Hi guys,

I've always loved Jeeps but never have had one. However, my wife and I have narrowed our choices down to two. A 2000 Sport with 103K miles and a 2001 Limited with 113K miles.

I'm not going to lie, I do like the Limited a bit more. It's got leather and heated seats, which is nice... However, a few issues, first the leather seats on the side (I believe where it goes from leather to vinyl) is ripped. Can I put new leather seats covers on? Does anyone sell them?

Secondly, the passengers side seat heater works fine, but the drivers does not. The little light on the switch simply blinks but nothing happens. Is this a known issue?

Also, I've noticed that rust seems to be issues with the Cherokee's, this one is really pretty rust free, but I did notice some inside the door jambs, small amount, and then a little more at the top L and R of the windshield, kind of between the windshield and the drivers and passengers doors, in that crease up there if that makes sense. The A pillar I believe it's called. Is this normal for Jeeps? Can I remedy it?

I know that 100K miles on the 4L in these Jeeps is nothing really.

I also know that the 00 and 01 head likely will need to be changed.

I'm not sure which to go with though, or really what to look for on them. Potential issues that are inherent to the XJ's.

One last thing, I noticed in 2H that the front wheels when turning sharply seemed to jerk and lurch, almost as though it was in 4H or something. It wasn't, but is that normal when you're at full locks left or right? Other than that it drove wonderfully. I just figured maybe it was a Jeep thing.

Thanks a ton!

 

Have you been underneath it? I would suggest that you slide all the way underneath it and take a good look around. Don't just look from the side. Get all the way up under there with your head under the center of the Jeep. If it has rust around the body panels you can see during a walkaround, it wouldn't surprise me if the underside of it has rust you can't see until you're staring up at it.

And yes, you're looking at two Jeeps that had the original 0331 heads, which are prone to cracking. Read up as much as you can on the 0331 problem to make sure you understand the issue.

 

Also make sure you have plenty of money in the bank, and alternative transportation, when you have to replace that head.

Upholstery shop can fix the seat.

Seat heater problem is probably a burned out element under the seat cover.

XJs are not any more prone to rust than any other vehicle designed in their time. It depends on the environment and previous owner care.

Leather is nice but usually eventually cracks.

Remember you are buying a 14-15 year old used vehicle. Budget accordingly for repairs. Don't be surprised or upset when you have to fix things and spend money.

 

I agree with the second part of your statement, but not necessarily the first part.
XJ's do appear to have a weakness with the floorpans, at least in the rust belt. I've owned much older SUV's that never lost a floorpan, not even pinholes. Two XJ's rotted there badly, despite good care.

 

While your under the Jeep take a small screwdriver with you and poke it into any small rust areas that you see in the floor pans, frame rails and around the windshield seal.

 

Mine does this. I always wonder if this was normal on a new XJ.

 

Living up north, I'm sure you have much more experience with rusty vehicles than I have, since I live in the mid-South.

However, my comparison was with vehicles also designed in the late 70's to early 80's. I would think that other unibody-type SUVs would rust similarly. Body-on-frame vehicles should rust less because of less areas to trap salt and moisture.

 

This is caused by old U joints in the front axle shafts. When they dry out and get worn inside they don't turn very easily. The "Jerking" is the needle bearings siezing up and releasing. Standard maintenance item.

 

Fresh paint or undercoating on the underside of any used vehicle is a sure sign to start running away.

 

X2 on painted/undercoated undersides....

 

I got 2 brand new u-joints on the front axle when I had the brakes, rotors, and 2 hub bearings done in 2012.

 

Maintenance-free or the sort that require periodic re-greasing?

 

I also have rust along the gutter rails on the front end towards the windshield, seems pretty common on newer xjs, living in Wisconsin rust is a big issue, but I havent noticed any leaks from it. In my 99 on the floor boards I rusted out mainly along the frame rail and still need to take care of that. It started out with very light bubbling when I bought it, 2 months later I could drop a baseball out of the hole. So beware of that.

 

As long as the engine hasn't been overheated the head will never be an issue.

 

Sorry, you are wrong in this case.

Some late '99s and all 2000-01 XJ 4.0s have the 0331 head, which has a factory casting flaw in every one of them.

They can and do crack with no overheating episode.

The 0331 head will always be a potential or real issue with these.

Besides, you can't know for sure when buying a used vehicle that it has never overheated. Sellers are notoriously unreliable and can and do lie.