Grand Cherokee Going Bye-Bye

retmil46 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:57 am

Just got an e-mail from another CRD owner that this morning on CNBC they reported that Chrysler had announced they were going to discontinue the Grand Cherokee.

Guess we won't be the only Jeep owners to experience the pleasure of owning a limited-production diesel. :wink:

bugnout · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:25 pm

The Grand Cherokee model or just the GC Diesel?

Ranger1 · **Joined:** Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:40 pm **Posts:** 1137

I saw that too - Chrylser is replacing the Jeep Grand Cherokee entirely with a car based SUV, spending $1.8 billion to retool the plant where the GC is currently built. The new model is supposed to be out for 2010.

GC CRD owners are going to be a part of a very small community indeed. At least the CRD Liberty is still being sold in Europe.

This is assuming Cerberus still owns Chrysler in 2010. Cerberus also bought ~ 51% of GMAC just before the sub prime financial meltdown and it's bleeding them badly.

There are a few auto analysts suggesting that Chrysler is discussing the sale of Jeep with Nissan.

jinstall · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:30 pm

Oh cool a Jeep Patrol!

Ranger1 · **Joined:** Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:40 pm **Posts:** 1137

jinstall wrote:

Oh cool a Jeep Patrol!

Grand Patriot

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:56 pm

I wonder how many GC CRDs were even sold here?

Ranger1 · **Joined:** Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:40 pm **Posts:** 1137

The only reports I read claimed that in 07, MB was selling all of their 3.0L diesel V6 they could make, so they limited sales to Jeep to between 350 and 500, in an attempt to sell more higher priced MB SUV's and cars with that engine. For 08, it was supposed to increase somewhat. Again, just reports online so who knows if its accurate.

Interesting how the sales numbers of the GC CRD are scarce while the Liberty CRD sales were being announced every few months.

Uffe · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:28 pm

jinstall wrote:

Oh cool a Jeep Patrol!

I can imagine that alright. A 3.0L CRD engine which blows up every 100,000kms, useless dealers (hey wait, dealers will be excellent as both nissan and jeep dealers are the worlds 2nd and 1st worst), exessively expensive parts, failing EGR valves every other full moon, air bubbles in the fuel every week which has a monday, automatic transmissions which slip and implode, impossible to insure and with fuel comsumption in the low 10s.

Perfect vehicle for the enthusiast!

chadhargis · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:33 pm

Jeep + Nissan = Patrol CRD! YEAH!!

The only thing better would be the Toyota FJ Cruiser CRD. Now THAT would be a hell of a vehicle.

glaspak845 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:36 pm

Just read the article here it is... http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/200 ... tool_N.htm

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:56 pm

Yuck, then the Jeep brand will be controlled by the French.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:23 pm

Renault...lol...again

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:07 am

Wow, the future for Jeep isn’t looking good. :shock:

If the Commander goes and the Cherokee goes, then we are left with one real Jeep (the JK of course). I think the new Liberty, Compass, Patriot, and Compass are all pretty weak. :oops:

Khaki-KJ · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:05 am

I have no idea what Chrysler is trying to do. Jeep owners are probably the most brand loyal vehicle owners out there. We put up with a lot more than most people would and then Chryler turns around and pulls this. If they are counting on our good nature and willingness to put up with this garbage because of that loyalty then they may be in for a shock.

Jeep owners are willing to work on their own vehicles far more than most other owners, which means we do not mind buying used Jeeps and fixing them up. There are still a lot of used Jeeps out there, several decades worth. The core Jeep buyer is not afraid to buy used and turn wrenches.

The new Jeep replacement for the Grand Cherokee is the old Grand Wagoneer.
The new Liberty is the old Cherokee.
Mess with the JK and we buy TJs and CJs

Just remember Chrysler, you need us more than we need you. We have tools and we are not afraid to use them.

railguy · **Posted:** Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:30 pm

Jeep needs to do two things if the brand is going to survive--albeit probably somewhere else besides Chrysler:

1. Build vehicles that truly are "trail-rated" off-road capable.

2. Bring back the 2.8 CRD engine with a reliable and efficient emission control system.

Right now, Jeep only builds one truly "out-of-the-box" off-road capable vehicle--the Wrangler Rubicon. For arduous off-road purposes, without subsatantial aftermarket modification, everything else is pretty much crap. My Liberty CRD has a great diesel engine, but when I finish modifying the suspension so that the Liberty will be really off-road capable, I will have spent enough money to negate all the fuel cost savings the effiicient CRD will ever accrue compared to more capable, but less fuel-efficient 4WD's.

