@@samholdsworth420The 4.7 would not tolerate neglect like it's pushrod predecessors. If the oil wasn't changed as recommended they would develop sludge issues.The same can be said about most modern engines. I wouldn't call an engine trash because the owner failed it.
My Grandmother bought a 1999 Grand Cherokee in 2000, leftover from the previous year. She paid $42,000 CDN for a Limited 4.0 4WD. It's still running today, with 120,000km.
I bought the 2000 limited v-8 when it came out. It was fantastic. That’s when they fixed the very faux wood dashboard for a much better one. I had it for 14 years. Loved it.
My dad used to have a 2002 Grand Cherokee Limited with the 4.7-litre SOHC PowerTech V8 when I was a kid, and it had possibly the most comfortable seats of any car I've ever sat in. However, I use the term 'car' loosely here, since it was actually closer to a giant sofa with a big engine and four wheels attached to it. I remember when we went to pick it up back in July 2010, and from the moment 10-year-old me sat in it for the first time, I was in heaven as the seats were just oh-so-comfy, and I felt myself almost sinking into them with just how soft and comfortable they were, they were more like comfy armchairs than actual seats! That was one of the reasons why I consider my dad’s old WJ Grand Cherokee to be my overall favourite out of all the cars my family has ever owned in the past - the other reason being the noise from that V8. You just don’t get seats this comfortable and plush in newer cars nowadays…
These were some of the last affordable grand cherokees. Even with inflation, it's still cheaper than a modern one. And the inline 6 is bullet proof. Such a shame they moved away from it for newer designs.
Not sure what inflation measures you’re using. Multiplying a conservative 3% compounded annually, the base price of $34,415 in 1999 is over $60k today.
Still love how these look. They always feel like they’re going to roll though, especially when you’re a backseat passenger. The ease it can haul a trailer with a car is impressive though. Hard to tell anything is even hooked up to it
"They always feel like they’re going to roll though" That feeling is indicative of a high center of gravity vehicle. Towing with such a top heavy vehicle is a recipe for disaster. Sufficient power to pull the trailer isn't the problem, the problem is a high center of gravity vehicle such as this one not being pushed around and rolled over by the trailer, more so as the towing speed (momentum) increases. An oscillation gets induced by a lane change, an avoidance maneuver (swerve), driver inattention, dip in the pavement, tire blowout, hard braking, etc, the oscillation increases like a pendulum, the tail begins to wag the dog, control is lost, the tow vehicle gets sideways with the weight of the trailer pushing it, and it rolls over. As a traffic crash investigator/first responder for over 20 years ('80s - '00s), I saw the end result of that chain of events on several occasions, with vehicles of this type (Cherokee, Explorers, etc) rolled over by a trailer at freeway speeds.
I had one of these, very capable off the road. Last weekend I was with a friend on an off road, he was with a WJ diesel version. Wherever I went with the taller XJ, he went with the WJ without any problems.
I had the 6-cyl version for ten years, the first year it was in the shop more time than I had it. 1: rear tailgate paint flaws, 2: torque converter lockup clutch bad (dealer couldn't diagnose it), 3: door locks jam. Dealer found loose insulation inside door, jamming mechanism. After that, I and the person that bought it from me put 250,000 miles on it. The engine was bullet-proof.
That was one good looking Grand Cherokee! Specially when equipped with the bulletproof 4.0L straight six. I had a 98 Cherokee sport with that engine, and it was running trouble free for the 4 years I had it!
I still see many of these second gen Grand Cherokees around, with most being powered by the I-6. When I was a teenager, my mom bought a 1999 Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD I-6 brand new. A very handy vehicle for a family of 4 that lived in the suburbs that have a tradition for snowy winters. Very nice vehicle for traveling in too.
I daily a 2000 Limited with the 4.7L, had it since 116,000mi and now pushing 205,000 mi. I absolutely love it, comfortable, capable, and honestly not nearly as bad as some here are saying - typically getting 18-19 mpg combined. Sure, it's had several things replaced, but I do my own work and it's not at all difficult to maintain. Unfortunately it is starting to rust, but Im shopping almost daily and honestly not seeing much that checks all the boxes these do. The closet thing I'm considering is a newer WK2. Unless I find another low mileage WJ!!
@@314jeepsnmopars3 SFA, but not for SRA. WK had SRA, so you would be slightly incorrect. First GC without solid axles was the fancy schmancy WK2 in 2010, meant to be the American discount Range Rover.
@nwezetx1 that's what I meant to say lol. The WJ was the last fully solid axle Grand Cherokee because the WK went IFS with a solid rear. Unfortunately I don't think we will see crazy trail builds of WKs or WK2s unlike the SJ, XJ, ZJ, WJ,CJ, YJ, TJ. But they did give us the first SRT8 GC with the 6.1 Hemi, finally over taking the 5.9 ZJ.
@314jeepsnmopars3 Yes, yes. We never will, but I am getting irritated with Gen Z bros carelessly wrecking XJs and ZJs, like didn't lose many of them 15 years ago to C4C. Bet you can add WJs to that group.
