KL Cherokee Owners out there?

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levelhead
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by levelhead »

Not good when you get a problem child that the dealer can't/won't handle. Got 70'000 km on the 2014 Sport 4cyl. and as mentioned...no issues. I tow a 12" Aluma enclosed trailer behind the 2016 Trailhawk V6 (30"000 km) on a regular basis including snow/ice ....try that with a Kia. I know some folks have had problems.. It has not been my experience.
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Stuka
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by Stuka »

csuengr wrote:That four cylinder is going to really suck when it gets worn and starts loosing oil pressure.
All engines can become worn out over time. Nobody would by any mechanical device if they were afraid it may wear out at some point in the future. Just for kicks I even googled for common issues with the 2.4L Tigershark engine, and could not find any recurring issues.
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Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
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REDONE
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by REDONE »

Rocketed out to Oregon for Thanksgiving and back, not a single hiccup from my KLTH. :-bd
79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
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Stuka
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by Stuka »

Really like the updated looks to the 2019 Cherokee:

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/jeep/che ... ok-review/
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Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
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Renodemona
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by Renodemona »

Interesting. I guess the 6-lights arrangement is going away. I think it's kind of cool in a unique way.
"Wait, what's on fire!?" KJ7TCT
--------------------------------------------------------------
1976 Cherokee w/t 'Susan' 401/TH400/QT(PT)
FiTech Go EFI, Edelbrock Performer intake
3" Rough Country Springs, HEI Dizzy
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2018 Cherokee Trailhawk V6 'Sedna'
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tgreese
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by tgreese »

You guys have not helped my dilemma at all. Now I have to look at KLs too. I need a new daily driver, and the more I learn, the less I think my ideal car exists.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
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Stuka
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by Stuka »

tgreese wrote:You guys have not helped my dilemma at all. Now I have to look at KLs too. I need a new daily driver, and the more I learn, the less I think my ideal car exists.
Every vehicle is a compromise. Just a matter of finding the one that matches what you want or need the most.
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Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
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REDONE
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by REDONE »

tgreese wrote:You guys have not helped my dilemma at all. Now I have to look at KLs too. I need a new daily driver, and the more I learn, the less I think my ideal car exists.
I absolutely love mine, but it's worth noting that I have the V-6 Trailhawk with every option except backup camera, remote start, and wiper heaters (it was a lease return with 30k on it, so we got it for $20k+ a honda Fit). My sister in law has a 4-banger Latitude and I don't like it at all. The switches and buttons are all different, it shimmies and shakes at idle and overall feels cheap and gutless. I'm not just talking off-roadability here, just basic drivability. I haven't checked out the "overland" trim package which I understand is nicer than the Trialhawk, but I can say the base trim levels only seem to share sheetmetal, not the same soul.

I can't wait until I finish school, get a good paying job and buy a new Grand Wagoneer for my wife to drive so the Trailhawk will me all mine. :evil:
79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
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tgreese
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by tgreese »

Originally I thought I wanted a Compass or Renegade TH, but I rented a Fiat 500L for a week and was completely underwhelmed. The engine really shakes at idle, and the ZF 9-speed seemed unable to decide what gear it wanted. And it just didn't seem very nimble for a "small" car.

Now I'm thinking I want something like a lease return... I put so few miles a year on a car that, say a few years old with 30-40-50K would be fine. My VW, which I bought new in 1995 and has been my DD, has only 75K now.

And I don't want a large car. So maybe a Cherokee TH would fit the bill.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
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Stuka
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by Stuka »

Autos with a higher number of gears (8+) shift a lot, you just need to get used to it. You can't expect it to hold a gear for ages like an old 3-4sp auto.

I have driven a Renegade and I liked it. I have not driven the 500L. They are the same platform, but I would not expect them to drive the same. The Fiat counter part to the Renegade is the 500X.
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Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
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tgreese
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by tgreese »

Put a deposit on a 2015 KL Trailhawk today.

Ran it through the modes, but the salesman could not clearly tell me how the mode select works - tell me if I've got it right.

There is a button for hill descent.
There is a button for the locking differential. Apparently this is an e-locker that only acts on the rear axle.
There is a button for 4WD Low.
The remaining button activates the terrain select? Why would you need a button to use a button? Does it default back to automatic if you deselect "select terrain?"

And there's an interesting little button for transfer case neutral. The salesman claims the Jeep can be flat towed if that button is pushed and the transmission is in neutral.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
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Stuka
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by Stuka »

The last button is 'Selec Speed' control. This is similar to Toyota's Crawl Control. It lets you set a speed that you want the tires to go for either accent or decent. Its a pretty neat system.

The terrain select can be used without Selec Speed.
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Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
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REDONE
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by REDONE »

I'll take a detailed pic and explain it when my wife gets home with ours. The locker and Hill descent only work in 4lo. To select terrain, you twist the knob until the mode you want is lit up. Rock mode also only works in 4lo. Activating the locker disables Rock mode.
79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
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tgreese
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by tgreese »

So is it a fixed speed or is there some way to set a speed?
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
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tgreese
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Location: Medford MA USA

Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by tgreese »

REDONE wrote:I'll take a detailed pic and explain it when my wife gets home with ours. The locker and Hill descent only work in 4lo. To select terrain, you twist the knob until the mode you want is lit up. Rock mode also only works in 4lo. Activating the locker disables Rock mode.
Thanks, I've got all that. The main problem the salesman had was explaining Select Speed vs. Rock. I'd be interested in what changes with each mode.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
User avatar

tgreese
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Location: Medford MA USA

Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by tgreese »

KL TH owner now!

Image
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.

csuengr
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by csuengr »

Just FYI, the KL is on every list of used vehicles to avoid.
1977 Cherokee S, Ford 5.0, 5 speed, BW 1356, 33 x 10.50 BFG's. No longer my DD.
2007 Mercury Milan, 2.3L, 5-speed, now my DD. 29 mpg average.
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Stuka
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by Stuka »

csuengr wrote:Just FYI, the KL is on every list of used vehicles to avoid.
Every automaker has a ton of vehicles on Consumer Reports avoid list. Half of them for dumb reasons that have no real impact on reliability. To CR having an infotainment system that is a little slow drops the "reliability" score significantly. And every other list uses CR as their source.

We have several people here that own KLs, and I know several, and they have all been fine.

Hell, my old '08 Wrangler is on their do not buy list, yet that thing was rock solid for the 9 years that I owned it.
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Stuka
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by Stuka »

tgreese wrote:KL TH owner now!

Image
Congrats! Love the color.
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Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
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REDONE
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Re: KL Cherokee Owners out there?

Post by REDONE »

csuengr wrote:Just FYI, the KL is on every list of used vehicles to avoid.
I've met you several times in real life and think you're an alright guy, but your negativity is getting tired. We get it, you think everything and everyone is garbage, you can stop repeating it over and over. Why don't you say one good thing about anything every once in a while. Mix it up a little. :roll:
79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
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