I crawl a ton with my 5 speed. If you take your time and don't stomp the gas, you aren't going to destroy your clutch. Also they made different stages of clutches for different uses. I have a stage 2 in mine which is a mix between comfort and durability.

https://www.google.com/search?q=jeep...obile&ie=UTF-8

i've changed out my clutch on my truck once, took about 2 days total, not the worst thing in the world. I thinking taking 2 days work and $200 to replace clutch and flywheel is worth having a manual to be honest.

I use to haul cars for a living for carmax,The ford truck i used the clutch lasted me maybe 100k or about a year and half almost 2 if i was easy on it.

Towing and crawling are not the same thing. Towing involves more weight against the clutch than crawling does. This is because the heaviest weight the clutch will see when crawling is the vehicle's own weight. Towing adds an additional load that puts extra stress on the clutch.

Run away from those jeeps!!! The only 2 things that really give jeep value are NO RUST and WORKING ENGINE. The ones you posted seem to be lacking both. Like someone said earlier, that Jeep is worth about 500 bucks. You will easily put in 1500-2000$ just to get that thing fixed, and after all the maintenance parts are replaced that I usually like to do when purchasing any new to me used vehicle. Parts add up!!!

LOL @ the "driving an automatic is lame" comment. I used to think that when I was a kid too... That novelty wears off pretty quick when you're using your starter to bump you over rocks and crawling around because you can't afford a 4-1 tcase. An automatic is sooooo much nicer, especially the stout AW4! I prefer my cars to be stick and offroad vehicles auto. Battling traffic with a stick gets old too. It's cool if you know how to proficiently drive stick but other than that, I'm over it. You'll see in about mmmm 10 years or so.

EDIT: You'll also have a muchhhhhh easier time finding a nicer auto XJ than a 5spd. Mine was a garage kept, bare-bones, grocery getter for an older gentleman who pretty much bought it new. I think if he saw it now he'd kill me...

I agree, Stick if fun to learn and maybe during slower times it was ok when you could get from point A to B over a distance of 20 miles with just 1 stop light. But now days screw that, I'd never go back to stick.

Forget the stick idea of a must have for off roading the AW4 auto is much better at it all my 4x4's are auto as are my 1 ton Diesels trucks that pull trailers. One thing they have a higher towing cap. than a manual.


As most others have suggested look for a stock XJ best 97-99 without rust and I mean underneath not just the body. You have to get under it and poke around with a small screwdriver in any rusty area to see if you can push a hole through it, everywhere.

Don't knock the AW4, it's a SOLID transmission. It'll last a LONG time.

http://www.radesignsproducts.com/ has a full shifter replacement and a small switch that will let you manual shift gears in the aw4.Off road his shifter can save you from a rolling back end over end.With a stock shifter its hard to slam it in reverse his will let you do it easy which can save you from flipping over end over end.

Not stupid, just needing to learn. No problem. :cheers:


Asking questions, trying to learn? That gets you :thumbup1::thumbup1:

I have to agree with the other comments. Start with something in decent driveable shape.

Then go from there.