Had one identical to this for my first car. I remember the payment was $202 a month for 36 months 😂. Loved it and that 4.7 was a tank. My 2024 Jeep is $1050 a month.
A few years ago I bought cheap from a friend a 1999 limited with the 4.7 in that same maroon color. This thing had over 200k miles, smoked, burned a ton of oil, no AC, would start to overheat when sitting at the drive thru, and cost me about $2500 for a replacement rear axle. But even with those issue it was still a total joy to drive. I drove it for two years until I traded it in for a 2004 Tahoe.
My folks bought one of these with the 4.0. It had 75k when they bought it. Freshly installed supercharger which brought the power up to 285whp. Out of a straight 6, that was a LOT in the early 2000’s. It only went through one transmission and still ran strong when they sold it with 247k. No rebuilds and just regular maintenance. Although it leaked oil like a mofo at the end of our usage. I wish they never got rid of it as I would’ve loved to rebuild the engine and kept it alive for many more years.
My dad had a 2002 WJ when I was a kid, and it had possibly the most comfortable seats of any car I’ve ever sat in - from the moment 10-year-old me sat in it for the first time, I was in heaven as the seats were just oh-so-comfy, and I felt myself almost sinking into them with just how soft and comfortable they were, they were more like comfy armchairs than actual seats! In fact, I’d say the seats in a Jeep WJ are roughly comparable comfort-wise to what you’d find in some of those old American luxury cars from the 70’s and 80’s, and I’ve heard how comfortable _they_ are - you just don’t get seats this comfortable and plush in newer cars nowadays.
I’d take this over a modern day Cherokee any day. In this condition of course with cloth seats instead and minus the wood grain , brings back nostalgia
I still have the video promo of the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It is the most capable sport utility vehicle ever. But I never thought it would be the most reliable, despite being a Daimler Chrysler product.
OP, this was not a DaimlerChrysler product. It was a product of the independent Chrysler Corporation. Being designed from 1993 to Summer 1995, finalized in March 1996, and tested until early 1998, before production began in July 1998. DaimlerChrysler cars earnestly began engineering in 1998 for 2001-02 release, as '02-03 models. The first completely DaimlerChrysler vehicles, were 2004 models. The WJ isnt a DaimlerChrysler vehicle by origin, only in name once the merger was completed in late 1998. This episode was taped in November 1998. It's important to take into account, when, where, and how a car came into existence, as cars exist years before being revealed and released. The Jeep Wrangler debuted for the 1987 model year. Chrysler Corp purchased Jeep via AMC in 1987. However, the 1987 Wrangler debuted in early 1986, a year before the Chrysler purchase. The YJ Wrangler was thus an AMC product in origin, just as this WJ Grand Cherokee was a Chrysler only in origin and not a DaimlerChrysler.
@@nwezetx1 Yes, that’s true. Even though the Daimler-Chrysler merger happened in 1998 the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a lot of the other new Chrysler vehicles at the time were not influenced by the Daimler-Chrysler merger including the 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser and 2000 Plymouth Prowler. The cost cutting on the third generation Jeep Grand Cherokee for the 2005 model year was clearly a Daimler-Chrysler product. Some say that Mercedes-Benz influenced the Chrysler side by bringing in the SRT high performance variants just like Mercedes-Benz did with their AMG high performance models. It’s ironic how the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee shares its platform with the Mercedes-Benz M-Class despite Daimler-Chrysler breaking up in 2008. It’s sort of like how Land Rover was using turbocharged 4 cylinder engines in their Range Rover Evoque models after Ford Motor Company sold the Jaguar and Land Rover brands to Tata Motors in 2008.
@gedaman Perfectly stated. You can tell by the head units and interior designs which echo the interior of the 1998 Model Year LH vehicles. The 2002 Ram 1500 was another pre-DaimlerChrysler design, mostly being designed while the facelifted 1998 Ram was being introduced in late 1997. Interior trim was of a higher quality for the 2002, 03, 04, 05 models than the 06, 07, 08. You can tell that the 2006 MY Ram facelift in 2005 got the blockier plastic interior of the 300C, Charger, and 3rd gen 2005 Grand Cherokee. New 2002 models were half-and-half, independent Chrysler and DaimlerChrysler, while anything '01 or earlier was pre-Daimler.
The third generation Jeep Gran Cherokee seemed to be plagued by excessive cost cutting. They turned things around with the fourth generation Jeep Grand Cherokee.
@gedaman Yep, the 3rd generation was plastic fantastic. This one was designed in mid-90s, tested mostly in 1997-early 98. The next gen was DaimlerChrysler through and through.
The WJ Grand Cherokee, particularly with the 4.7, was known for head gasket failure. My Dodge Dakota had the 4.7, and it blew a head gasket after 120,000 miles
Ive heard some people that never hand problems with the 4.7 and others where they just were nothing but problems. I loved the 5.2 in my ZJ plenty of torque and even when abused and neglected it still kept going.
4.0 was the best engine jeep ever had. Bullet proof! 4.7 not nearly as bulletproof but a powerhouse for its time. The biggest problem for the 4.7 is its head gaskets. Either the head bolts loosened up over time or the valve seats began dropping.
