congrats Rob, lets see who gets to 1k miles first !!!!

 

Fantastic car and write up.

 

OFF TOPIC:

Rob- How do you like your SRT8? For whatever reason, I have started to consider this as a daily and trying to get some feedback from current owners.


Pros/Cons would be greatly appreciated.


ON TOPIC:

Wicked new 3 man! Always good to hear someone enjoying their purchase. Congrats!

 

You're on!! hehe... I'm at about +/- 150 miles right now. I don't think it'll take either of us too long to reach 1K. It really is a fun car. Congrats!

 

Thank you.

I'm really liking the Grand Cherokee SRT8. I think it makes a great daily driver, that's what I use it for. Of course, the gas mileage is not great... about 14 city and 17 highway.

It's very quick, especially off the line - almost too quick sometimes... a little too much throttle and the thing leaps. The stock gearing is pretty short, it's like it's got a rear in it right from the factory. That's one of the reasons the highway mileage is poor, however. It turns 2500 - 3000 rpm at common highway cruising speeds.

Otherwise, the truck's a blast. It accelerates quickly from almost any speed and sounds very good - deep, but not annoyingly loud. It also handles very well for what it is, with decent agility and pretty flat cornering. The ride is better than I expected considering what I've read in the magazines - firm, but certainly acceptable for an enthusiast.

AFAIK, the compact AWD transfer case was designed specially for this application, and it works well, but it does make itself known at certain times/speeds with unusual noises and slight vibrations. It also performs a self test every time the truck is started - you feel a driveline thud the first time the truck crosses about 20 mph, then it drives as normal. Also, when taking off on slippery surfaces and breaking the rear tires free, it transfers power to the front wheels somewhat aggressively, i.e. you feel it engage the front wheels. Little idiosyncrasies, but I wouldn't let them keep me from buying the truck.

The interior is pretty good - not a Cayenne, of course, but definitely acceptable. It has stayed tight so far (5K miles), a few occasional squeaks here and there from the shifter's trim piece and a couple other places, but not bad. The seats are very nice and comfortable, though I could do without the "SRT8" in the seatbacks.

That's about it. Everybody likes the truck, it gets a good amount of looks. The center exhaust is very cool. However, many GC SRT8s' tips are off center and need to be aligned, so if you get one, make sure they're straight before you take delivery. Also, if you want to tow with it, the tow rating is limited (I forget the rating off the top of my head) and it needs a special hitch because of the center exhaust.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

Rob,

Really appreciate you taking the time to give a review. Very helpful. Great garage of vehicles and wish you continued enjoyment!