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2014 GC "EcoDiesel" OWNERS!!! Review..

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2014
124K views 468 replies 137 participants last post by  Chivvalry 
#1 · (Edited)
Same as my last thread, just looking for owner's reviews their new NAFTA EcoDiesel GC so far. I won't bother adding the poll to this one bc I'd like to see the ratings in you guys' posts. Keeps the responses legit, and cuts down on voter fraud. ;)

So as you all take delivery, drive it around for a lil bit (few days maybe), then let me know what you think.. 1-to-10 format.

Ex. This JEEP is a 'HEEP' of sh!t....... 1-10, I give it a 0. Oh wait, it cost me $50k! Make that a -5. :mad:

or..

This thing is awesome!!! I couldn't be happier....... 1-10, I give it a 10! :D

Or something in between.. You get the point. Thx guys and gals. I can't do TOO much about what you guys' concerns are, but some of the ppl up the ladder who browse these threads can, so let em hear it. And again, thx for your purchases and hanging in there despite all the setbacks. :thumbsup:
 
#93 ·
Day 2: Drove from New Orleans to St Louis. 12 hour trip. Tired, but had a good drive. Today broke the 1000 mile mark. Have filled the tank a few times. Today speed ranged from 75 to 80 MPH for most of the trip, and the mpg was slightly down to 28.5 mpg. Getting close to 700 miles per tank, but out of habit, filling when it reaches a quarter tank, even though it says I still have 200+ mile driving range left. Compared EVIC mpg - vs - actual mpg, and was within 0.5 mpg. Still having intermittent shimmy around 70, but no rhyme or reason, as sometimes it has the shimmy, and other times it doesn't. Almost seems to shimmy when I have been driving a while, then get off the freeway for a short bit. When I get back on is when I really notice the shimmy, then it lessens/goes away after awhile. Adaptive cruise is incredible, and drove most of the day with it. Still intermittently having the smell everyone is having (I say cat piss, wife says dead fish). It too comes and goes. Thought it would have been gone by now. Uconnect is something in and of itself. Still finding new buttons and features. Lots to learn. Just when you thought you knew all the settings menus, you look in some obscure place, and there is a whole new menu of different settings.
Torque is incredible. Turbo lag takes a little getting used to. At first, you give it gas, and it doesn't move for what seems to be about a second, then BAM - takes off. Problem is since it is not moving for that second, you give more gas, so when the turbo kicks in, you spin the tires, and are off like a rocket. Learning to go easier on the pedal till the turbo kicks in, then adjust the throttle as necessary. This thing will smoke the 2004 JGC I replaced, and it had a 4.7L HO engine - and I thought that was fast - it has nothing on this baby.
This is a brief overview, and will give a full in-depth review Sunday night when I get home and have time to go over everything. Still have not gone over the Jeep 100%, and want to do that before I give the full review.
Congrats to all getting their jeeps.
Tomorrow we are spending half the day in St Louis, then heading up to Cedar Rapids.
 
#95 ·
Still intermittently having the smell everyone is having (I say cat piss, wife says dead fish). It too comes and goes.
Imagine working around that smell for 10 hours a day. :lol:
 
#94 ·
I'm curious if those who are commenting on the turbo lag have tried turning eco mode off? I definitely notice, especially from a dead stop, that there is a fair lag before the butt gets sucked into the seat with eco mode on, but when I turned eco mode off it was much less noticeable. Instead of virtually no power initially, I found it pulling pretty well, and then it started pulling even more.

And when not going from a dead-stop, especially when in sport mode, I don't really notice a lag.

I think at least some of the lag is more about the computer mappings in eco mode than the turbo.
 
#101 ·
So far, lucky. No bad smell. Just did a 60 mile mostly freeway trip. Kept it generally between 60 and 70mph in moderate traffic. 32.1mpg on EVIC. ACC worked perfectly. Amazing. What an incredible ride for this size vehicle. Am itching to get it into the mountains and on some challenging roads. Next weekend.
 
#105 · (Edited)


Introduction / Delivery

Like many other's, I've been eagerly waiting for the Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel to be released. I learned to drive in a Wrangler, and grew an appreciation for off-roading at an early age. I considered buying a Wrangler about 8 years ago, but was turned off by the poor fuel efficiency. My Jeep would need to go long distances just as easily as it can go off road. When the EcoDiesel was announced, I was sold instantly. With the improved interior and fine-tuned exterior, all doubts left my mind as to what I wanted.

