WJ changes for '04

[Jeepin Jason]

Even though it's just now '03, they're already talking about the changes in '04... :rolleyes: Way to kill sales of '03 models DCX... :rolleyes:

From a press release I just got from DCX:

"Also new on four-wheel drive Laredo models is the Quadra-Trac I® single-speed transfer case. A derivative of the award-winning Quadra-Trac II transfer case, Quadra-Trac I offers simplicity and convenience for those customers that do not take their vehicle off-road or tow heavy loads. There is no need to shift levers – Quadra Trac I will respond when there is a loss of traction. For 2004, Select-Trac® with low range remains standard on four-wheel drive Laredo models, while Quadra-Trac I is available as a no-charge option. "

At least they still have an SFA up front for now...

The '04 WJ's will also have a "fresh" new front facia (no pics yet) as well as a stereo/nav system that "combines a 4.9-inch full-color display, AM/FM Stereo, CD Player and navigation system that utilizes DVD technology all in one handy unit. "

[ct90YJ]

my only shock is they waited this long...I'm wondering what wonders they have in store for the TJ...

More goverment saftey regs and all the other "brand improvments" :rolleyes:

Maybe I'll just become a zuk guy graemlins/icon_puke.gif

[ January 02, 2003, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: ct90YJ ]

[Jeepin Jason]

You'd still have to buy an old Zuk to get a good Zuk... icon_smile_wink.gif

[Dennis]

I don't have much of a problem providing some models for the less off-road inclinded, as long as they also provide models with the off-road basics. The Laredo has always been the more "civilized" models. Think about the original Laredo's, CJ's and YJ's with LEATHER and Chrome packages! This weakening of the off-road image is nothing new to Chrysler/Jeep, remember the YJ Renegade of the early ninties! Can you say ugly worthless plastic front end! If they continue to offer a tough, good-looking package on each model line, I will forgive the street-rod profit makers. I guess we are still waiting on the Liberty's salvation though!

Dennis

[fatcatlincoln]

Amen Denns Amen, I am not sure why they switch to the WJ it is ugly, I have seen them offroad and they just dont fit, it is made with the Mom of 3 in mind, I am kinda concerned for the Future of Offroad Vehicals!! The TJ Rubicon has made up for most of the Flaws of the WJ But What about us Lovers of the XJ???

[Jason L]

A single speed transfer case :eek: What the hell is DCX thinking? That is just as bad as IFS in my book. No low range gearing means no trails. They are just trying to cut the expensive stuff out and make the luxury WJ cheap.

Hell why not use a single speed t-case. Honda uses one, so does most of the other cute-utes out there. I mean really, how much will that save on the sticker value, $1000 maybe?

Oooh, I got an idea, they can call this model the posser mobile. Yes you got me right, I am the first one to call another jeep (and a brand new WJ at that) a posser b/c it can't wheel with us. Might as well slap some 20's on it and lower it 3" and we can't forget the ground effects.

arrg, this pisses me off. DCX is starting to make the jeep name crap.

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Jason L:
A single speed transfer case :eek: What the hell is DCX thinking? That is just as bad as IFS in my book. No low range gearing means no trails. They are just trying to cut the expensive stuff out and make the luxury WJ cheap.

Hell why not use a single speed t-case. Honda uses one, so does most of the other cute-utes out there. I mean really, how much will that save on the sticker value, $1000 maybe?

Oooh, I got an idea, they can call this model the posser mobile. Yes you got me right, I am the first one to call another jeep (and a brand new WJ at that) a posser b/c it can't wheel with us. Might as well slap some 20's on it and lower it 3" and we can't forget the ground effects.

arrg, this pisses me off. DCX is starting to make the jeep name crap.First it is not the sticker price that the manufacture's care about it is the profit, save $100 per car and when you build every thousand, you employ two more people and you stock gains a few cents.

And this changeing a car model at the detriment of the purest/loyests started as soon as the first upgrade option was offered on the Model T.

