06 Cherokee V6 Limited

[HowardB]

Hi, due to isolation, I need to buy a car, but want something with character! I'm considering buying an 06 Cherokee V6 Limited What do I need to look out for? I'm aware, obviously of it's fuel consumption, and the high cost of road tax! My son has a slightly older diesel manual The only specific fault I know of that is common is the heater blower. ANY advice very welcome

[Surfer]

If you buy a 55 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was registered before March 2006, you should miss the tax jump.  Ours was a 55 and tax was about £220 per annum.

[HowardB]

Thanks for that Surfer. Are there any specific structural / mechanical things I need to look out for? Obviously, I need to check that the underside hasn't come into much contact with Snowdonia! From what I've read, the PowerTech engine seems pretty bulletproof? Not too bothered about the fuel consumption, I'll do, relatively low mileage

[Surfer]

Check the service history as quite important with a Jeep GC.  We had to replace the front shocks and the sensors on the front wheels on the Jeep.  No issue with engine and gearbox as engine is a Merc engine in disguise.

[digger]

Did you mean a  cherokee V6 petrol ie. a KJ or a  grandcherokee V6 diesel. ie a WK

I may be wrong but I thought you meant a KJ.

I've had both (both excellent)but would like to clarify first what you are considering buying, as I'm a slow typer,  before I say any thing.

[HowardB]

Hi Digger,

Yes, you've understood me correctly. The specific car I'm looking at is a V6 Petrol Cherokee, not a Grand Cherokee. I have broadened my horizons a little, to consider a 2.8CRD.I know that means I need to look at an older car, as they fetch higher prices. It has to be automatic transmission, due to physical limitations. I would like a Limited trim. I've been surprised that even 04 cars, with auto, still seem to be rated at £500+ road tax. Any help welcomed

[digger]

I'm afraid I can't help with the road tax. Its a scam in my opinion eg my GC's emissions are 17% more than my wife's car but the tax is about 25 fold!

I had a 2005 Kj with a 2.8 diesel although a manual. It was excellent. Some folks knock the model cos they don;t like the looks and some knock VM diesels, 'cos they don't understand them.

 My view is different.  The car was one of the best all round practical cars I've owned.  You could get a lot in it,especially with the seats down. It was an excellent tow car. It had very comfy seats. I drove all the way to Eurodisney with the tunnel as the only break and I felt gr8.(try that you german/landy  car fans) On runs I had 30+mpg with bigger tyres too!  It was very capable off road having LSD as standard. plus the torque is brilliant. I thought its road performance was very adequate. Plus I then lifted it 2" and it was a real go anywhere for a road car. I bought at 31 k miles and ran it for 3 1/2 yrs  and  40k more miles with no problems at all. I have had many many makes of car. Reliability and comfort are my number 1 priorities with cars. For this reason I've had seven Jeeps. All comfy and never been home on a truck in 350k miles (I 've learnt the hard way with  so called reliable makes like those before mentioned) Everyone i've spoken to says the V6 petrol is an excellent motor too, although thirstier.

 

What to look for. I had a spell in the trade for a while, so I look at all cars the same. Lots of info on the net. Low miles as you can get/afford. Same with owners, I always expect absolute max of 1 owner every 3 yrs. Full service history inc. bills etc. Check all works and give it a proper drive, not round the block and don't forget to try reverse. Listen for axle/ bearing noises/oil leaks etc etc  The axles are prone to failing pinion seals. Easy fix but check oil level. Just a rubber bung  to pull out.!  Non Jeeper  folk often quote jeeps have axle problems. I think this is not true as a general rule but they do have leaky seals and I believe inadequate servicing leads to leaky seals which mean low oil  and consequent issues. These same 'experts' knock VM engines,  These are excellent workhorse motors . Many versions have cast iron blocks with alloy heads and like all makes/engines made this (good) way there is a potential issue. Its to do with servicing again. It is essential that the correct antifreeze is used and changed. If not a chemical reaction begins between the two different metals resulting in corrosion and eventually head gasket problems etc. I've had a number of VM and they have been excellent. They are  big torque but relatively low revving so if you over rev I'm sure they complain. If you buy from a dealer ask to see the car  up on a ramp. They all have access to one. It makes it easy to see  rust(if any!), leaks, damage, exhaust etc. If private I take wooden blocks to drive on so I can get underneath.

Last word. Just because these are not the most popular Jeep model means there are some real bargains around. So have a good look, haggle and be patient if you can and you will get a cracker.

Hope this helps.

