Looking to purchase maybe a 2000 thru 2003 grand Cherokee. The two I am looking are similar in price and mileage with the exception of motors. One has the inline 6 and the other has the v-8. And comments are appreciated.

 

My ex wife had a overland edition with a 4.7. I loved that thing. Great for travel and around ON ROAD. lol

 

I do understand the v-8 has more power. Anyone have gas mileage numbers. My inline 6'd xj got like 18 miles a gallon.
Any mechanical issues that I should look for in the 4.7? Anyone had significate problems with it.
I know the 4.0 is pretty bomb proof..

 

I'm partial to the 4.0. It doesnt make the power of the 4.7 but I think in terms of longevity. The 4.0, for me, is easier to maintain, easier to work around and it does the job for stock to slightly modified Jeeps.

 

01 4.7 Limited WJ been in the family since it rolled off the lot... LOVE THAT JEEP

Has always been routinely maintained & commuted long distances, never any MAJOR issues... Though common problems to be aware of... with the 99-02 WJ's, the Teves designed caliper/caliper bracket caused SOME WJ rotor warpage... 03+ changed to akebono calipers & brackets which remedied that issue... heated seat elements **** the bed early, & 99-04's blower motor control module were plagued with failure

GREAT WJ Info/Tech Page

 

02+ with a 4.7 V8 and not the Limited model (has the finicky dual climate thing).
^
That is what I would get.

 

Get the 4.7, you won't regret it. I had a 2000 with the 4.7 V8. Bought it with 130k miles, drove it up to over 180k miles and sold it. The gas mileage isn't much different, and IMO the I6 in the Grand Cherokee is underpowered.

 

The 4.7 also comes with the stronger 45RFE transmission versus the weaker 42RFE that comes with the 4.0.

 

We bought our '04 WJ new in late '03. It has the 4.7 V8, and now has over 105,000+ miles on, never had a problem, still doesn't use any oil between 3,000 mile changes, and is great on trips which we take regularly between Tenn & Mich. It gets between 14-16 city, 17-19 highway MPG. I've gotten 21 MPG a couple of times, but it's not an economy car. You can probably get more mileage if you try, but when I'm on a 550 mile trip that I've made many times, I just want to get there ASAP.

My brother has an '04 WJ w/the 4.0L and when he made the drive from Mich to Tenn for a visit, he said he avg 21 MPG.

 

I've always been a 4.0 fan. They're super reliable and easy to do maintenance on.

 

In Colorado you would probably appreciate that V8 on mountain passes. I've got a 4.0 WJ and it does fine down here in flat Florida, but I would take a 4.7 if I had a choice. If this one ever blows a transmission or motor, I'll get a 4.7 and swap my stuff into it. MPG differences will be slim to none. Do the math and you see 1-3 mpg does not add up to a huge savings. The saying is, "Lots of guys with the I6 wish they had the V8 but no one with a V8 wishes they had the I6."

 

Agreed. I see more v8s in the junkyard than anything. And it's not because they are all totaled.