i know that for the most part people come to the forum when they are having problems with their vehicle.

but seeing all the posts makes one wonder

i bought my 98 grand cherokee laredo in late 2005 or early 2006

it has the 4.0l engine

overall i think my vehicle has been a very reliable vehicle no major issues

the ac system died shortly after buying it, now in back thought it was probably rigged with some sort of stop leak that ended up failing after having it for a few months.

the exhaust manifold developed cracks in it but it had been patched previously to me buying it as well lasted at least 4 or 5 years becasue the patch broke.

other than those things i've only had to do normal maintenance such as

brake pads and new rotors
spark plugs and wires
oil changes

actually i've only had to replace one back brake bulb since i had the vehicle
need to replace the fog light bulbs though (had the vehicle for two years before i even realized i had fog lights so was well hidden.


as for mileage i've can only go by the calculations on the vehicles console

with the exhaust manifold cracked (been told the mileage will increase now that its been fixed) i got between 17.2 and 18.5 mpg. when i would get towards the low end i would put in zmax at the next oil change.

 

Some people swear up and down they are total junk,From what i seen for my self if you take care if its not a bad car.The ones i seen had problems was abused and drove hard.My cousin drove a zj for years she sold it at 200k for something newer it had nothing wrong with it.A family friend has a wj that is a total turd but they only changed the oil in it once in 5 years.

 

Honestly I bought mine cheap, it hadn't been taken care of very well at all by the previous owners and I still love it. So far aside from a a few quirks it's been a good truck and all of the problems I've had have been regular wear and tear(Water pump, thermostat) or neglect by the PO(pieced together exhaust, wiring mess).

The only issue that I haven't flushed out yet is my random CEL.

 

My 95 ZJ has been the MOST reliable used vehicle I've ever owned. I have done a lot of repairs and upgrades along the way, but it has never let me down. The only thing I don't like about it is the sunroof, aftermarket pos, not factory.

 

every vehicle ever made has it's fair share of problems......most of which never occur when regular maintenance and care are added to the mix. What the hell, even the old chevy chevette wasn't to bad.

 

The chevette had great A/C. Too bad the car wouldn't move with the A/C on.

 

If properly maintained, grand cherokees will last forever

 

I didn't have any major problems with my 98 ZJ. But there a lot of electrical equipment that can go wrong anytime, and being a full time 4x4, its drivetrain and transmission can be problematic at times. Such as VC worns out in 150-200k, or front diff whines like you have a cat under your hood.

And the leather seats of 96+ ZJs are very prone to crack, tear etc. It's not reliable as pre-96 ZJ seats, and heating option doesn't help. But I must say, they are much more comfortable than XJ, or even WJ.

ZJs are also more resistant to rust compared to other Jeep vehicles of its era. But they get rusted too..

 

the 93-95 ZJ limited leather seats are some of the most comfortable ive ever sat in

 

I seen tons and tons of them on CL by me with transmission problems.

I believe that's the trans that behind the V8 ZJs though. I'm not sure. Does the L6 ZJ have an AW4?

 

the early 93s did. the rest of the 4.0 ZJs had the 42RE.

the ones youre seeing on craigslist must not have been taken care of. ive got 176k on the 46RH in my ZJ and its still working great and never been rebuilt as far as i know. my buddy has over 300k on his dodge truck with the same trans, IIRC he had it rebuilt 25000 miles ago. thats still well over 200k

 

I came across a thread on here that was basically people ranting about how XJ's were the last "real Jeeps" and that ZJ's and newer models were garbage simply because they weren't made by AMC. My WJ has held up well and hasn't needed anything other than a new thermostat in the 74k miles it has on it. Like with any vehicle it's all in how the owner (and past owners) have maintained it.

 

I don't doubt it. Lol. Not a lot of people drain and refill trans fluid, let alone drop the pan, clean it and change the filter. Which I wouldn't be surprised if that would keep a 46RH.

That's the thing I like about buying an XJ though. I know the trans can take some abuse and miscare but still run.

I wouldn't mind a ZJ for the comfort factor, but WJs have been popping up cheaper and cheaper around here, I'd almost go for a WJ with the 4.0L

 

ZJ's are junk... stay away from them. Especially the 5.2L and the 5.9L Limited.

I'm looking for a good running V8 ZJ wreck in the Philly area for a repower on mine.

 

when i first started looking for a ZJ to buy, the first one i looked at was a 93 limited, V8, hunter green, thing was nice. seller said they were the second owner, bought it in the early 2000s. i asked when the last time the trans fluid was changed, and when he looked at me funny, i walked