I want to get a new Grand Cherokee and keep the 04 WJ to modify it for the trails. I am planning to look for an almost new. Which year model is the best to look for?

 

Drivers preference. Go to a dealership and drive them all until you find the one you like

 

Sorry to say this, but Fiat-Chrysler is turning out some real junk lately. Personally, I'm sticking with my WJ and when I can't fix it anymore, I'll buy another.

 

I agree with Dave on this one.

 

Love my 2000 Grand Cherokee !!!

 

The electronics in WJs gets more and more complicated each year of production with more and more options. I'm glad I bought a cheap 2000 Laredo without all the bells and whistles because I can still understand the basic systems. Even the automatic climate control is a mind boggler. It's controlled by it's own microprocessor.

 

Love my 2000 4.0 WJ Limited too !!!

I bought it just under 5 1/2 years ago with 57800 miles & its just coming up to 76000 miles, still drives wonderfully - plan on keeping it for a good while yet !

 

I bought my 2000 4.0 WJ with the 242 t/case in 2012 with 125K miles on her and she now has 212K miles of hard service on her delivering newspapers 3 days a week in any weather. She was a "garage queen" used by a soccer mom and serviced properly. Besides a new cylinder head (0331), she's had all the rolling gear replaced; ie, bearings, brakes, ball joints, control arms, steering gear and linkage, shocks, all the stuff you would expect for 100K of service. Also 1 radiator and 3 water pumps, a CPS, and a TPS.

I've had no problems with the transmission, t/case, or differentials, and the engine is just now starting to use a little oil. Oil pressure is excellent and power is really good. I've driven her for 6 hours on the highway with a 1 hour break and no problems at all. I would not hesitate to buy this jeep again, albeit a different one!

I named her "Jessica" after a tease I chased in high school, but never caught!

 

Honestly the tj and wj are the newest jeeps i would own.Jeep has been on the least reliable car brands list for almost 10 years and the new stuff is full of recalls.For a suv i would look at ford,nissan,toyota,honda and hyundia over a jeep.Don't get me wrong i love jeeps but wouldn't buy something that spends more time at the dealership then me driving it while im paying for it.

 

Seriously? I want to get a newer model Jeep for my wife to use as a DD. Those other foreign brands exist because of Jeeps.
Jeep was a major factor in winning WWII.

 

That was then, this is now! About the only one that comes close is Rover.

 

Well jeep is now owned by fiat you know that right ?And all the new jeeps but the jk share a lot of stuff with fiats so its not even a jeep anymore its a fiat with a jeep logo stuck on it.Pick a year or two old grand or cherokee and look up the recalls alone on them.

 

I doubt there the most reliable but the newer SRT8 GC look damn sexy.

 

The SRT8 may well look 'Damn sexy' but I fail to see the point of a 4x4 SUV with almost zero ground clearance. Nothing more than a fashion accessory.

 

And spend most of its life in the dealership getting fixed/recalls.I love jeeps but since the fiat buy out things went way down hill for them.And mike its awd not 4x4 its more like a car then a suv we know.