So, I've owned 3 Cherokee's in the past 15 years, a 99, 2000 and currently have an '01 Sport. I've had 1- 06 unlimited 2 dr and 1- '80 wrangler. I feel that the Cherokee's have been the perfect sized, go almost anywhere 4x4 SUV to own, with room for four. I will not sell my current Jeep; it's too practical and valuable to me, but I need something a bit bigger, at least one more seating and some gear, dog and ???.

But what?

I can't stand most of the SUV's on the road today. Honda, Toyota, Chevy's, Ford's, Dodge's and even the newer Jeeps all seem like disposable, over priced toys. They're either way too expensive, too fancy, too pretty, too full of cheaper plastic parts, etc, etc. Now even the older decent SUV's are getting too expensive, and harder to find. The old land cruisers, and the new ones, are bringing a mint. Range Rovers (and Land Rovers) are way too expensive to buy and maintain, and its hard to find a dealer and parts when you need them.

I once owned a Jeep Wagoneer (forget what year). It had the wood grain look down the side. It was a beast, and it ate more gas than any SUV has a right to. I had all kinds of issues with it, and so I sold it after 6 months. It was pretty comfortable. Had a great ride, but way too many issues.

I've seen several Jeep Commanders here and there over the years, but not very familiar with them, though they seem to have plenty of room for my needs, especially the ones with the third row seating. Any idea how these things are?

Any suggestions on a good ole, solid built SUV, but with a bit more room than the Cherokee's? What do you drive for more room, more people?

 

Older suburban are sweet. My dad has a 2001 and he absolutely loves it. He lifted it and it looks nice and he's alwaysb in the mountains

 

I'd daily the heck out of an 09-10 commander with the 5.7 hemi.

But they're like $13k around here.

 

Wonder what kind a mpg they get?

 

Had a '99 Sub, Z71 4x4. Wished I still had it, but it got 11 mpg! At 100k the water pump, radiator, fuel pump, and a few other things went out. Then, at 122k the tranny went to crap. I bought it with 78000, had it 2.5 yrs. It was nice but always needed something done to it. Sold it for what I had in it so no loss. They are comfortable though.

 

His gets about 16 mpg and has 230k. Nothing but basic maintenance and he's had it since 05. Cool vehicles they are

 

19 highway, 13 in town. Basically what my xj gets

 

I would suggest an WJ 03/04 model very reasonably priced and can get every option on them. I have a 04 WJ Overland edition excellent ride with off road manners.

 

Do invest in a carfax before you buy, though. I looked for an 04 WJ Overland earlier this year, and of the four I was very serious about buying, each and every one had serious problems in their history. Three (!) of them had odometer fraud issues and one had a salvage title in another state that was cleared up by re-titling it in a third state before moving it here.

One of the odometer fraud cases showed that the WJ had 300,000 miles on it six weeks before the guy posted it on CL with 120,000 on it. I sent that one to his District Attorney when he didn't change the ad after I called him on it.

 

Carfax is worthless anyone with any knowledge can spot a totaled car or one that shows 300,000 mi not 120,000.


The problem any more is people without common sense and need hand holding for everything including which bathroom to use.


My WJ had 202,000 on it when I bought it but could have passed for a 70,000 mi. one

 

Depends on what you plan on doing with it and how concerned you are with gas mileage. A wj would be nice if you're intending to go off road at all and you could fit a 3rd person in the rear seat a little better than the xj. Mpg would be about the same maybe slightly less. There were some durangos made with third rows. And the third row seat in a commander is a bit of a joke, at least if two grown men try to sit in it.

I've always liked the Audi all road or avant. Great gas mileage but not quite off road capable as a jeep. They also had a rear facing rumble seat as a third row option. They're comfortable and handle nicely and could be had with lots of bells and whistles. And they are quite reliable.

 

If I were looking for something larger and reliable, I would look for a Suburban or Tahoe. My parents have a Chevy Tahoe ('01, I think) with 240K miles on it. It has ample comfortable seating for the whole family when we need to all go in one vehicle. My mom uses it weekly to carry the dogs to their lake house, and they use it to go to football games. Over the years we've used it to move light loads around (furniture, etc.). We've also used it to tow the boat, a jet ski trailer and a cargo trailer, and it doesn't seem to know they're even there. My brother and I even flat towed a J10 a few hundred miles with it, although that got a little squirrely.

It has had a few minor issues over the years, but nothing someone accustomed to Jeeps can't handle. They tend to hold their value because they hold their utility and keep right on working.

 

I'm confused: Can anyone spot the difference between a WJ with 300k actual vs 120k actual, or could your 202k WJ pass for one with 70k?

Those statements seem to be mutually exclusive.

Someone had swapped in a cluster that said 120k on the one that had 300k on it--maybe that wasn't clear.

 

Gas and brake pedal wear could tell you,But a compression test can also tell if its not been rebuilt in its life time.If its been wrecked i can tell,Most body shops never fully paint a car.The paint what they have to and blend the color in.In a year the two different paint jobs fade differently,You ever seen a car that looked like it was two different shades ?Some other signs are body gaps verying all around the car.

 

The XJ became too small for me also. I considered a diesel Suburban, they get about 20 mpg. But it would not fit in my garage or on the East coast trails.
Ended up with a WJ Grand Cherokee with 200K for $2,000. It is a luxury vehicle compared to the XJ. Quiet, comfortable, and roomy.