The Grand Cherokee has always had it's never leave the road model, the original Limited, the TSi, etc. Shoot, remember when the original XJ Cheorkee Limited came out in late '87, Folks were freeked out by a Jeep with Gold BBS looking rims that belonged on a BMW or Porsche of the time. But,to the younger guys on the board born in the eighties, that is likely a classic model in their eyes. So quit complaining about the models that allow a little profit for the companies, so that they are able to continue to exist and build what we want like the Rubicon.

[ January 02, 2003, 03:18 PM: Message edited by: Dennis ]

[Jason L]

Its just everything I thought true to Jeep has changed. That is the 4.0 I6, solid axles, and TWO speed transfer cases. The later two date back to the basic ingrediants of an off-road vehicle.

Plus the cool idea behind the WJ is that you can have a luxury vehicle that can be lifted 6" and run 33" mud terrains on and still have leather seats, sun roof, etc... We have a few guys in the JNT club that take their WJ's everywhere with the rest of the TJ's and XJ's.

I don't care that they change things. I knew deep down that once the Libby came out with IFS that it was only a matter of years for the rest of the jeep line to have the IFS and IRS too. Then the 4.0 is out the door with a less torque V6. Now they are doing away with the 2 speed t-case. Guess that goes hand in hand with the IFS and the fact that it isn't designed for off road.

Now the only way you can buy a new vehilce with solid axles is if you look toward the 1 ton pick ups and lets face it, they won't fit down the jeep trails. Jeep was the last manufacturer of mid sized utes with solid axles. graemlins/icon_banghead.gif

I guess I am just angry because, by the time I finally get out of college and get a real job and start looking for a new car to buy that will meet my needs as an off roader, I am seeing less and less jeeps that would do the job. I do love my XJ but it is already over 13 years old and it is not designed or built to last as long as it has. That and I know that it won't get me to work on time every time.

So all I have to say is graemlins/icon_beerchug.gif cheers to the fall of the classic ideas of 4wd and lets salute the rise of limited 4wd. Give things a few more years and the only way to build a good off road vehicle will be either, buy a used vehilce or pay the $2K to swap in solid axles.

[Dennis]

I guess I am just angry because, by the time I finally get out of college and get a real job and start looking for a new car to buy that will meet my needs as an off roader, I am seeing less and less jeeps that would do the job. I do love my XJ but it is already over 13 years old and it is not designed or built to last as long as it has. That and I know that it won't get me to work on time every time. When you pay full price with your own money for a brand new Jeep, you will suddenly feel that putting your new Jeep in the situation that you put your old Jeep, is not enjoyable to the pit in your belly or the emprty space in your wallet. graemlins/rotflmao.gif And as for your XJ lasting just 13 years, ask Cheap, you got many many years to go. It is a Jeep and was built to last, that is one quality that they still have, even the Liberty. Besides, the Jeep has evolved from day one, both in styling and actual engineering, to say that it is just now departing from the original design is just not true. Do you wish that all jeeps still had tiny 4 cylinder engines? It seems that the I-6 has been developed to the amount that DC's engineers and accountents found was economically and environmentally possible. There were full size Jeeps in the past that were IFS and had what amounted to a one speed transfer case(the original Quadratec 4wd system), additionally the 2wd Jeepsters of the late forties and fifties along with the DJ-3, helped keep Willys alive for a while.

Remember that they are a business, and tracing the history back to Willy's Ford, and Bantam, brings you to companies that originally built cars not off-road vehciles, so let us be greatful for what evolved, and thankful that the one speed t-case suplements the regular line-up, and does not yet replace it.

[Ryan, aka: CheapXJ.com]

I don't know man... I'm gonna be buried in mine, if i don't kill it first.

313,000 miles. no major drivetrain work and it runs like a top.

It's sad to see what they're doin to the WJ, givin it that V6, and IFS and a single-speed transfer case.

The WJ, in it's current form has a four link coil sprung front with a solid wheel-to-wheel tie rod and a triangulated rear link suspension (don't remember if it's 3-link or 4-link)

It's a damn good setup, hell it's got to be the best american combination of luxury and capability.