Delivery of my GC was effortless and nearly flawless. I noticed only four tiny issues during delivery: A tiny chip in the bumper, some blue 'dust' on the carpet between the B pillar and the front passenger seat, a piece of the rear seat leather needed to be pushed down into place near the 60/40 split, and a piece of carpet improperly routed under the sidewall under the dash on the passenger side. The dealer did not fill the gas tank or the DEF tank, and based on the literature that came with the truck that indicates the DEF tank should be filled, I will be lodging a complaint with Chrysler. Besides this minor issue, this was my best experience buying a car so far, and I highly recommend Jim Povio at Stoneridge Chrysler.

Exterior 9/10

I love the front end of this truck. It looks at place in the dirt as well as the city. While I considered the red, and the blue, the Granite Crystal Metallic color just pops on the GC. Apart from the small chip on the bumper, I've not noticed any issues with the paint. I'm not a big fan of chrome, and there is certainly more on this truck than I would prefer, but the rear brow and door lettering change for this year looks just about right. I plan on plastidiping the chrome in the near future. The 18's that come with ORA2 are nice, much preferable to the 20's, but still not quite 'tough' enough for me.

My only gripe about the exterior is the rear end. It's just a bit bland to me and could use a little more personality. The tail lights are better than the previous year, but it still leaves something to be desired. On the topic of tail lights, my passenger side tail lights are ever so slightly closer than the driver side, but they do not touch, and don't appear to be a problem.

Interior 9.5/10

The interior fit and finish is superb. The leather dash looks great, especially with the stitching. The leather smell that permeates the interior is one of my favorite smells. The leather/wood steering wheel is just awesome. It has a good girth to it, and feels solid. The leather is soft, and the wood is smooth, it feels awesome in your hands. The heated function for the steering wheel works faster than I would have expected, and has been used several times this week. I wasn't sure I liked the center stack when I test drove the Jeep and saw pictures, but it has really grown on me. The Uconnect radio is just awesome. The interface is easy to use and responsive. I would prefer to have more physical buttons for things like heated seats, but it really is just a minor complaint. I have used almost every input method for audio, and they all work well. The settings screen was a little hard to get to, but once I found it, it was easy to navigate. I'm having an issue with the settings immediately being de-selected after I select them, but I'm hoping a Uconnect update will solve that. The sound system is of decent quality. I'm sure the HK system is better, but I'm more than satisfied with what came in my Overland. The sunroof is great, though I definitely need to find the sweet spot to prevent buffeting. Noise levels inside the cabin with the windows up are amazing.

Powertrain 9/10

The 3.0L Diesel puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. I get looks from people, surprised to hear a diesel under the hood. I love the muted diesel clatter at idle and low speeds, and when you get to freeway speeds, it turns into a growl indistinguishable from a gasser. This really give the Jeep a tough feeling. Maybe it's just in my mind, but that's fine with me! I'm getting the hang of the throttle, though I still need a bit more time to master it. Most of the time I drive in Eco, and it definitely seems to be a bit slow to react from a stop in Eco mode. This is easily overcome with a bit more throttle, or dropping her into sport mode. Even in sport mode there is a bit of a hesitation while the turbo spools up, but it is far less noticeable than my 2.5L turbo in my Subaru. The transmission is very smooth. During medium acceleration it shifts into second gear a hair before I would prefer, but after that the shifts are nearly seamless. More than enough power has always been available when I needed it. Whether entering the freeway, passing, or just giving it a good thwomp from a stop sign, This powerplant delivers! The fuel economy is amazing. I drove a 90% highway 35 mile trip with a net 400 foot drop in elevation, and a couple hills in between, and achieved 32MPG. The return trip in grueling bumper to bumper traffic (ACC made this much more bearable than my manual Subaru) dropped the round trip average to 26mpg. ACC tends to be fairly aggressive in traffic, had I not used ACC and drove more conservatively in traffic, I bet I could have added 1-2 MPG to that round trip number.

