Swimming Bird

Before I start, I'm a new member here so I apologize if this is the wrong place to post. I also apologize as there are probably a million threads on this topic as well. I figure you guys know about Wranglers as well as some of you probably own both Wranglers and Cherokees.

I'm an owner of a 99 xj and I'm trying to decide if I should keep my xj or go with a tj. Most of you will probably say that I should keep my xj as this IS a Cherokee forum but I'm interested in what you guys have to say nevertheless. I've always loved my xj even though it has its quirks. The reasons I'm thinking about going with a tj are that I can take the top, doors, etc off in the summer, coil spirings on the tj vs leafs on the xj, and just the mere fact that I've always wanted a Wrangler in general as I do like the looks better than the xj. I never end up using the back seats as I have no kids nor do I have tons of friends to go out with. Only sometimes do I have a passenger in the passenger seat. With a Wrangler I can fold down the back seats to have more cargo space if I need to. I'm also not a fan of a unibody (lots of you guys probably aren't) and the Wrangler is body on frame. I don't do any serious off roading, mudding, rock crawling, any of that. My family owns a property an hour or so away smack dab in the middle of NY wilderness so the only off roading I'll be doing is going on dirt/stone roads to, from, and around our property and area. Small to medium sized hills but that's it, nothing serious.

Here are my questions:

Here in NY we get tons of snow in the winter. How well does the Wrangler do in the snow and on ice? I've read that they are both really good in snow and really bad.

How well does the Wrangler drive on the highway and going fast? How well does the Wrangler drive in general? It seems like I can't keep my xj straight going 60+ mph. My dad says there's nothing wrong with the tires, alignment, steering box, any of that and says that's how Jeeps drive.

Really I just wanna know your guy's opinions on the Wrangler vs Cherokee. Any help/advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

SB

TwistedWrench

Well, sounds like you're really wanting a wrangler, lol. I'd just bite the bullet and get one, if you end up hating it there's no lack of XJs out there.

As for your XJ's behavior at hwy speed? That's how busted Jeeps drive, my '92 has nearly 300K miles, a small lift, and I can take my hands off the wheel @ 80+mph with no issues. There is certainly something wrong with your Jeep my friend.

Swimming Bird

Well I've recently had my tires rotated and my alignment checked so there's no problem there. I'm guessing it's the steering box as the steering seems a bit vague and I can turn my steering wheel a little bit to the left and right and my xj won't turn so it may be just that. It's not like I'm all over the road, I'll just slightly go over the yellow line or slightly into the other lane before readjusting. I might just test drive a Wrangler and see how it performs.

caronaxtr

I had a 99 TJ (4 banger, 4" lift & 31's) and this is my 2nd XJ that I've had. I personally like the TJ's a bunch, only issue is you're gonna pay way more for it & mods are more expensive than the XJ stuff.


Living in Buffalo, the TJ wasn't great in the snow compared to our XJ's, in saying that, they're not terrible. My next rig will probably be a TJ or a JK 4 door. I do miss the summers with the top down & the doors off.


The unibodies do suck bad, but for the price you can't beat our XJ's....

Swimming Bird

I live in Buffalo as well! It's good to hear a response of how Wranglers do in the snow, especially in my neck of the woods. Why didn't the TJ perform good in the snow? Was it the short wheelbase?

thatXJguy

Probably because it had the 4 cylinder.

TJs are great for wheeling because they're lighter, smaller, and can fit bigger tires without huge lifts.

And yeah that unibody thing makes me cringe. Makes me wish I had a TJ, but I still love the look of the XJ.

Bustedback

Get the TJ Unlimited if you can find one. It's a little longer in the wheelbase and will ride better. I have a ZJ and just bought a JKU for my wife (it's really mine, she only thinks it's hers), I love driving both of them. It is nice to be able to remove the roof and doors on the Wranglers.

