Lady72nRob71

One of these:
jeep-cherokee-2001_zps0906dbc1.jpeg

My Vista Cruiser search has been depressing (especially when I am ready to buy ) so this is my next alternative that ~might~ suit my cargo carrying needs. Not near as nice as a VC, but I had admired the XJ long ago and still do; the original 'working' SUV as I see them.
(The GRAND Cherokee is NOT what I am considering.)

Therefore I am looking for comments and facts gained through EXPERIENCE with these vehicles. I do not want opinions, as I can get plenty of those by online searches, most of which is taken with a grain of salt. Owners know best.
I am curious to know what common issues they have, what to expect with ownership, reliability, capabilities, difficulty in working on them, etc.
The Jeep forum has already shown me that some things are a pain to work on, like heater cores.

Knowing what size cargo will it hold would be helpful too. A Vista I heard could carry a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the seats down, but the XJ is much smaller, even two inches less than the length of my Pinto! And yes I quadruple-checked that...

I would be buying only a stock vehicle that has not been customized or abused. Most likely a 1987-2001, as they had the stronger engines. I do not care whether 2WD or 4WD or whether auto or manual shift.

There is actually a very nice black 2001 4WD with 103K for 11k about 30 miles west of me that I have my eyes on.

Thanks in advance!

BangScreech4-4-2

I've had a couple of these, a '92 and a '98 and can't recommend them highly enough. You can't break the 4.0 (this is definitely the one you want; stay away from the early 2.8 V6 and the less said about the four banger, the better) with a large polo mallet and the rest of the vehicle will endure a surprising amount of abuse as well. My current one, the '98, has about 180K miles and will need some front end attention soon, but hasn't required any major surgery in the ten years I've had it other than pads and rotors about 10K ago (first time it's needed doing during my ownership) and an upper ball joint at around 100K. In the rare event that things do go wrong, they made several million of them, so parts are cheap and plentiful.

That said, they do have some limitations. The box-on-box body structure maximizes available space but there's definitely some stuff that's not going in there. We use ours mostly to haul our dogs (Golden Retrievers) around and it's perfect for that, but we won't be moving any sheets of plywood or furniture that isn't collapsible (okay, maybe a beanbag chair), but we have a truck for that.

Other negatives: they rust, so stay away from vehicles from places where the roads are salted in winter (I assume that's not a big problem in Tx.). Also, they're pretty basic, so if you're used to driving cars that park themselves and make automatic lane changes for you, you might look elsewhere. It should be noted that both of mine were automatics, so I can't comment on the reliablility of manual trans models.

The only other strike against the Jeep that I can think of? It's not a Vista Cruiser. But then you already knew that.

MDchanic

Alright, Rob, I can give you a lot of information, and you might be better off actually talking to me, so drop me an e-mail if you'd like (though I'm working for the next four days, so my availability will be limited to somewhere between 9 and 11:30 Eastern, during an hour and a half of which I'll be driving home every night).

Bottom line:
Two years ago I stumbled across one of these, which was on a coworker's neighbor's newly-bought property, where it had been sitting for an unknown number of years.
I bought it for my then-16 year old for $450, and we steam-cleaned it (smelled like it had been used as a dog kennel), bought a new set of tires (it came with eight, all bald and none the same size), replaced the brake lines (we have this thing called "winter" up here...), installed a new crank position sensor and battery, fired it up, changed the oil and filter, and essentially have had to do nothing more to it. It even had cold A/C.

I got this car because I saw that a lot of the high school kids were driving them, and because I'd sooner sell my torque wrench than have my kid seen tooling around in a piece of Jap crap. Oh, and because it was cheap - my first car lasted all of ten days, so I didn't want to throw money away.
Also, we had a 2000 Grand Cherokee (WJ), that we'd put 300,000 miles on, so I figured it couldn't be that bad a car.

• The car: 2000 XJ Sport, 150,000 miles, 4.0 Rambler-6, port-injected, with 4-speed OD auto trans. and lever-selected 4WD (full-time RWD / 4-Hi or 4-Low locked-box), with P/W, P/S, P/B (front disk / rear drum), A/C (still cold, and I checked the pressures yesterday before sending him off to college in it), power locks, power mirrors, full instruments, fog lights, rear wiper, delay wipers (front and rear), headlight delay, leather steering wheel, dual front airbags, and 4-speaker AM/FM/Cassette.