I agree with your point completely, as my dad used to have a 2002 Limited V8 when I was a kid, and it had possibly the most comfortable seats of any car I’ve ever sat in - from the moment 10-year-old me sat in it for the first time, I was in heaven as they were just oh-so-comfy, and I felt myself almost sinking into them with just how soft and comfortable they were, they were more like comfy armchairs than actual seats! That was one of the reasons why I consider my dad’s old WJ Grand Cherokee to be my overall favourite out of all the cars my family has ever owned - you just don’t get seats this comfortable and plush in newer cars nowadays.
Real Jeeps with solid axles. My daily driver is a '95 with the 4.0 and with 270k miles, it's still a fair bit quicker than my wife's 4 cyl Accord. Most reliable vehicle I've ever owned.
I bought mine in jan2010 for $3,000 from a family friend and it had 150,000mi on it. I only drive it 10min to work during winter times.. its almost going to be 2025 and It still only has 185,000mi on it.
Pre-internet raised folks like John, have had an annoying tendency to romanticize all things European at the expense of American and Asian entities being given due credit or recognition.
I've got a 2003 4.7 HO, has extractors and dual exhaust and some other internal mods if the motor is looked after it is great and it sounds amazing. Maybe one of the best sounding v8's out there (ohc and semi hemi head design). Might not be the quickest but it sounds deep and angry.
No doubt it was a great looking model but let's not forget the super exposed gas tank in which Chrysler had to reach an agreement with the federal government to add a hitch because they were incidents in rearview crashes that the gas tank would explode and several people died. Why the engineers thought having such an exposed gas tank behind the rear axle was a good idea I'll never know, but they fixed it with the following generation and place the gas tank mid-frame.
Sadly they also killed the solid front axle and the 4.0 on the next generation. Its a good thing they solved the gas tank situation though. I have a 98 ZJ Jeep Grand Cherokee and glad it has the hitch back there.
I blame the government crash standards of the day, which, at the time, Jeep passed. While I do feel for those affected, I don't think holding an older design accountable for newer standards is fair. Those incidents involved very high-speed collisions. Even those tank like police Ford Panther platform cars were known to have issues with the gas tank during very high speed rear-end collisions. Heck, depending on the severity of the collision, any vehicle might have some type of issue. Today, I'd be more worried about getting into a serious accident in a Tesla than I would in in my previous 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the Tesla is a modern design. I've seen so many local news stories of those catching fire so quickly that the driver can't get out in time before the vehicle is engulfed in flames. For those worried about the Jeep, stick a trailer hitch on the back, which solves the problem.
I traded in my 1996 Grand Cherokee Limited V8 for the 1999 Grand Cherokee Limited with the new V8. It was a 3 year lease that turned into a 12 year nightmare. The first day I drove it to work, it stalled and it spent 3 weeks in the dealership (under warranty) waiting for an overhead cam sensor on backorder from Florida. When my 3 years was up, I decided to buy it because I couldn't afford a down payment for anything else and that's when the input speed sensor went out (fixed under warranty) and then a month later, the output speed sensor went (still under warranty). 8 years later, the ac stopped working and I wasn't about to spend $1500 to get it fixed but near the 12th year, the heat went and in Michigan that's no good and I wasn't paying $3 grand. So, in 2011, I traded it in on a used 2009 Town and Country with 15000 miles and drove it trouble free for 9 years (I did have to replace the radiator at the 7 year mark but that's it).
Ooo man I remember being in middle school and my parents got this grand Cherokee limited in this gold champagne color.. it had the 4.7l v8 and Quadra drive… that sucker was fast, was awesome in the snow and had the softest seats ever but the transmission was sooo clunky and when you ran the ac the passenger footwell filled with water…. My parents got rid of it before I got my license…😢
We had a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee it was beautiful and we kept it for almost 10 years until the rear axle support broke away from the frame and said that's enough we're not putting any more money into this at that point it had $268,000 Mi on it and it was a V8
@@GregoryGlessnerViolin Sure. It'd have to be tested thoroughly. But it may be ok on this engine though. Iron block and inline configuration would handle heat variations between cylinders better than aluminum block V engines. Anyway, it's just one of those wishes that probably will remain just that.
My favorite Grand Cherokees were the 1st, 2nd, and 4th generation models. The 3rd generation 2005-10 models felt cheap and flimsy(typical DaimlerChrysler era vehicle), and I don't like the looks of the current Grand Cherokee, especially the Grand Cherokee L. It's just personal taste.
Still my favourite grand cherokee, if only production kept going for a couple more model years so they could fit the 5.7 hemi as a send of gift like the 98 5.9 limited
Cannot understand after all this time how MotorWeek has not mentioned the wheelbase was definitely 105.9, not "106.6", a small, but true discrepancy..Neither the ZJ or WJ were "105.6"
Wow, a brand new redesign and they LOWERED the price! Never happens these days. And a perfect example of what Jeep is doing wrong now, raising the price to absurd levels without any redesign. I wonder why their sales are in the tank…
Long live the WJ! It'll be a classic someday like the Wagoneers. I'm currently restoring a Wagoneer and a WJ on my channel if anyone gets bored enough to come check them out🤣🤘🏼
Had a 2002 Grand Cherokee and 2006 Commander, both had the 4.7 😒 Nothing major, just smaller quality issues. Daily now is a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder V8. 165k on the clock and still runs great👍It's like a smaller, more nimble, Nissan Armada, but faster 😁
You mean to tell me an auto maker actually cared about consumers at one point? 250.00 less than the year before? No change in price in the upper level trims??!! Yeah those days are long gone and far out the window now!
