Jeep Problems

We haven't had any other complaints of this issue, which doesn't sound normal at all. Perhaps other owners could tell of their experience; in the meantime step up the pressure on Jeep to give you a believable answer.

Good tip for anyone with milky windows in their soft tops.

As you say the Great Wall utes are new to this country, and so far too few have made it on to the market to give us a good picture of what they're like. Having driven them when they were launched last year I can say they are at least one generation behind the current market leaders in that segment, but they seem reasonably well built and they're made from parts that are mostly hand-me-downs from other makes and models, so they should be well tried. At the end of the day you would be a pioneer if you bought one, going where few have gone before, but given your budget it's probably worth a punt.

Chrysler told us that their recommended servicing intervals are based on advice from the factory in the US, which states 10,000 km for a diesel and 12,000 km for petrol models, with six months applicable to both. They say it is in line with the industry standard, and reject your claim of ‘over-servicing’, and we can’t dispute that. But it’s a good idea to check servicing costs before buying, after all they’re costs you will have to pay down the road.

You've done well in getting eleven years from a battery; they often give up much earlier than that. No doubt checking the electrolyte and keeping it topped up would have helped to keep the battery going for longer. The insulation blanket would also help to keep it at a more consistent temperature and make it more effective, particularly at low temperatures. It's also important to understand when replacing a battery that you buy one that has the power your car needs, simply buying a cheap battery might mean another visit to the battery store in quick order when it proves unable to do the job.

The guys at Impco tell us that the older air valve system worked very well on the Renegade up to the 2003 model year, which suggests there is no underlying reason gas won’t work on the Renegade. They don’t have a certified system for post 2003 models, but they would be prepared to work with you to develop a system and certify it on your car. If you would like more info on how to go about that phone John Coggins on 03 8788 1000.

I think you'll find that supplying the complete assembly is easier and cheaper for Jeep because it then has to maintain fewer stocks in its spare parts warehouse. Added to which they probably make more money from supplying the assembly then they would from simply supplying the pump on its own. The internet is a good tool to use for anyone needing spare parts because you can often source them more cheaply from overseas than you can here.

It should tow your trailer without a problem, as long as the trailer is braked, and you are sure it weighs less than 1000 kg when loaded with all of your gear. In addition to the cars you are looking at there are plenty of other cars that could also tow your camper, like the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan X-Trail, Honda CR-V etc.

The problem with the Wrangler is not a performance one, but a packaging one. Where to mount the LPG tank is the one that needs solving, and to date there has been no demand from the Wrangler owners to develop a package for the car. Help is at hand, however, as we contacted the people at Impco and they would be happy to take a look at your car to see if it's feasible to come up with a package. Contact Rob Mercer on 03 8788 1000 if you're interested.

While I'm not aware of a specific problem with the navigation system in the Jeep it is a common problem with factory-fitted GPS systems on imported vehicles. The time from when the car is built, and the GPS system installed, to when it's delivered to the customer can be quite lengthy and the maps often appear to be outdated even before the car is handed over. It's a problem that many new car buyers will face with GPS systems becoming more popular, so I would suggest anyone taking delivery of a new car have the dealer check for any map updates that are available and have them do it before delivery when you could negotiate having it done at their cost and not yours.