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Car and Driver: New Jeep models

Grand Cherk is due and just looks like more of the same to me.
The teasers of the "Special" thing...will see. I'm betting something akin to the J8/2 door unlimited.
What irks me is this:

"Where’s the SRT? And the Diesel?

Sorry, everyone, there’s no way to sugar coat the “no” here. Manley confirmed that no other Jeeps will go SRT: Sticker prices would be too high to make sense, and there aren’t enough shoppers interested in smaller performance SUVs. It’s a similar sob story on the diesel front. After the Grand Cherokee, the Liberty is the only other Jeep that’s in the running for a diesel engine. The EPA and state of California have set such high standards for diesel certification and emissions that the costs—for both Jeep and potential customers—don’t make sense."

They can put the 3.0 in the grand but not in a JK? I'm not buying the bs. If you have to choose based on paying for approval and testing to put a diesel into something, why would you NOT put it in the one model you can't make enough of? As for the Liberty/Panda... Blech! I'll pass thanks!
And the little "cute and fun" Jeep teased by the 3b pic... Gonna be another rebadged, slow selling Fiat with Jeep stickers and a few styling cues to keep it from looking so much like the dumb version of a smart car.
 
I'll agree...the Wrangler sells too well to get a V8. Maybe the ability to order it as a dealer installed option? I'll bet it's more like a power folding soft top or something along those lines...

What the heck is that stealth covered thing? I hope it's not a Jeep! If they do the Jeep like Nissan just did the Pathfinder, they might as well pass the coffin nails.

There's far to much softening- heck, emasculating of truck lines.

Fiat's attempt at a "truck"...they're trying, but...

fiat-oltre-concept-1321893905-42300.jpg
 
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My thing is that if they want to have a Jeep vehicle in that pseudo car/crossover BS market, why not replace the Patriot, Compass AND Liberty with one POS and forget the other. Never understood the point of all three of those once they all turned into cars.

And I don't get the no diesel Wrangler at all. Makes less sense in the Grand than the Wrangler and zero sense in the Liberty. :crazy:
 
Monday, I was looking on eBaymotors for ideas about a new car (that website is good for seeing what's available in the market via its search engine). My search was for "Diesel 4x4 Manual". All I got were American big trucks (already have one), some outrageously expensive older British Land Rovers, and German BMW and Mercedes SUV's (there may have also been a few older Jeeps).

So, I expanded my search to "Diesel Manual" and got a bunch of German cars, and a few older foreign makes of other origins, but nothing from a US manufacturer. The neatest car I found was neat, not by appearance, but by efficiency. It was a Smart Fortwo with the European Mercedes 3-cylinder diesel and a 6-speed transmission proclaiming 50-60mpg at 75mph highway speeds. If I lived in a city and commuted short distances, I'd try to import one of those little cars, as the US version is lame with its gasoline engine and a 5-speed, proclaiming a paltry 35mpg.

I'd like to see the EPA and US government ease up a little on the emissions and safety B.S. to allow us to find a good balance between huge oil consumption and polluting our planet. I don't think electric cars are the answer, but I would entertain buying a diesel/electric hybrid, if available, since that would be a better efficiency for my money than the electric and hybrid vehicles currently available. I'd put my money down on a light-weight, 4-cylinder diesel car with a 6-speed manual and all wheel-drive tomorrow, if it were available from a US manufacturer (...and the time may soon come where I likely won't care from where its origins hail). I'd probably be game for an LJ Wrangler hardtop with a small, but high torque, diesel if I felt that it could achieve long term mileage near 30mpg.

I just returned from a 2400 mile round trip to the Midwest for the Holidays, and my 320K+ odometer truck averaged less-than 14mpg. It has never been less efficient than 18mpg (typical is 20mpg if I keep it under 65mph), except one similar trip years ago pulling a 16x8 box trailer in four wheel drive through a snow storm, and averaging 12mpg. So, something is amiss and it may be time to seriously start looking for a new daily driver backup, or a new second vehicle. Too bad the news isn't better for Jeep!
 
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uh...yikes?

What IS that??
 

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"Hmmmm, let's see how much more wronger we can make the H2 look!!" - the guy that designed that atrocity.

Don't do bath salts people!
 
Just my opinion, but I will never buy another new Jeep product, they all suck:shrug:

I like my 05 TJ Rubicon, and I am a hard core CJ guy. At least with the TJ, besides the airbags, and the coil springs (which aren't necessarily a bad thing), you could still tell it was a "Jeep". It is still a fairly simple/basic vehicle you can work on. Besides the fuel injection, there is really no crazy electric add ons.

