intrepidman

Hello everyone, I'm completely new to jeeps and I need a bit of guidance. I'm also in a rush, I need a new vehicle by wednesday.

I have a couple of local jeeps to choose from - An 04 Overland (4.7L regular not HO) and an 06 Limited (Hemi).
Both are pretty much loaded with the tow package.

I'm looking for a fairly comfortable vehicle that does well in cold climates (mid-north Canada) and it has to be Absolutely reliable because a lot of the area's I hunt/fish are remote with no cell phone service.

I'm not a crazy off-roader but this is my "go anywhere" vehicle (a poor little car gets road duty when there's no snow). I normally run an hour or two on the highway then when I go off-road I encounter mud holes and swaps, and/or basketball sized rocks, small bolders, and wash outs.

Most people get around fairly well in stock ride height trucks, but my interests are more remote and slightly more challenging so I'm thinking of roughly a 3" lift and the biggest tires I can fit without excessive rubbing.

My biggest concern at the moment is to choose the -04 or 05+ body style. The newer models (despite the cheap plastic interior) seem to be better put together and more comfortable highway runners. But the earlier model looks like it has more off-road potential. Am I right in that guess....are they Major differences?? And if I go with the 04 should I look for a "limited" model with Quadra-drive?

I guess I just need the run down on Jeeps...and cheap/effective off-roading modifications.

taythegibs

one of the big differences you need to think about is the solid axle in the >04 versus the ifs in the 05<

depending on what you want to do with your jeep the solid axle is a lot better for off roading

ol"blue

X2. I'd go with the '04 WJ ('99-'04 Grand) because it has the solid front axle, whereas the '05 has the independent front suspension. They do make lift kits for the WK ('05-'10 Grands), but you still have the issues of IFS.
And Welcome to CF!

ammolord

Well, I have a 04 WJ special edition with the 4.7L, and I love it. I drove a non-hemi 06, and it just didnt have what I was looking for. The WJ has realy good off-road capabilities stock. I threw some 245's on it and it gets around well, even in the snow (we get ALOT up here in ND, and I still have yet to get stuck).

Addy

04 looks better, has better aftermarket support, and will probably get better mileage than the hemi. As stated earlier, the lack of ifs makes the ride seem harsher but it's no where near being harsh in a gc. I think there is not really a choice for you to make :P