The Best Jeep Cherokee

It seems that everyone is obsessed with money. Before the recession hit, if you didn't have the latest television technology in your bathroom or the fastest lawnmower for your flat, you weren't with the 'in' crowd. It never used to matter if you needed something, just that others were buying it. Nowadays it's the opposite, if you do spend money on anything nice, then you're an idiot because no-one should buy anything in the current economic climate. So how do you treat yourself without the neighbours lecturing you on the value of money? Easy, buy a Jeep Cherokee.

The beauty of Jeep has always been that for the money, you get an awful lot of equipment and high specification as standard. The downside has always been that they're cheaply put together, depreciate faster than a gambling addict's bank balance and quite frankly, pretty rubbish to drive. I can't say how the new Cherokee will depreciate, but I can confirm that it's a very good SUV for the money.

The latest Jeep Cherokee is the most recent update in the company's range and has the wealth of 65 years experience to draw upon. There are two things that dawned on me when viewing the latest offering - Jeep appear to have hired designers from Porsche's 911 studio as they've not restyled it at all. As a result it looks identical to the previous model, with more than a hint of mini Land Rover about its features.

This of course is no bad thing. The styling was previously very likeable whilst being utilitarian, the predilection of any good Jeep. Therefore you get chunky features, the famous seven slot front grill and that mud-splattered heritage. I'd actually go so far as to say it's my favourite styling on any 4x4. If it was a woman it'd be Sophie Ellis Bextor - not everyone's cup of tea initially but look closer and she's actually very attractive.

The lines are very unfussy, with just the wheel arches bulging out from the cubist body. Even little features such as the wing mirrors and door handles are made chunky, giving the Jeep Cherokee a robust look as well as feel. On the engine options front, Jeep won't spend too long on the specification - you can either have a 2.8 litre diesel with a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic gearbox. Yes that's it. Clearly this isn't a performance vehicle but despite its bulk the Cherokee will reach 60mph in 11.2 seconds and has a top speed of 112mph. Not much from 174bhp I hear you shout, but then it does weigh 2520kg so this isn't too shabby at all.

Due to the heritage of the firm and all its off road war pedigree, I'd hazard a well-judged guess that a Jeep owner will do more off road driving than the typical SUV owner. They'll be happy too as the Cherokee can cope ably with rugged terrain, thanks to its high ground clearance, powerful engine and hill descent option as standard. So does that mean it has sacrificed its handling on the tarmac, which is still where the majority of the driving will take place? Thankfully no. Make no mistake it isn't as refined as a car, or SUVs in a much higher price bracket from Europe, but the Jeep combines on and off road duties perfectly well. There is minimal body roll or road noise on the motorway and the steering wheel has good feedback letting you know at all times what is going on. Inside the Cherokee is well equipped with the aforementioned hill descent accompanied with air conditioning, stability and cruise control, parking sensors and seats that are both electrically moved about and heated. For an extra £950 you can open your roof to the sky above with the 'Sky Slider' option - a panoramic canvas roof. It really isn't an after-thought either, as it stretches back from above the driver to behind passenger heads. On sunny summer days, you'll be the envy of all other 4x4 owners. Some may complain that the materials used on the interior aren't to the highest standard but they all function perfectly well and keep a good chunk of money off the retail price.

That price starts at £24, 300 which in any economic climate is good sense. There's no denying that your neighbours will initially be banging your door down, demanding how, in this time of crisis, you have been so foolish to spend so much on an SUV. Never fear, I'm sure once what you actually paid is laid out, they'll be congratulating you on a bargain buy.

Mark Creese is a writer and a car enthusiast. Here he writes about the Jeep Cherokee.

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The Mazda RX8

There's been a lot of hype this week surrounding the new Star Trek film, crazily entitled Star Trek. The positive reviews have been overflowing, with the origins-based film being hailed as one of, if not the best film of the franchise. Regardless of whether I've watched the various television series or films there's always been one element that always gets me excited - the jump to hyperspace. You know the bit, where the captain of the Starship Enterprise is in trouble and gets everyone out of it by pressing a button that sends them into a blur with stars flashing by at unimaginable speed. I've always wanted to recreate that sensation, initially with Lego as a child but nowadays my best bet is a Mazda RX8.

Yep the Japanese coupe may not seem the most obvious choice for making the scenery go blurry when you plant your right foot, but you'll be pleasantly surprised. When Mazda pensioned off the RX7, it was at a time when many car manufacturers had experimented with rotary engine technology and given up the ghost. Once deemed the engine of the future, rotary units allowed cars to rev to heights never thought possible. It also meant that an engine as small in capacity as a 1.3 litre could produce over 200bhp.

The downside was that despite the small capacity, rotary engines drank more than George Best, were not environmentally friendly and worst of all, not very reliable. Yet where others failed, Mazda made a success of housing a rotary engine in the RX7, which to this day is a Japanese icon. With Ford's input, Mazda decided that they could develop the rotary engine further to improve reliability, reduce emissions and improve fuel economy. In other words, right the wrongs of its predecessor.

Even if the rotary engine could be improved, it was in essence a sports car engine. Therefore Mazda man collecting his pension in a Mazda saloon revving to 9,000 rpm was not an option. What Mazda needed was a car that would be a bone fide sports car and seat a family in one stylish package. Despite this oxymoron, Mazda somehow achieved its goal with the RX8.