There was certainly a smell associated with the engine running for the first few hundred miles. I wouldn't say it smells like cat pee, but you can tell somethings being burned off. I'm at 250 miles now, and not a single hint of the smell.

Ride and Handling 9.5/10

I took a drive yesterday through some back roads to test the responsiveness of the engine and transmission. I was pleasantly surprised by how competent the GC is on-road. The ride is relatively soft, but holds well in the corners with a lot less body roll than I expected. The air suspension has worked well, though I notice it has been telling me "Normal ride height achieved" at times when I can't explain why it wasn't at normal ride height to being with. I'll have to keep an eye on it, but I'm guessing I'm just not aware of everything it is doing.

I don't have specific complaints about the handling or ride, but I feel a 10/10 should be reserved for something simply spectacular. This is not to say I don't think the ride and handling aren't great, they truly are.

Electronics, Gidgets and Gazmos 10/10

I am so infatuated with the technology in the Grand Cherokee. I have had the forward collision alert go off at one point while I was coming up on another car quickly in order to prevent the left turn light from turning yellow/red before I was able to turn. It did not brake, as this feature was apparently not turned on by default. While pulling out of my driveway, I noticed a car coming down the street and stopped to let him by, well before it would have been a problem, the rear cross path alert notified me of the car coming. The Adaptive Cruise Control is simply spectacular. This is easily the most anticipated feature for me, as I will use it all the time. Apart from bumper to bumper traffic (where it is actually not recommended to be used) it achieves the perfect balance of aggressiveness and conservation. Turning on your blinker to go around someone instantly triggers acceleration, and with 420 lb/ft of torque, it doesn't take much to get up and go. The blind spot detection is also a well appreciated feature. While it is important to still check your blind spots, this system gives you a quick and easy indication of whats around you.

Closing thoughts

I'm certainly not the most critical person of the GC out there. I like the Jeep brand, and I was prejudiced before I even picked it up. With that said, I couldn't be happier with my purchase, and I have plenty of friends who are now convinced that the Diesel Grand Cherokee will be their next ride. I hope this feeling lasts for years to come!

Overall: 9.5/10

And of course, a BIG Thank You to all of the folks at JNAP who made this beast possible, and those who support the GC fan club here on JG whom make the wait intolerable (due to the excessive amount of information available! :lol:) You are turning out a top-notch product, and should be proud of what you do every day.
:ftmfw::clap::thumbsup:
 
#106 ·
The air suspension has worked well, though I notice it has been telling me "Normal ride height achieved" at times when I can't explain why it wasn't at normal ride height to being with. I'll have to keep an eye on it, but I'm guessing I'm just not aware of everything it is doing.
Maybe it is going out of aero mode.
 
#109 ·
I took my GC west of Denver on I-70 today to see how it would climb from around 5280' to 7000' and it was smooth. It was in 7th and 8th gear where the V-6 was down to 5th or 4th when pushed. There was no problem keeping speed and accelerating. The lack of engine noise going uphill was deceiving. Round trip from Denver was about 26 mpg with some heavy acceleration and some idling.


Land vehicle Vehicle Car Automotive tire Tire




Land vehicle Vehicle Car Automotive tire Tire
 
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#112 ·
I took my GC west of Denver on I-70 today to see how it would climb from around 5280' to 7000' and it was smooth. It was in 7th and 8th gear where the V-6 was down to 5th or 4th when pushed. There was no problem keeping speed and accelerating. The lack of engine noise going uphill was deceiving. Round trip from Denver was about 26 mpg with some heavy acceleration and some idling.

View attachment 32030
Cool. I look forward to a report on the Georgetown to Eisenhower stretch.
 
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#113 · (Edited)


Picture taken while in Louisiana on the Golf Coast during the road trip back home



Picture taken outside Hannibal Missouri overlooking the Mississippi River Basin during the road trip back home






2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel Review

After a 1650 mile trip, here is my review on our new 2014 Ecodiesel Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with ORII and the advanced tech package.
My wife and I flew to Houston Texas, and Brainstormer and his son picked us up and took us to the hotel. The first thing in the morning, we picked up the Jeep. We were only at the dealer for just over an hour, and the transaction went smoothly. After that, we were on our way. We took a road trip from Houston to New Orleans. The next day, we drove up to St Louis, and on the last day, drove back up to Lakeville Minnesota. It was a long journey, but I can’t imagine a better vehicle to drive for the trip.

