worst vehicle ever

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:08 pm

Focus2010 wrote:

We all have our own opinions and definitions but..
I'm inclined to believe if there are patterns to the problems, such as the regulators or ball joints or steering rack mount bushings it's not a lemon but a design flaw.
What I heard was that Daimler intended to replace the Cherokee with it and when that was ruled out for whatever reason they decided to shave cost and make it more of an entry level vehicle, and that in the process they built weaknesses into it. I'm no expert on the mechanics or the history of the breed, but I AM an expert on auto parts and some stuff I sell a LOT of. I also spend 50 hours a week interacting with repair shops because that is my job and they tend to have strong opinions to support the designed weakness theory.

It's not bashing if there are specific examples to unending problems.

"This is a piece of junk" is bashing.
"These are the problems I've personally had with a PAMPERED version of this vehicle" is contributing info.

Yeah I've worked in the auto work for 13 years,the issues some have with the KJ(window regulators and LBJ's and such) are juts as common in other vehicles,may not be the same exact problems but every vehicle has it's issues.

Just a example is the pic of your Ford(F250 I believe) pickup,famously known for camber issues,bad balljoints,and starter solenoids.Now I owned a '84 F150 and it was one of the best vehicles I ever owned despite the known issues but others have said they where a big POS since they could not deal with the little problems.I was rough on my F150 also,overloaded it often and pulled twice it's rated towing capacity often but it never let me down,my KJ has been the same way,some small issues but nothing major enough to fault "bad design".

Focus2010 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:09 am **Posts:** 22

All true and that particular one has had huge issues with eating starters. Even with the ceramic heat shield on it I go through one about every year. Of course I have a lifetime one from my work so it costs me nothing but a few minutes of my time. If you have a fix I'll sure try it. It's also got 218k on a 351w and is just starting to blow by the rings. But not by any stretch the worst vehicle I've owned, and I was simply stating my personal position and experiences on the topic of the post. I'm not trying to offend anyone or step on toes. Just my opinion.

BTW I'm about to pay a shop for the second set of rack mount bushings, and I'm not sure I'd consider that minor since the driver side of that rack swings about 3" from lock to lock and even at a discounted 45/hour it's 4 hours in the labor guide.

InCommando · **Posted:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 10:53 am

Thank God you don't own a Focus. Getting one of those lemon lawed is how I wound up with the Liberty.

The KJ IS the replacement for the XJ and is called the Cherokee everywhere but in N. America. I know very few people who aren't aware of this and, like the mileage you were unaware of, is maybe something informed buyers would know prior to purchase. Being an informed buyer is very important for anything. The name was changed here for obvious marketing reasons if you are aware of recent history. While things like the IFS are definitely biased in favor of an on-road audience, things like chassis rigidity and overall size are much greater in the KJ than the smallish and spartan XJ. I think you may be trying to enflame folks with terms like entry-level, etc... when if you compare an XJ to a KJ the KJ easily wins out in everything but the IFS. Actually knowing the 18 year history of the XJ helps.

I notice that you appear to be a Ford fanboy, yet you don't compare the Kj to its Ford rival, the Escape. The Escape is a FWD econobox on stilts with a few models adding very weak IRS drives. And seriously, starters getting eaten yearly and that is OK? If jeep put in a zippered opening to make the window regulator easier to reach, would that square things up? Make sure you check your rear frame rails on your F250. There is a huge # that have had the rear spring mounts rust out of the frame. In one post we hear about an "champ" 200,000 mile truck with implications that it is perfect in comparison, then we get that it has to have a new starter EVERY YEAR and it eats oil. The two things do not add up unless the first few are to vent and/or flame. I'm leaning toward flame. :2cents:

Focus2010 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:09 am **Posts:** 22

It goes through maybe half a quart of oil per oil change. Like I said it is just starting to blow by the rings. And yeah a 15 minute starter job once a year is pretty minimal. It starts up every time even after weeks of sitting. Goes where it's asked to go and does what it's asked to do. Even pulls that boat behind it up boat ramps and some relatively steep hills. I haven't seen a Liberty with 218k on the original motor, much less one with as little engine work done. If you want to compare the Liberty to the Escape.. well that's been done by JD Power, Consumer Reports, Edmunds, Car & Driver... not really even close. And since I have stated that ours is my wife's pavement pounder obviously overall quality of the vehicle IS the point, not off-road capability.

As I stated before I offered my personal experiences in a post with a relevant subject. I thought that was the point of an owner forum. Why attack me and the other vehicles I own in response to it?

And if you look at my s/n you may find that I do own a 2010 Focus. So go ahead and attack my truck and my car.. lets see if that fixes the numerous problems we CURRENTLY are having with the Jeep.

