Again, dont' really know if this is the right forum or not, but here goes. I'm sure I'll get my post flamed or moved if it's not.

Anyway, I work at a GMC-Pontiac dealership (in sales) and I can get used cars that are going to wholesale for $500 more than we paid for them. This usually comes in well under KBB trade in value. There's two SUV's I'm looking at because I'm tired of putting miles on my 2002 WRX traveling back and forth between NC and FL and getting the **** beaten out of it in a fraternity house parking lot.

One is a 97 Montero SR with 4wd, leather, sunroof, and all the trappings. 102K miles. The other is a 97 Grand Cherokee Laredo, cloth, 2wd, 75K miles. I can get the Montero for $3800 or the Cherokee for $4300. Both run well with no detectable mechanical deficiencies (I used to work as a mechanic, as well, so I can tell if someone's trying to sell me garbage.)

Two questions to anyone who may know...first, any horror stories or reliability issues from either, and second, which one should I get? The montero's more luxurious and has 4wd, but the Cherokee has 25K less miles. I don't really care about style or performance as i get plenty of both from the WRX (and its garage-mate, a mustang.) Thanks...

 

I'm not a big fan of jeeps becuase my cousins own them. Now i'm unsure if its the way the owners are a bit clueless to how cars work or not but the jeeps seem to always have problems.

For example his jeep for no real reason just started spewing oil in various leaks and he had tranny issues with it slipping.. That thing is a mess (grand chorokee btw) and it doesn't even have alot of miles on it.

I sorta wonder if it will live a few more years with the way the motor runs now. It practically stalls when you give it gas.

Anyways i'm done raggin on those two jeeps.

A montero is a mitsubishi car isn't it? If so realiability is sorta a questionable thing on those cars.

 

Great, so they both suck. I'll just have to wait for Infiniti to have that big 95% off sale so I can afford the FX45 I really want...

 

For $3800 or $4500, who cares if the one you get has a problem or two in the next couple years? You'll still come out way ahead. I think the Montero is a bit better vehicle than the Grand Cherokee as far as design, but I can't comment on reliability of either very much. The Jeep does have a V8 which may or may not be in its favor in your situation. Neither one will get very good mileage on your commute.

 

I heard the 04 Montero was the slowest production vehicle of that model year out of all USA cars.