At the dealer, I did not get the $500 discount, but my dealer was able to arrange 3 free oil changes that I can get at any jeep dealer. The urea tank was filled, and the only thing I noted wrong was the rubber seals around the windows were not folded in, but that was a quick fix. The dealer paid for a diesel fill up since we were from out of state. He also threw in slush mats, but since I already had the Husky mats, I talked him into changing them to mats for my wife’s 07 Wrangler. The Jeep was well prepped, and was ready to go. It was a seamless transaction at the dealer
Dealer rating 10/10.

I filled the tank 3 times during the trip. I filled when the tank was around ¼ full, but still showed a range of about 200 miles left. I fueled up out of habit of fueling when I am down to a quarter tank, but I will change my practice, as my old Jeep only had a 200 mile range when it was full.

For the first partial tank of fuel, the I varied the speed for a break in period. Driving about 450 miles, the EVIC showed 29.4 mpg with an actual 28.07 mpg. I made it from Houston to New Orleans with EVIC showing 30 mpg, but that slightly dropped when I actually filled for the second time.
On the second fill, EVIC showed 28.2 mpg, with an actual of 28.63 mpg
The third fill EVIC showed 29.4 mpg with an actual of 28.13 mpg.



Interior: Design is great. Love the fit and finish. Only things missing are a side upper latch in the rear for a cargo net to go along the side in back, and spots up front to put change and other small items. Everything is placed for easy access and I am very impressed with the overall interior. Heated wheel is quick to heat. Rating 9.5/10

Seating/comfort: The seats do not hug me like the ones in my 2004, and it seems more like you sit on top of the seats rather than in the seats. After driving 1650 miles in 72 hours, I can honestly say these are the most comfortable seats I have ever had. Heated seats heat quickly. Vented seats cool quickly - much faster than I thought they would. Rating 10/10

Exterior: Nice looking, great paint job (after 2000 coats, it should be). Everything fits well, with a very very slight bulge in the rear lift handle – so small that I don’t know if I will even pursue having it fixed. Sharp looking Jeep. Only flaws noted were the rubber seals on the sided of the door. Half hung over, and half tucked in. Not sure which way is correct, but wound up tucking them all in. Everything, including the seams in the rear lights are aligned correctly. Rating 9.5/10

Lighting: Interior lighting is really nice. Love the way every button and feature is highlighted. Ambient lighting with the overland is really nice, and helps find things in the dark. Exterior lights are great too. Puddle lights are a nice feature, and I love the daytime running lights. The headlights are incredible. The self leveling is very impressive, and you will notice when you start your car first thing in the garage. Also, watch where your headlights land on a car in front of you at a stop – very definitive cutoff line. 1650 miles, and not a single person flashed me. Used the auto high beams, and they are very accurate. I did notice condensation in the headlights, and it does go away. It comes back, but will go away again. Rating 10/10

Engine/Turbo/Torque/Transmission: Incredible power and torque. Diesel clatter is less than I thought, till I got to a colder climate, then it increases, but I love that sound. The clatter then decreased as the Jeep warmed up. Turbo lag is present, but is minimal. The difference between Eco mode and regular mode is minimal – slightly better with the eco off, but not enough for me to keep the eco off. I will be driving with the eco mode on. Takes a little time to get used to driving with the turbo lag, but once mastered, it is a pleasure to drive. This thing will smoke the tires. Transmission is smooth as silk. You can’t even tell when this thing shifts – very seamless. Tried the sport mode, and it is more responsive, but you do notice the transmission shifts more, and the engine definitely revs higher in this mode. I also used the paddle shifters. They are fun to use, but I don’t think I will use them often. The only time I could see using them is to down shift when going up a hill while towing. Even then, this thing has so much torque, I don’t think it will drop speed going up hills. Rating 10/10

Select Trac/Air Suspension/Hill Descent: I took the Jeep on an easy off road trail when we were by Hannibal MO, overlooking the Mississippi River. The select trac was easy to use, and the shifting from 4 high to 4 low was quick and easy. Air suspension works well, and gives a very smooth ride. Takes a minute to raise and lower, and noticed a smoother ride when going off road. The hill descent control was cool, and took me down a very steep hill with no problem. Almost seemed too slow, but increased the speed with the paddle shifters. The whole system worked very well. Slight groaning and noise when starting down the steep hill, but the sound quickly abated. Rating 10/10

