At $14,900, Would You Call It A Wrap On This 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8?
While you might not want to take today's Nice Price or No Dice Jeep Grand Cherokee off-roading, the 420 horsepower it has on tap means it'll probably be plenty of fun on the street. Let's see if this Hemi-powered beast is priced to move.
If someone can afford a Ferrari but opts for the lugubrious and unnecessary Purosangue crossover over any of the company's similarly priced sports cars, can you really trust their judgment on anything? Similarly, if Lamborghini cash is at hand and the choice taken is to spend it on (or more likely, lease) a cockroach-looking Urus, then you can bet that individual likely misses the days of Juicy Couture and Jersey Shore.
The only sports car maker to transition to the uber-profitable world of SUVs and crossovers without embarrassing itself is Porsche. And thank goodness it did, since those models have provided the ready cash to allow the continuation of and expansion of its sports car line.
The 1987 Porsche 924S that we looked at last Friday was representative of the kind of cars Porsche was building before it was flush with crossover cash. While a bit beat-upon and in need of some repairs, that old-school sports car held a lot of appeal. So too did its $5,500 asking price, which you all awarded an 84% 'Nice Price' win to close out our week.
Earning that Grand badge
It's safe to say that the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 that stands before us now is America's answer to the performance-oriented SUVs that were coming out of Europe in the early to mid Aughts. The SRT8 edition of the WK Grand Cherokee debuted at the 2005 New York International Auto Show as the model's top-of-the-line performance trim. Adding the go to the show, the SRT-8 crammed a 6.1-liter Hemi V8 under the Grand Cherokee's hood. That was paired with a Mercedes-Benz-sourced five-speed automatic and Jeep's slick electronically managed AWD system.
That drivetrain had been strengthened with an uprated Dana limited-slip rear end and a more aggressive suspension tune. Other changes over the more plebeian models included monster Brembo brakes, model-specific five-spoke alloy wheels, and a pair of center-mounted exhaust cannons to alert everyone to the special nature of what just blew past them.
The deets for the model are: 420 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, zero to sixty in 4.6 seconds, and 12 miles per gallon suckling on that premium teat. Things got even hotter with the next-generation Grand Cherokee, which could be optioned with a Hellcat Hemi, but this OG SRT is arguably still in the game owing to its specs.
Two cars in one
This one has the added benefit of a vinyl wrap in what can only be described as neon-yellow permanent marker, matched with a matte-black hood and roof. If that's not your cup of "Ow, my eyes!" then there's the far more mundane but still classy factory black paint underneath. Along with the neon wrap comes a set of aftermarket alloys that, while not offensive in style, aren't as beefy and purposeful as the factory rollers.
Black was also the color of choice for the interior, in various grains of plastic and upholstery, with Alcantara centers on all its seating surfaces. Those seats include a pair of SRT-branded, heavily bolstered front buckets. Those, in my personal experience, are wildly more uncomfortable than their appearance would lead you to believe. On this Jeep, they at least look to be in good shape, as do all the poverty-spec hard plastics that make up the rest of the cabin. This is also a recent-enough model to have a decent-sized screen in the dash with stereo and navigation functions built in.
So extra!
Other noteworthy elements of this Jeep include an aFe Power (Yes, that's how the company spells its name) Magnum FORCE cold air intake, Borla exhaust tips (and maybe more), and an updated air/oil separator from specialist J&L. That's all going to add up to at least a grand in parts, and who knows how much for the labor to have installed. We should also consider the wrap and the limo-grade tint on all the windows aft of the front doors. That's a couple of grand worth of work right there.
Also in this Jeep's plus column are its obviously decent overall condition, as evidenced by the photos, and the relatively modest — but not weirdly low — 132,420 miles. Add to that a clean title and the seller's hype that it "Runs and drives excellent!" and there's little complaint to be found with this desirable performance Jeep.
That's a wrap
OK, admittedly, that "If your pee is this color you're drinking too much Gatorade" wrap hue might not be to everyone's liking. But as we discussed, that can be removed with little hassle, and the underlying coat is a more generally accepted — if mundane — black. With that option in mind, and thus expanding our horizons, we now need to consider this SRT-8's $14,900 asking price. Yes, I agree, that feels high for an old Grand Cherokee, but if you look at the market, you'll find the price to be on the low end for what is obviously a sought-after edition. Pile on all of this truck's easily undoable mods, and there's much to discuss.
What's your take on this Grand Cherokee SRT-8 and that $14,900 asking price? Does that feel fair given all the aspects? Or is that price, like the wrap, going to keep you up at night?
You decide!
Phoenix, Arizona, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Richard Donahue for the hookup!
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