Crash_Course

I'm looking to add a TJ to my fleet as well, but no way am I turning loose of my XJ.

andrewmp6

For the price of a tj here i can get a nice full size pickup.The beat up 4 cylinder 5 speed ones go for next to nothing but a nice 6 cylinder one is 8k up here.About the same price i can buy a f250 maybe even diesel.

caged

i have a couple of each. i drive them all the time, summer and winter, on road and off.

the tj is nice, but it is a brick on the highway, in the summer. add snow and icy roads, it can get a little hard to handle. but if you drive it knowing it's a jeep and not a car, it will get you there.

the problem i think is the short wheel base. once the rear end breaks loose, it can get right around in a hurry. but i just take it easy.

i mostly drive my little 99 xj in the winter, it seems to handle much better.

but the tj is nice in the summer with the top and doors off. it's kind of a wrangler thing.

caronaxtr

Actually the short wheel base is what made them "not so good" in the snow. As much a 4 cylinder is a dog, they still have quite a bit of torque even on 31's. Sayin' that, I wouldn't ever get another 4 banger again but in the snow we get here, I could get everything spinning when in 4 wheel drive in the winter.


Go with a longer wheelbase if you can afford it like said above. Our XJ's wheelbase is 101.4" & the TJ Unlimited is 103.4". Prices of the Wranglers are ridiculous. I figure my XJ has another 3 years left before my body falls off because of the salts.... I'm gonna pay dearly for a 4 door, then the parts are way over priced too...

andrewmp6

Other option is a older pickup and build a tube buggy for off road use.A few companies sell a u weld it kit or a welded one and you build the rest.

VTJeep

Well, I used to wheel with this guy who has a pretty nice TJ- lifted, arb's f/r, 33's.. The jeep was super capable but had bad road manners and on more than one occasion spun 180's on snowy roads. I will say that he was a pretty ****ty driver. For all he spent on that thing my XJ could keep up through 90% of it. His winch did most of the tricky stuff.. ANYways... Bad road manners happens when you DD/WW your rig. IDK from experience but a soft top in the winter (at least around Vermont) doesn't sound as inviting as a hard top. Sounds like a JKU is a good option..

Swimming Bird

Thanks for all the responses you guys. It pretty much comes down to whether the Wrangler will be good in snow but it seems like the xj performs better in the snow than the Wrangler. I forgot to mention it will be my daily driver as well. I'm an 18 year old with an ok job so I have no money for a brand new JK or JKU. I'm gonna have to rely on Craigslist to find a new rig if I get one. So all in all, how is the Wrangler in the snow?

Ianf406

Pros of the XJ

1.) Everything is way cheaper.
2.) Stock 1999 TJ Curb weight- (3,092-3,832 lbs), Stock 1999 XJ Curb weight- (2,891 lbs-3,386 lbs)- Mine as it sits is about 500# lighter than my grandfathers TJ with his 33s/3.5" lift, bumpers, hard top etc.
3.) Much more room- It is hard to even go camping with a TJ if you have a passenger.
4.) Cheaper to replace. If you roll your XJ, it costs almost nothing to get a new body. Roll your TJ, it will cost as much as building an entirely new XJ.
5.) Longer wheelbase- more often than not, I find this to be a plus.
6.) All of the TJs come with LPd30s excluding the rubicons.
7.) Every TJ that I have ever ridden in is extremely rough compared to my LA XJ. Does not matter how much money they have in suspension/shocks etc... the angles are steep when lifted.
8.) Hard top is heavy and a pain to remove. Soft tops are almost always LOUD and expensive to replace. Also very easy to break into (theft)

Cons of the XJ-
1.) Taking the doors off takes more work. Taking the roof off takes significantly more work.
2.) Leaf springs.
3.) Wranglers wont give you the Jeep wave.
4.) Re-sell value.
5.) Companies are starting to slowly drop their XJ products.
6.) You have to cut it significantly to fit larger tires.
7.) Slightly more top-heavy.

Snow wheeling is all about your footprint and proper amounts of throttle and an experienced driver in either will do better than an inexperienced one in an ultimate rig. Being as an XJ is slightly lighter, i would probably give it the edge. I got completely showed up by a Samuri on 31s last time I was out in deep snow- dude is about 60 and wheels in the snow all winter long. I spend quite a bit of time in the snow but learned a bunch from him.

If I wanted to spend a bunch of money, I would go with a 4 door JK Rubicon. They are far superior than either in stock form. They also have plenty of space and are much more quiet than the TJ while still allowing for doors/roof etc being removed.