Adaptive Cruise/Adv Tech: This is something I was not sure I wanted, but is by far one of the most used and neatest features on the Jeep. The adaptive cruise with stop is amazing. Try it, and you will be hooked. The blind spot monitoring is nice, and helps since this has bigger side pillars than my last Jeep. The forward collision warning is nice too. Was looking down once at the Uconnect for a little too long, when the car in front of me slammed their brakes on. All of a sudden, I heard a very loud chime. I was able to react and brake before the Jeep needed to take action. It did stop a possible accident – it also reminded me to keep my eye on the road, and off the Uconnect. Rating 10/10

Driving/Handling: This thing has great maneuverability and is very smooth both on and off road. Smooth steering, and drives more like a sports car than a SUV. Slight shimmy noted above 70 mph, but no rhyme or reason. Some roads having a shimmy, some roads smooth. The one thing I noticed was no shimmy, then I got off the road to gas up. Upon getting back on the same road 5 minutes later, the shimmy came back, but lessened in a short time. I would rate this 10/10 except for the shimmy. Rating 9.5/10

Uconnect: What can I say. This is by far the most advanced system on the market. This thing can do almost anything. Just when you think you found every feature, you find a new one. You go through the settings screen, and set everything up. Then you are on another screen, and find another setting screen with different features. Navigation is very accurate, and has nice features. During the long trip, it found road work and re-routed us several times to save time. Controls are very easy to find, and are right at your fingertips. The only thing wrong with this is you will find yourself staring at it when your eyes should be on the road. Rating 10/10

Sound System: Decent sound system on the Overland, but I think the system in my 2004 Grand Cherokee is better. Sound distorts at higher levels. Jeep could have done better in this area. Radio and ipod sound are much better than the satellite radio. This system should have more than a 3 band equalizer. Rating 8/10

Fuel/Urea: Gas mileage is incredible. Often find myself well over 30 mpg, but then it drops when stuck in heavy traffic, or driving over 70 mph. Fueling up was no problem with the cap-less filler. Just have to consciously look to make sure I am putting in diesel, and need to break the old gas habit. Slight smell when driving, and it does decrease with time. However, when driving hard, you still may get whiffs of the smell, even after 1650 miles. I joke and say cat piss smell, but it is not that bad. It is just a smell that you will realize, but it will not offend you. Rating would be a 10/10 except for the smell. Rating 9.5/10
Overall Impression: When I decided I wanted this vehicle over a year ago, I knew I was taking a chance on something sight unseen. When I ordered on August 9th, I was nervous about buying a 50K vehicle without so much as a test drive. I have owned numerous Jeeps over the years, and have not been disappointed before, so I put a lot of stock in that. When I took delivery, sat in the drivers seat, buckled up, and hit the road, it did not take long for me to realize I made the right decisions. It took less than a minute to have a big grin on my face, and 1650 miles and 72 hours later, the grin is still there. This is a big hit for Jeep, and I highly recommend this Jeep to others.
Only a few small things that were wrong, or not designed as I would like, but they are minor at best.
I put a lot of thought into this review, and tried to be as honest as possible. I tried to hit every system I used, and I tried to use all the systems so I could give an accurate review. I really hope this review helps you, especially if you were undecided on getting one.

OVERALL RATING: 9.75/10 (only a Lamborghini and Ferrari get a 10 :lol:)

I’m off to play with the new Jeep.
 
#120 ·
I also used the paddle shifters. They are fun to use, but I don’t think I will use them often. The only time I could see using them is to down shift when going up a hill while towing.

Slight shimmy noted above 70 mph, but no rhyme or reason. Some roads having a shimmy, some roads smooth. The one thing I noticed was no shimmy, then I got off the road to gas up. Upon getting back on the same road 5 minutes later, the shimmy came back, but lessened in a short time.
Paddle shifters:
A good use of paddle shifters is to set a lower maximum gear on descents, particularly on snow/ice, towing, or steep hills.

