tikka.223 Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 Right,after much pondering I've narrowed my search for a 4X4 down to a 1997 Grand Cherokee 4.0 litre petrol or a 1997 Frontera 2.0litre petrol. It will do very little miles as will be only used for shooting and for the winter(if its as bad as last year). Is one as capable off road as the other? Problems? If it was you who had the choice of these two what one would you go for and why? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ91 Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 frontera for me, because ideal for lamping (if it has removeable rear), i do alot of lamping, and they cheaper for me to insure! sorry i cant offer any mechanical advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikka.223 Posted August 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 frontera for me, because ideal for lamping (if it has removeable rear), i do alot of lamping, and they cheaper for me to insure! sorry i cant offer any mechanical advice! Thanks for the repl.yes its the 3 door with removeable rear roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilvy Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 Frontera's are cracking bits of kit plenty of standard protection underneath, Easy to do suspension/body lift on if needed whack a set of muds on and bobs ya uncle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 Funnily enough I had the same choice, and am very pleased I bought the Frontera. It's such a good budget shooting wagon. I've never lamped from a better vehicle. Parts are cheap and easily available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 My 2001 frontera is my daily driver as well as my lamping/ shooting vehicle. I have had it since 2006 and its not let me down, fitted with AT2's its surprisingly able off road. Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tis1979 Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 I've had both the trucks you mentioned and there's no competition Frontera all day long fantastic truck. Neither of them are great on fuel though. I went with the petrol 2l sport first and only swapped for a Lwb as the family is getting bigger, I had the Swb for five years all I did was put a new radiator and alternator on it started and stopped great all that time, used AT2 tyres on it and was never stuck. Good luck looking, (the Cherokee was bloody comfy though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 neither is probably the wrong answer but I'd still look for something diesel, in your situation a fourtrak or trooper would be high up the list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glensman Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 neither is probably the wrong answer but I'd still look for something diesel, in your situation a fourtrak or trooper would be high up the list +1 When I was buying I had the same requirements as listed. I narrowed to Fourtrak or Trooper 3.1 and chose the Fourtrak... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hornet 6 Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 They wouldn't be my first choice, but would probably go with the Jeep. For a dedicated shooting truck diesel is a non starter for me. Neil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 neither is probably the wrong answer but I'd still look for something diesel, in your situation a fourtrak or trooper would be high up the list I'll remind you of that the next time my SWB is transporting your **** round most of the SW Herts countryside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 and I'll remind you when the next bit drops off personally I can't wait till the MOT man condemns it and I convince you Devils pit would be a fitting final resting place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 I was turned off the idea of a Frontera as heard they go through transfer boxes and are then pretty much useless. Also a lot were used by horsey people so have had a hard life towing horse boxes. What bout a 3ltr petrol shogun we had one of the earliest ones with over 200,000 miles on the clock we drove it into the scrap yard still with 6 months mot on it as we were offered a diesel trooper for silly money from a friend and no one could beat the scrapmans offer for the shogun. Also I bet the MPG aint worse than a frontera and better than the cherokee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 Jeep Cherokees are great off road and late ones do not rust to much 2.5 diesels tend to blow cylinder head gaskets 4ltr are good the only problem is finding a British mechanic who can fix them if they do go wrong I would go with a Frontera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikka.223 Posted August 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 Thanks for the replies. Been and looked at a 97 Frontera today,12 months MOT and has two problems that I found.First is the rear diff is leaking all be it very little and the heater switch for the fan doesnt work but apart from that its rough enough Asking price was £750 maybe Im expecting to much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.I.A Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 100% Frontera, no questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 I have a swb series a frontera 2 litre petrol apache,its brilliant for lamping and driving around fields,fitted with grabber at2 i have never been stuck,so quiet i scared a woman walking her gog as she never heard me,roof comes off with 4 clips to make a safe standing area,a lot more comfortable than a defender back breaker. Not a lot of power,but then plenty for a shooting truck which is all its used for,fuel economy is poor especially if