hey folks,

I have an 01 XJ Limited with about 180k on it. I also have a pregnant wife. I am concerned that taking an old car on a long trip in the winter, might be too risky...

The plan is to drive from VA to NY which takes about 8 hours.

I just put new brakes and rotors, new radiator, coolant flush, and brand new A/T tires on the Jeep. Everything seems to run and work fine. I also changed the spark plugs today.

I do not have a lift kit on the Jeep.

Is it too risky to use an XJ for long road trips or to keep it once the baby is here?

Looking for advice or your experience and thoughts.

Thanks guys!

 

Cherokees are great on long distance trips. As long as it's been maintained well. Drive safe and make sure everything is running nicely and you will have a great time.

 

XJs #1 (1987) and #2 (1988) took several trips back and forth on the Alcan Highway from Arizona or Montana to Alaska and back. All but 1 in the winter. Had an alternator failure on the 87 in Whitehorse. I was stuck there for a few days because it was a holiday weekend and they had to order one in.

 

I've driven my lifted xj to Maryland and back in 2 days. I've done multiple 1 day trips to rausch. Next summer im gonna do a North East tour vacation with my wife which will include Maine, Boston and Connecticut and maybe Va. Long story short, just make sure you have a fresh oil change and cooling g system is in check.

Always do a pre trip check. Keep an extra qt of oil. Full washer fluid. Check tire pressure. Spare. Tire patch kit maybe. The almost 100k miles I've put on my jeep i the last 4 yeArs have not been easy ones and she still purrs like a tiger

Oh i have an 01 as well

Hell i keep coming back to edit lol, one mod ill recommend is rear disc brake conversion. You'll u understand why once you do it. I never liked my stock drums and was sometimes worried in heavy rain but now i can slam on the brakes and come to a safe stop

 

As long as it is in good running/mechanical condition & you trust it. Top off all the fluids & have a good trip.

 

You are the only one that can answer this question because you are the one that maintains it.

 

Thanks guys, I feel great about it. Fresh oil change, brand new tires, new rafiator and flushed coolant system -- everything seems fine.

I trust the 4.0 to handle the rest.

Thanks again guys, the pregnancy has me thinking about details I never used to consider.

 

I hear ya. I've driven with infants in my jeep before and honestly i felt safer after i modded her believe it or not. Heck, having newish springs and coils are a good way to maintain control on the road. Not saying its necessary for the road trip but good piece of mind.

 

yup. i drove my old one cross country and back.

 

Why wouldn't be safe for a long road trip? Even a new car can break down. If you can make a bunch of short trips hundreds of times without a problem, a long trip will nothing at all for you Jeep. It is actually easier on it to drive on the interstate than a bunch of stop and go trips in town.

 

ive done 2 trip to rausch creek with mine. about 500 miles round trip with 2 days of wheeling in between. didn't give me any problems

 

I've seen 6 month old bmws that have stranded their driver 3 times with the same high pressure fuel pump issue. No car is immune to failures, new or old, but the less stuff your car has, the less that can go wrong.

 

Yep. You've never seen the Flintstones car on the side of the road with the hood up?

 

 

Maintenance is key. I encourage you to pack a few basic parts and tools should something go wrong you can address it. Extra coolant, oil, and a spare belt are great examples.

September I took my 1999 XJ on a 3200 KM trip in the span of about 5 days. We stopped to take a leak and switch drivers. Waaay more than 8 hours on the road at once lol.

Spare brake fluid and some vise-grips certainly won't hurt, too