In 1997, we bought a new Jeep Cherokee Country. It was delivered with numerous defects (slashed seat belts, wrong floor mats, dirty, stains on paint, stain on bumper & CD player not installed as promised. This, however, was only the beginning.

Since August of 1997 the car has been in for repairs at least 20 times. The brakes have been replaced three times, possibly going on four. There have been numerous noises and bumps and creaks which the dealer says it cannot diagnose.

The most heinous of all, though, was the noise we heard under the hood in June of 1999. We made several trips to the dealer, but they always said they could not diagnose the problem. The noise increased and we became concerned enough to take it to an independent mechanic. The mechanic said it sounded like it could be a serious problem and to take it directly to the dealer.

Finally, the dealer said it must be the solenoid purge valve, which vents fuel fumes. They tried to tell us that this was normal, but agreed to replace it at our insistence to see if it would relieve the noise.

The part was ordered and the dealer called and said it was there. My father took time off work to take the car in. When he arrived, they said the part did not seem to be there but that they could easily get it. After waiting about 15 minutes, the service manager, Bill Tatum, leaned out the door of his office and told my father that the dealership did not replace parts on the whims of customers.

The car still makes the same noise, and we are concerned that this problem is apparently known, at the very least, to the dealer. They admitted that this was not the first time they had seen this problem. Furthermore, their cavalier atitude toward a part with what seems to perform an important function both for safety and performance is maddening.

We have complained in writing to both MidPark and Chrysler but to no avail.

Furthermore, this car is obviously a lemon but we have received no help in trying to rectify this problem despite reporting Chrysler and MidPark to the Texas Department of Transportation.