The only real horrible Grand Cherokees were/are the third gen (WK) and the current (WL). While the fourth gen really wasn’t a true Jeep, it was still at least RWD based and not an overgrown FWD station wagon like everything else. The Benz platforms Chrysler used in the mid 2000s were pretty solid.
One of the best Grand Cherokee ever!!
@@EthanARedhawk85 I've had 5 99-04 Grand Cherokee's with the 4.7L. All of them had transmissions issues and/or oil leaking/burning of the motor.
4.7 was trash 😂
@@samholdsworth420The 4.7 would not tolerate neglect like it's pushrod predecessors. If the oil wasn't changed as recommended they would develop sludge issues.The same can be said about most modern engines. I wouldn't call an engine trash because the owner failed it.
@@nicolasdepaoli2387 I still see a few rocking around, and they still look up to date!
Had a 4L engine good, after towing once the body felt like it was disconnected
Still a handsome vehicle compared to the anonoboxes we have today!
Anonoboxes?
@@flight2k5 Similar to the term econoboxes, cheap small cars.
Anonobox, anonymous generic boring cars
@@Cheezwizzz these were boring generic cars as well
@@flight2k5 Each to their own
@@Cheezwizzz yep
Amazing throwback! This man narrated my childhood love for cars!!!
This thing was a masterpiece. Probably the best thing mopar made since the oil crisis
These had weak transmissions, but other than that, they were pretty solid .
4.0 absolutely bullit proof
The 4.7 on the other hand is junk.
@@atx-cvpi_99No It's Not
Bullit?
@@AntiZOGZone Yes it is
and anemic as a stray dog
Back when Jeep was on top of their game.
My Grandmother bought a 1999 Grand Cherokee in 2000, leftover from the previous year. She paid $42,000 CDN for a Limited 4.0 4WD. It's still running today, with 120,000km.
That's insanely low km's !!!
One of my favorite grand Cherokee’s. Good size, descent power, humble but comfortable
I drove one of these at my job for years, and I loved every second of it. I wish they still made cars like this.
I bought the 2000 limited v-8 when it came out. It was fantastic. That’s when they fixed the very faux wood dashboard for a much better one. I had it for 14 years. Loved it.
wish i couldve bought one new
The wood was real redwood on the 2002-2004 Overland model.
We've had 3 WJ's: a '99 and an '02 with the 4.0L I6, and another '02 with a 4.7L V8. I still have my '02 with the 4.0L I6.
I still have mine with the 4.0, and closing in on 400k miles.
My dad used to have a 2002 Grand Cherokee Limited with the 4.7-litre SOHC PowerTech V8 when I was a kid, and it had possibly the most comfortable seats of any car I've ever sat in. However, I use the term 'car' loosely here, since it was actually closer to a giant sofa with a big engine and four wheels attached to it.
I remember when we went to pick it up back in July 2010, and from the moment 10-year-old me sat in it for the first time, I was in heaven as the seats were just oh-so-comfy, and I felt myself almost sinking into them with just how soft and comfortable they were, they were more like comfy armchairs than actual seats!
That was one of the reasons why I consider my dad’s old WJ Grand Cherokee to be my overall favourite out of all the cars my family has ever owned in the past - the other reason being the noise from that V8. You just don’t get seats this comfortable and plush in newer cars nowadays…
I grew up in a WJ as well. The V8 and the seats sell me everytime.
1:40 John: GAUGES ARE AS BEFORE CLEAR AND EXTREMELY COMPREHENSIVE! LOL😂
@@EthanARedhawk85how did he feel about modern digital dashes?
My favorite generation of the Grand Cherokee
Me too
These were some of the last affordable grand cherokees. Even with inflation, it's still cheaper than a modern one. And the inline 6 is bullet proof. Such a shame they moved away from it for newer designs.
Not sure what inflation measures you’re using. Multiplying a conservative 3% compounded annually, the base price of $34,415 in 1999 is over $60k today.
@@hoglaw09The base price was around $26,600 in 1998. The 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited started around $31,000.
@@hoglaw09 it's still cheaper than a new Cherokee.
@@gedaman😂yeah, but in those days MSRP didn't mean much. They sold for a lot less at times.
It’s because the next generation also underpinned the Mercedes ML-class vehicles. You pay for the modernization and high-tech!
