'98 Jeep Cherokee, 185,000 miles, runs great, no sign of needing major repairs such as running gear, engine, etc. Know people with 250,000 on them. '93 went 195,000 but had signs of major problems at about 145,000 (ring and pinion, both ends). Quality keeps improving. (Now if they just made the Cherokee, instead of that "cute ute" with no cargo space...)
American car quality has come way up, and European car quality has gone way down, according to reports. Was thinking of buying a VW TurobDiesel wagon until I talked to someone who has one. Electricals. The brake sensor that detects when the brake is pressed to allow the transmission to be taken out of park failed - couldn't take it out of park - a tow job. Then the oxygen sensor went west - MOST cars just run poorly and light the engine trouble light, but not this one. It just would not run. ANOTHER tow job. Not buying one of those. Friend had an Audi A4 with an oil cooler. Oil cooler works with oil getting cooled by cooling water, not air. When it leaks, it leaks oil into the water system. That's what happened to him. Traded the car, $16,000 value before the problem, for $4,000 rather than get it fixed, which would have required a new engine. Great engineering - not. Want quality? Japanese, then American, but not European.
Dave Head