• It seems to get between 15 and 19mpg, which isn't great for its weight (3,000 lbs), but it has surprisingly good pickup.
• The engine starts and runs well, and as smoothly as you'd expect from a 1960s straight six.
• It handles pretty well, with a set of Bilsteins and decent tires, but it's definitely a truck and not a car - it's got two solid axles.
• The ride is okay with good shocks - truck-like, but smooth and restrained. It definitely feels light, and not heavy.
• It stops straight and smooth - it has no ABS, but it was an option, and some did.
• Visibility in all directions is good.
• Seats are simple, but reasonably comfortable. The back seat is removable, and is foam and plastic, like a cheap European car, but is fine to sit on.
• The stereo sucks.
• The cargo area is small compared to the big, old wagons. If you're carrying 4x8s, they're going on the roof.
• Build quality is "minimalist" - the doors sound hollow when they close, and they weigh nothing at all (once again, like a Rabbit or a Fiat). You can tell that the whole car is built to be light, and was never intended to impress anyone. The contemporary ('93-'98) Grand Cherokee (ZJ) is a bit heavier, more refined, and smoother all around, for whatever it's worth. (Apparently, the XJ, which came out in 1984, was intended to be replaced by the ZJ in 1993, but was selling so well that they decided to keep it around for another year or two, and when they finally axed it, it was 2002 and it had lasted an unplanned extra ten years - this actually means that this is the only car of fairly recent vintage that you can buy that is essentially a piece of late-'70s technology, so you can get a car that looks, rides, and feels like an "old car," but that is really not that old at all).
• It is said that some of the 2000-ish heads have a tendency to crack in the middle and leak coolant into the oil, which will wreck the bearings if you don't notice it - beware of these.

My opinion: I wouldn't buy one for towing anything heavy (it only weighs a ton and a half), or for stretching out on a long drive, but if you want a fairly simple, reliable, durable car that you can beat the crap out of off-road, it's worth considering. Also, this car already has a bit of a cult following, and if you get a good one and don't wreck it, it's value is going to go up and up.

Hope that was helpful,

- Eric

lshlsh2

I bought a 99 in 2002 with 27k on it. Had for a daily driver for about 6 years, then gave to my kids to learn to drive in. Has never given me any problems. It does ride rough and can be a little tight if you are a large driver. Stay with the I-6 4.0. The only reason I am selling mine is I have to get rid of something and it is the wife's least favorite. To bad you are not closer.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...rokee-4wd.html

Larry

Fun71

I have a manual trans 4.0 Wrangler, which is the same drivetrain as the XJ (5 speed overdrive). 130K on the original clutch, never any issues with it even with a fair amount of rock crawling.

m371961

I had one assigned to me as a work vehicle. The company had quite a few. No, you won't carry a lot of big items, a little light for any serious towing. 6 cylinder in-line tough as nails. Good off road and snow. Popped out of gear on me once in a serious mud hole on a power line but climbed right out with stock m&s tires. (4X4)If I ran across a deal on one with little rust I would jump for a second car or beater.

Jamesbo

Rob, Mine Rode like a wagon but it lasted a long time, Gave it to kid ..........end of story

oldcutlass

They are a great vehicle, the 4.0L is the same 258 cu in 6 only now fuel injected with a lot more HP. It has plenty of go and in 250k miles all I did on them was a set of brakes, tires and a water pump. We've owned 3 of that body style 2 automatics and 1 5 speed. 2 4x4's and 1 4x2. The only down side to them is like all Chrysler products the plastic trim and electrical switches/window reg motors are less than stellar. Parts are easy to get.

BangScreech4-4-2

Yeah, I forgot to mention, they have a lot of quirks and foibles that tend to come and go. I've had intermittent problems with one of the rear door locks, the temperature gauge occasionally gets stuck at 125, and sometimes in hot weather (or in cold if you're using the heat/defrost for a prolonged period of time) the instruments all go dead and can only be revived by hammering on the odometer reset button.

