Mickyfinn

Hey Guys,

Totally new to Jeeps and I'm looking to buy a Cherokee Sport for my daughter for her first car (just a daily driver). I've got @ $3500.00 to spend and there seems to be several available around here in NH although mostly from dealers. I've been poking through the forum here looking for likely issues I should be looking for. Outside of the obvious, I've heard to look for rotting brake lines and rocker rot. Any other common trouble spots I should be looking for?

Thanks!

nielsenml

There are guys here who really know there stuff. I'm new as well, but, the whole steering and suspension package (wandering and wobble)seems to be the most problematic although not too expensive to upgrade if you can do at home.

Desert Rat

Cracked exhaust manifold, oil leak from the rear main seal, sagging rear springs and rust are probably the things their most prone too. For $3500 and patience you should be able to pick up a decent one. Thats what I gave for mine, but it took me two months to find it. I might add, for a DD don't buy a lifted one, you don't know if the previous owner had a clue as to what they were doing.

Mickyfinn

Thanks! That'll give me something to start with. I'm going to check out a private one after lunch and we'll see how it goes. I have a feeling though I'll be poking through this forum fairly regularly now! You guys do a great job here and I appreciate the knowledge base!

Thanks!

93gc40

Generally I don't treat buying a Jeep any different than I would for any used vehicle. Condition, rust, signs of neglect and abuse. There are some 4x4 vehicle things to look at, Transfer case function, differential noise. With a XJ, don't limit yourself to a Sport or any specific trim package, they are all the really the same, except the paint and seat fabric. I am of the aviod modified Jeep catagory, not that you can't find a good modified Jeep to use as daily driver, I have. It is just better and safer to do your own modifications. Plan to do a major tune-up after purchase, Plug, wires, cap rotor, ALL Fluids, and an air filter. Considering the fact that the XJ is 10+ years out of production, and were a budget, read cheap, SUV option when new. Any XJ you buy will need some TLC. If your budget for purchase is $3500. I would keep $500-1000, of it, in my pocket, for immediate maintenance and repairs. I would look at an XJ made between 1992-1999, although there is nothing really WRONG with the other years.

If you have question during the XJ search, just ask, take pictures and post them. You never know somebady might see something you missed.
When I bought my 1996 it had a 5.5" lift on it, which I lowered to 3.5", 2 days after buying it. Just too many things were, and are, not done correctly.

CAEMI

I do the following:

1. Crawl underneath and look for signs that the car has been HIT HARD. After you have seen one with welding repairs, you'll always know what to look for. If you have not seen repairs, go to a body shop and ask them to show you what repairs to a unibody look like. Somebody will. Also, if seller says he "did some front-end work", look at the parts. Newer parts will LOOK NEWER. If the parts are old and rusty, they are old and rusty.

2. Remove the oil filler cap and stick your finger in there and root around. If you get a finger covered in oil, good. If you get a wad of goop, put the cap back on and leave. Goop is sludge and it means NEGLECT. There are a million XJs. No need to buy one with unibody repairs and sludge.

3. Listen to it. It should sound pretty normal. Weird sounds are walk-aways. Don't buy repairs. If you are a guy with kids, you've been driving long enough to know what weird sounds like...even if it's an XJ, which are known for weird sounds.

4. Drive. All speeds up to highway. It should track properly, steering wheel centered, NO wander, brake properly with no judder, and accelerate/decelerate with no metal music. Bang-clank is bad. Wander is bad, loose steering is bad. Take a corner sharply...should feel stable. Don't go crazy, just push it a bit.

5. It should smell normal. Musty is leaky. Leaky is bad. Pick up the floor maps. Filth is filth and you'll know it.

6. Engine compartment should not look like someone has just powerwashed it. Normal people do not do this. Underhood should look like a normal car.

7. Oil leaks are bad. They mess up your uncle's driveway and that is irritating. They are also expensive to repair in most cases. While you're underneath looking at stuff, look for evidence of a real leak. I don't mean a little bit of oil...they all have SOME oil on the undercarriage...look for a leak.

8. The trans should shift with authority. A slush slide from gear to gear is bad. A proper, snappy shift is good. PULL THE DIPSTICK and sniff the oil. If you don't know what clean, good trans fluid smells and looks like, buy a two dollar quart of Dextron III and pour some out into a disposable plastic thing and check it out. Sniff it...sniff it good. (Think DEVO.)