If these marketing yo-yos had a clue at all, they'd have kept the XJ alongside the KJ, and they would have brought back the MJ, WITH THE 4.0L standard and the 5.9L as the optional motor.

[Jeepin Jason]

Originally posted by Dennis:
[QB]When you pay full price with your own money for a brand new Jeep, you will suddenly feel that putting your new Jeep in the situation that you put your old Jeep, is not enjoyable to the pit in your belly or the emprty space in your wallet. graemlins/rotflmao.gif I'd have to argue that point, I know quite a few folks that joyfully wheel their brand new rigs... we've already got modded up Rubi's in our club, a friend of mine has already hacked out fenders on his '01 XJ to mount TJ flares with 33's to follow soon, and Jen and I both love wheelin' her '00 TJ riding on 35" meats. Jason also alluded to the two highly modded, long-arm'ed WJ's in our club, one of which will soon have 35's, the other will have 37's!! :eek: graemlins/grinyes.gif

It seems that the I-6 has been developed to the amount that DC's engineers and accountents found was economically and environmentally possible.That may be possible, but they sure didn't make any improvements with that V6. Gets the same mileage as the 4.0L, and I don't know about yours, but my now 7-year old 4.0L with 80k on the ticker will pass an emissions test with flying colors! Granted, the 4.0 may have come to the climax of it's development, but the V6 is no improvement...

There were full size Jeeps in the past that were IFS and had what amounted to a one speed transfer case(the original Quadratec 4wd system), The 2wd Wagoneers failed miserably and only lasted 2 years in production, and I've never even seen a picture of one, only read about them, that's how poorly they survived.

As for the original Quadratrac system, there was an "emergency" low-lock for the t'case available, in fact, my uncle and cousing just got finished rebuilding one of those QT 'cases that's going into my cousin's Waggy. icon_smile_wink.gif icon_smile_big.gif

[Dennis]

Remeber that they originally planned on keeping the XJ along with the KJ, it was right after the big D became DC that the Germans ran the numbers and found that the profits would just not be there. It is sad that the Liberty is not as buildable as the Cherokee, but look who the manufactures have to cater to, the ORIGINAL buyers, not the used market who will build them up. I would like to see a poll of the people who build up there trucks, Jeep, Ford, Toyota, what ever, what % bought new and what bought used?

[Jeepin Jason]

Originally posted by CheapXJ:
It's sad to see what they're doin to the WJ, givin it that V6, and IFS and a single-speed transfer case.Whoa there buddy, you're jumping the gun a bit... It's only got the optional single-speed t'case for now, no IFS and V6 yet... icon_smile_wink.gif It won't be long though...

[Jeepin Jason]

Originally posted by Dennis:
...the Liberty is not as buildable as the Cherokee, but look who the manufactures have to cater to, the ORIGINAL buyers, not the used market who will build them up. I would like to see a poll of the people who build up there trucks, Jeep, Ford, Toyota, what ever, what % bought new and what bought used?I think you (and DCX) would be surprised how many people buy new and mod them... Cases in point... My XJ and Jen's TJ were both bought new and modded relatively quickly (hers moreso than mine). A friend in our club bought an '01 new and already has 3", 31's, and TJ flares and will have 33's soon along with an RE 5.5" XD kit. We've got 2 modded Rubicon's in our club already, with two more stock Rubi's. Both the guys with the highly modded WJ's bought them new... Maybe our club just has a more affluent membership than the norm, but I'd easily say the majority of the members bought new and modded them, especially the TJ owners.

When we bought our '01 XJ that got traded for the Tahoe, one of the original intents was as a future replacement for BigRed, that way I'd have an XJ to work with that I'd driven and taken care of since it was new so that I wouldn't have to buy used.