[HowardB]

Thanks Digger that is VERY helpful! I know a little about the Kj, as my son has a one with the older diesel, also manual.His main car is a Merc CLK AMG, so not ideal for the winter! Especially as he lives near a steep hill, and up a country lane. He bought the cheap Jeep, just to get him through the winter, but has fallen in love with it. As did I when I stayed with him over Christmas. Hence why I've now got the Jeep bug, but also quite specific about what I would like. The fact that they're not "fashionable" is possibly part of the attraction. I might be old, but I don't want to be part of the herd. Road tax, is what it is. Thanks again for such a helpful answer. I'm very glad that I joined Jeep Owners Club, just hope to become a "proper" member with something to show for it!!

[Surfer]

Any particular reason that you want a petrol instead of a diesel?  The 2005-2010 diesels were a V6 3.0L Merc engine and very reliable.  Apparently the 2.8L is not that reliable. and many have reported issues.  Also any reason for a Cherokee instead of a Grand Cherokee?

[digger]

I don't know what Surfer means. My 2005 cherokee had a 4 cylinder VM 2.8 diesel whereas my  2010 GC  has a  3.0 V6 Merc diesel. I am not aware that cherokees were ever fitted with a merc but I may be wrong, I'm just old too! If I bought another KJ I would consider a petrol V6 too, but only because mpg doesn't bother me that much (low miles now) and I believe diesels might be penalised more and more. The GC is quite a bit bigger car and you may not want that.

A lot of folk say German is best, well its up to them. It depends on what you want. Road testers all seem to want a racing car on the road. Put 'em in a real racer and they are often not that good!   I have had (and friends) many poor experiences with a number of German makes.  When I bought my GC I did not realise that a chunk of it was German. Its a gr8 car but had I have known  I would have bought a different model. It does drive good but its a completely different type of car.  I have had a couple of minor issues with my GC in about 20k. Guess what? In each case it was a failed component that had  Mercedes stamped on it!

JerryG is the best chap I know with a Kj.  At Jeep camp last year we were talking about our KJs. He said  ''They are an excellent car, they don't do anything brilliantly but they do do everything all round very well'' .  I agree was my experience.

[Surfer]

Apologies Digger I was referring to the 3.0L Grand Cherokee.

[HowardB]

Thanks gents. Combination of reasons for not really looking at the Grand Cherokee. I live alone, so just don't need anything that big. I actually prefer the look of the Cherokee. I think that the GC could, pretty much be anything. My budget! Like Digger, I'm not bothered about the fuel consumption, coz I'll do low mileage. I did recently consider a nice looking diesel, which seemed to have a good service history, but was concerned that it'd had a new turbo fitted. It's only done 111k. Is there any issue with turbos?

[digger]

I reflect on what I've already said. I;ve built turbo engines  for racing and worked on them  too. I believe that many turbo failures are caused by oil starvation , dirt, wrong oil etc caused by poor maintenance or simple over revving/heating. I try to buy as low miles as poss usually below 30k and certainly below 50k. You can pick KJs up like this for relative beans if you can be patient.  Good luck. I look forward to seeing your final choice at an event.

No need for apologies Surfer, no offence  was taken. at the end of the day a lot of these 'model' issues are quite complicated and I certainly don't know anything about many model changes etc. Look forward to seeing you too.

[jerryg]

My KJ :- Had it from new in 2007. It was the best compromise 4x4 available at the time for all criteria. Price, comfort, economy, space, luggage/passenger capacity, towing capability, off road ability (well it is a Jeep!), bar none!

This 2.8 VM has been very reliable. Mine done 120000 with absolutely no issues (don't temp providence!)

Turbo - again no probs, just make sure oil & filter are changed every 6500 miles. And clean MAP & MAF's regularly. Don't confuse this engine with the VM fitted in the earlier XJ's which split their heads regularly! Service histories don't always mean much - just means that someone produced an invoice and stamped the book! My opinion.

One weak spot is the engine mounted pulley bearing supporting the viscous fan clutch. This bearing, with composite bearing race, (what a poor bit of engineering!) has to support the weight of the viscous clutch and fan, quite a weight pulling sideways on the bearing, especially when the viscous bit decides to sieze up and the fan is turning permanently, leading to overcooling. It fails, and when it does the fan (blades) plus clutch and pulley, try to escape through either the bonnet or the radiator! Messy! 