9. Four wheel drive should work properly. To do driveway test, engage the 4wd lever and gently, tenderly move the car with steering on full left lock. Look out the driver's window and watch the left front tire. It should "crab". If it does, it works. Don't move five feet...one foot is enough. Better to do this on hardpan gravel road but harder to tell if front axle is actually engaged. You will feel it however.

10. Vibration is bad. Anyone who maintains a car properly fixes the things that cause it. If repairs have been "deferred", think long and hard about just how much maintenance has been "deferred". Don't buy from poor people. All teenagers are poor people.

11. Look in the radiator fluid overflow bottle. The level should be normal and the fluid should look and smell "normal". See #8 above.

12. Check ALL normal operating items - turn signals, flashers, guages, horn, power windows, radio, HVAC, locks, everything. Test the ignition key in every lock. Test everything. If the HVAC only blows defrost, it most likely has a vacuum leak...easy fix. If anything else is wrong with the HVAC, think about how much it will cost and why it's broke.

13. Open each door and try to wiggle it up and down. If you find a worn hinge, you found an old hinge. All the doors should close easily and snugly. If they don't...it's been hit.

14. Buy a "Spot-Rot". They cost ten bucks and they work. Follow the instructions. You'll smile the first time you find a wad of bondo where it should not ought to be. If you can't find a Spot-Rot, take a magnet and check out how the magnet feels on a normal car with normal paint thickness. Cars that have been painted a couple times will not hold the magnet as tight. Cars with BONDO won't hold the magnet. Some say a refrigerator magnet works well.

15. If you are not comfortable doing this stuff, just take the car to a GOOD shop and PAY THEM for one-half to a full hour's shop charge to check the car out. Don't be cheap. $65k an hour for a pro to look it over is SMART buying. I know what I'm doing and I still do this if anything makes me feel like I've got wallet crabs.

This is your daughter's car. Take it to a shop. If the owner balks at the idea, politely leave. Good owners want your daughter to be safe, too. Bad owners are .....fill in the blank.

Finally, my preferred technique is start out by searching craigslist for the string "one owner", for sale by owner. Don't think for a minute that a used car dealer in any way protects you. They buy 98% of their cars at auction. There is a reason the car is at auction.

And don't walk because the car is $500 more than you want to spend. $500 evaporates in repairs...we all know it. Buy a sound, well-maintained vehicle and figure to spend another 20% cleaning up the details.

Also, beware of cargo carpet that is too clean. Detailers routinely spray paint the carpets and then brush them when dry. No necessarily a bad thing but something that you should be aware of.

Off Road Wag

There are lots of things you should look for big and small..One of my biggest things i look for is rust depending on wher you live. I have been lucky that with my 3 none have them have had any major rust my newest one has very minor rust when i pulled the carpet out but thats it. It looks like these guys have covered most of the big so i wont waste time listing again lol..But with 3500 you should be able to find a real good one..Just take your time and you should be good. And if you have any questions about things you have noticed on some of them just post it on here. Between everyone on here i dont think there are any problems you cant diagnose.

MasterShakeXJ

rust seems to be a big issue with these. but i'd say since it is going to be your daughters DD you want to be sure to check everything, so it doesn't leave her stranded. i would agree on checking for leaks, excessive ones at least. these things seem to leak no matter what you do..

the rear brakes on these seem last quite a while, mine are factory (~97k miles), but are going to be replaced this summer. i don't think the seller will have any problems with your poking around everywhere in around and under the jeep (and if they do, i personally take that as a bad sign), look for rust spots and holes in the exhaust and all, and anything you think is out of the ordinary. and while your under there, give the front and rear driveshafts a turn to check what kinda play there is (and while your testing it, maybe see if they 4wd works).

maybe snap a few pics also so people on here can have a little more insight as to what your looking at. best of luck!

Mickyfinn

Update~ Found a nice single owner '98 with 140k in nice shape. No rust, nice interior and looks to be well maintained. Looks like it will need some rear brake work and a minor tune up. I've got it over to a friend's garage for a good going over but it looks pretty solid!

Thanks for all the advice, I walked away from a couple based on some specific things you mentioned to look for! Nice purchase guide CAEMI!

Thanks again everyone! Nice to be onboard!