First of all, seeing as this is a Cherokee forum, I know I am going to get some biased answers. But if you could, try and be as objective as possible

I currently own a 98 Dodge Neon and it has come to the point where I can either put money into it to start fixing major parts or sell it and look for something more reliable. I am currently wanting to sell it for a Cherokee because I have always loved the look of them and want something bigger than a car but doesn't kill me gas mileage wise. Just as a precursor, I have no plans to go mudding, trailing, etc. and would only be pulling a small trailer a few times a month at most.

What I would like to do is purchase a Cherokee that needs some work for cheap, keep the Neon as my daily driver while I fix the Jeep to as new of condition as possible, then maintain it so it will hopefully be the last car I have to purchase

But what I would really like opinions on is whether you think this is worth it. Although I like Cherokees, would it be better for me to save some money and buy a newer car? Thus avoiding any major repair or maintenance work?

Any help or opinions would really be appreciated.

 

Only advise I can give is get rid of the neon while you still can.

 

look 4 a cherokee w 2wd not 4wd. better gas mileage. 97 or newer 4 creature comforts. older models like mine weren"t blessed with cup holders

 

My 92 laredo came with cup holders from factory, mounts to the passenger side of the console.

 

I'd off the neon, and look for a 96-98 ZJ(I prefer OBDII) with the 4.0 and selectrac. my ZJ averaged 19mpg in town and around 25mpg on the freeway, my XJ is thirsty... very thirsty! stock it got around 16mpg, now lifted on 33's I'm averaging 10.6mpg. thank god I only work 8 miles from home!!!

 

XJs on average, get about 16-21 mpg. If that doesn't thrill you, I'd keep looking.

That being said, the are reasonably reliable, easy to work on, and pretty darn addicting.

Good luck on your decision.

 

Biased answer :

Get an XJ

Unbiased answer :

Get an XJ

 

The cost of upkeep (maintainance, tags, insurance, repairs etc.....) will not justify having two vehicles. One vehicle is the way you should go. Cherokees are great and around hear (because there are so many) relatively cheaper. The gas mileage from the neon to the Cherokee will be a big change, but add it all up on paper and see. How often will you tow? How much will you tow? How many miles do you drive per year? Will you really spend that much more money getting 10 less mpg? Cherokees are very reliable vs. Neon breakdowns....good luck.
Don

 

had a car blew the tranny had a truck blew the motor have a jeep no complaints on this end best vechcile ive ever owned very versitale fun to drive and with a mild lift and 31s will be perfect i think stock xjs look funny

 

get rid of the neon no matter what, but what i love about cherokees is that they seem to last for ever. my first jeep went over 300,000 bone stock no rebuilds. what finally ended it was the t-case blowing up and me being to lazy to fix it

 

I think you have a great plan. Cherokees are generally easy to work on...but can be quirky. My wife and I have 3 cars between us...and I have to say it was very very convenient when the battery on the wife's minivan died, we didn't miss a beat with the extra car around. It will give you the opportunity to do more maintenance yourself (on EITHER car) and not worry about losing your basic transportation when something doesn't work out quite right!

You'll find a lot of help here on this forum, too. Good luck!

 

I don't plan on keeping both vehicles. I wanted to purchase the Cherokee (can you purchase a vehicle without registering, insuring, etc. if you're not driving it?) and work on it to get it up to the best condition I can get it over the next few months, then off the Neon.

As it seems everyone's voting get a Cherokee, would you suggest getting one for super cheap with say a blown motor or major problems and then rebuilding/new motor and any other problems it may have? Or should I take these next few months to save up, then sell the Neon and get a good conditioned/well maintained one for much more money.

I live in Michigan and I would prefer to have a manual transmission Jeep (unless there's some common knowledge that this is not a good idea) but those are few and far between and even the automatics can get pretty pricey. At least more pricey than I've seen a lot of people around here buy a Jeep for

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

I wouldn't get a non running Cherokee as a way to go cheap. You're really gambling on it. It could be cheap and relatively simple or you could end up sinking waaay too much in it.

If you do go route of non running. I would suggest buying a Cherokee with clean title non running and then a Cherokee that's been wrecked or can't get title that has good drivetrain to swap into the non running one.

 

Look... gas prices are only going up, and you're never going to get satisfactory fuel mileage with an XJ. They're giant bricks with a motor that's designed for torque over efficiency.

BUT, the way I see it, the higher gas expense is just a monthly subscription to something I like to do - drive my Jeep. I don't see it any different than someone paying however much a month to go to the gym, or a golf course, or whatever.

 

I will add my 2 cents. I am in Missouri, where, as long as you register the title, and do not drive it, you don't have to pay insurance, etc. However, I am at a loss to see what the issue is. Cherokees are easy to work on because thy do not have a transverse engine, and are not FWD. If you are going only for fuel mileage, and repair, get a new car (like a Fiesta). Buying a vehicle, even a cherokee, for looks will only lead to buyers remorse.

THIS IS MY OPINION!!!!