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help finding positive reports

4K views 35 replies 21 participants last post by  Hollywood 
#1 ·
Hi,

We will be purchasing a new suv within the year and I am smitten with the WK2 Laredo X package. Unfortunately, my wife has a bad impression of jeeps and their reliability. She is interested in Honda Pilots, Explorers and maybe a Chevy Equinox.

I am trying to put together all the positive reports I can find but was wondering if any of you knew some solid statistical reports that might sway the discussion?

We have a 9 year old, a 6 year old and a dog. We won't tow anything, just want something nice and safe for the Minnesota winter.

Thanks for any help!!
 
#5 ·
Preaching to the choir! I am sold on this model and would buy one tomorrow if I could. I send favorably reviews for her to read but she finds a person complaining of their engine overheating to show me.

My wife's uncle had a jeep in the mid 90's and it was constantly in the shop frequently and this has shaped her view of Jeep. I have a year to try to change it!
 
#6 · (Edited)
Chevy and reliable don't belong in the same sentence unless it's a small block or 3800. My last vehicle was on the Theta platform, it's utter crap, and is built with cheapness as the #1 priority (like most GM vehicles). Also, the EPA numbers for the Equinox have been proven to be just about flat out lies. Interior quality of course doesn't even compare to anything else mentioned here.

The new Explorer is a great vehicle. But it's a totally different kind of vehicle, it's a tall wagon, with limited offroad abilities. If all you're looking for is a nice, all weather capable vehicle, the Explorer is a great choice. It's got the advantage of great fuel economy for its size, and a 3rd row too. If you desire something a little more butch, the new Durango is similar to the Explorer as well, but with a bit beefier powertrains.

Pilots are nice, and get decent fuel economy on the highway, and the J35 is a reliable engine if you take care of it. But honestly, it's boring, the interior is nowhere near as nice as the others, and it's severely lacking in features comparatively.

The GC is the most luxurious of the group IMO, especially at higher trims. I can't really comment on a Laredo X model, though I'd imagine the Explorer Limited may be slightly more luxurious.
 
#7 ·
Tell her that the mid 90's was 15 plus yrs ago!

Back then I was young, thin and still had a fire in my belly and the will to "live"!

Jokes aside that was a long time ago; too long ago to compare them to today's Jeeps....

I cross-shopped the Explorer. Drive them back to back. No comparison.
 
#9 ·
I was always against buying chryslers because of their rep.. So was my family.. Til they saw my jeep.. Now they want one... Like others have said no comparison to any of the vehicles stated in this thread.. Mother inlaw wants to trade her 2010 highlander on a wk2.. My father wants to buy one.. And so on..

I still worry in the back of my mind of it being a Chrysler with reliability and resale but so far I'm loving it!!!
 
#10 ·
Try searching for posts with "positive" in the thread title both here and other WK2 forums like jeepforums.com. The subject comes up every once in awhile.

The pilot is a decent transportation appliance, my kids won't ride in one (can be a good or bad thing). The exploder is a FWD vehicle chassis, if you want more of a car feel. Their forums are full of issues. I wouldn't touch a GM unless you trade every year or two. I've been burned twice.
 
#12 ·
Thank you all for the advice and help. I have become a google machine as well as searching this forum "positive" comments. I will keep plugging along and hope it pays off. I have gotten the okay to get whatever I want if we win the lottery so I've got that going for me.

Good luck Shore Points, let me know how it turns out for you.
 
#16 ·
I found this site that tracks most cars and issues they may have. Not sure how reliable it is. Not sure if I should show my wife either, the wk2 has a lot info on there.

http://www.truedelta.com/
Bare in mind that the people who write into websites (including this one) the most are the ones with problems. No vehicle with 30,000+ parts made by dozens of manufacturers is going to be trouble free, but the WK2 is looking very good. Also Chrylser really is Jeep. Look at the inventories of your local Chrysler/Jeep dealers. I'll bet you a donut that most of the inventory is Jeeps, not Chryslers.
 
#18 ·
To the OP, are you looking at the Hemi or the Pentastar? The reason I ask, if she does much research, it seems like there *may* be a head gasket issue with the 3.6L engine. I hope not as I planned to order a 2014, but will be watching the topic closely.
 
#33 ·
+1 on this. Have her drive them all back to back. My wife did NOT want the Jeep, she wanted a Highlander if it had to be an SUV just because she's used to Toyotas. We looked at that, the Explorer, the Pilot, the Equinox, the Jeep...and others.

The Jeep is without a doubt the absolute nicest vehicle out of all of them. As soon as she drove it she had to concede how nicely it drove, and how high quality the interior was. The Equinox's interior is very low quality compared to the Jeep, the Explorer is very nice but too big and too wagon like. The Pilot is an awkward vehicle IMHO. The Highlander is just painfully cheap inside.

When you look at the dollars and you see that you can get a Laredo X for $33-35k pretty well optioned after rebates and negotiation...it's just an undeniable value. Anything comparable is $7-$10k more.
 
#30 ·
If you wife wants another vehicle then that is what she should get. You can find positive and negative views on any vehicle out there and it sounds like she just plane ol' don't want the GC. Got 5k on our GC with the pentastar and enjoyed a nice 26 mpg fill up yesterday (hand calculated, not evic wich said 26.7 mpg's) plus it has as much get up and go as my other two V8 trucks
 
#31 ·
After 5,000 mi I love my 12 JGC Overland, hemi and offroad pkg. II. Have absolutely no problems thus far and I still look for excuses to drive it here in the CO mtns and trips to UT. Still looking at tires with a little more offroad/onroad capability but the Latitude Tours will work for now.

The only things I would add would be the two piece sun visors; handy on curvy roads, etc and a Weather Band radio. I think any 4x4 should have the weather band feature included in the radio. My 4Runner didn't have it either but the 08 MB E500 does. Very handy when in unknown territory and you want an immediate update. I know the "travel" feature has some weather info. and even radar (good for one year free).
 
#35 ·
I was looking for a good SUV for the wife and we drove everything, Explorer, Mazda CX-9, Volvo XC-90, Chev Equinox, Durango, Toyota Highlander, the works bassically. We are the same, 2 kids, dog, and lots of hockey equipment in Alberta winters. After all was said and done we decided on the GC Overland with Hemi. The hemi was quiter than all the others (IMO) due to lower revs on acceleration and any noise you did hear was a nice exhaust tone. The fit and finish are fantastic. We did not need the third row seating other wise we would have gone with the Durango.
 
#36 ·
Take $40 - $45k and go look for a high quality, wood, leather, power EVERYTHING, adaptive cruise, keyless remote, auto lift-gate, rain sensing wipers, great sound system......I can go on and on.....and then add a LIFETIME MAXCARE WARRANTY (which I got in the price I mentioned above), and I promise you, YOU WON'T FIND ANYTHING CLOSE!! If this vehicle had a European Nameplate on it, I promise you it'd be a MINIMUM of $65k, and still wouldn't offer a Lifetime Warranty!!

The only way I can say it again, is it's the BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK out there!! :thumbsup:
 
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