A Super SUV and a Practical Explorer: Members’ Rides

I always find it fun when families have matching cars, like Member Angrycat Meowmeow from last week and the matching his-and-hers modified Audis in his garage. I’m reminded of a family in my neighborhood who always leased new cars at the same time. Once it was a Durango with a Stratus coupe and another time it was Hyundais, and while they were never special cars, I always thought it was cool that they had matching cars – usually in the same colors, too. That’s a lot of fun.

Welcome to Members’ Rides! This is where we share the cars and stories of Autopian Members. The potential to be featured here is a perk for Autopian Members of every level, from the ultra-affordable “Cloth” tier all the way up to “Rich Corinthian Leather.” Click that link and join today!

This week, we have another pair of awesome his-and-hers rides. But instead of matching machines, today we have more of a yin and yang sort of SUV situation from Justin, our featured Member. We’ve got a luxurious long-range option that eats up the miles, and a high-horsepower model that really puts the Sport in SUV. Justin lives up in New Jersey, and is an investor by day, and EMT by night. When you need a two-car garage that can do it all, but still have fun, what do you do? Justin has a great answer to that question.

How did you get into cars?

Oh man. I was obsessed with cars early! I got my first Matchbox car for sleeping through the night without peeing. Subscribed to Car and Driver at 13. My dad had several great cars over the years which certainly helped. I’ve been fortunate enough to own some unicorns myself, including my SRT, a ‘99 Contour SVT and a ‘14 Chevy SS sedan.

What’s currently in the garage?

• 2018 Ford Explorer
• 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT

Starting with the Explorer, how did you and your wife decide on this one?

She had an older Explorer years ago, and always liked Fords I guess. She drove an Acadia before this and then we leased a Toyota Highlander after she looked at probably six different vehicles. Within a few weeks, she hated the Highlander and wished she’d gotten the Ford. So I put the Toyota on Swapalease and we found this Explorer. It was about a year old and had only 17,000 miles and was about $20k off what it had stickered for. The ideal buy to me.

How do you like it?

It has the 3.5L Ecoboost. It goes. I guess the SRT has spoiled me but this thing is no slouch. This thing just gobbles up the miles, it’s honestly as velvety on the highway as any luxury SUV and we can pretend we’re modest people and say “We just have a Ford as our family car.”

We do some family trips in it up and down the East Coast. I take it to Florida each year for Spring Break and have my wife and two kids fly in so that way it’s a two-day road trip for me and the dog and my audiobooks.

What’s your favorite thing about this one?

The comfort is hard to beat. Heated/cooled/massaging front seats, plushy ride, even little things the Platinum has like the wood grain top third of the steering wheel. It’s one of those SUVs that does what it’s supposed to do really well.

Other than the better MPG, is there anything this does better than the SRT?

It swallows more shit. It’s weird how they would seem to be the same “class,” but it feels (and is) noticeably bigger. You feel the difference in girth, width, etc. The cargo area is also bigger and it has a third row. So as much as I love the SRT, family trips usually are in the Explorer.

Anything you don’t like about it?

Not really. It serves its purpose well. The Platinum trim offers everything you could want and rides like a luxury boat, but as my wife likes to say, you can just say “Oh, I just have a Ford,” to make yourself seem less bratty.

How did you pick out the SRT?

I tend to get a bug for a certain car and then I try to see if that goes away. I’ve had several “specialty” cars from each American maker. I had a 1999 Ford Contour SVT, as well as a 2014 Chevy SS sedan. Once I knew I wanted those unique cars, I couldn’t shake the desire. Same thing happened with the SRT. I knew SRT wasn’t going to be around a lot longer and I always loved the pure muscle car vibe of them all. As a dad and first responder, having that insane power in a “practical” SUV also seemed to make sense. I’d also argue that Jeep AWD is the best way to deploy that horsepower. I’m not going to fishtail it into a pole leaving a car meet.

How long have you had it?

I picked her up in July 2021 with 19,900 miles on it and a set of bald tires. The first owner clearly had some fun with it.

Is it as amazing as it sounds like it would be?

It truly never gets old. I love to remote start it just to hear it rumble to life. I keep considering a minor exhaust tweak, like deleting the mid-muffler resonator. But I don’t know if I want to monkey with it and have it no longer able to be said to be stock, you know?

The other thing that never gets old is the power. I know there are lots of fast cars nowadays and nothing compares to EV acceleration, but to me, you can’t ever beat the sound and feeling of a 6.4 liter V8 hammering you back into your seat on an on-ramp. Probably sounds cliched but it’s true.

What’s your favorite thing about it?

I love almost everything about it. I love the comfort, the seats are incredibly comfy for long trips, despite also having good bolstering to keep you planted in place. The ability to cruise at any speed is fantastic. I love the look, it’s slightly lower and squattier than the usual Grand Cherokees and has just enough murdering out to make it stand out. It’s a “if you know, you know” kind of thing. When I got it, I posted it on IG and a friend of our family said “Oh, I had a Grand Cherokee! We loved it.” I wanted to reply “Well, you didn’t have one like mine!”

Anything you don’t like?

