trapper

look for tool marks on the front fenders = front end collision

look for dents to the undercarriage = beat to heel and gone

look for continuous service records = a conscientious previous owner

look for flip out rear windows = apparently hard to find

look for broken sway-bar end links = thats what was up with mine

look for a manual = if its for offroad

and if your new to cherokees... read up on the "death wobble" dont let the name make you shy away for the truck.. rather make you take care of the problem right away of you find it has it.,.

good luck

other than that.. your golden

113Cherokee

my 94 has been a dd and weekend wheeled since before i got it and has 219,500 mi on it right now. and my 87 has 248,000 mi on it.

troy fritz

Sounds like you got a bad 1 . Every1 I know that has them loves them including me. You dont sound like a JEEP man. More like a rice burner kid.

UK PONY

My '88 has 394,000km's on the clock - she sounds a bit rough but drives pretty strong.

Have I spent money on it since buying it? Sure have, some neccesary for problem resolution & some for things I wanted rather than needed.

Do I expect to spend more money on it? Sure do but I'm enjoying have a vehcile to tinker with.

I doubt mine received the proper servicing requirements from it's PO's so I expect I'll have issues but if it limits it's downtime to times that I can bring one of my stangs out I'll be happy.

OldsVistaCruiser

Flip-out rear windows? I'm assuming you have a two-door.

I looked for the flip-out front vent wings - I have a "nasty, evil habit" - I smoke. They are surprisingly easy to retrofit. If I remember correctly, there is one 10mm bolt at the bottom of the window track, one 10mm nut at the top of the track and one Philips-head screw that goes into the top of the door frame into the vent window assembly.

Speaking of "beat to Hell", my XJ has literally been to Hell and back - twice! I took it to the little town of Hell, Michigan for a car club event that I used to organize. It wears a souvenir MI plate with the word HELL on the front.

Best wishes,
Bill

OldsVistaCruiser

Chief Buchanan:

My XJ is approaching 288K and is still going strong. As noted in other posts, it needs a bit of attention.

I'm now getting a rumbly noise coming from the right front whenever I go around a left curve, which sounds like the front right axle U-joint is heading south.

Oh, by the way, I am a former NAFI employee of Navy MWR at NASJRB Willow Grove. I was very proud to "serve those who serve our country".

For those not in the Navy, that means I worked for a "non-appropriated funds" Morale, Welfare & Recreation facility, which meant that it didn't use tax funds - it was self-supporting. This was at a Naval Air Station - Joint Reserve Base near Philly.

Go Navy!

Bill

gon

As far as longevity is concerned, check this:
http://www.allpar.com/old/club/searc....0&type=engine

uplndvpr

i have A 1998 jeep cherokee sport with 196000 miles on it and the only things i have ever had to put on it(that werent directly related to my "first car stupidity") were maintenance stuff like an alternator and a starter and battery spark plugs tires ect. i am extremely hard on this truck, even so far that at one point i was stomping the little acuras and hondas locally street racing ( by the way mine is 2wd(i know my mom wouldnt let me have a 4x4 for my first car) but the street racing turned into a new trans, the motor was fine even had it checked out at the time. I have a friend that has a 94 cherokee with 534000 miles on it with the original motor and trans, no rebuilds, she is also in her late 50s.

Moral of the Story

TREAT THE JEEP WITH RESPECT, AND IT WILL RETURN THE FAVOR!

jcwclm

DO NOT TRUST CARFAX! Recently had problems with that. Carfax said my girlfriends car was in mild accident. Come to find out it was in 3 wrecks.

