G6 GT Transplant/New Build

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

An all wheel drive wagon could be an option, too. I just wouldn't get a Subaru with the flat or boxer 4. Those seem to be problematic over time.

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

There seem to be a few Jeep Liberty 4X4's in the area that may fit the bill. I know they used most of the running gear from the regular Jeep Cherokee's for the Liberty after they discontinued the square body Cherokee. I think it was axles and x-fer case. So it should be decent. I hear mixed feelings on the 3.7L V6 but mostly good. I'd be happy with a Liberty.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

There seem to be a few Jeep Liberty 4X4's in the area that may fit the bill. I know they used most of the running gear from the regular Jeep Cherokee's for the Liberty after they discontinued the square body Cherokee. I think it was axles and x-fer case. So it should be decent. I hear mixed feelings on the 3.7L V6 but mostly good. I'd be happy with a Liberty.

I like those. I've done boxes for them, in person. Like full installs on those. Idk if in America, but they made a 4 cylinder diesel verson of that with like 500 mile range, iirc.

Jeep CRD Diesel - Liberty, Grand Cherokee

www.fordiesel.com

That turbo diesel could easily haul around the extra weight of a hefty system. That's my thoughts.

 

[Firewalker]

Got news for ya I owned a '99 Grand Cherokee for many years and my parents had a '05 Liberty. The rear ends are JUNK. Dana 35 rear diff's and with 84K on mine when I bought it we went to change the gear oil and everything was junk in there. Join the forums below for questions on what goes and a common issue with those is the rear diff. Not too mention all the other issues. Rear wheel well is a known rusting issue in all of those Grand Cherokees as well. They had a lot of issues. If you go with the Grand Cherokee you might be better off with the V8 but if you do the inline 6 like I had feed it Full Synthetic from Mobil Oil or Pennzoil otherwise you end up with ticking issues.

Jeep Enthusiast Forums

A forum community dedicated to all jeep owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, engine swaps, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!

www.jeepforum.com

 

[Firewalker]

Also this website is for the '99-'04 for updates and other issues as well. The Liberty I can tell you is SUPER LIGHT and can't handle well in the snow of any kind. I went through probably 6 different sets of tires as I bought them during the winter trying to find one on the GC and Liberty for any kind of traction. Only two sets that ever did anything for me were the Bridgestone Revo 2/3's and the Cooper Discover's AT3's. I have a set of the AT3's on my Ford OEM Wheels and then on my custom wheels are the Mickey Thompson Deegan 38's which are the same tread pattern as the AT3's since Cooper owns Mickey Thompson.

Personally I would never own another '99-'04 Grand Cherokee again. Also from '99 to mid '02 they did "Teves" Brakes on them. They were such pure junk they issued multiple TSA's on them and mid run they switched them from Teves to "Akebono" Brakes. So if you buy a '99-'02 switch them out right away because the calipers seize up like crazy even when driving them all day long. Also another big issue is the front suspension and how it rusts out underneath the bottom of the shock where the shock rubber pad is on all '99-'04 GC. What they did was they have a sub-frame of course well then they put a rubber pad there as well. Then the shock then the springs on top of said rubber pad. Well water gets in there and has no way of getting out i.e draining. Only way you can fix it is find someone who is a good welder and will try to or trying to find a very western or southern sub-frame that is still intact.

I know there is a lot more issues with those that I can't think of right now. I went through hell with mine over 10 years and said never again if I do it will be a '09 at least.

