john2roll2

hi,

I'm new to the US, and live in Bloomington,Minnesota. I intend to buy a Jeep Cherokee but since i've no idea about JEEP or cherokee or a 4 wheel drive and specifically about buying used cars, i'm badly in need of some good advice as i'm completely handicapped(pardon tht word's usage, couldnt find a better word) without a car in the US.

My only use of the cherokee would be to go to work, run errands, an occasional long trip, and frequent trips to downtown.

would really appreciate if you could guide me on the below things

#1. Any specific make-year beyond which i should not look?
#2. A car with how many miles should i target?
#3. Any specific thing that i should look out for while buying?
#4. Does the cherokee have regular maintenance issues? if so, of what kinds or in which parts?
#5 If i get a cheap car outside minnesota, would it be possible to get it registerd here?
#6 i see a lot of cherokees in the price range of $3000 to $5000 with about 140,000 miles for each. will they be a good buy?

I've just stared researching on buying a new car and the cherokee, so am building up on my knowledge.

I'd be glad if you could add more.

Thanks
john

1976Mustang

Well if you're just going to use it around the city, it's best to get a little car like a Ford Focus or something and invest in good tires for the winter. Cherokees do have their issues... lol.
My father just bought a 2003 Ford Focus SE Zx4 for less than $3,000, and we haven't had any issues with it. Also does great in the snow when it's got decent tires on it. Not to mention twice the gas mileage.

If you do decide to get a Cherokee, Stay away from the 1996 model. Try and get the 4.0 engine, they do have common issues with valve tap, but usually it's something that can be ignored. If you do get one with a tap or knock, make a thread here with a video if you can, usually someone can tell you exactly what is causing it.

As for year, other than 1996(Which apparently has a ton of weird stuff going on in it) i don't know which is best. Those prices, eh for 140k that sounds ok as long as they have the 4.0 engines.

Also, welcome to CF and the USA from Colorado!