This forum has settled me down a bit... there's a lot to consider! What with some good and bad axles, some bad motors, some bad transfer cases and then some gems. Overall internet reputation seems that a 4runner is more reliable than a Cherokee, but considering I won't be hardcore wheeling and know how to take care of a vehicle I'm not that concerned.

Does anyone see any warning signs with this one? http://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/3045757630.html

I'm not going to post up any and all I find (I swear!) but this one seems to be pretty nice. I'm now leaning toward no lift and stock sized tires as those ones seem to be less likely to be abused...

 

i'd take an xj over a 4 runner any day. those have horrible head gasket problems. i had a 94 toyota pickup and the rust issues were awful on top of that. XJs may rust, but not like a toyota does.

 

He said "4.0 V6" in the ad. For that he should get smacked. Very hard. With a large shovel. In the face. And then fall in a very deep hole or cavern. Preferably death valley...

 

Seems like everyone puts V6 in ads. Guess some people have never heard of a I6.

 

did you find out the milage?

 

Yeah, I've actually noticed that a lot when lookin at jeeps. It annoys me, but then I realize that some people don't really know the difference. When there's a picture of the engine along with it, it just makes me laugh. You can clearly tell it only has one valve cover. Another thing that bothers me is when they refer to a "grand cherokee" as a "cherokee". It has the word "grand" before it for a reason. It has a lot more bells and whistles than a cherokee, and it's slightly bigger with a different body. People need to do some research.

 

Haha, there are a surprising amount of people who are writing things like "inline v6 motor". There are quite a few frustrating people who don't know the difference between a Cherokee and a Grand Cherokee (and they own the zj).

And my favorite so far. The add clearly says "automatic" in every location, but all of the pictures have a manual in them!

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...23446015&Log=0

 

That's just a fail. Nice jeep though!

 

I only see where it says automatic in one place. I see 2 that say its a manual.

 

I've always prefered the '84-96 body style better myself. The less rounded edges a truck's body has, the better.

Just beware of any steering issues. The older the XJ, the more likely you'll find one with the "death wobble". When you take it for a test drive, take it up to 50-60 mph and aim for potholes/bumps in the road. If it has the wobble, you'll know it.

 

At 55mph, you better hold on in my 89. It's not fun. I won't go over that and test my limits. I'd rather take a few back roads than lose it on the highway any day. Probably because I need an alignment and wheel weights, but once I get paid a decent amount I'm goin to the nearest shop to have them straighten everything up.

 

Well, I won't really try to open up a "which is better" debate 'cause every forum ever just pats themselves on the back. What it really comes down to, if I'm looking at anything later than a 1st gen 4runner I feel like I'm just looking at a mall crawler. The xj just looks awesome to me.

 

you're right, it's silly to debate which one is better. i do think the reliability of the 4runner is overrated, though. just my personal opinion.

 

Some of those $ numbers look a little high to me. I paid 2K for my 90 with about 130K on it 10 years ago. (granted, that was a pretty good deal). Commen' up on 300K now. AMAZING. Wheel bearings, "tie rod ends", all the steering and suspension, (besides the rear leaf springs), really durable.

A few things to watch for, and "dickering issues". Look up! How is the headliner? The door hinges/pins. (can you lift and wiggle the door?) Column related stuff, can you turn the ign with no key, or any key? Signal switch OK? Do the seats move? If it had one, is the lid on that little compartment between the seats still attached? The rear hatch rams, do they lift the hatch?

Since I live on a very bumpy road....Check for cracks in the uni-body up at the corners by the hatch hinge. (right by , and under that rubber piece)Mine also cracked, (but leaked less), at the top corner of the REAR doors. Parked "right", my hatch hits the talelight lens. This might not be so common, but might stop me from keeping the rig forever.

Watch out for the 2000 and 2001 with the 0331 head. Plus there is no distributor and the smog stuff is...more.

 

You can debate on just about anything without getting anywhere! Fortunately, those topics often have quite a bit of information if taken with a grain of salt.

I'm already staying away from '00-'01. And you're right. The price seems to be all over the place. The first one was really like only my second day of looking, I have a better idea of what to search for now. Kinda waiting it out right now for the one I want to come along.

The worst is that I'm reading through the threads on the forum and my list of what I want is getting very specific

2 door, ax15 5 speed, 4.0L, sport w/manual windows and locks, preferably stock lift/tires for now, and red!

I like this one. Hopefully it doesn't get sold and I can check it out this weekend:

http://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/3131615114.html