Shimmy:
I sometimes feel a shimmy in my old ZJ and finally came to the conclusion it is the road. I think some sections of road get a little bit of washboard that is felt.
 
#114 · (Edited)
You guys are getting way better mileage than I am.

Just did a 500 mile trip. The Jeep was telling me I was getting 26.5ish MPG both ways on the long (200 mile or so) interstate legs. This was with a full truck of big guys, luggage, and big packed coolers. The truck was way full of heavy stuff. Speeds mainlined 77-85mph (with one run up to 118mph to just see what she'd do)

Obviously, I'm not mad at 26+ under those conditions though

PS: got my front windows tinted to match the back today, looks great!
 
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#116 ·
You guys are getting way better mileage than I am...

Obviously, I'm not mad at 26+ under those conditions though
My mostly-city driving has dropped lifetime mpg to 23.5 according to EVIC with 660 total miles. The second tank has been all suburban driving, 150 miles thus far at 22.3 mpg.

Apparently, letting it idle to show friends and neighbors how quiet the EcoDiesel affected my overall mpg. I am also using the Jeep to make even short runs because I LIKE TO DRIVE IT.

I also used two different brands of diesel, so I'll monitor performance by brand to see if that is a contributing factor.

I can't see the mileage getting any worse then this, which is still better than the 15 mpg lifetime average on my 2011 V-8 GMC pickup (traded) as well as my previous 2001 V-8 Dodge Durango which averaged only 13.8 mpg.

It will take a several more tank fills to establish actual driving patterns and draw meaningful conclusions on fuel efficiency.
 
#115 · (Edited)
Shannon, so when are you going to take it apart to find my tagging? :)

I'd love to see your Jeep up close and personal again so I can pay more attention to that 4000 coat paint job. ;)

But it's okay, because you'll have a lot more defense from dings!

I had a KJ with an unusually thick paint job. I wish my KK had gone through the paint shop more than once. :( I thought this was actually normal until I got rid of it...
 
#117 ·
I'm going to have to trust you on the tagging. Too new to start ripping it apart. Although I am one of the few to have the "Overland Marlon Edition".
Looks great - thanks making it awesome!!!
 
#119 ·
Shannon
Great write up. My SO gets home Friday nite and we are off to the dealer on Saturday to look at colors.

As a long time diesel owner I can tell you that winter time fuel mileage mixed will be 20% worse of more than summer driving. I don't know if it is all the added resistance from the drive train or what but I am expecting to see guys posting poorer mileage when cold.

Jeep has a hit on its hands for sure. I have not been this excited when we bought our 13 Outback last year or even my BMW when I picked it up in Munich. I guess because it is a diesel is the #1 reason and unless I keep it a zillion miles will never see the payback.

Again living vicariously through these posts...
 
#121 ·
All the fills have been with the winter diesel blends. I am actually hoping to see better milage next spring. Time will tell. Good luck with the new purchase
 
#124 ·
Found my first complaint. We just had a good snow fall here and the temperature is just below freezing but the roads are very slushy. The material used in the inner wheel wells has a profile/surface that the snow is literally bonding to and filling both the front and back of the arches full of snow/ice that is interfering with steering. Had to heat up my garage to about 45 and the snow/ice just won't let go. Going to the car wash tomorrow for some hot water. I have been living/driving in this type of weather for over 25 years and never had a vehicle plug up so fast. Hopefully this is just a one time occurrence, hate to be on a trail 100 miles from nowhere when it happens.

Otherwise it is awesome! Once I get a few more miles on it I will do a full review.
 
#125 ·
I live in Minnesota, and hearing this makes me concerned. My only thought is Rustoleum Never Wet just came out, and if snow becomes a problem. I may put that on the inner wells and see if it works.
 
#126 ·
Yes, the wheel well liners are some sort of fabric fiber material for what I can only assume is sound deadening. Seems like it would be a candidate for holding snow as it's a very rough/porous surface. As for steering shimmy, zero on mine.

Spray some turtle wax ICE all over the wheel well liners. That stuff is very slick and I doubt any snow would then stick. Just don't get on brakes!
 
#127 · (Edited)
Been almost a week now and I thought I'd give my first impressions.