These were quite popular back then! And very handsome! We
Still love how these look. They always feel like they’re going to roll though, especially when you’re a backseat passenger. The ease it can haul a trailer with a car is impressive though. Hard to tell anything is even hooked up to it
"They always feel like they’re going to roll though" That feeling is indicative of a high center of gravity vehicle. Towing with such a top heavy vehicle is a recipe for disaster. Sufficient power to pull the trailer isn't the problem, the problem is a high center of gravity vehicle such as this one not being pushed around and rolled over by the trailer, more so as the towing speed (momentum) increases. An oscillation gets induced by a lane change, an avoidance maneuver (swerve), driver inattention, dip in the pavement, tire blowout, hard braking, etc, the oscillation increases like a pendulum, the tail begins to wag the dog, control is lost, the tow vehicle gets sideways with the weight of the trailer pushing it, and it rolls over.
As a traffic crash investigator/first responder for over 20 years ('80s - '00s), I saw the end result of that chain of events on several occasions, with vehicles of this type (Cherokee, Explorers, etc) rolled over by a trailer at freeway speeds.
My dad picked up a '99 Laredo when he started working for the railroad, out family's first 4x4. Still have fond memories of that Jeep.
I had one of these, very capable off the road. Last weekend I was with a friend on an off road, he was with a WJ diesel version. Wherever I went with the taller XJ, he went with the WJ without any problems.
I had the 6-cyl version for ten years, the first year it was in the shop more time than I had it. 1: rear tailgate paint flaws, 2: torque converter lockup clutch bad (dealer couldn't diagnose it), 3: door locks jam. Dealer found loose insulation inside door, jamming mechanism. After that, I and the person that bought it from me put 250,000 miles on it. The engine was bullet-proof.
That was one good looking Grand Cherokee! Specially when equipped with the bulletproof 4.0L straight six. I had a 98 Cherokee sport with that engine, and it was running trouble free for the 4 years I had it!
FINALLY AFTER WAITING 6 YEARS ITS POSTED
I still see many of these second gen Grand Cherokees around, with most being powered by the I-6.
When I was a teenager, my mom bought a 1999 Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD I-6 brand new. A very handy vehicle for a family of 4 that lived in the suburbs that have a tradition for snowy winters. Very nice vehicle for traveling in too.
Still have 2 of these today, both 4.7 with over 200k miles no issues, I hope my wk2 5.7 lasts as long.
I daily a 2000 Limited with the 4.7L, had it since 116,000mi and now pushing 205,000 mi. I absolutely love it, comfortable, capable, and honestly not nearly as bad as some here are saying - typically getting 18-19 mpg combined. Sure, it's had several things replaced, but I do my own work and it's not at all difficult to maintain.
Unfortunately it is starting to rust, but Im shopping almost daily and honestly not seeing much that checks all the boxes these do. The closet thing I'm considering is a newer WK2.
Unless I find another low mileage WJ!!
Mine has 185k. Idk how much longer it can run..
So solid, these remain a common sight today.
The last Grand Cherokee with solid axles. I'm a more of a ZJ guy, but i do love the WJs as well.
@@314jeepsnmopars3 SFA, but not for SRA. WK had SRA, so you would be slightly incorrect.
First GC without solid axles was the fancy schmancy WK2 in 2010, meant to be the American discount Range Rover.
I had WJ but I like ZJ more too.
@nwezetx1 that's what I meant to say lol. The WJ was the last fully solid axle Grand Cherokee because the WK went IFS with a solid rear. Unfortunately I don't think we will see crazy trail builds of WKs or WK2s unlike the SJ, XJ, ZJ, WJ,CJ, YJ, TJ. But they did give us the first SRT8 GC with the 6.1 Hemi, finally over taking the 5.9 ZJ.
@314jeepsnmopars3 Yes, yes. We never will, but I am getting irritated with Gen Z bros carelessly wrecking XJs and ZJs, like didn't lose many of them 15 years ago to C4C. Bet you can add WJs to that group.
Had one identical to this for my first car. I remember the payment was $202 a month for 36 months 😂. Loved it and that 4.7 was a tank. My 2024 Jeep is $1050 a month.
Ive had 2 of these jeep wj's, both with the 4.0. loved them and still have my 2wd. Best engine ive ever had
Unbelievably, these still look fresh
Look at that big, beautiful spare tire in the trunk 🤤
This was a great Jeep. Unfortunately just had to junk our 2004 after 20 years of ownership.
What happened?
A few years ago I bought cheap from a friend a 1999 limited with the 4.7 in that same maroon color. This thing had over 200k miles, smoked, burned a ton of oil, no AC, would start to overheat when sitting at the drive thru, and cost me about $2500 for a replacement rear axle. But even with those issue it was still a total joy to drive. I drove it for two years until I traded it in for a 2004 Tahoe.
My folks bought one of these with the 4.0. It had 75k when they bought it. Freshly installed supercharger which brought the power up to 285whp. Out of a straight 6, that was a LOT in the early 2000’s. It only went through one transmission and still ran strong when they sold it with 247k. No rebuilds and just regular maintenance. Although it leaked oil like a mofo at the end of our usage. I wish they never got rid of it as I would’ve loved to rebuild the engine and kept it alive for many more years.
Still have my '02 Limited in the same color as the one tested and nearing 200,000 miles. Still looks great and runs great.
The WJ's...I loved these so freaking much. Used to ride around in these often as my best friend had one that her parent's bought her. So comfy!