So, as far as I'm concerned, the rest of the current Jeep lineup besides the Wrangler can roll into history--including the current Liberty. What should Jeep build? In addition to the Wrangler, my suggestion would be to build a Liberty-type body that would fit on the Wrangler Unlimited frame (save a lot of tool-up costs there), and equip it with the same axles, transfer case, etc. as the current Wrangler Rubicon. Then, I would offer the 2.8L CRD as the standard engine in both the Libby and the Wrangler, with either a manual or automatic transmission. Admittedly, this would be a "niche" vehicle for people who actually use their vehicles in arduous off-road situations, but those folks have been largely abandoned by the other auto manufacturers. And if Chrysler can't figure out how to make the 2.8 CRD meet the emission regulations--well, then, they probably don't deserve to survive.

Pablo · **Joined:** Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:06 pm **Posts:** 1201

I believe that Chrysler is better off a subsidiary of Nissan... and Jeep with someone else or independent. This new company does not have time to turn Chrysler around. They can't do that in a recession with no product and a damaged reputation. They simply cannot compete on fuel mileage at all. They have NO economy/small car. NONE. WTF? And a partnership with Chery motors of China? Again... WTF? What have they been doing? Smoking Peyote? If it were not for Enterprise rent a crap, no one would buy their stuff.

If not a sell out, they should file bankruptcy, lay off the union and rip up all union contracts, get rid of their a-hole dealership network, and come back in 2 years with some real product sold direct.

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

I beg to differ on Jeep buyers being all that brand loyal. Some of them are, but most GC owners are posers who want to look rugged while driving a luxo-truck down to JCrew and Cinnabon at the local mall. Rubicon is a loss leader intended to maintain the Jeep brand image so Chrysler can continue to sell Liberties, Patriots, and GC's to soccer moms.

The Jeep GC's sales fell first because of the stupid redesign the Germans did that led to one vanilla, white toast, boring looking vehicle. Now it is taking a beating because it gets horrendously bad fuel economy, even compared to other SUV's with similar weights and power. Chrysler is taking a gamble that there will still be an SUV market down the road and they can cash in on it by making a car-based SUV with only a moderately horrendous fuel economy. Still a stupid bet. Even relatively fuel efficient SUV's aren't selling very well now. Better to shrink the Jeep model line up (really, they should only produce a Wrangler, a Cherokee-esque small SUV, and a GC) and work to improve their performance than weaken the brand identity and continue shifting them towards car-based SUV's that still won't sell well.

Herk · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:27 am

Threeweight you are right on the money!!

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 12:42 pm

Pablo wrote:

If it were not for Enterprise rent a crap, no one would buy their stuff.

Enterprise buys a lot of wrecked or damaged before the first sale cars especially with their High Line Cars. They can then sell the car at any time they want, yes I have had to turn one in for another in the middle of the rental agreement, as long as they do not call the car NEW.

So if you fall in love with an Enterprise rental car, check it out first, don't assume it is a new car with a few miles on it.

Thrifty and Dollar pick up a lot of the over runs and dead movers, I know I drive a lot of Rental cars.

PS: I have noticed a lot of H2s and H3s sitting on the lots lately, must be dead movers :lol:

RedStapler · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2007 10:04 am **Posts:** 77

So Jeep is changing hands once again..and the beat goes on.

The WK CRD folks will still be able to get their vehicle serviced, it will just be at a Mercedes or Freightliner dealership. There are plenty of MBs and Sprinter vans with the 3.0 CRD. The W5A580 could be an issue in the future.

I read in this months Diesel Power that the Grand is slated to get the smaller Cummins engine with the next redesign.

I hope they end up in the hands of Nissan/Renault do have good diesel tech so a 2-3L diesel in the JK.

Grand Cherokee Going Bye-Bye

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