Solution :- remove viscous fan and clutch and run without all that weight stressing the bearing. I've done this now for about 12 months and it runs with the temp gauge bang in the middle, only getting hot when dragging my caravan up the hill at Birdlip!  But if yours starts to run hot install a Kenlowe type electric fan. Plenty of room to fit one.

I also got a local engineering shop to fabricate a proper bearing and fit on the pulley to change at a later date, if cooling becomes an issue.

Front differential - another poor bit of engineering (weight saving) having an aluminium cast casing.  Don't go climbing steep quarries and let a front wheel leave the ground, start spinning, and then come back down with a bump. It's like a chinese burn, and doesn't end well - the diff explodes! How do I know, don't ask!!

Solution, fit diff lockers, or replacement diff with steel casing, or go slower up the sides of quarries!

Rear drum handbrake is a pig to keep effective. Again, why this method?   Needs regular adjustment of shoes inside drum, and checks to ensure mechanism inside drums hasn't seized up.

Mine usually works OK at MOT time!

My experience and opinions - others may differ!

 

 

 

[HowardB]

Thanks PDB. I'm looking at a Cherokee, rather than a GC. As I understand it, these are entirely different engines? The GC has, as you say, what is, in truth a Merc engine. The Cherokee has a 2.8 VM engine. Very confusing for a newbie, but I'm learning fast!

[Surfer]

9 hours ago, PDB said:

Ive had my 2010 GC WH for 5 years. Had 75k on the clock when I bought it. Used it commercially on highway contracts running 30k miles one year bashing over verges. Currently 150k. The OM642 merc engine was in sprinters and the hauliers arent happy if they dont return 500k miles. My cousin has the 2.7 merc engine that is in the 04 GC (but in a merc pick up) and he has over 1 million miles on it.

 

Only issue on my GC WH was the EGR clogged like they are quaranteed to with high miles. The WA580 merc gearbox is a beefy box too. It doesnt like to change up but I can live with that.

 

Like the KJ, great all rounder. And for the money there can be no complaints.

 

Im with you on the handbrake Jerry, same as mine. Grumble grumble.

I always thought that the 2005-2010 was referred to as the WKI and not WH?   Just to add that if you buy an auto always use the handbrake and you will not have issues with rear shoes binding.

Edited May 16, 2020 by Surfer

[HowardB]

Thanks guys, I'm learning so much here!

[digger]

As, I've said, model id is a minefield to me. I have read on the net that WH is simply what we call a WK2. This is (what I call 'Marketing nonsense') because they wanted to make it sound different for different markets eg. in the USA its a WH.   Who really knows?  Do you know Jim?

 

I agree with Jerry's points.  On servicing, may I expand my experience.  I agree  that many services range from virtually nothing to a rare good job. If anyone is interested I've plenty of horror stories over a beer( and MOTs). If I have to pay for a service I only go where I can see what they are doing and the same with MOTs.  However when buying a car  used I feel servicing is important, even though I know the standards may have been poor.  My feeling is that once you get beyond the warranty you need to look for evidence that someone has tried to look after the car.  There are many clues  I look for. Lets face it many owners barely  know how to open the bonnet  these days. One of these clues is the history plus it helps when you come to sell the car on.

The earlier VM Jeep engines did have head problems but  mine was fine.  I believe their issues were because of mistreatment more than anything else. I have seen some  of these motors in bits with blown head gaskets/cracked heads etc. In these cases there was severe corrosion as well  the reasons for which I have already commented on.  Also these engines were designed to be high torque boat engines running at constant speed at low revs . Some folk revved 'em a lot to try and go faster, need I say more.

 

Drum brakes are not as bad as many folk make out but they are crap off road, be they the whole thing or just the little guys inside drums.  Discs are relatively self cleaning but drums fill up with liquid mud . They rapidly become much less effective and if left all the components will wear. This means  endless stripping and cleaning along with  regular shoe replacement. My YJ is no exception! The adjustment is supposed to be automatic on many but they just clog up and cleaning /reajusting is needed. If they are working well then you can adjust, with some success, by pulling the handbrake on and off, whilst driving in reverse. 

 

On axles, an extra point.,Many knock the lsd fitted to many Jeeps including the KJ.  However, whilst there are better devices,  they are a lot better than none in my opinion, providing they work. Many do not work properly(driver says it is crap) .  This can be because the car has not been driven in such a way as to use it .  This is easy to fix(ask).  Additionally , poor servicing,again, means the wrong oil and no additive has been put in them which is also fixable. My KJ had these issues .  It had been a one lady owner (who had really looked after it) town driving only car  on 31k miles. The diff was u/s but easily fixed in a couple of hours.

