Karl on Cars
Jeep
November 16, 2007
Plenty of folks are ready to blame Mercedes-Benz for all of Chrysler's problems. The suggestion would have seemed ludicrous just a few years ago, back when Chrysler 300s were the darling of rap stars everywhere, Magnums were threatening to revive America's love affair with the station wagon, and a Hemi anything (old or new) was hotter than stolen OJ sports memorabilia.
But then came $3-a-gallon gasoline, Jeeps that can't go off-road, and interior panels best suited for holding frozen dinners. Now that the divorce is final I'm hoping we can all just move on, and this all-new 2008 Jeep Liberty show signs of progress...sort of. For isntance, the exterior shape is a vast improvement over the first-gen Liberty. Like the Patriot, Grand Cherokee and Commander this Jeep looks like a Jeep. Heck, if not for the Punk-As...uh, I mean Compass, I could universally approve of all current Jeeps in terms of exterior design.
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- Karl Brauer November 16, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Jeep
October 18, 2007
With its relationship to the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass (all three use the same platform and drivetrain options) I must admit a prejudice existed against the Jeep Patriot before I ever got near it. The 2.4-liter, 172 horsepower engine isn't the most inspiring powerplant on the market, and the CVT continues to sap power in the Patriot just as it does in the Caliber and Compass.
BUT...the exterior design of the Patriot is my favorite of the three. I remember hearing the Compass was supposed to be the "girl's" version of this platform, and the Patriot was meant to be the "manly" one. I guess it worked, because I find this version much more attractive overall. The low-range transfer case gives the Patriot some authentic off-road mojo, and the boxy exterior makes it look like an authentic Jeep rather than a Jeep that sold its soul in a transparent effort to grab CR-V sales.
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- Karl Brauer October 18, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Jeep
September 21, 2007
I haven't been too thrilled with SRT products lately (Viper and Caliber) but this one works. The 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 behaves like a performance variant should, meaning it's simply better than the standard Grand Cherokee in every way, with no annoying side effects. Actually, if you're a hardcore off-roader perhaps it does have the annoying side effect of being less off-road capable. But c'mon, how many Grand Cherokee buyers are really going off road?
I think the all-wheel drive system, which is updated in the SRT8, is a key element in the cars FTD success. Unlike the Viper and Caliber, neither of which delivered power in a pleasing way, the SRT8 combines its torquey 6.1-liter V8 (great exhaust note, BTW) with an effective means of delivering that power to the pavement. It's got a five-speed automatic, so no guessing if you've picked the right gear like in the Viper, and the electronic on-demand four-wheel drive system not only removes any chance of torque steer but ensures a positive connection between the SUV's 420 hp and the road.
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- Karl Brauer September 21, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Jeep
May 10, 2007
Drove our latest long-term vehicle home last night, a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara. As much as I like the functionality of four doors, or the advanced technology you get from the MyGIG multimedia system, or even the extreme off-road capability, what I really like about this car is the color. There's something very "Jeep-like" in that dark green shade that looks so right on the brand-new Wrangler. Maybe it's because the color is identical to the color used for the Jeep Gladiator concept truck from the 2005 Detroit Auto Show...
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- Karl Brauer May 10, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Jeep
February 28, 2007
My recent drive in the 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 confirmed that old axiom -- you can fix almost anything with more power. In this case the power almost makes me forget about the cramped rear seat, buzzy steering and trucky ride quality. That 6.1 Hemi provides a wide torque band with a peak of 420 lb-ft (and 420 hp), giving this vehicle Cayenne Turbo-trumping acceleration for half the price. Sure, the Turbo has got 100 horsepower on the Jeep, but the Jeep has 800 lbs on the Cayenne. Colin Chapman's philosophy still applies, even when you're talking two-plus ton SUVs...
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- Karl Brauer February 28, 2007, 7:09 AM
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- Jeep
December 11, 2006
You may have heard this already, but Chrysler recently sacked its Sales and Marketing Vice President, Joe Eberhardt. The level of unsold Chrysler inventory sitting on dealer lots is threatening to alter tectonic plate activity under the North American continent, and some -- okay, I -- have suggested Chrysler simply "give 2007 a miss" in terms of model production. They could literally just let the 2006 leftovers cover sales for a few more weeks, and then start producing 2008s in January. They are already taking this approach with a few models, including the Viper...