We've chosen to think of these eccentricities as endearing.

Rattlecan

I bought my 1999 XJ Classic new. It was my wife's DD until 2004, and mine since then (when I'm not driving the Dodge Cummins or the 442 'vert).
It has 240k miles, enough to get to the moon! Doesn't burn or leak oil, runs and drives like it's supposed to. A/C's never been serviced, and blows as cold as it did when new.


4.0 HO, auto, 4x4, limited slip rear diff, PS, PL, PW, A/C, factory roof rack and tow package.


I'd look at the '98 to 2001, as they have the 4.0 HO. 2001 has one ignition coil per cylinder, the best of the breed.




I've fixed or replaced the following (excluding tires, brakes, belts, hoses, et al):

• PS pump and hoses
• Front wheel hub bearings
• rear diff pinion seal
• ignition coil
• front passenger door window motor and regulator assembly

I take it fishing or skiing most weekends. It sees a lot of rain and a fair amount of snow. No body or underneath rust.
Paint still looks pretty good, always garaged at home.


It'll do 80mph, but I rarely go over 65. 20-21mpg on daily commute, 23-25 on hywy trips with cruise control set to 60-65mph.


It will carry a fair amount with the back seat folded down, and you can remove the spare if you need a bit more and are feeling lucky. The factory roof rack works well, and it easily tows my 12' utility cargo trailer.


The factory tow package is nice, as it includes the hitch receiver, wiring harness, HD cooling, and PS cooling.


A little loud and cramped inside, rides a bit rough, and not as "sporty" and comfy as new SUV's. But, I've driven it thru a lot of dirt, mud, gravel, water, snow, slush, ice, and you have to try hard to get stuck or spin out. It really handles the slippery surfaces well with the low center of gravity. 4Low is awesome!


Extremely easy to work on, and parts are very easy to come by. Wrecking yards have lots to pull parts from.
Suspension upgrades or lifts are easy and cheap (relative to new SUV's)


If I found a '98 to 2001 XL with 100k near me I'd buy it quickly.


Check with kbb.org (blue book). Typical value here would be $2k to $3k in really good condition.

71rocket

Had a '96 Cherokee. Four liter, five speed, 4x4. Low optioned ride with only a/c and am/fm radio. Never gave me any problems. Loved driving it, then again I like driving smaller light weight vehicles.

BangScreech4-4-2

I'd keep in mind MdChanic's warning about cylinder head cracks on 2000 and later models -- that's definitely a thing. I've seen it cited in more that one place and I feel remiss in not having brought it up myself. Also, my personal preference would be an old-fashioned distributor (as found on '99 and prior models, I believe) instead of individual coil packs, but that's probably just my fear of newfangled technology talking.

Lady72nRob71

Everyone - I greatly appreciate the comments and insights - thank you!
I do understand that this is a basic vehicle but they have proven as small workhorses. Although they have more creature comforts than the Vista, their smallish cargo bay is what is steering me away from them now. I heard it is 5'6" from front seat to liftgate and 43" between wheelwells. Also I do not like liftgates - harder to drive with it open (like with a load of 2x4s hanging out). The Vista tailgate I like.
Is there a hidden bay under the load floor of the Jeep like the Vista? I do not think there is. I like this bay to hide tools, jumper cables, etc and keep them out of the way.
The black 2001 Jeep I saw with 103k miles is at a dealer wanting 11k for it, which I think is a bit too high. Sure it has new paint and tires, but for that money I would rather await another Vista.
However if I come across a much cheaper nice one, I may jump on it, applying the advice you all provided.
Thanks again!!

BangScreech4-4-2

Your instinct is correct. $11K is ridiculous. For that price, it would have to be showroom fresh. You should be able to find one to suit your purposes for well under $4K.

There is no stowage space underneath the cargo bed that I'm aware of.

MDchanic

Yes, the only things below the rear cargo floor are the plastic gas tank and the differential.

And if you want to buy that for 11k, I've got a great non-windowed 403 to sell you.

- Eric