Used 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV Consumer Reviews
Used Grand Cherokee for sale
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Good value if you capitalize of strengths
Scott B, 12/07/2016
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 4A)
10 of 12 people found this review helpful
It should be obvious, but let's be clear upfront: this is not a good economical commuting vehicle or "basic" transportation. Even if you need the ground clearance for snow/sand, the ability to occasionally tow moderate loads, and other AWD SUV type capabilities, there are better options. Solid axles (of which there are 2 under this truck) can never match the ride and handling of independent suspension. And, finally, if you have no need for, or comprehension of, a manually-shifted transfer case—let alone one with 4LO—then just walk away now. This is the wrong vehicle for you. However, if you're looking for an eminently capable off-roader, even just mild National Forest road exploring, then this is a very good start. The bomb-proof straight 6 (AKA I6 <-- that's the letter "i") is generally an OK choice if you can't see any hills from where you're standing, otherwise you may as well get the V8 which is far better suited to the Grand Cherokees girth and makes essentially the same MPGs. I opted for the HO version of the V8 as it is matched to the beefier 545FE slushbox and (theoretically) stouter Dana 44a (AKA 44HD) rear diff which should buy me slightly more long term durability when being driven by more horses and getting beat on off road, mechanically-speaking. Or at least it should buy me some additional peace of mind. (Though the aluminum third member isn't particularly well-known for it's physical durability against impacts, that can be addressed with bolt-on solutions, i.e., armor) Coming from a (well-loved, if well-used) lifted 1993 Cherokee (XJ), the road trip worthiness and comfort is night and day between the two. It's no Lexus but the rounded corners and soft body lines go a long way towards quieting wind noise, while also helping economy creep up towards, and occasionally peeking into, the 20s. But when you're used to crawling (sometimes literally) over the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, being able to blast up the highway passes at the actual speed limit is very near a life-altering experience. And doing so for no (extra) penalty at the pump is certainly nice. (That said, I have typically opted for premium octane fuel in the HO for road-tripping the particularly mountainous sections of I-70 since it can legitimately bump engine output 10%...) Interior creature comforts are perfectly acceptable for this age and class of Jeep. My Columbia Edition WJ ups the ante in a couple places, notably the dual 6-way power seats and a tilt/slide sunroof. In fact, I feel like this particular trim has 90% of the best features of the Limited with virtually none of the cons. Especially the cursed auto climate control (which has known issues), instead offering just the basic manual heating and cooling controls. It would be nice to have the Vari-Lok LSD included with the QuadrDrive system though that would mean still compromising with the same transfer case, mine being the even less desirable QuadraTrac II. I only saw a single (non-HO) V8 with the more preferable SelecTrac TC in all my looking and, sadly, that seller never responded to inquiries. That said, performance of the Vari-Lok diffs is entirely dependent on consistently good prior maintenance by previous owners, which you can rarely count on. And you'd also be stuck with far less aftermarket support, something I already accepted with the D44a. The upside is a transfer case swap to a SelecTrac unit, while non-trivial, is a not unreasonable prospect and a something already on the medium term to-do list. So, ya, as an all-around road-trip, weekend warrior wheeler, and occasional tow rig, a V8 GC is a good option for your money.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
Limited 4.7 V8 4x4
brianm929, 05/24/2011
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 4A)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
This has been an excellent vehicle for me. Bought it at 50,000 kms and am selling at 140,000 kms. The engine has been excellent. I had one small oil leak which was fixed on warrant. The seat heaters had to be replaced twice on recall. My number one complaint has been the HVAC blend doors. I have had those break and replaced twice. Not cheap. Other than that this has been a great vehicle. It's solid and really has had very few issues except those darned blend doors. This is my second and I'm buying my third.
Beautiful, powerful, but frequently in the shop
costeld, 06/02/2012
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4WD 4dr SUV (4.7L 8cyl 5A)
35 of 47 people found this review helpful
Until the 2011 Grand Cherokee was released I thought the 2004 was the best looking year of the best looking bodystyle. Has robust suspension and agressive approach and departure angles for offroading (though most are just daily commuters). Interior on the Overland was very nice and had unique styling. Nice engine/exhaust note, felt more powerful and faster than its 265 bhp rating. Good towing ability: 5000 lbs hardly noticable.
Going strong
ibuyamerican, 08/09/2011
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 4A)
9 of 11 people found this review helpful
This is our 5th Chrysler product, my 2nd GC and 3rd jeep. Purchased it with 122,000 miles on it. The interior is quite luxurious, the paint is in excellent condition, engine compartment is clean. This GC is the Rocky Mountain edition. We looked at Suburus, Hondas, Nissans, Toyotas and Fords. In the end this used GC fit the bill for us. Everything else was way overpriced for the year and features. The 4.0L is a reliable engine, everything seems to function well. For the money we couldn't find a better value. When it's time for repairs we know we won't pay an arm and a leg for parts since most of this jeep comes from the USA. We just finished an 800 mile road trip no issues.
2004 Grand Cherokee Laredo
canicem, 02/15/2011
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo Rwd 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 4A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I bought this Jeep new, my first, based upon my mechanic brother recommendation for a solid family car that can handle bad roads, bad weather, etc. So far I have 123,000 miles on her, from California to Canada, to Mexico and back. I have had to replace the tires 2x, the front and rear brake rotors and pads once, the shocks once, both tail light assemblies, hood lift rods. The engine makes a ticking sound now, has since about 110,000 when she's cold, which quiets down when the engine warms up. The interior still looks great, although I have replaced floor mats twice. The car has made weird clunking sounds since new, which has never presented a problem
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