Shogun or Grand Cherokee...?

[beanoir]

Right, well as the title suggests i'm struggling to make a decision...

I have the S3 as the daily runner, and the old XR2 as the garage queen, I feel there is a gap in my motoring resources. I would like something that I can cart the bikes around in, take rubbish to the tip, fit large DIY materials in, and something good for the winter out in the sticks.

I'm looking at spending £4-5k on a 4x4. I have been through the list, i'd love a Disco but they are shockingly bad cars when it comes to reliability even though they are great off-roaders. So the shortlist is either a Mitsubishi Shogun LWB or a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Both around the same age 2000-2002.

Does anybody have experience of owning either of these 2 vehicles? If so, i'd love to know your thoughts. Before we go on, I have no kids, fuel and tax costs are irrelevant in this decision, and I dont give a monkey's about the image they may or may not portray.

Cheers!

Nick

 

[a6george]

Landrover 110, totally oposite from your audi as they are very basic but will do everything you want and a lot more, and you will be suprised how easily they are to fall in love with, plus if you add the odd dent or scratch it just adds to their charm, so the odd trip down a greanlane through a quarry or through a hedge wont bother you are the car.

 

[Oranoco]

Out of the 2 the Shogun by a mile. Was looking at 4x4's a few years ago and spent ages looking and test driving all sorts. The Cherokee is crude, badly built and for an engine of it's size was shocking for performance. I would also recomend looking at Toyotas as they do very well.

Agree on the Landy comment, looked at Disco's and Ranngies and they are ******* awful for reliabilty.

 

[beanoir]

Yes, no Disco or any form of Landy i'm afraid George, I recognise they're ability but a basic 110 or 90 etc is just too dam basic, and the Disco is a liability.

I must admit, I thought the Cherokee had aged a bit better than the Shogun and felt a bit more luxurious inside, although you're right, crude does describe them very well. At the moment, head says Shogun, heart says Cherokee!

 

[a6george]

I nearlly bought a jeep xj before settling on the audi, I agree with comments on the older p38 rangie their are a liability, but disco,s arnt that bad, td5 engine has its own problems with engine wire loom alowing oil to go into ecu. I have a old disco v8 just as a toy, will never see road again and is kitted out to thrash around 4x4 sites, its the best fun you can have under 20 mph and you would be shocked at what they can to. but back to the dillema, if I had to pick from them two it would be the shogun.

 

[Crazyfool]

I am not into 4x4's but if I was, my choice would either be a Landy or a Landcruiser (which I was a passenger to on the Dubai dunes a few...years ago) I guess it is similar to the Shogun.

During the heavy snow in the south early this year, I couldn't help but laugh at the guy struggling to get his Cherokee on his driveway. There was the usual very slight incline on the footpath, but he couldn't even get it onto the kerb which was 10mm high from the road. He had at least five goes before he dicided to just welly it and hope for the best.

 

[OldRedEyes]

I would go for a shoggy every time, we had one as the family car before the Audi, and i loved it.

It is capable offroad, locking rear diff as standard. Looked at jeep's, but they are typical american crap, comfy seat's and lot's of toy's but have the build quality of a tonka toy, in fact the interior is made out of the same plastic!!

Shoggies are well built, but there are few mods that are out of the box, so if it's to be modded for serious offroad fun, then go for a jeep as the after market stuff is out there.

had it in all the snow this year, and it was unstoppable, 4 wheel drifting round the village whilst most other's were walking around, playing in 2wd when i was out in the open doing doughnut's, loved it.

 

[CHRIS555]

I know a couple of peeps with Grand Cher's and both have regretted buying them dues to bad reliabilty - and everytime they go wrong it's expensive to fix - and not always actually fixed 100% as the garages struggle to diagnose al faults - I'd go for Japanese over American on this one

 

[NHN]

Yeap cherokees's are good at one thing, swallowing the fuel.

 

[beanoir]

Cheers all, I think there is an overwhelming answer to this question. I think I came to the same conclusion over the weekend after test driving a few. Now it's a case of holding out for a decent one.

 

[superkarl]

neither!!! toyota landcruiser! or amazon!

my mates family business....
about us

they're weapon of choice! for a lot of reasons

 

[beanoir]

I like the Toyota, but a bit too big and expensive for my needs.

 

[pami]

Ive had a 1992 Pajero Super Exceed (now exported) and ive also had a 2003 Shogun Elegance (now sold)
I loved the shogun but was too big for me and not getting used enough!
Loved it and it moved well. Mine had the 3.2 Diesel Engine and was an auto.
The only issue i had with it was sometimes the Diff Lock light would start to flash. From what i read, its due to the lack of 4WD Mode use so now and again, i would put it into 4WD mode and drive it in a carpark for a bit. Problem solved! You could go down the correct way of fixing it and replacing 4 sensors at £250 each but i CBA!
Here is what my beast looked like...

 

[Oranoco]

^ Looks almost identical to one I looked at, great motor.