My dad had a 2002 WJ when I was a kid, and it had possibly the most comfortable seats of any car I’ve ever sat in - from the moment 10-year-old me sat in it for the first time, I was in heaven as the seats were just oh-so-comfy, and I felt myself almost sinking into them with just how soft and comfortable they were, they were more like comfy armchairs than actual seats!
In fact, I’d say the seats in a Jeep WJ are roughly comparable comfort-wise to what you’d find in some of those old American luxury cars from the 70’s and 80’s, and I’ve heard how comfortable _they_ are - you just don’t get seats this comfortable and plush in newer cars nowadays.
I’d take this over a modern day Cherokee any day. In this condition of course with cloth seats instead and minus the wood grain , brings back nostalgia
I still have the video promo of the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It is the most capable sport utility vehicle ever. But I never thought it would be the most reliable, despite being a Daimler Chrysler product.
Daimler-Chrysler products were never known for stellar reliability…
@@gedaman This isn't a DaimlerChrysler product anyway, but that isn't false about them.
OP, this was not a DaimlerChrysler product. It was a product of the independent Chrysler Corporation. Being designed from 1993 to Summer 1995, finalized in March 1996, and tested until early 1998, before production began in July 1998.
DaimlerChrysler cars earnestly began engineering in 1998 for 2001-02 release, as '02-03 models. The first completely DaimlerChrysler vehicles, were 2004 models.
The WJ isnt a DaimlerChrysler vehicle by origin, only in name once the merger was completed in late 1998. This episode was taped in November 1998.
It's important to take into account, when, where, and how a car came into existence, as cars exist years before being revealed and released.
The Jeep Wrangler debuted for the 1987 model year. Chrysler Corp purchased Jeep via AMC in 1987. However, the 1987 Wrangler debuted in early 1986, a year before the Chrysler purchase.
The YJ Wrangler was thus an AMC product in origin, just as this WJ Grand Cherokee was a Chrysler only in origin and not a DaimlerChrysler.
@@nwezetx1 Yes, that’s true. Even though the Daimler-Chrysler merger happened in 1998 the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a lot of the other new Chrysler vehicles at the time were not influenced by the Daimler-Chrysler merger including the 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser and 2000 Plymouth Prowler. The cost cutting on the third generation Jeep Grand Cherokee for the 2005 model year was clearly a Daimler-Chrysler product. Some say that Mercedes-Benz influenced the Chrysler side by bringing in the SRT high performance variants just like Mercedes-Benz did with their AMG high performance models. It’s ironic how the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee shares its platform with the Mercedes-Benz M-Class despite Daimler-Chrysler breaking up in 2008. It’s sort of like how Land Rover was using turbocharged 4 cylinder engines in their Range Rover Evoque models after Ford Motor Company sold the Jaguar and Land Rover brands to Tata Motors in 2008.
@gedaman Perfectly stated. You can tell by the head units and interior designs which echo the interior of the 1998 Model Year LH vehicles.
The 2002 Ram 1500 was another pre-DaimlerChrysler design, mostly being designed while the facelifted 1998 Ram was being introduced in late 1997. Interior trim was of a higher quality for the 2002, 03, 04, 05 models than the 06, 07, 08.
You can tell that the 2006 MY Ram facelift in 2005 got the blockier plastic interior of the 300C, Charger, and 3rd gen 2005 Grand Cherokee.
New 2002 models were half-and-half, independent Chrysler and DaimlerChrysler, while anything '01 or earlier was pre-Daimler.
I have a 99 WJ 4.7 and believe me, I’m not trading it it for anything!
The sound when it starts, that voooooom from that v6.
Dang power for 📱 and video games in 99'. Chrysler was REALLY ahead of the curve on that one with this Jeep model.
@@larrylaffer3246 Luckily this video was from 1998 and you could buy one of these in 1998 too, so that makes it even better.
I've never understood the 2 second gear thing, only used for downshifts?
It keeps your transmission in a lower gear at a higher rpm.. great for driving offroad without having to ride the brakes plus tons of other use cases
@@tysonvance hes talking about how the transmission has two 2nd gears which i believe one is a quick down for acceleration
@@DakotaRaymond1999exactly. 2nd gear prime was a different ratio for downshifts when passing
That 1st and 2nd gen GC were licenses to print money for Jeep. Those who chose the 4.7 regretted it though.
The third generation Jeep Gran Cherokee seemed to be plagued by excessive cost cutting. They turned things around with the fourth generation Jeep Grand Cherokee.
@gedaman Yep, the 3rd generation was plastic fantastic. This one was designed in mid-90s, tested mostly in 1997-early 98.
The next gen was DaimlerChrysler through and through.
My 2002 with the 4.7 still running great at 197,000 miles.
The WJ Grand Cherokee, particularly with the 4.7, was known for head gasket failure. My Dodge Dakota had the 4.7, and it blew a head gasket after 120,000 miles
Ive heard some people that never hand problems with the 4.7 and others where they just were nothing but problems. I loved the 5.2 in my ZJ plenty of torque and even when abused and neglected it still kept going.
The first version on that engine, yes but they did fix that issue
I have the 4.7 high out put it has 169000 miles on it
I miss my 2000 Laredo. Selectrac 4 liter. It was a tank and ran flawlessly.
