1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4wd review from North America
"Jeep can do better than this."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The front brake rotors warped at 50k miles.
Two transfer case seals leaked at 55k miles.
Cloth driver's seat foam wearing out (I only weigh 150 lbs)
A/C clutch worn out at 76k miles.
Rear pinion bearing failed at 76k miles.
General comments?
The 4.0l 6 cylinder Laredo is a decent vehicle, but acceleration is slow with the auto trans.
Using synthetic motor oil and trans fluid, I managed a combined 20 MPG.
I replaced the OEM shocks with Edelbrock IAS and, despite the cheap General tires, made the JGC stick much better on freeway on/off ramps.
I replaced the front brake rotors with drilled versions and better pads.
The body/hardware held up well.
I purposely bought the last year of that body style, hoping Jeep worked out the bugs beforehand. For the most part, I didn't experience many of the problems others have, but sold the JGC to CarMax instead of shelling out the $$$ for the rearend work.
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| 1997 - Grand Cherokee Laredo 4.0L I6 The BEST vehicle to ever come from Chrysler |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.0 L6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 4 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 6 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 45000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 76000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 19th September, 2004 |