Jeep Problems

I'D GO for the GQ Nissan Patrol. It's tough, plenty of parts are available and everyone knows how to fix them. I don't have any real problem with the Jeep, though early ones were poorly built and rather rudimentary with a small cabin.

BUILD quality is quite good. Unlike the earlier Cherokee, which came from America and was poorly screwed together, the Grand Cherokee is built in Austria. It has good performance, but it's quite thirsty. It handles OK for a 4WD, but its brakes are only adequate and tyre wear is high. There are also reports of diff problems and electrical gremlins in systems, including the remote central locking.

THERE isn't a lot of history on the Jeep fitted with LPG, so you need to tread carefully. One reputable installer told me he won't touch the Jeep because of problems he had fitting an air valve system to earlier models, but he reckons a modern gas injection system would most likely work well. The problem is finding an SGI system that has been developed for your model. The best course is to ask installers what they can offer, then ask if you can talk to owners who have had the system fitted. But be wary. There just isn't enough history to be confident.

GO BACK to your insurance company and demand to have your car inspected. It sounds as if the collision did cause a problem with the suspension, and it hasn't been fixed.

IT'S hard to say the airbags should have deployed without knowing more about the crash, but my feeling is they probably wouldn't have at that speed. Deployment is a last resort in a crash that would otherwise be life-threatening. At 40km/h the impact would probably have been absorbed by the crumple zones. It was probably low impact, even though the Jeep sustained a lot of damage.

MY SOURCES in the LPG industry tell me there is no kit available for your car and you should be wary of anyone offering to install one. Before a dual-fuel kit can be sold it has to pass an emission test. Before you commit to fitting a kit, ask the installer for references from other owners and speak to them.

A BATTERY needs to be recharged every 12 weeks. You can put it on a charger for 10-12 hours then, or on a trickle charger if the charger switches off when the battery is fully charged.

IT'S an unusual vehicle, but one with rather limited appeal to military vehicle enthusiasts. I would suggest you contact your local military vehicle enthusiasts' club. I'm sure they will be able to help you.