TAHOE · **Posted:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 1:43 pm

I agree it's all personal opinions about certain manufacturers, lemons, etc. My wife bought an 85 S10 blazer before we were married, had to rebuild the motor in that thing not long after she got it, dropped a rod bearing. Then it still wasn't right after that, she traded it in....her "worse" car ever. Later on we bought a 94 Cherokee Country edition...had that 4 months before we traded it off, said I would never buy another Jeep product, what junk that was. She drove my nephew's 05 Libby, she wanted a libby when it was her time for a newer vehicle, she now drives an 05 Sport. I had to drive it yesterday and I hated it the whole time, I just can't get used to it. We haven't had any trouble so far and she loves it, but I don't like driving it at all. I am personally a GM person, all I drive, but I've had bad stuff from them too. Bought a used 98 Poncho Fireturd in 04 "as Is", first oil change it started knocking, I got duped by dealer or PO I feel, iot was pretty ragged out, probably why I got it so cheap. I found another low mileage motor for cheap, now it's my DD when it's not snowing. I think about all models have some issues of some sort peticular to that model.... but I know I won't be having a Ford in my drive :jester:

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 1:59 pm

I love Fords, had a bunch of them , starting with a new one in 1975

Jeeps /Fords /Harleys is all you need

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:28 pm

Not a thing wrong with a ford

nothin that wrong with the F series' either, all vehicles have their quirks.. some are just more annoying than others

little stuff can become especially annoying when you want to enjoy the vehicle more than just a drive to work too

Albert · **Posted:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 5:35 pm

JeepinJarhead03 wrote:

Not a thing wrong with a ford

nothin that wrong with the F series' either, all vehicles have their quirks.. some are just more annoying than others

little stuff can become especially annoying when you want to enjoy the vehicle more than just a drive to work too

Looks like a "40" or so Ford Coupe. Does it have "corpral stripe tail lights" ? Real nice. Is that yours?

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 5:50 pm

40 coupe

built a 39 business sedan with suicides too

the 40's got corporal stripes, used teardrops on the 39

surprised you didn't say something about the panhead harley poking out from under the bedsheets

InCommando · **Posted:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:09 pm

I have had Fords I liked plenty. And plenty of people love Focii, especially if they avoided the Ztec engine. But my personal focus example was a lemon, and you can get a bad example of anything.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:12 pm

certainly!

worst lemon i've ever personally been around was the pontiac pheonix my mom had when I was growing up

i think I was about 10 when i fixed the linkage on the carb so that it wouldn't get stuck by beating the underside of the aircleaner with a ball peen hammer

luckily, the thing had nothing for power, so the 2 times i remember it getting stuck, it didn't exactly run away from her lol

haulin5 · **Joined:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:53 pm **Posts:** 116

I can beat that one......my parents had a Chrysler K-Car wagon. Oh, for the love of......

And 30 years later, I own a Chrysler product.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:23 pm

lol, my moms neighbor still has their k-car waggon - minus the wood panneling looking stuff that peeled off 20 years ago

offroadohio · **Posted:** Sat Feb 27, 2010 4:42 pm

Wow, this thread is still going?

I had alot of issues with my Liberty that made me mad, but not that its gone, I do kinda miss having it.

It is stilla rround and Jeepdaddy has it, soon it will have a solid front like I was hoping to do.

bmrrwolfe · **Joined:** Fri Dec 11, 2009 4:24 pm **Posts:** 132

I gotta agree every car has its issues, i had a 02 WRX, i bought it missing 2nd gear with 80k, well i got it fixed and found out that it had the tranny replaced at a subaru dealership at 70k (almost $5000) the guy was probably in his 40s and did not seem like someone who drove it hard, he sold it real cheap because of its issues and i got it rebuilt the transmission and then had issues starting it sometimes, then check engines came on, and within a month i didn't want it anymore and kept my XJ with 130k that ran like a dream!

I traded my 00 XJ for a slightly abused KJ 06 with 60k, i've had to do a lot of cleaning and maintenance but i love it.
Grew up as a Chrylser/GM guy as my dad managed a Jeep/Chrylser/Eagle bodyshop a while ago the moved to a pontiac/GMC Chrylser shop.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 27, 2010 10:32 pm

good to hear you managed to get everything squared away on the sale for your jeep bro!

yeah the thread made a left turn around zaneville somewhere lol

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:49 am

JeepinJarhead03 wrote:

yeah the thread made a left turn around Zanesville somewhere lol

I thought it was when we were coming across the Y-Bridge that we made a wrong turn??!!! :ROTFL:

Now everyone look up and read about the world famous Y-Bridge in Zanesville :wink:

offroadohio · **Posted:** Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:30 am

We are famous for more than Just the y-bridge.

We have the Robinson-ransbottom pottery and longaberger baskets

Oh and we were the 2nd capital city of the state. Then Columbus stole our glory

Focus2010 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:09 am **Posts:** 22

I looked it up. Just wow. but what about the Mixmaster in Dallas.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/mixm ... master.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_30_in_Texas

worst vehicle ever

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