4.0 was the best engine jeep ever had. Bullet proof! 4.7 not nearly as bulletproof but a powerhouse for its time. The biggest problem for the 4.7 is its head gaskets. Either the head bolts loosened up over time or the valve seats began dropping.
I love my 2020 Overland 5.7
No one cares
ok
Jeep has gone to crap now that fiat owns them
@@Welcometofacsistube😂😂😂
Too bad they don't put cushy seats like those in cars today. The thing I miss most about my 2004.
I agree with your point completely, as my dad used to have a 2002 Limited V8 when I was a kid, and it had possibly the most comfortable seats of any car I’ve ever sat in - from the moment 10-year-old me sat in it for the first time, I was in heaven as they were just oh-so-comfy, and I felt myself almost sinking into them with just how soft and comfortable they were, they were more like comfy armchairs than actual seats!
That was one of the reasons why I consider my dad’s old WJ Grand Cherokee to be my overall favourite out of all the cars my family has ever owned - you just don’t get seats this comfortable and plush in newer cars nowadays.
Real Jeeps with solid axles. My daily driver is a '95 with the 4.0 and with 270k miles, it's still a fair bit quicker than my wife's 4 cyl Accord. Most reliable vehicle I've ever owned.
We had the base Laredo, with the basic 4x4 and the 4.0 inline 6. It was a really good car.
What a beautiful car.. And 4.0 V8 🤤
I had a 2003 Laredo 4WD, I liked it!
i had a 2002 limited 2wd, i miss it so much
5.9 version is the epic spec.
I think only ZJ had that version
@@felipeiturreyes3385100 percent and only for one year. 1998 ZJ limited.
its sad that the WJ never got a “performance” version with cool wheels and hood vents.
@@DakotaRaymond1999 Overland package came with the 265hp 4.7L HO which was faster than the previous gen 5.9. Optional engine on the Limited.
I bought mine in jan2010 for $3,000 from a family friend and it had 150,000mi on it. I only drive it 10min to work during winter times.. its almost going to be 2025 and It still only has 185,000mi on it.
"the dash has a more seemless, European appearance" lmao
Pre-internet raised folks like John, have had an annoying tendency to romanticize all things European at the expense of American and Asian entities being given due credit or recognition.
yeah he acted as if eUrOpe was a country and EVERYTHING is the same standard... if anything this wold be German appearance
Casuals. 😂
I've got a 2003 4.7 HO, has extractors and dual exhaust and some other internal mods if the motor is looked after it is great and it sounds amazing. Maybe one of the best sounding v8's out there (ohc and semi hemi head design). Might not be the quickest but it sounds deep and angry.
had a 2004 GC limited 4.7L v8
240,000 head gasket went.. only had issues with brakes & rotors so got lifetime when they went out
No doubt it was a great looking model but let's not forget the super exposed gas tank in which Chrysler had to reach an agreement with the federal government to add a hitch because they were incidents in rearview crashes that the gas tank would explode and several people died. Why the engineers thought having such an exposed gas tank behind the rear axle was a good idea I'll never know, but they fixed it with the following generation and place the gas tank mid-frame.
Sadly they also killed the solid front axle and the 4.0 on the next generation. Its a good thing they solved the gas tank situation though. I have a 98 ZJ Jeep Grand Cherokee and glad it has the hitch back there.
I blame the government crash standards of the day, which, at the time, Jeep passed. While I do feel for those affected, I don't think holding an older design accountable for newer standards is fair. Those incidents involved very high-speed collisions. Even those tank like police Ford Panther platform cars were known to have issues with the gas tank during very high speed rear-end collisions. Heck, depending on the severity of the collision, any vehicle might have some type of issue. Today, I'd be more worried about getting into a serious accident in a Tesla than I would in in my previous 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the Tesla is a modern design. I've seen so many local news stories of those catching fire so quickly that the driver can't get out in time before the vehicle is engulfed in flames.
For those worried about the Jeep, stick a trailer hitch on the back, which solves the problem.
I miss these, especially the overland edition 😭😢
This was the last of the live front axle jeeps .
Still had the jeep feel
Far and away the best used 4x4 going for $
I traded in my 1996 Grand Cherokee Limited V8 for the 1999 Grand Cherokee Limited with the new V8. It was a 3 year lease that turned into a 12 year nightmare. The first day I drove it to work, it stalled and it spent 3 weeks in the dealership (under warranty) waiting for an overhead cam sensor on backorder from Florida. When my 3 years was up, I decided to buy it because I couldn't afford a down payment for anything else and that's when the input speed sensor went out (fixed under warranty) and then a month later, the output speed sensor went (still under warranty). 8 years later, the ac stopped working and I wasn't about to spend $1500 to get it fixed but near the 12th year, the heat went and in Michigan that's no good and I wasn't paying $3 grand. So, in 2011, I traded it in on a used 2009 Town and Country with 15000 miles and drove it trouble free for 9 years (I did have to replace the radiator at the 7 year mark but that's it).
Had a loaner with the 4.7l back around 2000. Thing was a runner back then but I damn near burned through a whole tank of gas the day I had it.
