Going shopping for a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

[Aaron]

Although I want to be at my job for a few more months before I dive into the commitment, I'm going to start shopping around for a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. I'm going to buy brand new, the incentives are far too good between cash back, employee pricing, and 0% APR for 3 years. I'm hoping to be in the driver's seat for under 40k. I've pretty much decided on an 09, but still split on the color. They offer them in silver, black, red, or blue. I'm not sure I can handle black, although mighty pimp when clean, they look like shit dirty. The red just doesn't look quite right to me, and the silver almost looks like too much since the windows and wheels look silverish. The blue is a dark steel blue, called Modern Blue. I'm going to see what the dealers have, if they have any, so I can see the color in person and get a test drive.

The 09s added the red calipers, a new instrument cluster with performance display, surround sound 568w Kicker audio, some leather changes, a 9" DVD screen vs the 06-08 8", remote keyless entry that can open the front windows, and a slight wheel change. So not any real major stuff.

[S8n]

So you want to buy a vehicle from a company that just went bankrupt? I would wait a little bit before jumping on that one. I'm not saying that GM won't go down that same road, but the Trailblazer SS has gotten better reviews and has a better interior (which really isn't saying much) that the SRT8.

[Emc209i]

*snicker*

[The Dark Side of Will]

Put the car payment money in a money market for the next three years and have a nice down payment on a house.

[crzyone]

That's what I was thinking as well. Kids these days, priorites all mixed up lol.

Drive a cheap car or truck with cheap insurance and save for a house. SRT-8 is a nice ride but I don't think just starting out you need a $40k Jeep.

Hell, I'll be in the market for another car soon cause I no longer have the caddy. I make quite a bit of money but I'm still looking for a 1 or 2 year old car under $20k. Let someone else take the big depreciation hit. You can get low mileage cars with under 30k miles for dirt cheap.

I dunno, nice Jeep but not really a good daily. No displacement on demand with the 6.1 so it will suck for mileage.

[Jinxmutt]

That thing would look better with a bigger sidewall from the factory...

[The Dark Side of Will]

Let someone else take the big depreciation hit.

You can derive enough financial wisdom to guide every decision you ever make from this phrase: "The rich buy things that go up in value".

[CincinnatiFiero]

My buddy wants to sell his 5.9 for like $5k, but the mileage is still crap.

[Aaron]

So you want to buy a vehicle from a company that just went bankrupt? I would wait a little bit before jumping on that one. I'm not saying that GM won't go down that same road, but the Trailblazer SS has gotten better reviews and has a better interior (which really isn't saying much) that the SRT8.

Why not? So they go BK. The warranty will still be covered. It isn't like they will completely disappear and leave everyone high and dry, the Government won't let that happen, and they wouldn't have a chance in hell of selling one more car if that were the case. It won't affect me, except the price is low.

GM's headed down the exact same road, pretty much right beside D-C too.

Really? Car and Driver chose the Trailblazer, because it can tow. I don't need, or really want, that, because I don't tow anything. In the things I want in a car, the SRT8 is far superior. The Trailblazer has a very lazy transmission, and it's only a 4-speed. That's a huge turnoff in itself. The Jeep shifts quicker, smoother, and has another gear to use. The Jeep also blows the SS away in straight line, the 0-60 is a full second faster, and it gets to 100 almost 3 seconds faster. Then the Jeep handles better as well, at least on road, which is what I want in this car. And considering I do enjoy fucking around in an empty, iced over parking lot, the fact that you can't disable the Trailblazer's stability control program is yet another turnoff. The Jeep also has much tighter, stiffer handling, steering, and much better braking. Again, things I want.

As far as the interior goes, no complaints, or advantages, of the front seat compartment of the SS. Their only complaint was that the Jeep's backseat space was smaller and less comfort. It's my car. I don't sit int he backseat, wtf do I care? Ad for the part I actually have to look at, I don't like the SS. The Gauge faces are different colors, and look GM standard. The steering wheel has more buttons than a 747 jumbo jet. I like steering controls as much as anyone, but there is a line, and GM went past it. The center screen is far smaller than on the Jeep, and looks typical GM, cheap, surrounded by plastic that will warp/crack/come un-clipped in a year or two, and it looks like an afterthought. They have a big hole right in the middle of the dash, that maybe housed something useful on the base model, but instead of covering it, they put a plastic piece in it with yet another logo. The SS just looks too standard GM on the inside. The Jeep looks standard Jeep, and I love Jeep interiors.