Wolf9857

My jeep has 172000 miles runs great the man i bought it off of never took it off road. He handed me 8000 dollars in receipts. It has a new head thats all thats been done to the motor and the old one wasn't blown the mechanic took him for a ride. it has 5in of lift 31s and every time it hits mud the rev limiter is kicked in and for a good amount of time and it takes it and begs for more. Its a 91 with a 4.0 h0 and 5spd no rust paid 2500 with it stock well worth it for the shape its in and the receipts.

k2keith

I've owned 5 jeeps, I currently own two XJ's - my 98 has 100000+, my 96 has 272000. The 96 went to 260000 before any major work was required, only batteries, alternater, tires, etc. before that point.

I also regularly hear those touting their Honda's, Toyota's etc; there is one big difference. When it breaks down, like all cars do; I can fix my jeep easy & cheap in the back yard, I usually don't even have to raise it. Parts are inexpensive and junk yard parts are plentiful.

Basic work like batteries, starters, alternators, belts, sensors, filters, plugs, wires, etc take 1/2hour - maybe an hour with a stuck bolt. Same job on other vehicles can take hours .

A friend of mine has a Toyota, bought about the same time as my 96 XJ, driven as much as mine, high miles now like mine, he loved it. Only difference is, he now says he is averaging more than $350 a month fixing the 'little things' that keep breaking. I'm spending $35 a month, fixing it in 1/2 hour in my back yard and not keeping a running tab at the local mechanic.

The XJ is not perfect at anything, but it does many things well, including being an excellent vehicle for a 'shade tree' mechanic.

stuck like chuck

im at 199250 and it runs good. has its issues but nothing like a normal 200k car

OldsVistaCruiser

Update:

I'm now in Annville, PA. My XJ is still going, although it's making some scary noises. It now has just under 299,800 miles on it.

Anthony'90XJ

My '90 has 101,000 on the clock right now. Not bad at all for a '90. I have been abusing it lately since putting the new lift and tires on it, and expect to have to throw some cash at it soon here. I also have a '95 Honda Accord as my DD and I love it as well. VERY good gas mileage and sweet ride. My XJ gets HORRIBLE gas mileage with all the stuff I did to the engine, but I love her cause EVERYTHING's better in a jeep!!!! I hope to get at LEAST 150,000 more out of my XJ without her breaking down.

84zmyfavorite

I Currently have 7 Cherokees, 5 of which are running/Driving,... Two 84z, one thats Red/Black Cherokee Chief with the AMC 2.5 4 banger Aisin AX5 NP207 that has 196,??? thats torn apart in the garage, the other thats my favorite XJ color, the Brown with Red Metallic Flake has 254,117 miles as one of my daily drivers with the GM2.8V6 Chrysler 904 3 speed auto NP229 Dana30/35 with 3.73 gears that is still going strong, My Black 87 with a First year, original, 4.0 AW4 NP242 Dana 30/44(Yes, the Dana 44)with 3.54 gears that has 294,??? miles and still going Very Strong( 4.0 leaks a bit now out the front and rear main seal, but only the last 1000 miles or so), My White 96 thats another daily driver with 250,6?? miles with the 4.0 AX-15(rebuilt myself last year also new clutch)NV231 Dana 30/Chrysler 8 1/4, My Red 99 2 Wheel drive with 141,??? miles on her 4.0 AW4 Chrysler 8 1/4 rear, My most recent purchase(in March) a Gold 2000 with 213,??? miles and badly worn 4.0(Im Currently rebuilding) due to cracked 0331 head with the AW4 NV231 Dana30/35 with 3.55 gears and ABS(hence the Dana 35) and last but not at all Least.....My Beloved SilverStone Metallic 2001 with 64,820 original miles on her 4.0 AW4 NV231 Dana 30/Chrysler 8 1/4.....I have owned other Cherokees over the past 13 years, actually 13 total. If I had to recommend what I believe to be the Best, that would be a 1999 with the 4.0 AX-15 NV231 Dana 30/Chrysler 8 1/4. I used to think the Best were 2000 and 2001 4.0 Cherokees with the NV3550 5 speed, but those NV3550s arent all that much better than a AX15, and you also have the 0331 heads that are going to Crack sometime.