BLUEGXLVCR

First off this is a big RANT.

I purchased for my wife a 2011 Grand Cherokee Laredo X back in July of last year. She really liked it and I have to say I was skeptical about the quality but thought, hey, they are trying to reinvent themselves. I couldn't have been more wrong.

From the onset I noticed "quirks" that I was none to pleased with...

1) Radio screen would not dim at night
2) Toggle switch on steering wheel did not work properly
3) Shifting was inconsistent, hesitent even
4) Gas mileage was VERY bad (11mpg and my wife drives like a granny)
5) Burning more than 1 quart of oil in less than 1K miles

So I bring the truck into the dealer and explain the situation. The service advisor says the switch is normal and that I don't know how to use it. Admittedly, he had to reprogram the radio to get the dimmer to work. The shifting is normal to enhance fuel economy. If I'm getting 11MPG, than I am driving VERY aggresively. And my favorite...

"Industry standard is it is completely normal for vehicles to burn 1qt of oil every 1K miles and expect to burn over 1qt once the vehicle hits 50K miles. The engine will build up sludge and hopefully this will stop the oil from burning. Especially here in the desert (Las Vegas)."

Excuse me? Do I look like I was born yesterday? I asked him to print out this industry standard which he never did. So we begin an oil consumption test as he does not believe me. 1K miles go by and I'm back in the dealer. I DEMAND the switch be replaced on the steering wheel. I get a call...

"We replaced the switch and found out the part was superceeded with a new part number. It works as designed now. (it didn't) We checked the oil and it's down 1qt but that is normal. I called Chrysler and they refuse to do anything about it. You need to accept the car for what it is as we can't do anything more for you."

I picked up the Jeep, drove across the street, and promptly traded it in for a Mercedes (I tried to get wifey in the RX but it was a no go). I lost a good amount of money on it and cannot begin to explain how pissed I am.

So moral of the story, trust your first instinct and tell Chrysler to take their flagship vehicle and place it squarely in their rear.

Just to add, I asked my wife to "race" my GX470 off the line with the Grand Cherokee with the Hemi just to see if I was smoking crack. Well, my GX used her Jeep. Come on, my GX is NOT fast. I get about 16mpg and the Jeep got 11mpg. I drive like I stole it, she drives like it's Sunday after church.

COMPLETE GARBAGE.

Rant off...I love my GX470.

bad co

Did you get a ML ?

rdgdawg

VERY much appreciate this feedback as I was REALLY liking the new Durango

BLUEGXLVCR

She did. I didn't run across anything bad on the current model so I have my fingers crossed.

bad co

I have a ML500(my fourth), its a real nice truck and I wish you the best of luck with your new purchase.

BLUEGXLVCR

I like it as well but I can't reccomend. I promise you, I'm NOT a hot head but I do expect my vehicles to be built with quality in mind and I expect my service department to stand behind their product and do what they can to make me a satisfied customer. Didn't think it was too much to ask...

LexusChris

iTrader: (1)

Damn 11 MPG , that's worse than my 02 Nissan Pathfinder which I get about 15-16 MPG around NYC which I thought of replacing with the new Grand Cherokee. Good luck with the ML!

BLUEGXLVCR

Thanks! We did only get the 09 ML350 trying to save at least a few bucks on gas and soften the blow from loosing 10K on the Jeep. I don't have a picture yet, but the color is Verde Brook which I had never seen before. If all goes well with this one, I could see us moving into the 500 or the AMG but this is my first dab into Mercedes so taking it slow.

We looked at the CLS550 but my wife chickened out on putting the kiddo in it.

<VENOM>

Who would have thought, kinda shocking the Hemi was burning that much oil when new, mine does not burn a drop and either does my brothers, and my brother is approaching 50k

Although the Hemi with it's burning sounds like it had an obvious problem, and the service writer sounds like an idiot, industry standards for oil consumption is a quart in 3000 miles, if you burn all your oil out by the time you need an oil change you have a problem

lamar411

that sucks, hope the mercedes works out.

mmarshall

I didn't know that the new JGC was out last July. In my area (Washington, DC Metro), I don't remember seeing them till last August or September.



On the new JGCs I reviewed and test-drove, it was obvious that Chrysler had vastly upgraded the interior trim/hardware and the drivetrain-refinement over the old 2010 model. But, I mentioned, back then when I wrote up the review, that although the new JGC looked and drove better then the old one, long-term quality and reliability was still an unknown, and that, according to Consumer Reports, the JGC was sadddled with a long history of below-par reliability.

Did you break the engine and transmission in properly? Your wife may drive like a granny, but we have no idea if you do or not. The first 1000 miles, with most vehcles, should not include any full-throttle starts, red-lining, revs over 4000-4500 RPM, towing, or long stretches of road at exactly the same engine-speed. It should also not include any full-force braking, except in an emergency or to avoid an accident. An improper break-in can, and does, cause some of the results you just mentioned. I'm not saying necesarily that you were negligent on te break-in...only that it could be one of the reasons.

Another possibility......did you inspect the fluid-levels under the hood when you picked it up at the dealership? Not likely, but it could have been under-filled over-filled with oil at the factory....either case can cause some damage to the engine and premature wear, incresing oil-consumption. Yes, I know that the PDI guys at the shop are supposed to take care of that (among a number of other things), but you'd be surprised to see what they often miss (tire pressure is probably the most-often-missed single item.....I often have to adjust it myself when I take new vehicles out on a test-drive). I never buy a car, though ( or allow someone I am car-shopping with to) without a complete underhood check myself.



As I understand it (and have read from several sources), the industry standard for excessive oil-use is right around what you were experiencing (one quart in 900-1000 miles), though a prudent dealership and auto-manufacturer would sometimes, out of customer good-will, take care of that problem at a lesser-rate of consumption. I agree with you that 900-1000 miles, with a properly-broken-in engine, is unacceptable.




I can understand your frustration, but did you check with a auto-liability lawyer (or someone else experienced with this type of case) to see if you qualified for your state's Lemon-Law return? You might not have lost as much money if the dealer/factory had to buy it back.

With the JGC's documented history over the years, both from Consumer Reports and other organizations, of below-average reliability (and I've known a few JGC owners myself with problems), I'm sure they have heard that before from customers....a number of times.


All in all, though, I'm sorry about your experience. I hope it goes better for you in the future.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

wow, thanks for the info. sorry to hear about that lousy experience.

as i've said... chrysler history combined with italian govt owned fiat history - what could possibly go wrong?

hope wifey likes the ML!

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

i know you believe this, but i have to disagree strongly - engine 'break in' is not required today. 30 years ago maybe with sloppy tolerances, but engines today are much more precisely made and typically are thrashed at the factory before they ship anyway. hydraulic lifters, fuel injection, sensors, etc. make the engine self-regulating and adjusting.

another school of thought (also a myth today) says drive it like you stole it during early ownership to get everything to seat and adjust properly.

J.P.

nothing new here about the jeep brand, same quality issues


love them as beat up ORV rigs, other than that, no thanks

IS-SV

The reality is the engines are largely broken-in upon delivery in 2011, despite the old common knowledge on internet. Moderate driving in first 1000 miles does more to break-in brakes and tires.

Glad to hear actual feedback from an actual owner, always a great benefit of CL Car Chat with it's diverse owners of many brands. Personally I would have opted for the new nearly 300hp V6 (I've driven 2) instead of the old pushrod Hemi.

Don't expect the ML350 to be much more reliable (average is a realistic description). I owned one and average mpg in city/suburbs was 16.5 to 17.5 mpg on premium (actually quite good considering the 4800 curb weight and high level of performance, the engine is strong).