 

 

[Volant165]

Hi Howard,

 

I looked a few years back at getting that same combo, Petrol Cherokee. I had found a blue one in pristine condition and was ready to pull the trigger. The only thing I ran into was that it had an LPG conversion. There were a lot of pros and cons depending on which system it was — so I decided not to buy. 
 

Sophie - our 4x4 instructor at many events - has a Cherokee. Not sure if petrol or diesel, and she seems to really like it. 
 

 

[Surfer]

Digger an excellent and helpful post.  Our current 2012 Overland Summit 3.0L had 45k on the clock when we bought it in Oct 2018.  Bonus was that it had a ful Jeep servcie history.  I then took out a 3 year service plan which includes MOT Test  with Unity Jeep in Kidlington.

[digger]

Hi PDB, I hope you and yours are all keeping well.   I think we are basically saying the same thing ie. WH is a non uk WK 2 which is almost certainly going to be LHD.

I'm afraid I don't agree that most cars are looked after properly, I think the opposite. Although Its a lot different and much older, my YJ is an example. I looked at about a dozen. Only two were pretty good(one of which I bought and it still needed a lot of work). The rest varied from dangerous to poor. Half of those should not have been allowed on the road despite the owners glowing descriptions and their ,usually, recent MOTs. One had a steering column u/j that was so worn , that I believe that had I have struck it with a hammer it would have broken!  Its MOT was two weeks and 7 miles old!  Some were private and some were dealers cars . The thing is anyone selling a car usually does everything they can to make it look good , but it doesn't mean it is. Its very much 'buyer beware' in my view. If anyone doesn't  know what to look for then take someone who does and learn. As I've said before , ask over a beer and I will make your hair curl. Its not hearsay, its my personal findings over many years.

 

Hi Surfer , can I ask what Unity charge a month for your service plan and how it works please? My WK came from a main dealer ship which was part of the Cambria motor group.  The  service plan/warranty is what they call a Cambria lifetime warranty which lasts for 10 years or 100000miles from when I bought it( and I can transfer it to the next owner if they want it).  The first three years was £20 month and then it rose to £33 for the next 3 years. The car has to be serviced at one of their main dealerships(the only slight problem for me, its a day out) each year in order to validate the warranty. I have had two small warranty claims(glowplug module and a wheel sensor  when I was on holiday) and the service has been excellent. I would buy again on this basis, that's why I'm interested in your deal as I quite fancy the latest   model.

[HowardB]

This really is a steep learning curve, but I'm getting there!

Thanks for being so helpful everyone.

I must admit, until you guys told me, that some of the Grand Cherokees had Mercedes engine and transmission, I had assumed that it was, basically the same VM.  Having said that, I infer from what Digger says, that the Merc engine was introduced in 2011. Is that correct? If so, it would rule me out on price anyway. I must admit that I would prefer the Merc to the VM.

The trouble is, it's difficult to take a dealer's word on the description. So many have, clearly, no idea about Jeeps. One description of a 3.7 petrol Cherokee said, specifically that it's a Mercedes engine. I don't think that's true. As I understand it, it's the engine they fitted into the Dodge Ram.

 

Volant 165, you've pretty much confirmed what I'd decided. I'm staying away from LPG conversions. There's too much aditional kit to go wrong. If it does, seems to me like you're carrying a bomb around.

 

Further question, you've discussed dealers, and their standards I have a Jeep dealer, Arnold Clark, Wigan, less than 5 miles from my home. Anyone any experience of them?

[Surfer]

Hi Digger, started at £58 for first year and then dropped to about £35 for the other two years.  Still got about 18 months left on it.

[Surfer]

The Merc engine came in 2005 until 2011 and then it changed to the VM engine.  I strongly suggest that you avoid Arnold Clark however do a search on the name first before taking my word..

[digger]

I thought merc engines came in at 2002 , WK 2005-2010 and WK2 (2011+)  LHD version was WH.  Try looking at WIKI-- jeep grand cherokee.

I may be completely wrong here but I thought the V6 petrol engines were earlier/later versions of the pentastar engine which is supposed to be really good.

Thanks for the service plan info. I presume your figures are per month?

PDB is right, WK is not that big., sort of mid size I reckon.  You will see this if you park by a Commander or, dare I say it an RR. A KJ is a little shorter and  quite a bit narrower. My side drive access width is limited, the Kj was easy, The WK is tight but the Commander I tried would not pass.  Both latter with mirrors in.