls off for example.... So what can you tell me guys? Good, bad, reliability, ability etc etc Thanks in advance! Edited March 22, 2011 by Cosd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barn_Owl Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Not one I would recommend but there are always good and bad with every vehicle. Good: Merc engine is bomb proof. Merc gearbox is very good and smooth in the Merc saloon. Build quality is good (made in Austria). Off road it's superb. Plenty of toys. Bad: Gearbox is good for 6-7 years (60-70 thou miles) and then problems or total failure. Straight out of the Merc saloon but not designed for a 4x4 with the additional weight to shift etc, and poor gear ratios result in quite a poor ride. Should be ok on the motorway but very poor around town. Very poor / weak components and plenty of plastic. Front wheel bearings are known faults. Suspension problems but no specific item, numerous failures. Air con is another fault. Window seals. Rear seats for two people only, try sitting in the back !! Expensive to service but all 4x4's are expensive but the Jeep costs more than a Land Rover. Full service history is a must have. As are deep pockets. The newer 3.ltr Crd is very good with all of the previous models faults addressed but your budget is a few thou short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 I do not now a lot about the later grand cherokee's But I have had my X reg 4ltr for six years its done over 85 thou miles and I have not had one thing that has cost me more than £100 go wrong with it I love it and it is one of the best off road cars with proper A/T tyres on it you can get. Oh and it dose not spend more time in the garage being repaired like a Land Rover than on the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Reading reviews from owners on the net, they seem to be extremely good cars. Must admit, I am seriously considering one of these! I started to think along the "sensible" lines of Toyota Rav4, Kia, Suzuki and the like, for fuel cost reasons; But deep down I like bigger cars and the luxury, and these seem to tick all the boxes. Economy doesn't seem too terrible being that I drive on the motorway 80% of the time, so late 20's to the gallon is better than the Merc I drive and that is affordable........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Don't buy anything 02 or older. You won't be able to use it after Jan 1st where you live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SniperR10 Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Grand cherokee is a great vehicle, Will agree bit small if sitting in the rear seats,(Unless you compare it to my wifes Peugot convertable) But is Very relaible and very, Very comfortable. Mine is year 2000 petrol V8 with gas conversion and love it to bits. Very respectable both looks and comfort whilst being used as the family car then more than capable when needed off-road. Owned mine for coming up to a year and covered about 10,000miles with no problems apart from an central locking problem it had when i got it that was fixed under warranty. Don't buy anything 02 or older. You won't be able to use it after Jan 1st where you live. Why is this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 (edited) Grand cherokee is a great vehicle, Will agree bit small if sitting in the rear seats,(Unless you compare it to my wifes Peugot convertable) But is Very relaible and very, Very comfortable. Mine is year 2000 petrol V8 with gas conversion and love it to bits. Very respectable both looks and comfort whilst being used as the family car then more than capable when needed off-road. Owned mine for coming up to a year and covered about 10,000miles with no problems apart from an central locking problem it had when i got it that was fixed under warranty. Why is this? The latest round of the Low emissions zone bans all commercial vehicles, including diesel 4x4s older than 02 from inside the zone which roughly equates to inside the M25. To drive into the zone costs £200 per day. Non compliance results in a £2000 fine. If you google low emission zone it will give you the details. Big problem, lots of oowners not yet aware Edited March 25, 2011 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diceman Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 The latest round of the Low emissions zone bans all commercial vehicles, including diesel 4x4s older than 02 from inside the zone which roughly equates to inside the M25. To drive into the zone costs £200 per day. Non compliance results in a £2000 fine. If you google low emission zone it will give you the details. Big problem, lots of oowners not yet aware I'm not 100% on this, despite a lot of googling, but I think with rear seats and windows you are still an estate rather than a light utility and therefore exempt from the LEZ charges. Crazy thing is you can pootle round in a 6 litre petrol monster dodge and not pay a penny, but in a diesel Land Rover 90 pick up it costs you £200 a day or £2500 to get a filter fitted. All those tradesmen that work inside the M25 are going to have to buy new trucks and vans, who do you think is going to end up paying for them? Alternatively, buy a lion and keep it in the back. "Travelling Showmen" are definitely exempt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnome of the Woods Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/17700.aspx#tkt-tab-panel-2 Or put the reg in here to check Link Here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diceman Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 OK just checked an S reg Disco and G reg Land Cruiser, both exempt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 (edited) Cars are fine but people who have commercial variants or changed the V5 to commercial will be in trouble Light 4x4 utility vehicles classed as cars are not affected by the LEZ. Those classed as commercial vehicles are subject to the LEZ. This can be found on a VSC registration certificate under 'Body Type.' Vince you should change your name to "doom mongerer" will please a mate tho his batty mother in law has a Y campervan (actually its a Van with an assortment of stuff in the back!) and often rocks up at his house to "camp" on the drive! Not from 2012! as £200 a day buys a decent hotel room! Just checked the map he lives about 3 miles outside the LEZ he'll be gutted! As for the Jeep i know someone who just got an LPG 3.7 version seems happy with it so far is LPG an option? Honda CR-V has great reputation 02/03 petrols in budget? http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201112382922660/sort/priceasc/usedcars/price-to/6000/price-from/5000/model/cr-v/make/honda/postcode/ta36dx/page/13/radius/1500?logcode=p put some M+S tyres for off road performance or low resistance road tyres for comfort and economy Edited March 27, 2011 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Cars are fine but people who have commercial variants or changed the V5 to commercial will be in trouble Vince you should change your name to "doom mongerer" will please a mate tho his batty mother in law has a Y campervan (actually its a Van with an assortment of stuff in the back!) and often rocks up at his house to "camp" on the drive! Not from 2012! as £200 a day buys a decent hotel room! Just checked the map he lives about 3 miles outside the LEZ he'll be gutted! As for the Jeep i know someone who just got an LPG 3.7 version seems happy with it so far is LPG an option? Honda CR-V has great reputation 02/03 petrols in budget? http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201112382922660/sort/priceasc/usedcars/price-to/6000/price-from/5000/model/cr-v/make/honda/postcode/ta36dx/page/13/radius/1500?logcode=p put some M+S tyres for off road performance or low resistance road tyres for comfort and economy As I understand it petrol and LPG is fine its only diesel that is being hit. These militant greens on the London assembly have a big down on diesels. There was an article in the paper yesterday saying that one of the Boroughs, i think it was Kensington and Chelsea want to start charging more for residents parking permits if its a diesel car. its a free country? not any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty50 Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 (edited) Hi Last july i went to a british car auction at witney oxford for a car for my son but ended up buying a 1 owner 55plate 2006 jeep grand cherokee 3ltr crd with 78k on clock. it was 5 cars from end of line and hammer went down at 7.25k with ther charges i left with a gun metal grey Jeep for £7,600 its done 86k now. It had a fault on the hand break cable driver side cable kinked. this cost £18.77 and connection yoke £1 along with bonnet support £23 and one new tyre. Ave 24mpg 27mpg on a motorway run has a great turn of speed and have been shooting in the mud and snow did all that the farm landrovers did with road tyres on Great on steep climbs off road etc. Discos of this price range cost loads more i do like them but if i did get one my money would run out JEEP at this price is the way to go good look on finding one may change may time who knows :good: :good: :good: :good: :good: :good: Edited March 31, 2011 by rusty50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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