Delivery Condition 7/10: Overall, pretty good. No major alignment issues. The rear driver's side door and the gas lid need a small adjustment, but that's about it. I have had some issues with the 8.4 inch uconnect screen though, unfortunately. I'm seeing some blue vertical lines intermittently, and also some weird interference on the screen at times. It's not easy to notice, at first I thought Chrysler was just using cheap LCDs, however, when I did my uconnect upgrade they were plain as day. Dealer has not been great to deal with. They are making me come in twice (on a weekday no less) to resolve it. Once to inspect it and order the part, and another time to install it. I had to stop in there to pickup the EZ-pass transponder I mistakenly left in my trade and they wouldn't take the time to take a look at it to save me having to come in two more times. Overall, night and day difference from what I've experienced from BMW or Audi dealers I'd dealt with in the past who'd come and pick up the car up and leave me a loaner. Some pics here:

http://www.jeepgarage.org/f155/blue-lines-on-8-4-nav-67957.html

Interior 9/10: I'm a fan of the interior, very well thought out. Luxurious and very functional, I'm a fan. My only gripe is the copper plastic they used in the center console. Loved the color, and didn't mind it being plastic, just thought they could have used something a bit sturdier/more substantial. The quality of the leather was good, but I've had nappa leather interiors in the past and this nappa feels a bit thinner.

Exterior 9/10: Love it, love it, love it. Strikes a good balance between elegant, mean, and geeky. My only complaint are the tires (which will be rectified tomorrow).

Engine 10/10: Couldn't be happier with the diesel. As others have noted, I did see a bump in performance after hitting 100 miles. I run it 99% of the time in Eco mode and honestly have never felt lacking aside from the minor turbo lag. I came from a low 4-sec 0-60 daily driver before this and I am not going through any type of withdrawl (mmmm torque). I also LOVE the fact that Jeep left a tiny bit of diesel clatter in. I've driven my cousin's X5 diesel and it feels sterile. The Jeep's sound gives it character while not being obtrusive in any way, kudos.

Usability 9/10: It's a joy to drive. It steers well, the air suspension rides like a dream and at the same time doesn't feel top heavy. The chassis is solid as well. The gadgetry I've tested has all worked well. The ACC w/ Stop is going to give me a damn stroke, fair warning, don't use the closest setting unless you posses balls of steel.... The Nav works well (could be a bit flashier), the media functions all work well, and I dig the controls and responsiveness of the uconnect system. Very well engineered.

Overall 9/10: Very happy with the JGC, my last 3 cars have been a mix of 2 german sports sedans and a Hummer H3, and the JGC just completes me:) Jeep/Chrysler need to work on the QC a bit, I've never picked up a new car with issues like this one. BUT, I'm confident those issues will get resolved, and I'm going to be very happy with this Jeep for years to come.:thumbsup:
 
#131 ·
Great reviews everyone!

I think you've all convinced me to pull the trigger and order today. I've been following this car for coming up on a year now (mostly through this forum), and all these great reviews have pushed me over the edge.

Do any of you that have picked up your CRDs have thoughts on what to look for on delivery, either that you found on delivery or that you wish you had found, outside those suggested in the base WK2 thread? (Forum Link) Obviously the DEF fluid level needs to be on that checklist, but I'm curious if there's anything else out there that might have been missed, especially if it's CRD specific!

Thanks again for all the wonderful information!
 
#134 · (Edited)
I maybe the odd man out here, since I've had time to dink around with my Durango and get used to some of the oddities here and there with the platforms in general.

That being said, a bit of the stuff I saw in the Durango, I see in the Jeep.

Condition on pick up was perfect.

Nothing too weird or out of the ordinary.

Taillights looked good, alignment of the various bits and pieces was good, etc..

No bad paint, scuffs, scratches, bubbles, etc...

Under power the thing is a beast. Love the engine. Very much like most other modern TDI/CRD styles. Ya romp on it and you will be picking your teeth out of your skull, go gingerly and you have a bit of turbo lag... all good and expected.

I did notice some noise/shimmy from the drive train at the 65-75 zone as well. I *don't* get that in my Durango (but I have heard some folks get that in the Rango as well).

