Jeep SRT8

[Cyrk]

Man I love this truck, not anywhere as nice looking as our VX's but it is tough looking and fast to boot... I am going to test drive a black one next week.
Fully loaded is around 45k. My VX is giving me some problems again... Do not think I will sell it but if this jeep is nice enough you never know. I need 4 doors since I have the new baby to cart around. But I just love my VX too much, wish I could afford 2 have both.

http://www.drivesrt.com/en/jeep/

6.1-liter SRT8 Hemi V8
420 HP
420 TQ
0-60 in 4.7
1/4 in 13.3
0.92g of the Skidpad
0-100-0 low 19 secs
60-0 125 feet


Check out these vids...

http://www.wkjeeps.com/video/jeep_srt8_tv.wmv

http://www.wkjeeps.com/video/SRT8_Pikes_Peak_med.wmv

[shoota77]

Tell me about it...I tried to talk my mother into getting one (totally for her of course, it really doesn't matter to me )

I may look for one a few years down the road...good luck if you get it!

[mbeach]

Those are some nice (performance) numbers, but do you really want to pull .92Gs with a baby on board? Or a 4.7 0-60 even?

$45k puts you in BMW X5 territory, which, while not as fast, is likely to be far more comfortable, safe, reliable and sensible.
I've had both (Jeeps and BMWs) in my driveway. The Jeeps taught me how to turn wrenches and the Bimmers taught me how to drive. Which one is more important to you?

Not to rain on your parade (it's just what I do I'm afraid), but lately I've been associating the SRT badge with "cars/trucks that didn't need to be built." Anyone can install a big motor, but as is the case with the SRT4 and SRT10, frosting on dogpoo doesn't make a cake -it just makes frosting covered dogpoo.

[Ruflyf]

hehe well said Mbeach

[Elric]

A friend of mine working at BMW dealership advised (silently of course) against X5 citing quality issues. It is one of the most popular models...at the service department that is Jeep is awesome but does it have to be 6.1L engine? No wonder people overseas don't buy US vehicles...with import duty of 2.25 euros per cubic cm it gets VERY expensive...and I bet premium fuel only, huh?

[CSTYLES]

My father bought an X5 a little over a year ago. It has been in the shop five or six times for electrical issues; sometimes for weeks at a time. Imagine having to jumpstart your Bimmer every morning. Their solution is to change the battery until the new one dies. It's on the thrid battery. We are currently trying to have the truck replaced under the Lemon law.

[BigJoe]

My sister has a Grand Cherokee limited 8cyl. Although it has great omph, Her first one was replaced under the lemon law and her second one has had quite a few quality probelms.....

I hope they are getting better, that's one of the reasons why their resale value is so low.

[transio]

Careful, this thing is a tank. The skidpad number may be impressive on paper, but I guarantee you that nothing that big and heavy will handle well. This is no sports car. Fling it around corners, and it'll either break lose control and spin, or those sticky tires will hold and you'll flip it.

Me, I'd rather have my VX. Enough power and handling to hold its own on the street, and still a great offroad performer, but no sports car wannabe by any means.

[shoota77]

According to edmunds...

"More than just a straight-line runner, the 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 handles the curves like a sport sedan. Among the handling enhancements are Bilstein shocks and beefy stabilizer bars for the independent front and live-axle rear suspension. A front strut tower brace adds stiffness to the chassis as well as additional street cred.

A stable cornering attitude guided by firm and precise steering show that all areas of performance were given equal weight. Running through the slalom at 63.5 mph, the SRT8 crushes the rear-wheel-drive TrailBlazer SS (60.3 mph) we recently tested and ties the Cayenne Turbo."

[mbeach]

A friend of mine working at BMW dealership advised (silently of course) against X5 citing quality issues.

That really is horrifying.
Maybe it's punishment from God for having the Zs built in South Carolina. Similar to MBs curse for the Alabama M-Class.
I hope that it's not the start of a trend -I have been fantasizing about finding another '99 M3 for a summer car, so maybe I'll pre-date the curse.

Edmunds is hardly impartial, so I take everything with a grain -or spoonful of salt.

I was not too far from Anchorage last night -I had to drive to Willow and back to pick up a dog -the roads were NASTY. I'll bet you guys got dumped on.

[shoota77]

mbeach...i'll have to take your word for it.

i'm in boston for a few more months where it was warm enough yesterday to get my motorcycle out for a nice ride!




and i agree with your take on edmunds, though most agree it handles remarkably well for a SUVish type...

[transio]

According to edmunds...

"More than just a straight-line runner, the 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 handles the curves like a sport sedan. Among the handling enhancements are Bilstein shocks and beefy stabilizer bars for the independent front and live-axle rear suspension. A front strut tower brace adds stiffness to the chassis as well as additional street cred.

A stable cornering attitude guided by firm and precise steering show that all areas of performance were given equal weight. Running through the slalom at 63.5 mph, the SRT8 crushes the rear-wheel-drive TrailBlazer SS (60.3 mph) we recently tested and ties the Cayenne Turbo."

Shocks and braces will add stiffness and reduce body roll, but they won't decrease weight or lower the center of gravity. 63.5 mph is an impressive slalom speed for a truck, but it sucks for a sports car, and isn't a true indicator of handling.

[WormGod]

Cyrk, dont test drive it if you dont want it. I drove one a couple weeks ago and damn near went ahead and traded in the VX. Good thing I had a buddy with me cause he talked me out of it.

It is a beauty though.... and quite affordable.

I still cringe at the Jeep service records though. I know too many mechanics that left Jeep dealerships because they were simply tired of working on the same old warranty work over and over and over again.

[shoota77]

Shocks and braces will add stiffness and reduce body roll, but they won't decrease weight or lower the center of gravity. 63.5 mph is an impressive slalom speed for a truck, but it sucks for a sports car, and isn't a true indicator of handling.

However, for a sports sedan (which is what edmunds compared it to), 63.5 mph is great...for a truck it's amazing. In fact, out of the Acura RL, Audi A6 3.2, BMW 530xi, Infiniti M35x, and Lexus GS300 (all sport sedans tested by edmunds), only the RL was faster in the slalom...by .02 mph. So, while 63.5 may suck for a sports car (i didn't check), I'd say it was pretty good for a sports sedan (again, which is what edmunds compared it to.) But then again, I haven't driven it so in reality I have no basis for an argument...

[driver3]

It's a chrysler... I don't care.. it'll run for the first 30k.. then fall apart