Ooo man I remember being in middle school and my parents got this grand Cherokee limited in this gold champagne color.. it had the 4.7l v8 and Quadra drive… that sucker was fast, was awesome in the snow and had the softest seats ever but the transmission was sooo clunky and when you ran the ac the passenger footwell filled with water…. My parents got rid of it before I got my license…😢
We had a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee it was beautiful and we kept it for almost 10 years until the rear axle support broke away from the frame and said that's enough we're not putting any more money into this at that point it had $268,000 Mi on it and it was a V8
4.0 inline six could be brought back with direct injection, a mild hybrid system, cylinder deactivation etc
Cylinder deactivation has a bad track record for reliability. How about just bring it back as is.
@@GregoryGlessnerViolin Sure. It'd have to be tested thoroughly. But it may be ok on this engine though. Iron block and inline configuration would handle heat variations between cylinders better than aluminum block V engines. Anyway, it's just one of those wishes that probably will remain just that.
Actually, a very nicely designed/styled dashboard and interior, overall.
My favorite generation of GC.
My favorite Grand Cherokees were the 1st, 2nd, and 4th generation models. The 3rd generation 2005-10 models felt cheap and flimsy(typical DaimlerChrysler era vehicle), and I don't like the looks of the current Grand Cherokee, especially the Grand Cherokee L. It's just personal taste.
Still my favourite grand cherokee, if only production kept going for a couple more model years so they could fit the 5.7 hemi as a send of gift like the 98 5.9 limited
It has the Exploding gas tank. The vehicle is not allowed in many countries
I'd sure love an episode about an early 80s diesel vw rabbit.
Yech!!
two second gears. is that why all the transmission broke?
It was a great vehicle!
Did I miss it? Where’s the track part 0-60 braking ???
If you want one of these get the AMC 4.0L Straight 6
Cannot understand after all this time how MotorWeek has not mentioned the wheelbase was definitely 105.9, not "106.6", a small, but true discrepancy..Neither the ZJ or WJ were "105.6"
Prefer the AMC designed XJ vs the Chrysler GC. Still not a bad rig with the 4.0
Infrared sensors??
Proud of my 03 Laredo 4.0
Wish it was 1999 again 🫤🫤
I would rather keep my 2001 grand cherokee with Mercedes parts than own a new one with Fiat parts.
Best gen of the GCH
The 1998 ZJ with the 5.9 liter was one bad ass Jeep.
Wow, a brand new redesign and they LOWERED the price! Never happens these days. And a perfect example of what Jeep is doing wrong now, raising the price to absurd levels without any redesign. I wonder why their sales are in the tank…
NAWH, I'll Skip Even Considering This "GAS TANK IN THE VERY REAR 💣 🔥!"
...This makes me want to play Test Drive Off Road on PS1 and I have no idea why
The tester literally must have looked up 90”s dad outfit for the test.
nothing like an affordable WJ!
I was just a kid in the 90s, I still cant believe the pathetic amount of power coming from those big engines.
The best grand cherokee
Long live the WJ! It'll be a classic someday like the Wagoneers. I'm currently restoring a Wagoneer and a WJ on my channel if anyone gets bored enough to come check them out🤣🤘🏼
Had a 2002 Grand Cherokee and 2006 Commander, both had the 4.7 😒 Nothing major, just smaller quality issues. Daily now is a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder V8. 165k on the clock and still runs great👍It's like a smaller, more nimble, Nissan Armada, but faster 😁
A lot of these are still out there, so long as they didn't have that disastrous 4.7 V8.
4.7 not disastrous at all
Some of the last halfway decent Jeeps they ever made.
WORST vehicle I ever had! Roof leaked and dealer could never fix it. Glad I only leased it and returning was the happiest day of having it
Test driver sending it
At Jeep They Have Two Accommodations Are The Jeep Grand Cherokee & Bringing Back Jeep Grand Wagoner.
You mean to tell me an auto maker actually cared about consumers at one point? 250.00 less than the year before? No change in price in the upper level trims??!! Yeah those days are long gone and far out the window now!
The only real horrible Grand Cherokees were/are the third gen (WK) and the current (WL). While the fourth gen really wasn’t a true Jeep, it was still at least RWD based and not an overgrown FWD station wagon like everything else. The Benz platforms Chrysler used in the mid 2000s were pretty solid.
The WK didn't have a Mercedes-Benz platform, oddly enough. Only the '11 WK2 released in 2010, was co-developed by Daimler AG from 2005 to 2009.
The TrackHawk and the SRT8 were very special.
@@nwezetx1Yeah, I meant 2010s- ‘20s are the Benz platform. My mind still considers 2010 to be mid 2000s.😂
@JohnEvans-ct6mz Oh, I getcha. How I wish to go back honestly and not be in 2024. You don't even know the half of it, really sad times.
You see XJs all day long but most of these WJs junked
I see far more WJs than XJs. Not that I don't like XJs, I had a '95 4.0L Sport and loved it
The XJs are cool but I hardly ever see them. Theirs none left. Same with ZJs. I see more WJs running around then WKs (3rd gen GC) where i live.