Jeep Cherokee (Non Grand)

Since my Crx is now sold, I'm looking for my first AWD or 4X4. Lets just say I'm paying close attention to this thread....or anything Subaru. Man, I'll miss putting gas in that Crx. But I still have my '04 Civic @ 38mpg I've always had a thing for these boxy 4x4's. In fact, I just e-mailed about one.

That's because for some mysterious reason, Jeep endowed the 5spd with 3.07 gears vs. the auto's 3.55. Go figure. Typically, the auto versions of any car get the higher (numerically lower) gears cause they have the torque multiplication of the torque converter. Jeep did it backwards. Any auto XJ will leave my 5sp XJ for dead at a stop light. 4.10s on the way though...

I definitely agree that the gears kill them in the acceleration department..

But im basing my opinion mostly on the way it feels to shift. I guess i am spoiled because all my 5spd ownership to date has been cable clutch cable shifter small cars. I like the fact that in a lot of my cars i can feel exactly whats going on through the pedal (cable clutch) instead of having to work backwards to it by feeling car movement or watching the tach. I like that i can move the shifter with my pinky if i want to. I like that i never have to wait for things to spin up or down because none of the components are truck-sized.

On the other hand, i dislike driving the 5spd cherokees because they basically take a light (sometimes 2800 lbs) vehicle and make it drive like a 5000 lb truck as far as my right hand and left foot are concerned. The trans always feels like its fighting you because you have to push it if you want to shift at anything resembling a quick pace, and it's kind of stiff. Definitely not an effortless kind of shifting. You have to wait a noticeable amount of time for it to spin down before getting into reverse. Pretty much the whole experience gives me the impression of a lot of weight and momentum that has to be dealt with or managed.

So its not a complaint about the function of it as much as the aesthetics of it. I dislike the feel of the 5spd in the cherokees.

But knowing how awesome the AW4 is is really the thing that makes me willing to lean away from the 5spd. If it was a 4l30 or some such other piece of crap id take my 5spd and like it. Also, when im driving ACTUAL 5000+ lb trucks.. i have no complaints about the same symptoms because it fits the context.

also, the AW4 is rated to tow up to 5000 lbs. The 5 spd manual can tow......get this.......1500 lbs

I had to double check your numbers. I'm pretty sure my '88 and '91 XJ were only rated to 3500lbs but I see '99 is rated at 5000. huh

I found a 2000 with just under 100k miles for $5900. Going to try to go look at it today or tomorrow.

http://www.westfieldmotorsales.com/newandusedcars/0/687871/d2b761cc-3214-4314-931e-e0ab12e8ae4a/2000-Jeep-Cherokee.aspx

What do you all think?

Apparently I stole mine because 3 years ago I bought my '99 with 94k miles for $2,800!

2000 and 2001 can be tricky since they went to coil on plug and a slightly different head casting. The heads have been known to crack. I highly suggest you have it checked out and look for oil/coolant cohabitating.

IMHO '99 is the best late model since it has the revised intake manifold but not the new head of the '00 and '01. '97 and 98 are still good years for the new body/interior (a huge interior improvement). But don't be afraid of '91-'96 either. Get the one with records and little to no rust under the doors.

That same dealer also has this one:

http://www.westfieldmotorsales.com/newandusedcars/0/667360/d2b761cc-3214-4314-931e-e0ab12e8ae4a/1999-Jeep-Cherokee.aspx

1999 w/ 77k miles, but they want $7500 for it. One owner, looks REALLY clean, and doesn't have the fugly wheels. Does have the fugly chrome grill, though.

I think my prices will be slightly inflated since i'm wanting to buy from a dealer in this case.

In reply to 93celicaGT2:

I see inflated prices everywhere too on everything I'm looking for whether private or dealer. Its getting old I'm leaning toward a Cherokee over a Subaru. I basically live next to a Jeep dealer, Subaru is an hour away and I'm sure much more expensive/harder to fix.

That '99 is the way to go, that is a ton of money though. That thing is super clean and low miles, very rare now a days for XJs.

That grill is fugly and not stock. That came off a limited. The body color grill is the way to go. I bet you could very easily find someone to trade with. It is only 8 screws to replace.

Not sure if you can see it but this is my XJ Classic (body colored bumpers and grill). A lot better than all that plastic chrome.

miatame wrote: That '99 is the way to go, that is a ton of money though. That thing is super clean and low miles, very rare now a days for XJs. That grill is fugly and not stock. That came off a limited. The body color grill is the way to go. I bet you could very easily find someone to trade with. It is only 8 screws to replace.

What would be the most i should pay for that car, considering that it is from a dealer, and i'll be negotiating for at least a 90 day warranty.

Oh, and are leather cars as near impossible to find as they seem?

Kelly Blue Book is coming in at $4,995 in my area and I would agree.

Leather only came on the Limited Cherokees, not an option for any other XJ as far as I know.

miatame wrote: Kelly Blue Book is coming in at $4,995 in my area and I would agree. Leather only came on the Limited Cherokees, not an option for any other XJ as far as I know.

I think that's around what they come here, too. I'm not sure i would expect the dealer to come down that low, though.

