I've seen several threads on the forum asking about which XJ to buy, or what to lookfor, etc., so I decided to take a look at an XJ to see what's out there. Mind you, I haven't been in the market for a Cherokee since 1999 so I approached my field trip with an open mind.

I found a Cherokee on Craigslist that was at a dealer near me so I went to look at it. http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/ctd/3397331573.html Looks good don't it.

When I walked up to the 'car' the first thing I saw was the driver's door key tumbler hanging out..WTF? I walked around it and saw that there were small dents on every squre inch of it. I opened the drivers door and looked in. The headliner was a complete disgrace - torn, sagging, discolored. The front seats were filthy and had cigarette burns in the seat bottoms. The drivers seat bottom was sagging off to the left, as usual, but the seat back was secure.

There was bits of food and other crap all over the floor. The rear seat back was broken loose and was laying back towards the cargo bay.

The sales puke came over and said the key was in it. I asked what year it was and he said it was a '99. I said the driver's outside mirror must be a replacement because it said it was a '98. He said no, it's a '99, and pointed to the 'X' in the VIN and said "see, the X means it's a '99". I opened the driver's door and showed him the sticker that said it was manufactured 8/98. He said, it's a '99 because they started making the 1999's in August 1998.

I looked at the engine bay, which wasn't that bad. Everything looked secure and in its place, except the Fram oil filter. The hood wouldn't lock down when I closed it.

I started the beast. I started right up with no clanking or clunking. It did have a little valve train chatter though. The instrument cluster was dead so I shut it down and did an instrument cluster actuator test. All instruments and advisory lights worked okay, except no CEL. Fired it back up and still no instruments so I banged the top of the instrument panel and all the instruments came back to life. OP was 50 psi, Volts were around 14, tach showed the IAC was working - 1,000 RPM and dropping. I had seen enough so I shut it down.

When I showed the sales puke the door sticker I noticed some red paint over spray on it. Someone had done some body work on the door area. The rockers looked new. I didn't bother to look at the underpinnings.

The puke told me they wanted $3,500 for it.

I said goodbye.

$3,500? I think someone may actually pay that for it thinking they got a deal becuse the craigslist ad said $3,995.

 

You really need to go back and look underneath. Don't leave us hanging like that.
I got $5 on "no floors".

 

Ha Ha, been there. Their attitude is that some stupid will buy it, some day.
Ran across several of those dealers, just gotta shake your head and walk away.
Keep looking, youll find a nice one yet.

 

It really is a '99.If it was 6-'98 or earlier it would be a '98.Anything after that would be a '99.That's the way I've been told by a dealer dude.

Yes,someone will buy it,$500 down & drive away.Sad thing is in 2/3 months from then it will get repo'ed 'cause the XJ ain't running.The dealer will patch it back together & wait for the next sucker.......I mean customer.

Gotta love free enterprise.

 

The best way to verify what year a vehicle is to look at the emissions sticker, it will tell you "This vehicle conforms to the 1999 model year emissions".

 

Just looked up the VIN/model year. The 10th digit of the VIN "X" does mean its a 1999 model year, even though the door sticker says it was manufacturered August 1998. That dude was right.

http://www.jeep4x4center.com/knowled...-1984-2001.htm

This may mean that some very late produced 1999's could have the 0331 head like some people are saying.

 

+1 on no floors

Yup mine was assembled in mid '98, but is a 1999 model year. If I recall correctly all of the XJs are like this, but almost nobody on here bothers making the distinction between year of assembly and model year which results in a bit of misinformation and funniness like "99.5". 0331 heads will always be distributorless ignition.

 

Agreed, it's Much Ado About Nothng. The model year in the VIN should tell it all, except that I can't help but think that previous model year small parts stacked up in bins during the new model year production were used up.

 

At Chrysler? Surely you jest.

 

Toledo specically.

I think the old plant is still there. I used to drive by the old barn often and wondered WTF...an old POS building like that putting out Jeeps. They've now built a new plant on the North side of Toledo. I'll take my camera with me next time I'm down that way and see if I can get a pic of the old plant...if it's still there. Not long ago I read that all the Jeep design and historical data from that plant survived and is now kept at the Chrysler archives at the Auburn Hills, MI, facility. I'm glad they saved thosed scared documents.

The Chrysler plants in Detroit were old run down POS buildings as well. Now most everything is new. Circa 1992, I started leasing Cars from Chrysler on their corporate lease car program. Anyone on the lease program would have to go to the Lynch Road marshalling center to drop off and pick up a car. The facility was in the middle of the Detroit war zone. You didn't want a flat tire near there...they'd never find you body. Last time I went there I could hear gun shots in the neighborhood along the way. That's the area where the saying "Detroit, where the weak are killed and eaten" came from.

 

Just to add my thoughts on whats out there , 4 years ago i paid $2500 for my 98xj with 218000km on the clock fastforward to now just picked up a 98 sport with 95000km for 3k. Very rare find low mileage , should be a keeper.

 

i recently bought a super clean garage kept one owner 98 classic w/128 k for 4k $, the inside almost looked new & the exterior was ding free too. it did need shocks & a couple sensors , 2 months later had to put 3 solenoids in the tranny but thats it. i looked at quite a few overpriced beat up rough ones before this one popped up. take your time & a nice one will come along, when it does dont hesitate it will get bought quick by the next smart looker.

 

I live just south of Toledo and the old Jeep plant is gone. they tore it down a few years ago. The new Jeep plans is huge and they are about to hire for a third shift. A lot of history in this area with Jeep

 

Kenosha Lakeshore wasn't a beauty queen either, lol. I last saw it in the late 70's, of course all but the former Kenosha Engine has been torn down now.