And heck, just go look at the number of modded Libbies there already are, they were all purchased new. icon_smile_wink.gif

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Jason, aka: Jeepin.com:
[QB] </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Dennis:
[QB]When you pay full price with your own money for a brand new Jeep, you will suddenly feel that putting your new Jeep in the situation that you put your old Jeep, is not enjoyable to the pit in your belly or the emprty space in your wallet. graemlins/rotflmao.gif I'd have to argue that point, I know quite a few folks that joyfully wheel their brand new rigs... we've already got modded up Rubi's in our club, a friend of mine has already hacked out fenders on his '01 XJ to mount TJ flares with 33's to follow soon, and Jen and I both love wheelin' her '00 TJ riding on 35" meats. Jason also alluded to the two highly modded, long-arm'ed WJ's in our club, one of which will soon have 35's, the other will have 37's!! :eek: graemlins/grinyes.gif

It seems that the I-6 has been developed to the amount that DC's engineers and accountents found was economically and environmentally possible.That may be possible, but they sure didn't make any improvements with that V6. Gets the same mileage as the 4.0L, and I don't know about yours, but my now 7-year old 4.0L with 80k on the ticker will pass an emissions test with flying colors! Granted, the 4.0 may have come to the climax of it's development, but the V6 is no improvement...
</font>[/QUOTE]I take the XJ out in the dirt, sand, snow or trails whenever the chance arrives, I just don't do the crazy stuff that I did with the YJ after it turned five years old and was paid for! Jason, you have the best of all worlds with a wife that you met four wheeling, with my wife, the money for upgrades has to be begged for or embezzeled from thee family fund! Don't take your little lady for granted on that note! I just think that you will not find too many guys over the age of thirty who will take their new truck from the dealer to the lift shop, just too much hard earned money involved. Once I invest in the next E-Bay, maybe. Granted you will find some exceptions, but I think most who are planning a trail rig will buy used.

As for the V-6 vs. the I-6, please don't think that I am bashing the I-6, I love its torque and smoothness. But like you said, right out of its original development the V-6 is performing at the same level as the I-6, just think how far they might develop it if it has the 30+ year life span of the I-6! It is still a young design, we will have to see. I started having emission troubles with the carbed YJ 4.2 at 85k miles, but it still ran strong as long as I kept an ignition module around and the carb well tuned. (old roommate right before the wedding was a master mechanic, that helped a lot)

[Dennis]

The 2wd Wagoneers failed miserably and only lasted 2 years in production, and I've never even seen a picture of one, only read about them, that's how poorly they survived. We will have to see if the same market forces distroy the liberty. Its sales seem ok, but not really HOT but any means.

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Jason, aka: Jeepin.com:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Dennis:
...the Liberty is not as buildable as the Cherokee, but look who the manufactures have to cater to, the ORIGINAL buyers, not the used market who will build them up. I would like to see a poll of the people who build up there trucks, Jeep, Ford, Toyota, what ever, what % bought new and what bought used?I think you (and DCX) would be surprised how many people buy new and mod them... Cases in point... My XJ and Jen's TJ were both bought new and modded relatively quickly (hers moreso than mine). A friend in our club bought an '01 new and already has 3", 31's, and TJ flares and will have 33's soon along with an RE 5.5" XD kit. We've got 2 modded Rubicon's in our club already, with two more stock Rubi's. Both the guys with the highly modded WJ's bought them new... Maybe our club just has a more affluent membership than the norm, but I'd easily say the majority of the members bought new and modded them, especially the TJ owners.

When we bought our '01 XJ that got traded for the Tahoe, one of the original intents was as a future replacement for BigRed, that way I'd have an XJ to work with that I'd driven and taken care of since it was new so that I wouldn't have to buy used.

And heck, just go look at the number of modded Libbies there already are, they were all purchased new. icon_smile_wink.gif </font>[/QUOTE]I think that you are the exception to the rule, actually with how well BigRed has turned out, you ARE the exception to the rule.

I am going to have to bust away from my Roots here in the original Washington and head back west, 'cause, the only mods to Libbys around here are bling bling 20's and bolt on gold bumpers!!! Well, some of the mom mobiles have monochromatic brush guards to knock shopping carts and other folk's kids out of the away! graemlins/rotflmao.gif And the cost of living is so high, that after the new car buy, the rest of the money goes to the mortgage!
(Working on Capitol Hill, I may have the influance, but the affluance is sitting on K Street with the Lawyers and the Lobbyiests, think of civil service pay and deduct 40%) graemlins/rotflmao.gif

I realize that some folks do the upgrades out of the box, but I still think that the majority are done on used Jeeps mostly by youger guys on there first vehicle as money becomes available, as rent, tuition and othe expences are defered by school loans or picked up by Mom and Dad.

