I went to the dealer with the idea of trading in the GTX on a better awd vehicle. There seemed to be no inexpensive awd vehicles, but they did have a used 2011 Grand Cherokee Limited, which I test drove.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited was full of features, but if I were to buy new I would either go to a lower or higher model. The 290hp V6 felt underpowered, with it needing to downshift twice and make a lot of noise just to accelerate onto the highway. Actually, it needed to do that just to keep up with traffic from a stoplight. If I build my own, I'd get the 5.7l V8.
As expected, they tried to overprice the vehicle, originally trying to ask more than MSRP of a new one as the starting point. Telling them what I expected, MSRP-$7000 (KBB) - $4500 (clunker trade)= ~$28000 was too far apart for them. So I passed.
I offered to buy the cheapest awd vehicle they had, but that garnered no interest from the dealer. So, I'll keep my vehicle(s) and pack this information in the back of my mind in case I wreck a vehicle or one wears out.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The End part 2?
Went to the dealer today. I had forgotten how new car dealers only have 'new' used cars. Some of the other 'cash for clunkers' cars weren't even drivable. Looked at a 09 Subaru Impreza (16K), and at the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited that caught my eye online.
It's a no-option Limited with 14.5K miles. MSRP on a new one is $39,680. Unlike the Ford Explorer, where the Limited is the top of the line, the Overland is the top Cherokee, with the Limited next. The Overland adds variable ride height (Quadra-Lift) (useful off road for more ground clearance), wood & leather heated steering wheel, Vented seats, and come stock with 20" wheels instead of 18". The Luxury package adds the wheel, seats, power liftgate to the Limited for $1500. The off road package costs $550 for lots of different skid plates.
It gets 16/23mpg with the V6 and still has 290hp. My charger with the 360hp hemi is listed at 16/25, but my average is close to 16mpg.
Going back tomorrow at 10am. The more I think about this, the more I'm not going to do this. The Charger does its job well, the F150 hauls stuff ok, the Mazda seems to be reliable, and once I get the rear defroster fixed will only be missing ABS from being a true winter fighter. To trade all that for one vehicle that tries to do it all is hard. Yes, getting $4500 for the Mazda is nice, but I only wanted to get a cheap vehicle to replace it, not trade all 3 in.
It's a no-option Limited with 14.5K miles. MSRP on a new one is $39,680. Unlike the Ford Explorer, where the Limited is the top of the line, the Overland is the top Cherokee, with the Limited next. The Overland adds variable ride height (Quadra-Lift) (useful off road for more ground clearance), wood & leather heated steering wheel, Vented seats, and come stock with 20" wheels instead of 18". The Luxury package adds the wheel, seats, power liftgate to the Limited for $1500. The off road package costs $550 for lots of different skid plates.
It gets 16/23mpg with the V6 and still has 290hp. My charger with the 360hp hemi is listed at 16/25, but my average is close to 16mpg.
Going back tomorrow at 10am. The more I think about this, the more I'm not going to do this. The Charger does its job well, the F150 hauls stuff ok, the Mazda seems to be reliable, and once I get the rear defroster fixed will only be missing ABS from being a true winter fighter. To trade all that for one vehicle that tries to do it all is hard. Yes, getting $4500 for the Mazda is nice, but I only wanted to get a cheap vehicle to replace it, not trade all 3 in.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Is this the end of the line? & Problems list
Local dealer is running a $4500 trade in, to be used for a used car purchase. $4500 is a lot more than I would normally get.
The GTX still has these problems:
cracked headlight (I have replacement)
rear defroster doesn't work
center lock doesn't work
Dome and door lights don't come on when door is opened.
Temp gauge not registering on dash. Could be sensor or wires.
Plug wires rusty (pressure washed by former owner)
Hatch has broken strut stud
surface rust underneath, 1 pea sized hole
washer and wiper motors weak
Steering wheel missing a chunk of foam
Hood release not working
It's a good deal, and I'd have to pay a bit more money to get a car, but it would be a newer, reliable (hopefully) AWD vehicle.
The GTX still has these problems:
cracked headlight (I have replacement)
rear defroster doesn't work
center lock doesn't work
Dome and door lights don't come on when door is opened.
Temp gauge not registering on dash. Could be sensor or wires.
