[Ti Rider]

Well my wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee is broken again. I'm sure you're guessing a massive engine, transmission, or computer failure but it was nothing more than a broken door pin that has sidelined the piece of junk. The door pin resulted in slamming the door to get it to shut. Eventually that resulted in the entire door lock being pushed back and the sheet metal tearing. It also resulted in the door just flying open around corners.

So now I'm trying to decide whether it's worth repairing/replacing/repainting the door on a gas guzzling '96 V8 JGC with 140K. I hate this vehicle. I have never worked on such a frustrating piece of junk. I know....I've talked about getting rid of it here before but my frugal wife can't seem to go back to having car note. She is fine with it as long as the repairs are just a couple of hundred bucks, she either gets to take my car or I drive her to work and I get stuck dealing with the "Grand Turd Log". So I can never seem to get rid of this nonrolling headache.

I'm going to try letting it sit unfixed and driving her to work maybe this time we can get something newer. Suggestions? (I've already thought of a rag in the gastank + matches....)

 

[Tiersin]

if it was a wrngler, i'd say just take the doors off! its a good look, but with a gas guzzeler like that, i'd trash it.

 

[Angry]

Just take a skunk and shut it up in there for a few hours scaring the piss ( or spray) out of it and then let it go on its merry way after its done its business.
And then while your taking her to work for a couple of weeks, put some air fresheners in you rex.

Im pretty sure unless she wants to wear a gas mask all the time, that she wont want to drive it.

 

[Ti Rider]

Ah, then I have your answer!
Another Honda CRX! (Or heck, even a HB)

Mark, I'd be all for it but my wife HATES driving my CRX. It's too low, she can't see out of it very well, there's no power steering so it's hard to steer in parking lots are all reasons she's given me for not liking to drive it. The biggest reason she hates driving it is because she knows how anal retentive I am about it. She's terrified of something happening to it while she's driving it.

Justify it like this: since gas is $3.00 a gal (roughly), and a CRX gets 40 miles per gallon (roughly), and CRX's rarely break down, it makes much more economic sense, over the long run, to have another Honda 4 banger than holding on to the Jeep.

I would like to get something more economical with these crazy gas prices. On the other hand I like the safety of her driving a multiple air bag equipped SUV. Post Katrina my wife's daily commute to work takes about 45 minutes in extremely heavy traffic. I definitely wouldn't want her facing that everyday in a CRX. My wife's a good driver but it's all the other drivers I'm worried about.

I am assuming it's 4WD. Does you wife do anything that requires 4WD or is it simply the fear of another car note?

Yes the JGC is 4WD. We own a 21' boat we use the Jeep to tow it (but we're currently in the process of selling it). We also use the Jeep for Home Depot runs/hauling stuff to the house/nephew,niece transport. There's also the possibility of having evacuate for another hurricane. It's nice to have a SUV you throw everything in but the kitchen sink (after Katrina I'm taking as much stuff with me as I can haul).

I also have a 96 Jeep Cherokee. Not a Grand, just plain sport model with cloth seats and 2 wheel drive. I have had some minor issues with it, but (knock on wood) it's doing well.

The regular Cherokee has a solid reputation as durable/reliable. Unfortunately the Grand Cherokee doesn't. Actually it hasn't been completely terrible, I'm just just used to Honda quality/reliability. I get frustrated because it's harder to work on than my CRX.

Anyway, the problem may be solved....my wife's step mother (despite the stereotype she's very nice) heard about our situation and has offered us her '02 Toyota Landcruiser for a very good price. She told us she'd been considering selling it and this sealed the deal. We go pick it up for a "test drive" today......

 

[Dodo]

I say get a truck. The new honda trucks arent bad and its a honda.

 

[Ragnaarok]

Toyota?? NOooooooooooooo......!!!!

heh just playing around, i just hate toyota...and scion too. :twisted:

 

[grouch]

and has offered us her '02 Toyota Landcruiser for a very good price.

And that satisfies your mpg requirement?
I hope its a very good price with what you'll be spending in gas, especially in a daily commuter.

Don't get me wrong, its a good choice for an SUV (if there is such a thing).

 

[Ti Rider]

*Update* Well....the Land Cruiser deal fell through. Wife's step mother didn't realize just how upside down she still was on it. Let's just say you could buy a good used Civic for what she still owes. So back to square one....

And that satisfies your mpg requirement?
I hope its a very good price with what you'll be spending in gas, especially in a daily commuter

I understand your point, we didn't really need a another 4WD SUV. It just kind fell into out laps (and out again). It's an incredible nice vehicle. It makes our Heep seem like the royal POS it really is....

I say get a truck. The new honda trucks arent bad and its a honda.

My wife is not a truck kind of girl. I know....SUV's are almost trucks. But she definitely isn't into pickups. Her logic "You get to drive what you want. Why shouldn't I get to drive what I want?" Hard to argue against that.

 

[jfrolang]

How about a Fit? I saw one at a dealer recently and I was amazed how big they are inside. The cargo space with the seats down is nearly as much as an Element's.