The end of recess is going to suck next week, Congressmen yelling, Chiefs of Staff bickering, and me alone holding the entire govt' of the U.S. together J/K graemlins/laughing.gif , and worst of all very little time for graemlins/jeepincom2.gif

Good Night, I will be back tomorrow, but for just short little times in the short future after that!

[ January 02, 2003, 04:47 PM: Message edited by: Dennis ]

[Jeepin Jason]

Originally posted by Dennis:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />The 2wd Wagoneers failed miserably and only lasted 2 years in production, and I've never even seen a picture of one, only read about them, that's how poorly they survived. We will have to see if the same market forces distroy the liberty. Its sales seem ok, but not really HOT but any means.</font>[/QUOTE]Unfortunately I think IFS is hear to stay this time. Most folks that buy trucks and SUV's today buy them for different reasons than those of 30 years ago. It's a different market now, plain and simple. However, that doesn't make IFS better. icon_smile_wink.gif And Jeep's first attempt at IFS was a really poor design anyway. icon_smile_wink.gif

There's really no reason for Jeep to move to IFS however. The WJ is one of the best riding and handling midsize SUV's around, even most of the car rags will attest to that. The WJ proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jeep could build a refined, well handling luxo SUV that still had a solid front axle, this maintaining Jeep's legendary capability and potential

The move to IFS is a marketing move, pure and simple. It required enormous R&D, it's already had failures, and it'll be more costly to repair and maintain for both the dealership and the user vs a traditional D30. I figure it upped the production cost of the vehicle as well.

The folks that praise the Libby's IFS and ride/handling are comparing it to the XJ, but that's the wrong comparison to make. They should be comparing it to the WJ, because the WJ uses the latest and greatest unibody designs and manufacturing techniques, as well as improved suspension characteristics.

DCX would have done far better to have simply taken the WJ's front and rear suspension in its entirity and adapted it to the KJ's body. They would have saved TONS on R&D, they'd reduce their parts and overhead costs by "platform sharing", and they could have achieved the same if not better ride and handling while retaining the trademark solid front axle.

Hell, I think all three models should have the same solid axles/suspension, sure would simplify things...

[Brad]

i heard the rumor that the new face of the WJ will include round headlights graemlins/icon_puke.gif i'm not dissing on round headlights. i love them on tj's and cj's. they just dont fit in on the WJ. look out. here comes the liberty part 2.

Brad

[tidal9]

Like it's been said before, tomorrows another day. Who knows, maybe in 10 years after enough Libbys have been on the road and recyled through, we'll see them with lifts, hacked out fenders and replaced/modded engines. DC can't economically make everyone happy so they lean to the majority, the smooth ride-daily driver SUV with cargo room for groceries, room for the kids and four-wheel drive so they can get to hockey practice on time. And I guess I agree alot with Dennis, I see VERY many Jeeps around the region where I live (3 or 4 in a row in traffic is a cool sight, but not overly uncommon), but very few are modded (roughly 3 in town including mine). All Grand Cherokees I've personally seen are driven by professionals who either don't get the time out of the office to offroad, see it as trashing a perfectly expensive vehicle, or by judging by the prestine care they give their vehicles, simply don't care to. Comparable to me as buying a new
Cadillac or Roadmaster and dropping in a blown engine for quarter mile stints, too much money invested to start out with for the end result.