The JK's, IMO, are too big, too much techno mumbo jumbo junk, and are trying to be too "trendy". While they are popular/capable vehicle, they are just not a "true" TJ successor. Too big, too fancy. Power windows/locks, blue tooth, V6 engines (only a Dauntless V6 belongs in a Jeep:D)

I would love to be able to go to the dealership and buy a new, basic, simple, nice, reliable, Jeep Cherokee Classic. But I know that will never happen again:banghead:

Grand Cherokees are too big, too expensive, IFS :angry:

Liberties, Patriots, Compasses, well, I am sure you can guess how I feel about those:evil:


IMO, Fiat/Chrysler are destroying the "Jeep" name with their "Jeep" badged crap they are coming out with. Sure, they sell a bunch of vehicles, but Walmart also sells lot's of crap:twocents:

I am currently in the market for a new vehicle, and sadly, I know I wont be at the Jeep dealership:shrug:


And as far as California emissions dictating diesel/SRT stuff, fock them. Why should one state dictate what sells in the other 49 states? You start selling diesel JK's in the other 49 states, I am sure the sales there will more then make up for the lack of sale in one state. Just don't let them be tagged/titled in CA, problem solved. I'm not a rocket scientist by any means, but even I can figure that out:thumbsup:
 
We were actually going back and forth between a payment on a 2013 Unlimited, with the full warranty, or finding an affordable Cherokee Classic and using a portion of what would be payments to fix it up. The Cherokee won out, not just because of the $$. If I am going to pay $325 a month for a vehicle that only gets 16/21 MPG stock, it better be able to smoke the tires and have some "juevos"! For the kind of performance the current Unlimited has, it should be getting 20/27 at least. There are plenty of used Unlimiteds around here...the salesman almost always credits it to poor mileage. Jeep needs to step up with a diesel for economy and a factory V8 for the throttle junkies. I just can't imagine paying almost 30K for a basic unlimited, and having to throw thousands more at it to get it to the level of performance I expect.

That said, we had a 2008 Unlimited for a while. I really miss the usability of that vehicle. The top came off so easy, and was manageable in 3 pieces. The seating fit my 6'2" 280lb frame easily and comfortably. That extra width made all the difference for my fat butt...even with a parka or snow suit on. The rear area with the seats folded held tons of gear and a dog crate perfectly. And, it fit decent size tires without making it to hard for the wife to climb up in to. It drove well and fatigue free IF you could get past the MPG and lack of power.

Some day I'll find a theft recovery or a total, and build a LS powered Unlimited....
 
They do still make the cherokee....

Wait for it....


wait...


in




China. :(
 

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Better?

Here is what I guess is their "older" model XJ. Notice the different roof line and tail lights. Lost of small differences but still pretty close to its roots.
Funny thing about the big headlight ones... There is a guy from china selling the fascia to retrofit the Liberty looking lights to our side of the pond XJs. Sometimes it looks ok... that white one is NOT one of those IMHO. :)
 

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Here is what I guess is their "older" model XJ. Notice the different roof line and tail lights. Lost of small differences but still pretty close to its roots.
Funny thing about the big headlight ones... There is a guy from china selling the fascia to retrofit the Liberty looking lights to our side of the pond XJs. Sometimes it looks ok... that white one is NOT one of those IMHO. :)
I'm liking that one. The roof line is cool!
 
No mention of CNG fueled vehicles.

USA has surplus of natural gas.

And useage of creates USA Jobs !


I'm with Spankysrj, I won't buy another "New" vehicle from ANY mfg....until I can't find low mile LJ's. Or they go CNG or turbo diesel.
Wife loves her 03 Excursion 7.3 so much, she has me looking for another low mile for a spare.

I Love that Woman !
 
When my engine goes I'm going to convert over from FI to CNG. If only there were more stations around...
 
I like CNG too. Its only two major draw backs seem to be access/not enough places to fill (fixable by gaining popularity or planning ahead) and the fact that the fuel "tank" takes a lot of space compared to conventional style fuels.
 
Wife loves her 03 Excursion 7.3 so much, she has me looking for another low mile for a spare.

I've looked for a spare or future replacement for my '97 F-Series 7.3 for about 3 years now with no luck. My nitch is '97 model year and a manual transmission. There aren't too many low mile rigs available, except in an auto transmission.
 
Its only two major draw backs... the fuel "tank" takes a lot of space compared to conventional style fuels.

That's a huge drawback for me, unless the truck companies start making truck beds longer to accommodate the larger tank-size requirements. I often find it hard to even keep twin 5 gallon jerry cans in my bed, for loss of cargo space.
 
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