Hey guys, Ive been a Jeeper for a few years now and my GF is finally getting into off roading and wants a Jeep of her own(pic of her after a little mud spray)



She happened to fall in love with 2 door XJs when she first saw one and we've been trying to find a decent one ever since. Ive looked at dozens only to find over priced rust buckets

I came across this one, a stock 99 auto 4.0 and it seems to be the best of the ones we've looked at. Id like to see what everyone thinks here and if theres anything I need to look out for when I go check it out

















He says the only rust is what you see on the passenger fender, only surface rust underneath. He also said his father is a mechanic that said it is mechanically sound, only problem is that it needs a driver side window regulator and the fender. Just recently had all brakes done and an oil change.

We plan to lift it so she can follow me through the woods. She probably wont be going too crazy at first but as we all know, the jeep addiction grows fast! Not that it matters here in the cherokee forums, but heres a pic of my YJ



So what do the cherokee pros think? How much is this 2 door worth?

TIA!

 

Welcome to the site! Your GF has nice taste I can't imagine it would be fun to un-stuck a Jeep in a skirt, though!

I'd pay about $300-400 for that XJ... you're going to see problems very soon with that leaf spring mount in the back. It looks like someone has repainted or put new undercoating under that thing recently, I would be extremely wary of unibody/frame rot. Looks like the transmission crossmember is getting ready to fall off. Also needs new rockers, fender, hood, header.

I'd buy it for cheap as a base to build for a trail beater or maybe eventually on the road after a lot of work, otherwise I wouldn't expect it to last more than a year as a DD. Keep your eyes peeled, something decent should come up.

 

I think alot of us are secretly Wrangler fans.

 

X2^^^


And pretty soon you'll be following her and trying to keep up lol but congrats on her interest in jeeps!

 

i'd pass. that xj has been sitting for a while.
it will soon need new brake lines and fuel lines front to back, let alone a complete exhaust.
and that's just the beginning.
find one that's on the road and being driven.

 

Anyone can say that there father is a mechanic. Even if they are it doesn't mean crap! My father is a cement mason and I have a dirt driveway. I would take a real close look at the under side and really start poking and tapping the metal and listen for hallow sound. With all of that under coating and rust I bet you will find some holes.

 

Thanks for the welcome and quick replies guys!

Wow! Dare I say he was originaly asking 2k? I cant imagine what you guys would have said about the other ones Ive looked at lol Some were daily drivers asking $2000+ with basketball size holes in the floor, completely missing rockers, wheel wells separating, etc. I was even able to wiggle the frame side mount of the leaf spring on one it was rusted so bad. It sucks living in the rust belt

Considering this is going to be her secondary vehicle/weekend trail rider, the fender and hood arent a huge deal. Up here everyone undercoats their vehicles so that may or may not be a good thing. I do agree that the driver side crossmember might be a concern in the pictures. The rockers are actually there on this one and I cant see any holes in the pictures.

2 doors are just hard to come by here and when you find them theyre either lost causes not worth fixing up or way too much money. First Ill see just how negotiable he his and then I guess Ill just have to go look at it and see if its going to be something Im comfortable working on( I do all the work myself) .

 

Haha yeah she does, theyre starting to grow on me too. And yeah she had just got outta work and I took the long way home lol

Thanks guys! and I dont know about that, I already lose most the people I wheel with when I want too

 

I saw that too. Jeep + mud + skirt = well ok I guess.

When I take my wife out wheeling I just let her drive most of the day. I know some people like to ride solo with multiple Jeeps but I kind of like 2 people in the same one.

I'd also say that XJ isn't worth much. Not over $500.

 

You seem to have some underlying psychological issues with your father, is there a reason he won't pave your driveway?

You know, deep down inside I'm sure he really loves you.

 

I would pass on it unless you are good with a welder.

Would this be her only vehicle, or a second toy?

 

Also, 2 Door love

 

Haha she wasnt expecting the ride, usually she comes dressed prepared but I had just met up with her after work and we had some time to kill


This would be a secondary/bad winter days/toy vehicle.


And if there is any structural rust problems I will steer clear just like the other ones but if its just some surface rust, small holes in the floor that can be patched(which he said there are none) or rust on parts that can be easily replaced and everything else checks out ok Ill probably try to talk him down and go from there

 

Sweet rig! whats the specs on it?

 

I couldn't tell from your sig, what part of the country your in.
Would you be willing to look further away from home.
Out here in Colorado we have very little rust and certainly areas like Arizona, even less.
Check Craig's List in the west to get an idea of what's available. It might be worth the trip.
Just my 2 cents.