[XJ Fanatic]

what the hell are you guys talkin about the libby has no cargo room compared to my xj and still sits taller then my 3in lifted xj with 31s stupid people made an suv that was designed to be safer on road ... first month it got recalled second year it had to get lowered. of all the people i know they say the xj rides good not great but good and they wouldnt buy a liberty, these are mall crawlers too... the kj just doesnt have that rugged jeep look it serves no true purpose they upped production... and everything. they only are keepin it around until it can pay for itself

[XJ Fanatic]

oh and jason take a close look at the libertys suspension its ifs is off of a dakota and the rear is off of a wj its got no true r&d its a bunch of mismatched pieces

[greenhunter]

why didn't they put the rear suspension from the gc onto the cherokee? it'd give it the same ride quality, right? what's the effect of four springs on off-road performance and flexing?

hopefully, dc will realize that there's still a market for SUVs that can perform while retaining a decent amount of utility and re-introduce the xj. heck, they might even throw in some of that fancy-shmancy dvd stereo/nav stuff icon_smile_wink.gif

[Jeepin Jason]

Originally posted by greenhunter:
why didn't they put the rear suspension from the gc onto the cherokee? it'd give it the same ride quality, right? what's the effect of four springs on off-road performance and flexing?They did, it's the Liberty. icon_smile_wink.gif That's DCX's thinking anyway... :rolleyes:

[greenhunter]

iacocca!!! where are you when we need you!!!

[Dennis]

Originally posted by XJ Fanatic:
what the hell are you guys talkin about the libby has no cargo room compared to my xj and still sits taller then my 3in lifted xj with 31s stupid people made an suv that was designed to be safer on road ... first month it got recalled second year it had to get lowered. of all the people i know they say the xj rides good not great but good and they wouldnt buy a liberty, these are mall crawlers too... the kj just doesnt have that rugged jeep look it serves no true purpose they upped production... and everything. they only are keepin it around until it can pay for itselfAgain you all have to remember that the original intent was for the Liberty to be an entirely different model, it was not planned to replace the Cherokee, it was supposed to be at a different level in the line-up with the XJ still being sold along side it. When DC was formed, the numbers were rerun and the Cherokee did not make the cut unfortunatly. But the Liberty was NOT originally intended to be a Cherokee(XJ) replacement. That is why the sizing is so different.

Unfortuanetly there are really only two places to tell Jeep and D-C how we feel, that is Camp Jeep, fortunately they have two this year. I hope that I will be able to go, anyone who is should make sure that they sit down at the discussions and make sure that the marketing people and engineers know how you feel. Think it out before you go so that you may make a calm and rational arguement, let them know your emotions toward the Jeep Brand, but do not get emotional in the discussion.

It looks to me like the Grand Cherokee, wither it stays the WJ or gets a new moniker will luckely stay with a Solid Axle front end for a while. Just order yours with the two speed transfer case.

[Jeepin Jason]

Originally posted by Dennis:
But the Liberty was NOT originally intended to be a Cherokee(XJ) replacement. That is why the sizing is so different.What? Where did you hear that? The Libby has ALWAYS been slated to replace the XJ. The only reason they were considering keeping the XJ along side the KJ for a while was because XJ sales were still so good and there was a lot of backlash from the Jeep community about Jeep putting IFS on the XJ's replacement. The KJ is only called the Liberty here in the US, the rest of the world knows it as the new redesigned Cherokee.

Why do you think the XJ redesign in '97 was almost entirely cosmetic? Because they were working on the replacement for the XJ... the KJ. In fact, the KJ was already on the drawing boards in '97. The XJ's refresh in '97 was only to help boost sales and modernize the Cherokee's appearance until they could release the XJ's replacement.

[ January 03, 2003, 11:42 AM: Message edited by: Jason, aka: Jeepin.com ]

[Dennis]

I'll have to check out the old magazine collection that the wife keeps threatening to throw out, but I recall that when the talk of the Liberty (or un-named little Cherokee at the time, but assigned KJ) began, there was talk of the Cherokee (XJ) being redone in 2004-05. This makes sence, as ever since the Grand Cherokee came out replaceing the Grand Wagoneer (SJ) there has always been talk within Chrysler of expanding the Jeep Lineup. Jeep is currently at the same three model line up that it has had for the last decade, last two if you count the MJ and XJ and the CJ-8 and CJ-7 together.