Second-Generation "WJ / WG" Jeep Grand Cherokee Guide | JeepSpecs.com

The Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ was the second generation, announced June 1998. Produced from 1999 - 2004. See model year info & more here.

jeepspecs.com

 

[Kickstand Premium Member]

I picked up a old Nissan Murano about 6 months ago for my son
It was cheap ($1000 Can) but it had a whole bunch of problems with it and 200, 000 kms
The whole exhaust was shot from the cats back
the rack for the steering needed to be replaced
power steering pump
variable valve solenoids were shot
leak in the AC that needed to be tracked down and then recharge the system
New plugs, injectors and coil packs
walnut shell blasted the intakes
oil pan
front bearings
brakes/calipers
I even had to re weld the frame on the driver's seat
It barely ran when I got it and was spitting fluids from everywhere
But I just drove it up north last weeked (16 hours each way) without so much as a squeak or squeal from it
My point is that if it has a few problems with a little know how and thank god for Rock Auto.com you can fix them for cheap
Total for all the parts and the price of the car was under $2000 Canadian
Now I have to fix the batch hatch lock actuator so I can put some sound in there

 

[Kickstand Premium Member]

If your looking for an older car the domestic cars engine lives are not the greatest
Look at Honda, Toyota
With proper fluid changes you can get 300,000-400,000 kms out of them
Not sure what that is in miles but you get my point

 

[Firewalker]

I beat Rockauto.com all the time on parts from Amazon or eBay sometimes even locally at Advance Auto Parts. I do use Rockauto.com though for some part numbers to take elsewhere. Usually by the time they figure in shipping I've beaten there prices by a good margin. Sometimes I don't but the shipping from them takes just as long from most sellers on eBay and 90% of the time when I buy something on Amazon including car parts I have it in 24-48 hours with prime.

Where as my dad just insists on Rockauto or Amazon only. He would rather pay higher prices for the same part then get it from eBay which drives me crazy because to us an extra dollar in the bank account means a lot when they are retired and I am disabled.

Tbh the inline 6 from Jeep can go that long or longer. One of the best designed but it needs Full Synthetic once it hits 85,000. But others have gotten 400,000 miles out of them with regular DINO oil which I wouldn't do but hey if it works.

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

Got news for ya I owned a '99 Grand Cherokee for many years and my parents had a '05 Liberty. The rear ends are JUNK. Dana 35 rear diff's and with 84K on mine when I bought it we went to change the gear oil and everything was junk in there. Join the forums below for questions on what goes and a common issue with those is the rear diff. Not too mention all the other issues. Rear wheel well is a known rusting issue in all of those Grand Cherokees as well. They had a lot of issues. If you go with the Grand Cherokee you might be better off with the V8 but if you do the inline 6 like I had feed it Full Synthetic from Mobil Oil or Pennzoil otherwise you end up with ticking issues.

Jeep Enthusiast Forums

A forum community dedicated to all jeep owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, engine swaps, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!

www.jeepforum.com

Yeah, I have been around the block with a 1993 Xj 4.0L 4x4, 1996 ZJ 4.0L 2 wheel drive, 1995 ZJ 4.0L 4x4 and a 1998 ZJ 4.0L 4x4. Only had issues with 1 Dana 35 but the previous owner thought it was a major off road vehicle when they are light duty 4x4's stock.

 

[Firewalker]

lol then you know what a POS they are!

Between the two I would go with a '05 and above Grand Cherokee vs those POS '99-'04s.

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

lol then you know what a POS they are!

Between the two I would go with a '05 and above Grand Cherokee vs those POS '99-'04s.

99-01 had problematic head castings on the 4.0L's

 

[Firewalker]

My '00 Wrangler felt like it weighed twice as much as that '05 Liberty we had. I could go through anything with that thing that Liberty pfffft 2 inches of snow and it would go sideways at low speeds and mind you we get almost 80 inches a year.

 

[Firewalker]

I know the Wranglers 4.0 had those but mine was perfect. But I do know like you said they changed the head on the '02s then on so yeah it is possible. I do know there was some differences between the Wrangler and GC engines but not what anymore can't remember that far back since its been awhile since I even looked it up. I still would go with a '05 and above. But that is me.

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

Jeep Liberties are like 3500 - 4300lbs... how are you getting squirmy in a few inches of snow?

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Look at Honda, Toyota

This^^ Just if a small Toyota not a 2.4l. The have piston ring issues causing them to drink oil.