Should i be happy to get it for say... $6k, because it's nice, one owner, low miles, and all that jazz?

It seems that all of them are priced above book, honestly.

The green one isn't too far off, though.

880-5131

trx722

Here in Nebraska we had the nastiest winter in decades last year. Starting around Christmas I was looking for 97+ Cherokees for six months before we found one for what I felt was a reasonable price at the end of May.

It is a blue 1999 Cherokee Sport four-door 4x4 4.0L auto with 258k miles. It has the part-time 4x4 system that is for slick conditions only. It was owned by the regional manager of a pizza chain so it had tons of highway miles from driving all over Nebraska, Iowa, and both Dakotas. We paid $1900 for it.

I put some e-code 9004 conversion housings on it and wheels from a Wrangler. I had the front two windows tinted to match the factory tint on the back windows.

The AC had a bad leak in the suction & discharge hose when we bougt it. I fixed that and replaced a leaking rear diff cover gasket. That is the only work it has needed so far.

A week ago I found an ad for a black 1997 Cherokee Sport four-door 4x4 4.0L with 241k miles for $1200. We bought it that night. It has a bad wheel speed sensor in the ABS that makes the ABS activate for no reason when coming to a complete stop. There is a howling noise in the rear diff, the driver's window regulator is broken, and the catalyst matrix rattles around inside the cat. I'm going to try a fluid change to see if that will quiet the diff but I have my doubts. I ordered a new window regulator and wheel sensor but neither has arrived yet.

As niggling issues, there is a door lock actuator in the left rear door that doesn't work, the fabric has delaminated from the sound bar in the hatch roof, and the clear coat on the hood is peeling pretty bad. I want to put something really tacky on the hood like an American flag or something.

We originally bought the blue 99 for snow duty only but due to the high ride height and the torque we both love driving it all the time. If we both go somewhere we pretty much always take the Cherokee.

Well, i found a BEAUTIFUL white 2000 Cherokee Classic for $4500.

Thought i was going to go in and pick it up yesterday.

We'll just say that i REALLY hate banks right now.

More to follow hopefully tonite.

Yep. We're throwing in the towel. After all that, no Cherokee for us.

I must say that the current day lending practices make about as much sense as they did about 5 years ago, but in the exact opposite way.

"You need more credit history."
"Right.... so how do i get that again?"
"Take out a loan."
".......... You DO see my issue here, right?"

For berkeley's sake.

I guess current plan now is to tighten up the EGT again, as in.. take care of all the maintainence and fixes that i'd deferred on while counting on the Cherokee, throw some tires at it, and she can DD that for the time being, and then when it's ready for swap time, hopefully just pay cash for a late model Cherokee at that point.

ARG.

In reply to 93celicaGT2:

Sorry to hear you couldn't join the club. Maybe I'll sell you mine come spring if you want it. By then, I'm sure I'll be in the mood for something lightweight with a stick.

Here's a Grand Cherokee with a blown engine for $800. I know it's a bit of a haul, but you could even flip this. There are tons of these between CT, RI, and NY CL. I'm sure more the further north. Anyway, here's the link, http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/cto/2040141007.html

and there are lots of others. Worth a fly-in and drive out. Your $4500 seemed a bit high.

triumph5 wrote: Here's a Grand Cherokee with a blown engine for $800. I know it's a bit of a haul, but you could even flip this. There are tons of these between CT, RI, and NY CL. I'm sure more the further north. Anyway, here's the link, http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/cto/2040141007.html and there are lots of others. Worth a fly-in and drive out. Your $4500 seemed a bit high.

Eh, it was under KBB, and i was willing to pay more for a newer example for the added creature comforts and SO approval factor.

I'm not picking up another project at this point, either, so unfortunately, cheap ones with bad engines, Grand Cherokees period, or $1500 cheap rusty Cherokees are out.

Fletch1 wrote: In reply to 93celicaGT2: Sorry to hear you couldn't join the club. Maybe I'll sell you mine come spring if you want it. By then, I'm sure I'll be in the mood for something lightweight with a stick.

No worries. It's just frustrating, really.

Shoot me a message if you decide to sell then. It'll all depend on SO approval factory. I personally want a ratty one painted in camo with some bigass tires, skidplates, brush gaurds, snorkel, and a big roof rack.

But.... that won't fly.

That sucks with the bank. My girlfriend is kind of going through the same thing. No credit history but how are you supposed to get one when they wont give her a loan? Chicken and the egg... As far as leather interiors go, it was available in the limited models and if I'm not mistaken was available in the Country model from 91-95? or so.

You up for a cheap '94 4Runner that needs some work?

Depends what kind of work? Snow is looming this weekend. I don't really have time for a big project, and she won't drive a rust bucket, unfortunately.

Shoot me a message with details if you don't mind.

93celicaGT2 wrote: Depends what kind of work? Snow is looming this weekend. I don't really have time for a big project, and she won't drive a rust bucket, unfortunately. Shoot me a message with details if you don't mind.

Done.

miatame wrote: Not sure if you can see it but this is my XJ Classic (body colored bumpers and grill). A lot better than all that plastic chrome.

Dood...

go grab some tie-wrap and wrap that E-brake cable up tight around the axle before you snag it on something