To look at the RX8 is pure sports car. To drive the car is pure sports car. Yet you'll find yourself turning your head 180 degrees and seeing two beaming children looking back at you. So how have Mazda managed to make a success of a car that combines an engine design no-one can grasp and a family sports car combination that seems impossible?
Let's start with the styling. The car is perfectly proportioned with a long bonnet bulging aggressively at the front and a stumpy rear complimenting. So many sports car makers extend the boot to fit golf clubs and ruin the lines as a result. It's a relief that Mazda haven't fallen into this trap, although this means that practicality isn't a strong point. Huge 18 inch wheels adorn the car and ably fill the corresponding bulging wheel arches. The lines flow smoothly and crucially make the back end much higher than the front, enabling the rear occupants the luxury of headroom.

And so to the rear seating. In any coupe that claims to have rear seats, you either need to be the size of a hamster to fit in, or have the agility of a cat to clamber past the passenger seat into the back. The RX8 cunningly overcomes this problem, firstly by having decent sized seats and secondly, by ingeniously overcoming the access problem.
The simple answer would surely be to add another door? Well...that's basically what Mazda has done, but they've managed to retain the look of a two-door coupe. By adding 'suicide doors' that open the opposite way the front ones (and are half the size) you can get into the back easily. Problem solved.

So the engine and why it's like Star Trek. The two rotary derivatives produce 192 and 231bhp respectively. It's the 231 we'll be going wobbly legged over. Top speed is 150mph, but we don't care about that. Nor do we care that the manual says the RX8 will cover the 0-60mph dash in 6 seconds. The reality is that it feels much, much faster. With the instruments laid out in front of you like the deck on a spaceship and the leather racing seats holding you in place, the RX8 is quick to 7,000rpm and then everything really does go hyperspace blurry up to 9,000rpm.

I've never had that sensation in any other fast car I've driven and it's worth buying a Mazda RX8 to experience that alone. Factor in the addition of three passengers, great styling and at last a reliable engine and you're onto a winner... as for fuel economy.

Mark Creese is a writer and a car enthusiast. Here he discusses the Mazda RX8.

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The Sumitomo HTR ZIII for Porsche

When I purchased my 1997 Porsche 993 C4S the odometer read 24,000 miles. From the service history I could see that it had four new tires installed (Continental ContiSportContact 2s) less than 4,000 miles ago. This basically matched up with the information from my PPI and with my visual inspection upon receipt of the car.

Enjoying the car as much as I do, I clocked more than 6000 miles last season (including a great trip to Prince Edward Island). This meant the tires now had 10,000 miles on them and the rear tires were starting to feel a little worn. It was very subtle at first, a little chirp around a tight corner or a quick spin on a fast start. Given these signs I decided to start shopping for new tires.

The first place I started was the 993 forum on Rennlist (RL). As a quick aside, if you haven't been to Rennlist, and you own a Porsche (any type of Porsche), you owe it to yourself to check it out. The recommendations and opinions on RL were varied, to say the least. Like me, a lot of people felt strongly that you get what you pay for and therefore the more expensive tires must be the best. Thankfully, especially grateful was my bank account, I/they were wrong.

Tire Choices for a Porsche 993

Back in January I posted this article "Tire Choices for a Porsche 993." As you can see I had listed the following tires as my choices:

1. Bridgestone Potenza S-02

2. Continental ContiSportContact 2

3. Pirelli PZero Rosso

4. Michelin Pilot Sport Rib

I even went on to mention the following two tires as cheaper alternatives but I was going to shy away from them as I felt "you get what you pay for."

5. Sumitomo HTR Z II

6. BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW 2

As I said, turns out I was wrong. When push came to shove and it was time to pull the trigger to purchase the new tires for my Porsche, I did one last round of research. What I found was this thread which pushed me over the edge.

Sumitomo HTR Z III for Porsche

You see, when I was researching, the Sumitomo HTR Z III wasn't on the list (just the HTR Z II). It seems that with the HTR Z III, Sumitomo made some significant improvements. So, without wasting any more time, I went online to The Tire Rack and ordered four (4) new tires all for $700 delivered. That's a cost savings of almost 45% to my original choice of the Michelin Pilot Sport Rib.

My 993 was scheduled to visit the shop for a spring check-up, 30k service and brake bleed so I opted to have the tires delivered directly to them. After seeing the wear pattern on my old tires I decided to do a four-wheel alignment (they were cupping a little on the interior front edges) along with a hi-speed balance. This way, not only am I starting with a matched set of four new shoes, but I know they alignment and balance is correct. Assuming I keep the proper air-pressure and don't play too hard, I should get some significant wear from these tires. First Impressions

Since picking the car up I have turned almost 1500 miles on the new tires, each one with a huge smile on my face. The Sumitomo HTR Z IIIsare as advertised. They are very sticky, with a firm/stiff sidewall that handle great for daily driving (spirited or otherwise). I have not yet used them on the track or in the rain so I can't comment on that aspect. However, for driving on back roads, highways and anywhere else, I am most pleased. They stick as good, if not better, than any tire I have driven in the past. They seem to blend well with my stock suspension and absorb the bumps and pot holes quite well. I can't comment on road noise as I usually have the windows open or the revs too high to hear. :-)

All in all, I am extremely pleased with these tires and would recommend them highly to anyone, for any modern Porsche, regardless of budget. We all know that there are lots and lots of modifications to do to our Porsches. So, if you can get a great bang for the buck with this tire, why not turn around and roll the money into another mod!! Keep sliding down that slippery slope.

I publish http://www.PorschePurist.com the web's foremost destination for Porsche owners and automotive enthusiasts interested in the cars, products and lifestyle associated with the Porsche brand. With articles covering everything from purchasing and maintenance tips, car and product reviews to motorsports and other Porsche news, the site welcomes over 15,000 unique monthly visitors and growing.

PorschePurist.com focuses on the creation of original and entertaining content. Our goal is to have fun, enjoy our cars and pass along informative, fun and factual information.

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