Same UConnect oddities in the SFU as in the Rango.
  • Forgotten my radio settings once (wiped out all my Sirius settings)
  • Decided it does not want to remember my Driver 1 settings (so the seat and steering wheel are all in factory default positions)
  • Decided that it does not want to come out of "easy exit" settings (so the driver seat is set waaaaaaaay back).
  • Decided it did NOT want to re-learn my settings (hitting the "S" button and a setting button resulting in nothing happening... had to cycle power a few times to clear that glitch).
So... honestly, most of the oddness is dealing with UConnect.

It doesn't seem to make as much noise when ripping through standing water (better design/more sound sealing?) as the Durango does.

I LOVE the advanced tech package (in both). That cruise control is a thing of beauty, as is the cross path detection and reversing at night (also makes hooking up to a trailer a joke).

I'm not such a fan of the collision warning system. It goes off somewhat randomly, or "always" if you are coming up behind a car turning out of your lane and you are not slowing down enough.. damn thing freaks out, even though the other car is basically out of the way.

The rear view camera also seems susceptible to misting/rain kicking up on it. Here in Rain City, after flying down the road, I've noticed that using the backup camera can be... rough, at best, on a rainy day. It's usually covered in rain drops and mist. I may give it a shot of Rain-X to see if that helps.

Durango DOES feel better planted and takes corners better though (it's also lower and wider (I think), so, not shocking).

I'm not a fan of the shifter, I've missed Reverse a couple times, or not hit Drive. REALLY wish that had better physical gating feedback.

All in all, I love it (well, both of em). I am a bit worried about the stop and go traffic I get stuck in here, I suspect my daily driver will be the Rango more than the SFU just to avoid the DPF issues.

However, for highway trips and such, the choice is clear. On a clear run, I was seeing 35-38MPG at 55-60, compared to the Rango which does 18.5MPG combined (26-30 on Highway at 55-60 and waaaay more sensitive to inclines.)
 
#136 ·
It's a hassle just getting the leaves outta there the way they hold onto the sleeves of that wool coat they stuck in there. I can't imagine what the snow is going to do,with the smoother materials used you could at least spray the inside with a light silicone based product and that would cut down on a lot of that build up.
 
#139 ·
You know... there are so many excellent reviews in here already I think I will just say "ditto"...

This is without a doubt the very best vehicle I have owned in my life. I love it.
 
#141 ·
All I can say is Holy WOW! I just got a sneak preview test drive of "my" Jeep. It still needs a few service/prep items from the dealer, and there wasn't time to complete all the paperwork until Friday. Another long couple of days. But I'm getting a tire swap, and clear bra before delivery Friday, so there won;t be any post delivery items to complete. I'll get a longer review posted when I have some drive time. Initial impressions are in line with everyone else's reviews/comments so far.
 
#142 ·
Would love to see pictures if the clear bra. Have been considering adding one. Are you having your dealer install it? If so are you using a Denver dealer, or one up in the hills?
 
#144 ·
I love that the heated seat and steering wheel came on when I used the remote start tonight. It was 16 degrees here in Denver. The snow mode worked great during the commute to work. WK2.1573, have a great day tomorrow!
 
#145 ·
Thanks! Should be fun. I've already gotten to drive it twice. Took it up to Frisco today with my sales guy. We are using custom tint up there to clear bra everything above the black lower trim up to 18 inches back on the hood. Should be a good set up for the high country roads. I'll post pics when I can.

Tomorrow I'm working in Eagle till about noon, grabbing lunch for both me and my sales guy at Moes BBQ. Then I'm picking him up in Vail and we are headed back to the dealership to close the deal. Should make for a full day. I think I'll finally get home with the Jeep around 6pm. I'll probably throw a quick coat of wax on it, and then I'm off to work again at 6am on Saturday. The Jeep is gonna get a high country workout right out of the gate.
 
#149 ·
2014 GC "EcoDiesel" Review

Ordered August 9, picked up November 13. I've had it for 1 1/2 weeks and finally finished writing up my inspection findings and review comments. Thanks to Shannon and others for great reviews of their vehicles. I have taken the liberty to cut & paste much of their info to create mine.

My biggest complaint is alignment of lift gate, lift gate tail lamps and the rear driver's side door. See the photos in my attachment for an idea of just how out they are. I sure would like to audit the QA/QC effort that took place during the month my JGC was undergoing 100% inspection and testing.

That said, I am very pleased with the end result.
 

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