I'm not a gear head. I'm looking for advice on which model and year to buy and build. This will be daily driver with good off-road/snow capability. It'll also be for camping so I intend on installing extra battery for solar panels/wind gen. Thanks.

 

Welcome to the site Michael Chrisman!


Are you talking about a newer Cherokee or a older XJ?

 

For an XJ I prefer the 91-99 model years.

 

It is pretty universally agreed that 99 is the best year XJ because it has the newer body style and intake manifold, doesn't have the bad casting 0331 head and it has the high pinion dana 30 front axle. 2000 and 2001 XJ's have a coil pack ignition (not necessarily a bad thing), and the 0331 head that is prone to cracking and a low pinion dana 30.

 

The only real difference in the 99 over the 97 and 98 is the intake manifold, which you can easily put one on an earlier model.

 

My only thing to say against that is the 99 will have 2 less years of rust but otherwise yes you are totally correct