By Richard Truesdell
When it comes to older, high-volume platforms, few can compare with the second-generation 1999-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Also known by the Jeep faithful as the WJ, it debuted at the start of the ill-fated DaimlerChrysler merger, with 1,451,889 sold in North America over its five-year production run. It’s been estimated that more than 200,000 are still on US and Canadian highways.
One of the great attributes about Jeeps, beyond their legendary off-road capability, is the willingness of owners to modify them, whether by lift kits, 36-inch diameter tires, winches, and for the benefit of 12-volt retailers, infotainment systems.
All WJs featured Chrysler’s 1.5-DIN opening. There are even kits available to install double-DIN head units but I suggest concentrating on single-DIN head units for simple upgrades or floating touchscreen head units for more advanced options. These allow dealers to install systems with virtually all the infotainment functionality of the current Uconnect systems in the 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokees.
You’re likely to see two distinct WJ customers. First are those with a dead OEM or aftermarket head unit. They will likely be satisfied with a modern single-DIN head unit with Bluetooth so that they can stream their smartphones into the system. At the other end of the customer spectrum will be those looking for a comprehensive infotainment upgrade. This makes single-DIN floating touchscreen head units a great choice.
In the case of the latter, be ready with options from well-known manufacturers like Alpine, Boss, Jensen, Pioneer, and Sony or units from Linkswell, Joying, and others. (JVC and KENWOOD are also just now offering short chassis floating radios).
From 2003 going forward, Jeep offered a pricey in-dash AM/FM/CD/navigation setup. Scanning listings on Amazon, I found this drop-in 1.5-DIN direct replacement unit for $500.
If you can direct customers to higher-featured touchscreen models, there are two easy upsells; upgraded rear cameras and plug-in OBD2 Bluetooth adapters. While all these head units will have a rear-camera input, and in some instances, come packaged with a camera, suggest a wide-angle 180-degree upgrade like this AUTOVOX CAM7 unit I found for less than $40 on Amazon. It’s a generic product with a $60 retail price.
For OBD2 Bluetooth adapters, keep in stock a few units like this model from SinoTrack and offer a rear camera upgrade/OBD2 package for $100. And don’t forget to offer a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that can be viewed on a smartphone or the upgraded head unit via Bluetooth.
(To see how I handled an installation in my own 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee, click here.)
Now that you’ve sold the head unit, test the waters with speaker, subwoofer, and amplifier upgrades. The WJ will have two-way speakers mounted up front, 5.25/6.25-inch speakers in the door, and 2.75-inch speakers in the dash. Depending on the brands you stock, upgrading 20-year-old speakers will add anywhere from $100 to $500 to the ticket. Back doors accommodate integrated 5.25/6.5-inch speakers. With the newest WJs now 20 years old, selling replacement speakers should be a no-brainer.
To my knowledge, even when equipped with the premium Infinity system, Jeep never offered a factory-installed subwoofer system. In my Grand Cherokee, I kept things simple by adding an Infinity BaseLink 2×10-inch powered subwoofer which was a space-efficient solution. At one time JL Audio offered a driver’s-side Stealthbox for this application but a visit to their website indicated it’s no longer available. I’m sure if you search online, you might find one and load it with your favorite woofer.
Unleash the creativity of your installers for subwoofer possibilities. My favorite solution is what I call a false floor, tracing the floor of the cargo compartment behind the back seat with MDF and laying it over a custom enclosure.
Amplifier choices are endless, limited only by your imagination. Right now I’m evaluating two 5-channel amplifiers from Linkswell and RetroSound. The 420-watt Linkswell DSP amp is so small that it can be mounted behind the dash near the unit which really simplifies installation. The RetroSound Technophonic is a 5-channel 485-watt (@ 4 ohms) beast, but not so large that it can’t be installed under the back seat.
As I’ve suggested previously with the Ram and GM trucks, use social media to reach out to potential customers. The WJ group on Facebook has 90,000 members. I can’t even begin to list all the Jeep Grand Cherokee forums online but WJ Bible is one of the largest. It detailed an all-JL Audio system added to the factory AM/FM/CD/cassette head unit, including a wiring diagram, that is well worth checking out.
So now you have three high-volume platforms (Ram, GM, and Jeep) where you can focus your marketing efforts to increase sales.
Rich Truesdell
Rich is an industry veteran and longtime automotive photojournalist He has served as an installer, a 12 volt retail store owner, and a car audio and automotive journalist.
Truesdell founded Kartunes Mobile Electronics in New Jersey in 1976 with a retail storefront from 1980 to 1992. He’s contributed to publications including Motor Trend and has been a full-time automotive journalist since 2000 to more than 30 magazines around the world. He is also the co-author of three books with collaborator Mark Fletcher; Hurst Equipped (2012), 1970 Maximum Muscle (2021), and Hemi Under Glass (2021). Truesdell even appeared on Jay Leno’s Garage!
Truesdell welcomes questions from readers and he hopes to connect with colleagues from his many years in the car audio industry at [email protected]
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Great vehicle! I don’t think I’ve had one come through since before the pandemic, it’s a shame they’re all going to the boneyards now.