[rocrunner]

i saw a nice libby yesterday - one of the renegade models. it was like a mist green with body color flares and some aluminum trim items. Most i don't like, but this one was nice. possibly a 1 inch body lift or just bigger than stock tires - didn't look at it that long to tell. it's still not a trail vehicle though. there's nothing like just ripping the top off a cj/yj/tj and going into the woods. but that's the same thing that bugs me about the cherokees and Grands. i don't know. they are starting to grow on me, though. like if i won the lottery, i wouldn't buy one, but i would buy one for my mom. but i'm really unhappy about hte fact that they are starting to dull out some of the models. one nice thing about a jeep was that they were all capable no matter what model you bought. not so anymore.

[FLAXJ]

I'm not sure about a reintroduction of the XJ but certainly look for some new models. DCX is looking to start making some real money off the Jeep line and are shooting for some crazy numbers like a 5 or 6 model lineup by 2005 or the next year. Chances are at least one will be something like the Compass (rally style car type vehicle). So let's just hope they can come up with enough independently sprung vehicles to leave us a few to play with. But most of all, this is a business and they HAVE to be out to make a profit. Remember that...

[pitdogXJ]

I heard a rumor that by 06 the grand cherokee will be lengthened to have room for a third row. anybody else hear this?

[Jeepin Jason]

Originally posted by pitdogXJ:
I heard a rumor that by 06 the grand cherokee will be lengthened to have room for a third row. anybody else hear this?Yep, that's I've been hearing. Expect the styling to be similar in to the Commander concepts, I figure it will probably be similar in size as well, ie: Durango'ish/sub-fullsize. It'll be V8 with an optional Hemi, and pretty loaded as far as features and gadgets go.

And it's a sure thing that we'll see at least one, probably two smaller, "intro" type Jeeps, one of which will be very similar to the Compass concept.

A LWB TJ pick-up type vehicle is almost a sure-thing as well.

By 2006 I fully expect to see the Jeep line-up having 6-7 models or variants - two Grand Cherokee variants, two Wrangler platform variants, the Liberty, and one or two "entry-level" Jeeps.

edit: Ideally what I'd like to see is a Grand Cherokee, a full-size, three Wrangler variants (TJ, Dakar, and a Brute-type pick-up), the Liberty, and the "Compass".

[ January 03, 2003, 06:45 PM: Message edited by: Jason, aka: Jeepin.com ]

[rocrunner]

i want this thing http://car-truck.com/image/chryed/buzz/kjgoner4.jpg

[XJ Fanatic]

why rocrunner why??? its still ifs. i only wanna get a libby to chop it up and make it the best baja racer

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Dennis:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />The 2wd Wagoneers failed miserably and only lasted 2 years in production, and I've never even seen a picture of one, only read about them, that's how poorly they survived. We will have to see if the same market forces distroy the liberty. Its sales seem ok, but not really HOT but any means.</font>[/QUOTE]Jason,
I hate to bring up real old news, but was talking to my boss today, and it turns out he had a '63 Wagoneer with the IFS! He did not have anything bad to say about it except that like most vehicles of that era it only last five years or so before falling apart! And it was 4WD, so I did a little research(it is nice to have the Library of Congress across the street for these sorts of things) it was a Spicer 27IFS axle up front. It was his opinion that price killed it more then anything, as he said it was a very expensive option, back then that probably meant $200! Just my little bit of trivia for the weekend.
Dennis

[Ryan, aka: CheapXJ.com]

Originally posted by Jason, aka: Jeepin.com:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by CheapXJ:
It's sad to see what they're doin to the WJ, givin it that V6, and IFS and a single-speed transfer case.Whoa there buddy, you're jumping the gun a bit... It's only got the optional single-speed t'case for now, no IFS and V6 yet... icon_smile_wink.gif It won't be long though...</font>[/QUOTE]Well then things changed... Guess I should have mentioned not so much that they're changing the WJ, but replacing it with the WK.

http://www.car-truck.com/chryed/buzz/b080702.htm

makes me want to cry. The WJ is an amazing feat of Jeep engineering, and it will be really sad to see it go.