nwagtmustang

SO I bought my jeep 2 weeks ago. Its a 99 Jeep Cherokee Sport. It had a rough idle so I purchased a new Idle Air control valve. The idle was great and so was the acceleration. I noticed a popping noise when backing out of my driveway. I had the car inspected by Firestone for $15. Said everything was good but I needed new shocks. I bought new shocks and installed them myself. The noise was better but still there.
I take it to Midas. They offered a free inspection. I asked them to look at the motor mounts and to check the shocks I put on. They did a complete underside inspection and did a quick check inside the engine bay. Here is their diagnosis and cost for parts and labor


1 motor mount $50 plus a $100 for labor
Bushings for sway bar and bushings for endlinks. I think it was around $300 for parts and labor. Now the big one.
Ball joints. Told me I need new ball joints. Parts and labor were around $550. They did tell me one of the new shocks has a leak.


I exchanged the leaking shock. I replaced the bushings for the sway bar myself. I replaced BOTH motor mounts myself. No more popping noises. The jeep feels great and responsive. Did all this in the past couple of days. Finished up the sway bar bushings this afternoon. Get it all done. The family and I drive home from eating out and check engine light comes on. Scan it and it says o2 sensor. I replaced the sensor about an hour ago. It feels so much better. I did not do the ball joints. I think they are fine. Will get a second opinion another time.


I paid around 350 for shocks, idle air control valve, engine mounts, bushings and o2 sensor. The car feels so much more alive. I do have a front engine seal leak. Will try lucas oil. I think that is why the front o2 sensor failed. The wiring was covered in oil and the whole side of the engine is wet. Its not dripping on the ground but wet. The inside of the electrical connector was clean and dry. Maybe it just failed because it is old. Who knows.


These jeeps are easy to work on. At least the stuff I did. My jeep ran ok but after all the repairs I made it feels more alive and responsive. Oh I got a flat tire. Took it to a tire place thinking I would have to buy new tires. Just a nail in it and they fixed it free of charge.


The jeep has 213K miles on it. The body is clean and the paint is good. The interior is clean. I paid $3000 for it and only put in $350. I love it. I come from the mustang crowd so this whole jeep thing is new to me.


I got my first real car, a gt mustang when I was in my early 20's. It was fun. I am 38 now. Buying this jeep makes me feel like I did when I bought my first mustang. When the family goes to bed I walk outside and look at it. Then I say well let me just sit in it. All of a sudden the jeep kidnaps me and I am forced to go on long drives on the city street. I cant believe almost on a nightly basis I get kidnapped by my own jeep. So much fun. I know Im rambling. I hear the jeep calling me. Im going to go look at it. Bye

zeecherokeeman

good story...i got my 1st jeep in 2006 still got it, now i'm 39