its in 4wd with 3 fat blokes in it lamping. Buy it Join 'muddyfronteras' do some mods and get insurance through frank pickles,my one was under £200,thats cheap shooting truck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbiter Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 just read that frank pickles isnt doing 4x4 insurance no longer,hes putting people onto adrian flux...just a heads up. DAZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 Thanks for the replies. Been and looked at a 97 Frontera today,12 months MOT and has two problems that I found.First is the rear diff is leaking all be it very little and the heater switch for the fan doesnt work but apart from that its rough enough Asking price was £750 maybe Im expecting to much. I would have thought that for £600 you could pick up a good one people are practically giving large 4x4s away as the cost of fuel is going up and up you should have no problem finding a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 (edited) Thanks for the replies. Been and looked at a 97 Frontera today,12 months MOT and has two problems that I found.First is the rear diff is leaking all be it very little and the heater switch for the fan doesnt work but apart from that its rough enough Asking price was £750 maybe Im expecting to much. Is it leaking from the diff plate or the pinion seal? The diff plate is a well known issue... Edited August 26, 2011 by garyb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikka.223 Posted August 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 Is it leaking from the diff plate or the pinion seal? The diff plate is a well known issue... Its from the diff plate,took the jeep for a test drive(5mins) and when I came back there was a strong smell of transmission fluid gad a look underneath and it was comming out of the plate.A repair had been made on it with instant gasket but it hadnt worked.There also was a shudder comming from the rear when moving off on the test drive,prop shaft needing attention?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 I can't comment on a Jeep but I can about the Frontera. I am in the process of selling my Frontera 2.0 Sport (I am just waiting for the buyer to collect and make the final payment). I have had it for 4 years and in that time I have never got it stuck once regardless of the weather or terrain and it has cost me very little to maintain and keep on the road. I was at an equestrain event the other month and there was a Disco stuck in the mud with a horse box on the back with a horse in it - My Fronty pulled it out without any problems! The Frontera 2.0 Sport is (In my opinion) the perfect 4X4 for shooting out of, especially if you are lamping and have someone to do the driving for you. By undoing the 4 clips from inside the motor the rear section of roof lifts straight off and all you have to do is to fold the rear seats forwards and you have a perfect lamping motor. As for rear difs or transfet boxes all I can say is that I have never had a single problem with mine and never had any signs of oil leaks! Repairs are quite easy to do, spares are reasonably priced, it is not overly expencive on fuel and the insurance is reasonable! The only thing that I will fault on the Frontera 2.0 spoprt is the fact that there is not all that much room in the back for shooting equipment (Decoys, rotorary, hide, etc: unless you fold the rear seats forward which can be done in a matter of a couple of seconds. In a way I will sorely miss my Fronty and I am only selling it for economic reasons as it has just gone through yet another MOT without having to have much spent on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steyrman Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 (edited) I have had pretty much everything 4x4 to date i am presently using a Trooper which is my second Isuzu after the trooper i would go for the fourtrak then a Shogun a mate of mine bought a cherokee jeep 2.5 diesel and it had low mileage used for private use only 1 owner from new and it was a pill cylinder head went electric motors for the windows packed up and this was a newish vehicle he paid around £8000 for it and got £2500 at auction within a year of buying it i am not mistaken the diesel engine jeep use is the Alfa Romeo commercial engine i am sure it has four cylinder heads . my opinion only Good luck John Edited August 28, 2011 by steyrman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratman2 Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 I have had pretty much everything 4x4 to date i am presently using a Trooper which is my second Isuzu after the trooper i would go for the fourtrak then a Shogun a mate of mine bought a cherokee jeep 2.5 diesel and it had low mileage used for private use only 1 owner from new and it was a pill cylinder head went electric motors for the windows packed up and this was a newish vehicle he paid around £8000 for it and got £2500 at auction within a year of buying it i am not mistaken the diesel engine jeep use is the Alfa Romeo commercial engine i am sure it has four cylinder heads . my opinion only Good luck John I think the engine you are refering to is the VM unit, it has four cylinder heads and is a bit of a pig to work on to say the least. If I were to make a choice it would be the Frontera, better vehicle all round and a damn sight cheaper to maintain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ST3V3 Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 the jeep engine which is the vm motor is also fiited in rover 800, range rover classic and early fronteras ok till they go wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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