Plug wires rusty (pressure washed by former owner)
Hatch has broken strut stud
surface rust underneath, 1 pea sized hole
washer and wiper motors weak
Steering wheel missing a chunk of foam
Hood release not working
It's a good deal, and I'd have to pay a bit more money to get a car, but it would be a newer, reliable (hopefully) AWD vehicle.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Updating problems
Holy cow! For the first time ever, the interior lights came on last night when I opened the door. Don't know if this is related to putting the fuses back in or something, but it startled me.
Speaking of, even with the fuse, still no rear defroster. Strangely, the dash light doesn't come on when I insert the key like all the others do. I wonder if it's related. I'm thinking I may start checking fuses to see if any are busted.
No luck either with locking the center dif. Light flashes on the dash, but I nether hear or feel the motor working. Tried it with the motor off or on, both with the car not moving.
The defroster is my #1 problem now, as I can't drive with it frosted over, and we get frost in winter when I want to drive it. Front windshield is #2. It's both cracked, as well as the aftermarket tint being too wide. Both would get fixed with new glass.
Both headlights work, and even with their frosted lenses I can still see where I'm going. I have a replacement for the cracked one, and I have polish for the other.
Temp gauge is still not working. Shop said it's either the sensor or the wire.
Battery seems weak, and that makes starting in cold weather slower.
Still haven't checked the airbox. There's a K&N sticker under-hood, but as we found out, that's not a guarantee.
I've not opened the hood as the hood release is another problem the GTX has. Opening it would allow me to fix the headlight and check the airbox.
I'm using a 2x4 to keep the hatch open. I need to repair the right strut mounting stud on the hatch. It's broken off (new stud?) and maybe a new strut too, although I still have the old one (with the broken stud inside). Fixing this would also help with opening the hatch.
Still also need to replace the plug wires.
Speaking of, even with the fuse, still no rear defroster. Strangely, the dash light doesn't come on when I insert the key like all the others do. I wonder if it's related. I'm thinking I may start checking fuses to see if any are busted.
No luck either with locking the center dif. Light flashes on the dash, but I nether hear or feel the motor working. Tried it with the motor off or on, both with the car not moving.
The defroster is my #1 problem now, as I can't drive with it frosted over, and we get frost in winter when I want to drive it. Front windshield is #2. It's both cracked, as well as the aftermarket tint being too wide. Both would get fixed with new glass.
Both headlights work, and even with their frosted lenses I can still see where I'm going. I have a replacement for the cracked one, and I have polish for the other.
Temp gauge is still not working. Shop said it's either the sensor or the wire.
Battery seems weak, and that makes starting in cold weather slower.
Still haven't checked the airbox. There's a K&N sticker under-hood, but as we found out, that's not a guarantee.
I've not opened the hood as the hood release is another problem the GTX has. Opening it would allow me to fix the headlight and check the airbox.
I'm using a 2x4 to keep the hatch open. I need to repair the right strut mounting stud on the hatch. It's broken off (new stud?) and maybe a new strut too, although I still have the old one (with the broken stud inside). Fixing this would also help with opening the hatch.
Still also need to replace the plug wires.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
0.5 of 2 successes?
Put the two fuses in.
Still not getting a light for the rear defroster on ignition or activation, so I'll again need to wait for it to fog or frost to see if it's working.
The active center diff light now comes on a flashes, but stays flashing, showing it's not completing the locking. Going to try it again with the car on. I assume the motor is busted. At least we have a light showing it's trying to work.
Replaced the rear hatch light, still no light. I may use my multimeter to see if it has power.
Still not getting a light for the rear defroster on ignition or activation, so I'll again need to wait for it to fog or frost to see if it's working.
The active center diff light now comes on a flashes, but stays flashing, showing it's not completing the locking. Going to try it again with the car on. I assume the motor is busted. At least we have a light showing it's trying to work.
Replaced the rear hatch light, still no light. I may use my multimeter to see if it has power.
Fuses
So, I'm trying to find out why the rear defroster isn't working. I pull the fusebox cover and see that there's no fuse in that socket. I also notice there's no fuse for the center diff. I wonder how the shop confirmed it working when there wasn't a fuse?
Buying replacements today.
Buying replacements today.
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