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- Karl Brauer December 11, 2006, 10:30 AM
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- Chrysler, Dodge, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Jeep
October 16, 2006
The all-new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is a perfect example of how you must drive a vehicle in its proper atmosphere to gain a true understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. That's why even an extensive test drive can still fall woefully short of telling a potential buyer about a vehicle. If you're test driving a Lotus Exige, you really need to drive it on a track. If you're test driving a Honda Odyssey, you really need to load it with people (preferably small people) and their associated gear. And if you're driving the 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, you need to take it off road.
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- Karl Brauer October 16, 2006, 8:28 AM
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- Jeep
September 22, 2006
If you're looking to buy a diesel-powered vehicle in 2007, your choices are pretty slim. I drove the 2006 Jeep Liberty CRD
home last night, and except for the slight turbo lag and the location of the window switches (center console) I really liked the vehicle. The 295 lb-ft of torque (at 1,800 rpm) gives it plenty of gumption, and like all modern diesels there's really no issue with sound, smell or soot. BUT...the common rail diesl engine won't be offered in the 2007 Jeep Liberty because increasing emissions standards make it too expensive to upgrade and certifty, at least in Chrysler's opinion...
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- Karl Brauer September 22, 2006, 9:20 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Jeep
July 31, 2006
The good news is I like the Jeep Compass better than the Dodge Caliber. The bad news is I'm not a fan of the Caliber, so a "better" version of that car still doesn't earn my money...or my endorsement. My primary Caliber complaint relates to that model's atrocious interior materials. They seem like a serious backslide in a world where little things are increasingly what make the difference between "good" and "bad" cars...
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- Karl Brauer July 31, 2006, 11:25 AM
- Categories:
- Jeep
July 17, 2006
There's a joke about going on vacation: "You have to work twice as hard the week before and the week after a vacation in order to go on vacation." I won't go into all the work I did to prep for this family trip, but I can tell you how much work it took to restore our long-term Jeep Commander
to "non-family-vacation" condition. You can probably already imagine what a family of four, living in a car for 7,000-plus miles, will do to it, but if not I've included one image from the second row area. I spent about an hour going through the car's interior with all the various attachments on our Hoover vacuum. Then I spent another 30 minutes going through the interior with paper towels dipped in hot water...
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- Karl Brauer July 17, 2006, 8:14 AM
- Categories:
- Jeep, Road Trips
July 13, 2006
Recently I read about certain stretches of West Texas where the daytime speed limit was going to be raised to 80 mph. I believe that's that highest speed limit in the U.S. (at least since Montana ended its "reasonable and prudent" speed limit a decade ago). Well, sure enough we spotted 80 mph daytime speed limit signs about 50 miles west of San Antonio on the 10 freeway...
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- Karl Brauer July 13, 2006, 10:47 AM
- Categories:
- Jeep, Road Trips, Traffic Safety
July 11, 2006
A $69 service at South Pointe Jeep (in Austin, Texas) got me an oil change, tire rotation and fluid check. But the most important service I got for free. The dealership technicians confirmed what I suspected -- a piece of insulation had come loose within the climate control system and was contacting the fan. With the insulation re-aligned the grinding sound is gone...
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- Karl Brauer July 11, 2006, 1:30 PM
- Categories:
- Jeep, Road Trips
July 7, 2006
After two days, and more than 1,000 miles, of heavy rain between New York and Florida the Jeep Commander has proven quite the water strider. Not surprising when you consider what the vehicle has going for it -- knobby tires, four-wheel drive and 5,000 pounds of water-spreading curb weight. Other niceties, like rain-sensing wipers, very
effective fog lights and a variable-speed rear window wiper make it a four-wheeled vehicle Noah would be proud to pilot. A stop for fuel, just after crossing from North to South Carolina, had us wondering over to the adjacent "Rocket City" to peruse a fireworks warehouse of Home Depot-like proportions. Despite protestations from the wife I picked up $30 worth of mostly innocuous stuff (sparklers, smoke bombs, snakes, etc.) that the kids will enjoy. I did, however, spring for one rocket that looks capable of breaking free of earth's gravity. After all, it was
Rocket City.
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- Karl Brauer July 7, 2006, 8:28 AM
- Categories:
- Jeep, Road Trips
July 5, 2006
Here's something you don't see everyday -- a fully functional drive-in movie theatre. This one was called the "Family Drive-In" and we passed it in north-central Pennsylvania. It had all the fix-ins I (barely) remember from that era. The signs outside the gate included "Lights Out Please" and "FM Radio Sound Only" in hand-painted script. I think the last drive-in movies I saw were a double feature of Terminator 2
and Batman Returns
in 1992 in Denver...