Fact is, they had a bunch of 40 year old, married men with children testing the cars. A single 23 year old wants far different things in a car. They said it right at the end, the SS is a great machine, built on a terrible platform. The problems in it stem from the standard model's platform, and GM cutting corners. For what I want, it doesn't even come close. And let's not get started in the beauty contest, because the SS tripped center stage.

[Aaron]

Put the car payment money in a money market for the next three years and have a nice down payment on a house.

That's what everyone's been telling me, but I've got no reason to. I don't want a house, and have no reason to want one. I have no responsibilities right now, and I like that, and want to take advantage of that. Plus, with all of the incentives to buy new, I can put the money I'll have saved for this Jeep by the time I buy it into something that will make me money, while D-C loans me their money for free. So after 3 years, the Jeep is paid off, and I've invested 20 grand through my work's stock/bond/mutual funds.

That's what I was thinking as well. Kids these days, priorites all mixed up lol.

Drive a cheap car or truck with cheap insurance and save for a house. SRT-8 is a nice ride but I don't think just starting out you need a $40k Jeep.

Hell, I'll be in the market for another car soon cause I no longer have the caddy. I make quite a bit of money but I'm still looking for a 1 or 2 year old car under $20k. Let someone else take the big depreciation hit. You can get low mileage cars with under 30k miles for dirt cheap.

I dunno, nice Jeep but not really a good daily. No displacement on demand with the 6.1 so it will suck for mileage.

I don't need a house. No kids, no wife, no girlfriend, no nothing. I've got a job. I need a bed, a shower, a toilet, and a small kitchen. So I rent a room from a friend. It's really cheap, has everything I need including a garage, and I'm happy here.

I'm done driving cheap cars. I want a nice car. I want one much more than I do a house. If I needed a house, it'd be a whole lot different. But as it is, I'd like to play while I'm young, since I won't be able to for a long time. I want my midlife crisis car now, not 25 years from now, and I've got the resources to get it done now, so why not?

I don't care about the gas mileage. The drive to work is short enough, and I make enough money, to where it isn't an issue. And the enjoyment I'll get out of it is worth every penny.

That thing would look better with a bigger sidewall from the factory...

They look fucking sweet once dropped an inch or two. I agree though, I would need to fix the rims and/or tires, they look a little off. It also would need stainless long tubes, Corsa exhaust, CAI, and a tune. 12s without breaking a sweat.

My buddy wants to sell his 5.9 for like $5k, but the mileage is still crap.

The older GC's would nice for their time, but they've got nothing on the new ones. The 5.9 is a pig next to the 4.7 of the 2000's, and even moreso the current base Hemi.

[The Dark Side of Will]

That's what everyone's been telling me, but I've got no reason to. I don't want a house, and have no reason to want one.

LOL. Sure, mang. Just keep telling yourself that.

[Aaron]

Right now, I don't. I know in a few years I might, and if I meet a girl and want to start a family and whatnot I will. But as of right now, I don't. I'm living the bachelor life, and I want a 425hp SUV

[The Dark Side of Will]

I look at the exact same set of circumstances: single and making good money, and I think that I'd better make my money work for me NOW because I won't be able to when I have to put it toward raising a kid. Kids are expensive.

[eHoward]

Buy the car. You only live once. Just make sure it's something you'll still be happy making payments on 3 years from now.

[Aaron]

That's my feeling on it, and I think I'll like it for a long time. I know my Mom has had her Jeep for a few years, and I still love driving it. It's a 02 GC Overland, so it has the 4.7HO, but it's quick, luxurious, and performs well. The stereo also kicks ass. I can't imagine how much better a SRT8 will be!

I saw a red Grand Cherokee the other day, and they do look good in red. I'll have to see the different colors in person first. I'm going to swing by a few dealerships in the coming months, see if they have any, and hopefully get a test drive, and we'll see where it goes from there. I'd like to get a late 2009, or, if the changes are worth the extra money, maybe a 2010.

[Boscolingus]

Just don't ever plan on selling it or trading it in - they currently book for about 13 to 14 k BEFORE the mileage add.

And dont quote KBB to me, I wipe my ass with it. The real book, auction data aquired on a daily basis through Prime and AutoNation wholesaler's markets.

I currently own a 2005 SRT-4 that booked for $14k a year ago, KBB retail was 16+, and I bought it for 12,200 + fees + 9.9 APR for 60 months = no investment, but I like the car

As long as you like the car and can float the note, go for it

[Boscolingus]

Aaron, I forgot to mentiom - if you have your heart set on this I can put you into contact with my Dodge fleet manager, his name is Andy and is a good guy. He is aware that he will be jumping ship in a few months so he is just blowing just about any deal out of his place