Honestly, the only thing is the gas consumption and the fact that it requires 91 octane or above. The 5.7 hemi – which is also wonderful – runs on regular unleaded and I do think about that from time to time.

How’s the ride?

It’s firm but the kind of firm you get used to. It has several ride settings and while I think those are for show in some cars, there are noticeable differences immediately in the SRT. “Auto” is what I leave it in most of the time and it’s great. “Sport” instantly feels quicker, you immediately notice the shift points being more aggressive and the ride is a little more taut. Then “Track” is no-joke time. The lights come on the dash reminding you that stability control and traction control are now off.

Also, you may be familiar with SRT’s “Launch mode,” but man, I cannot begin to tell you how truly insane it is. I don’t even have the Trackhawk, but if you employ launch mode, you literally need to be sure there is nothing loose in the back because it’s about to become a projectile. I once had a friend many years ago say that a car with insane acceleration always feels like someone is putting their hands on your shoulders and pushing you back into your seat. This car feels like that in launch mode.

Any weird quirks that make this not ideal as a daily?

Aside from the aforementioned gas prices, pretty much everything is expensive with these. And I’m talking about the stuff that regularly wears out. The tires are 295s! So they’re a small fortune to replace, and you need to always replace all four. Anytime a Grand Cherokee has uneven wear, it eats its transfer case. Mine failed a few months after I got the car and I think it’s because the prior owner didn’t heed this advice. Fortunately for me, it was still under warranty.

The other eye-watering thing is replacing the Brembo brakes. Doing it at a dealer and using OEM Brembo parts will set you back over $3000. Just for the fronts! I did it once that way and then did research on alternatives and it turns out there are more than adequate lower-cost options out there. I chose one of those lower-cost options and I think it cost me just a few hundred at my local mechanic. That was over a year ago and I’ve seen no decrease in performance.

Any fun stories with it?

As I said, it very much an “if you know, you know” sort of car and I often have Lancer Evos and that “type” get a little racey with me on state highways. The combo of the blistering speed I can generate coupled with the sound from that V8 is always satisfying. Sure, there are faster cars out there, but with a 4.4 0-60 time, you know that nobody can truly dust you. That’s fun. And hanging with guys in Porsches is always entertaining.

You said you buy cars to scratch an itch, and then move on. Any idea how long you’ll end up keeping the SRT? Any thoughts about what will follow it? 

Well, my habit has been about four years before I get the itch again. I’m at four years right now with my SRT but I still love it. Given that it’s a Jeep, I’m eyeing when my extended warranty ends (hey, I’ve had several Jeeps so I can say this), which will be in about a year. And of course I have thoughts on what will follow it – what car nerd doesn’t? Do I have a spreadsheet already with possibilities on it? Who can say? (Also, yes.)

I’ve come to grips with the fact that SUV bodies are practical for a dad with two kids, so my list may or may not include the Lexus RX 350 F Sport and the Porsche Macan S. However, for many years I was a sport sedan guy (Contour SVT, Chevy SS, Altima SE, Acura TL-S), so I get drawn back to the four-door dad sedans, too. The issue is, I just don’t know how many are out there that would fit me.

I have come to really like AWD after long being a RWD apostle, but with a son going to college in a few years (and driving soon, too), I feel like the days of indulging in things like my SRT should be either behind me or at least on hold for a while. Does that mean I veer in a new direction and look at something like a Camry TRD to balance the notions of boy racer and practicality/responsibility? I don’t know. I honestly wish there were more wagons out there but the ones that come from brands I don’t entirely trust on the reliability/repair cost scale.

Given your awesome cars in the past, I have to ask, what’s been your favorite car you’ve ever owned and why?

Honestly, it’s probably the Grand Cherokee SRT. I recently did a count and have owned 13 cars for my own driving. The sedans I enjoyed the most were a 2003 Nissan Altima SE (did everything well, was very fast for the time and looked great) and a 2003 Acura TL Type S (Honda reliability but the S package made it a lot of fun). The Contour SVT was a manual and was the last manual I drove regularly.

What’s about the worst?

My first car was a 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera in tan. My god, what a piece of shit. I think it cost $1500. Within like two months, it had oil pressure problems and a mechanic told me it wasn’t getting oil up out of the pan and would likely seize in the coming weeks/months. So it went away after a short time with it. I don’t think I’ve owned a true piece of crap since.

What would be in the dream garage?

Any number of Corvettes across eras, probably an AMG or two, and weirdly, I’ve always wanted to get my hands on an ‘87 Chevy El Camino SS from Choo Choo Customs.”

I still have alerts set on BaT for El Caminos and my wife has even said words to the effect of “I’m come to grips with the fact that you’ll own one of those one day,” though she doesn’t understand it. Both my sons think it’s cool, which is crazy to me because they have no frame of reference.

To start the Corvette collection, it would probably be a late 80s/early 90s convertible OR the original ZR-1. That car is still so cool to me.

Thanks Justin!

Are you an Autopian Member? Don’t miss out, we have a lot of fun and you could be world famous and see your cars plastered all over the best car site on Earth! Click Here to learn more and become a Member today!