We’ve got a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo that needs a new left front fender. By happy coincidence, I have a friend who can find any car part you can imagine. (I forget the name of the product, but they sell and support a national salvaged parts tracker system.) As soon as the requisite part pops up, getting my hands on it isn’t hard.
Easy access to parts is only half the battle, but before I get in over my head, how difficult is it to swap fenders on this vehicle? I’m assuming it’s just a handful of bolts and no cutting/welding needed, but are the bolts reasonably self-obvious and easy to get at without needing a lift and totally dismantling the vehicle?
I don’t have actual experiance on this model, but I would guess that a vehicle this new would be a bi-atch to work on. I’ve pulled fenders off my Jeep (73) and my truck (65) and that was all fun and games. Newer cars have funky bumpers and crumple zones and all kind of stuff I would think twice about messing with. Not to mention all the plastic.
I’m sure someone smarter than me will be along soon. You might try going to a “pick and pull” type place to have a look and tear stuff up, but finding a 95 Jeep is pretty unlikely. Good luck!
You’ll probably have to remove the turn signal light fixture, the bumper (or bumper cover), the inner liner, and possibly the lower cladding. A Haynes manual may tell you in more detail.
Most important thing is to take your time and be sure to label everything you take off. Even better would be to videotape what you’re doing so that you’ll be able to put it all back together again in the correct order. Especially be careful of the clips that hold the inner liner (or wheel well). I had to remove one on my Escort when I replaced the radiator and broke a couple. They’re tough, if not impossible , to find at a salvage yard. You’ll have to go to the dealer. They’re not expensive, but it’s a royal pain to have to go there for such a minor part.
If the panel does not match the color of your Jeep (and how likely is that?), have it al least primed, if not painted before you attach it. You should be able to decipher the correct paint color from the VIN.
Good luck. You’ll save a bundle by doing it yourself. I saved $200+ on my radiator.
I too am a DIY mechanic. Haynes is good to give you a general idea of the problem and how to fix it. However it leaves a lot out and can be vague, and it takes some experience or an experienced helper to make use of it. Chiltons is better, but you’ll pay. Dealer service manuals are best, but you’ll pay more and they can be hard to find.
The Google directory should have some Jeep/SUV sites and forums listed. You’ll always get better results at a specific forum rather than here, assuming a specific forum exists and is moderately active.
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I use this method to figure out how much I saved. Standard mechanics rate is $60-70/hour. Take the time you took to do it and divide it in half then multiply by that rate and subtract any costs incurred from damaging other parts or buying tools, the cost of a tank of gas (running for parts and testing), and (hopefully $0) the cost of medical care for injuries. Assuming you don’t have acess to a full shop with a lift and all the tools, this gives you a good estimate savings.
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Using that formula it comes out to about $110. Three hours labor. No extra tools required. No damaged parts. One minor injury requiring washing with soap and water and applying a band-aid.
The figure I stated was based entirely of what several local shops wanted for the job - $350-400. I bought the radiator online for $100 shipped and an additional $50 for hoses, new radiator cap, etc.
BTW, if somebody wants me to dig deeper into the manual (Haynes 50010 1984-2000 Jeep Cherokee - Wagoneer - Comanche), I’ll be glad to, but it doesn’t sound very helpful in this case.
Hmmm… I’ve got the Chilton for it, and it just says to unbolt the bumper, headlight, and so on, with installation quite sensibly the reverse operation. No mention of unibody, but I thought that was more of a frame issue, rather than sheet metal.
