Having recently destroyed my '06 CRD Limited, I'm now searching for a replacement. It truly is the vehicle that most fits my lifestyle so I'm going to do my best to replace it. I'm holding out for a CRD Limited with all the bells and whistles, since that's what I had (sunroof isn't a necessity, everything else is).

Tonight I found an '05 and rushed over to take it for a spin. Mechanically it was good. Engine, transmission, transfer case all good, ran smooth in all modes (2WD, 4Part, 4Full, 4Lo) and shifted smoothly between them. Had a few small issues (almost non issues), hood struts are shot, 245 tires that rubbed, rear glass latch needed replacing, factory hitch was replaced with something that looked similar and was still 7 pin (might be a replacement for the recall??). Engine temp didn't come up like I expected, it should've reached middle, it never did, and testing the vents with my hand, was warm, not hot. Coolant was up, probably different t-stat, no big deal, every owner has personal preferences, but could be indicative of a need for a flush.
Then the Carproof report...
Whomever had it registered it at the DMV very frequently (no mileage reported at any DMV visit) seemingly every 3-9 months and only a couple of times at 1 year intervals. Made me think it had temp tags on it, and when they expired, they got a new temp tag, and occasionally they just bought a regular 1 year sticker. I'm saying temp tags because I'm hoping it wasn't sold THAT many times. All at different DMV's around central Ontario Canada. Weird. There's a few dealership visits where the mileage gets recorded (first one is service at 154,186 kms). Then at 170,125kms it shows up in Manitoba, Canada at a dealership and almost 9 months later shows up at a dealership back in Ontario, Canada with 170,127kms (2 kilometres more???, but a minimum of 2070kms between them according to Google maps). So maybe they trailered it (or train). Since then it has been registered at the DMV 3 times (6 month intervals).

So my take on this...

I don't trust the registration history frequency. It could be one owner with temp tags, or it could be quite a few owners (the occasional 1year registrations). If it's several owners, I'm thinking lemon. I'm also thinking it had a major break down in Manitoba, owner couldn't afford to fix it, but somehow shipped it back to Ontario, and promptly fixed it then sold it (or worse, fixed it in Manitoba, drove it back and rolled back the odometer). The final 3 registrations at 6 month intervals might be people who bought it, discovered it's a lemon and dumped it.

My decision... quietly walk away. Severely disappointed, but hopefully better off without a possible lemon.

It's disappointing that the DMV registrations don't provide a name (initials would be fine). In this case I have no idea who was registering it so often, 1 owner or many???

Different dates at random may indicate a dealer auction. So person sells jeep (or trades in) then dealer sells it to another dealer, that sells to another dealer, so on so far. They can transport the vehicle with a truck, hence only 2 miles.

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2005 kj CRD, samco, suncoast tc, provent, Kennedy lift pump, GDE ECO full torque, 2nd gen filter head, 245/70/16 a/t tires, mopar light bar, fumoto oil valve, OEM Skid Plates, ARB Front bumper and HD OME, tru cool LPD47391 40k GVW tranny cooler (stock cooler delete), FF Dynamics e-fan and shroud, rocker arms replaced, HDS2 190F thermostat.

If it has the original ECM, I think that may explain the frequent registrations. Dealerships selling it, then having it returned as a lemon..

Face it, these things with the factory ECM suck more than Dyson vs. Hoover vacuum competition.

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"Gunner": 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited CRD GDE ECO tune Bought 01Apr16 (71K miles)


If you're in New England and need your KJ TB done, PM me.

Retired:
Tractor: Dark Khaki '06 CRD Sport, GDE ECO & Trans Tunes, 2.5" lift + 245/75r16. - Sold 27Apr16
Ghost: Silver '06 KJ CRD Limited, bunch of goodies done - Sold 18Apr16

Talked it over with someone who could better educate me on the subject. You're right (Thermorex), they are purchases. It appears the vehicle has changed hands 12 times in it's life (which looks like 11 years since it was first sold). The problem isn't necessarily the first owner who sold it after 3 months (bad things happen to good people, maybe financial crisis, or something non vehicle related) but when it's sold again after 3 more months, so it's on it's 3rd owner after 6 months, that about says it all. Something was terribly wrong from the start. Walk away.

Another one just popped up, but the mileage is high. Guess I'll go test drive it.

It may be possible that dealer 1 bought it, couldn't sell in 3 months, sold it to another dealer or traded in, then dealer 2 didn't sell it and did same thing. Not necessarily suspicious but it will make me cautious though.

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2005 kj CRD, samco, suncoast tc, provent, Kennedy lift pump, GDE ECO full torque, 2nd gen filter head, 245/70/16 a/t tires, mopar light bar, fumoto oil valve, OEM Skid Plates, ARB Front bumper and HD OME, tru cool LPD47391 40k GVW tranny cooler (stock cooler delete), FF Dynamics e-fan and shroud, rocker arms replaced, HDS2 190F thermostat.