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- Karl Brauer July 5, 2006, 8:57 AM
- Categories:
- Jeep, Road Trips
July 4, 2006
Today we drove from Cooperstown, New York to Tionesta (near Warren), Pennsylvannia. On the way we passed Canadarago Lake, near the Susquehanna River, and saw numerous instances of former lakefront homes that were now part of the lake. The run-off from all the recent rain (14 inches in the month of June) has flooded much of the region, and it was a stark reminder of the power of mother nature. The Commander's climate control fan continues to grind away, but so far it's still keeping the cabin cool...
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- Karl Brauer July 4, 2006, 2:00 PM
- Categories:
- Jeep, Road Trips
July 3, 2006
We just reflashed/recharged the climate control system in our 2006 Jeep Commander long-term car
to ensure cold air and accurate automatic climate control via the temperature dials. Well, I'm still getting appropriate cold air when I need it, but the fan in the climate control system sounds like either:
A. The fan bearing is going out, or
B. The fan is out of alignment and rubbing against something under the dash
Bottom line -- there's a LOUD grinding noise whenever the fan is turning, which at this time of year on the east coast is pretty much always. I'm still in upstate New York and the weather is actually quite mild, but I'll be coming back across the country soon, and I'm betting the area between Austin, Texas and Los Angeles will require the use of air conditioning with a high fan setting...
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- Karl Brauer July 3, 2006, 8:16 AM
- Categories:
- Jeep, Road Trips
June 30, 2006
A drive in our long-term Jeep Commander
last week uncovered a problem with the SUV's air conditioning. It wasn't that the car couldn't put out cold air, but the climate control system had to be flogged to get at the good stuff. Setting the dual-zone climate control in the 68-70 degree range resulted in luke warm air coming out of the dash vents. Cranking the temp dials down to 65 degrees and cranking up the fan speed would send a blast of cold air into the cabin, but obviously the system shouldn't require such extreme settings just to maintain a comfortable environment (the outside temp was only around 80 degrees)...
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- Karl Brauer June 30, 2006, 8:15 AM
- Categories:
- Jeep, Road Trips
February 2, 2006
Our long-term Land Rover LR3
is turning over 15,000 miles -- and I just got my first drive in it. A combination of driver rotations and test car logistics has kept me out of the SUV since we bought it seven months ago, but in the last 48 hours I've put 200 miles on the odometer. And, after some quality time in our new long-term Jeep Commander over the past few weeks, I have a sense of how these boxy competitors line up. Despite the Jeep's remarkably car-like driving dynamics (for a large, solid-axle box), the Land Rover has the overall advantage in term of on-road behavior. The steering is even lighter and sharper on the LR3, and the ride quality is higher (not surprising consider its IRS advantage). However, while the Jeep's stiffer suspension doesn't filter out road imperfections as well, it also keeps the Jeep more upright around corners. If the "tippiness" of SUVs is one of your major issues, you'll probably like the Commander more than the LR3.
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- Karl Brauer February 2, 2006, 11:55 AM
- Categories:
- Jeep, Land Rover
January 19, 2006
I got my first real seat time in our long-term Jeep Commander last night. I'm still getting comfortable with the car's size and weight (I've been in the long-term 3 Series for the past month), but I must say the transition from 3 Series to Jeep Commander is easier than I would have guessed. Chrysler (Mercedes?) did a heck of job making the steering feel tight and well controlled, and this SUV is further proof that the lines between "utility vehicles" and cars is blurring. Of course it's faster than I expected it to be, too (HEMI)...
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- Karl Brauer January 19, 2006, 8:11 PM
- Categories:
- Jeep
January 9, 2006
In classic Chrysler press conference fashion they drove the all-new Jeep Wrangler off stage, over the show floor, and through the exterior window of Cobo Hall. Then they drove it down the street (scattering broken glass the whole way) and up some stairs before parking on top of a large Jeep sign across the street. Great show!
Oh yeah, the car itself is more powerful, loaded with standard safety features and looks good...
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- Karl Brauer January 9, 2006, 8:45 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Jeep
October 18, 2005
I love the irony that a few years ago Jeep was suing Hummer for ripping off the seven-slat front grille design.
Now comes the Jeep Commander, which is such a blatant Hummer styling rip-off it makes the blatant seven-slat grille rip-off look tame by comparison (square roof-line, short greenhouse glass, large wheelwells, etc.).
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- Karl Brauer October 18, 2005, 2:42 PM
- Categories:
- Jeep
