I am currently looking for my first Cherokee. I want to find a 4.0 with a manual trans. Any year better than the others? This rig will be built, but also a daily driver. Like the title to the post states, any years to avoid? I live in the sticks and regularly drive home with 12 plus inches of snow in the winter. Lots of ice, I could have ice skated to work for the past week. Any years more prone to electical gremlins? I have enough of those in my toyota 4x4 vanwagon '89. This might seem as a odd question but how do these rigs do in a cross wind? I live in the columbia river gorge (lot's of wind...) my van not so much fun. Thank you for any and all thoughts.

 

personally, i like the renix era xj's from 87-90. but try to stay away from vacuum disconnect front axles for the obvious vac problems as well as the smaller u-joints. but can be delt with via posi-lok cable actuator.
but 91-96 is basically the same but with a more powerful engine and some interior upgrades. not bad, really.
97 got the facelift and smoother edges with a complete interior upgrade. 99 is the best of these years.

so, if there are any years to avoid, i'd have to say 00 and 01. for many reasons. low pinion front axle, coil packs, prone to vibes when lifted...

 

I really like the '91-'96 4.0L H.O. XJ's. The older Renix Motors are no "slouches" either and it is reported that they often get better MPG. All can be had at a VERY reasonable price. Although, the newer +'97 Cherokee's still seam to be a little more pricier still.

My advice... take your time and shop around. There are literally TONS of XJ's in the Northwest!

 

Pre 87s with the V6.

 

2000, 2001.

They have a head (0331) thats prone to cracking. I have a 2000 with 140k, but most of the time the head will only crack if the motor has been overheated.

If i were to buy another XJ, it would be 97-99.

 

I would have to agree with the rest... try to stay away from 2000-2001. They are still great Jeeps and are basically the same except for the two drawbacks already stated:
-low pinion front axle (which is what makes these more prone to vibes)
-0331 head (which is more prone to cracking than the previous head)

I have a 2000 and love it. It's been really well maintained though. If I could start over I'd probably get a '99 just for the high pinion front axle but whatever its all good.

 

Yea and about that... they aren't the greatest in crosswinds, although my previous cars were hatchbacks so I didn't have that as an issue before. Might be better than the van though.

Off Topic. How do you like living in the Colombia River Gorge? I thought about moving there a couple years back.

 

I would stay away from 97's do to electrical problems

 

my 97 doesn't have any electrical problems. I would think after 23 years, any of them that did have electrical problems would've had them by now.

 

The gorge is a great place to play. I think it is why most of us have moved here. The job market is tough even before this recession. Lots of different climates to pick from to live and play in.West side of the gorge gets something like 70+ inches of rain, the eastside 13 inches. Higher elevation(like my place) full four seasons lots of snow.

 

84-86 V-6s, ba-10 trans

 

Cool maybe one day
Good luck getting your first xj

 

any 95's. rustbuckets. make sure you look at every inch of one first

 

I'd stay away from 1978. Most of the music wasn't that good, Led Zepplin tickets were a myth and best thing on TV was the Muppets.

 

no electrical problems with my 23 year old jeep