The dealers here do that. Selling it back and forth between sister dealerships saves them some kind of insurance or other fee. Once a car sits on the lot for X days, they have to pay a premium on it. If the ownership transfers, they avoid these fees. That's what the guys selling the cars here tell me anyway.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

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2005 Liberty Sport CRD
Cleaned MAP sensor, ORM, ELM327 Bluetooth OBDII reader with Torque Pro, USA Spec PA-11CHR iPod adapter (used Aux input for Pandora!)
Awaiting install: EVIC, air cleaner hose, and Saikou Michi Catch Can (like a Provent)

Did you hear about the guy who was hooked on brake fluid?
He swears he can stop any time.

Likely tax on inventory held for XX period of time.

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Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

So what?

If the vehicle has a clear title its all about the condition its currently in and what its worth to you.

Check the vehicle out, look it over like any other, and then see.

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http://www.Colorado4Wheel.com
"Its not about what you can DO with your Jeep, its about where you can GO with your Jeep."
Knowledgeable - But Caustic

I did, here's what I found...

Exceptionally rusty underside, way more than my non-under sprayed '04. My wife (who drives the '04) doesn't go out of her way to keep the '04 clean outside (inside it's brand new). She might take it through a car wash twice a year (even with the salt laden Canadian winters). So it suprised me how rusty it was. I wouldn't climb under that jeep without a set of coveralls and a good hat of some sort or else you'd be washing rust out of your hair for days. Kind of suprised me.

Rear glass was unopenable, or more correctly, the latch wasn't working so if you opened it, it couldn't be closed again, or so I was told. As they were attempting to fix it, the plastic panel on the rear gate was off and sitting sort of attached.

Power mirrors did not work at a all (I suspect the defrost option on the mirrors was also a no go). Could be a fuse, could be something else.

Auto dimming rear view looked aftermarket it had Bluetooth connectivity and also used the radio display for read outs. It was daytime, I don't know if the dimming feature worked. Neat, but not what I was expecting. (Is this really a "problem"??)

Plastic cover for the engine was all smashed up in the front right. Probably not installed correctly when the hood was shut.

Hood struts broken, hood wouldn't stay up. I could deal with that, my '04 is same.

Said factory tow pkg, but hitch didn't look like any Jeep accessory I've ever seen before (owned 2 Liberty's, looked at many, never seen that hitch before)

Wrong size tires (245/75R16) and it rubbed just before full lock. I'd have to switch them anyways, they're not in great shape.

The problems are mostly acceptable for a used vehicle, the major turn off was the "broke in Manitoba, showed up 9 months later 2000+ kms away with only 2 additional kms on it" that right there says "major problem that went unreported". I've had enough in life of other people "making their problems my problems". I certainly am not going to do it to myself.

Only one bonus point... It had front hooks. First jeep I've looked at that already had them. No need to swap them from my broken Jeep.

There are "Labors of Love"
And then there is Sado-machochism.
Sounds like the latter to me. Mechanical can be fixed.
Rust, on the other hand, is a complete pain in the backside.

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"Gunner": 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited CRD GDE ECO tune Bought 01Apr16 (71K miles)


If you're in New England and need your KJ TB done, PM me.

Retired:
Tractor: Dark Khaki '06 CRD Sport, GDE ECO & Trans Tunes, 2.5" lift + 245/75r16. - Sold 27Apr16
Ghost: Silver '06 KJ CRD Limited, bunch of goodies done - Sold 18Apr16

done, move on, who gives a shyte what a vin report says or how many owners it has had.

I saw rusty and I didnt read the rest of your post.

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http://www.Colorado4Wheel.com
"Its not about what you can DO with your Jeep, its about where you can GO with your Jeep."
Knowledgeable - But Caustic

I remember some years ago I drove a bone stock crd with 7x,xxx miles and it drove very nice, but underneath was so rusty, looked like being stored in salty water. I also walked away. Surface rust is ok, but anything more substantial is a receipt of endless chassis work.

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2005 kj CRD, samco, suncoast tc, provent, Kennedy lift pump, GDE ECO full torque, 2nd gen filter head, 245/70/16 a/t tires, mopar light bar, fumoto oil valve, OEM Skid Plates, ARB Front bumper and HD OME, tru cool LPD47391 40k GVW tranny cooler (stock cooler delete), FF Dynamics e-fan and shroud, rocker arms replaced, HDS2 190F thermostat.

Mine was like that when I bought it. Previous owner showed me that if the rear door was opened with the handle, the Glass button on the key fob had to be pressed (thereby popping open the latch) before the glass could be closed again. After doing some testing, I found that the switch in the handle had corroded apart and was no longer releasing the glass latch when the handle was pulled halfway. Ordered a new door handle; that fixed it.

Yeah, rust or body issues like that are a deal breaker for me too. Mechanical things can be dealt with. Rust... No.

There would probably have been a healthy amount of body paste in there somewhere too - Used car buyers (auction guys) tend to walk around with a cheap-o magnet in their pocket like what you get from a pizza joint or something - Slap it on the car, and if there is any bondo under that spot, the magnet won't stick b/c it is so weak to begin with.

You find some... Walk away. Plenty of other fish in the sea.

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Proud supporting vendor of LOST Jeeps
TRAVELING CRD TECH. I come to you!
Need help? Just ask! I've taken it apart more than most.
Email jeep [at] maincomputer [dot] com - BOARD MESSAGING IS BROKEN
Over 225 CRDs currently driving with my valves, timing belt, rockers, or ARP Studs.
Bad noises = REALLY bad things.