So I think its time to let the XJ go and upgrade

I have a Beat up 96 XJ classic 4x4 auto with 200,000+ miles.
Live in South FL ( Palm Beach ) so there are no rocks, dont know of any trails ( would love to find some )
will only go off road a few times a year and it will mostly be loose sugar sand. as for mud I prefer to keep it below the rockers for fear of rust

originally wanted a 97-98 XJ, but even the newer XJs attract rust and the comfort of WJ is tempting as well

Ive done some reading and see the common problems are
AC dual climate blend doors, is this only on digital controls or all?
pre 2002 brake issues
transfer cases getting stuck or blowing apart.
A few mechanics I know have told me they dont like the transmission, I have read some real horror stories, yet others seem to never have problems

so my questions are
How common are the trans and transfer case issues with the V8?
What is considered high mileage on a WJ, I know the XJ can run nearly forever.
Most WJ's I have seen around $4 grand or less are between 100,000-150,000 in miles


Right now my top 2 choices are
a clean 2001 white limited with tan interior and 87K miles for $2 grand which seems like a bargain

or the personal favorite a 2002 overland with of course the H.O motor and quadra drive, for $3900 though this one has 153,000 miles

for the extra 2 grand I am seriously leaning towards the Overland. If the WJ V8 power train is considered reliable I would assume the extra 60k miles doesn't change much.

any thoughts and opinions are welcome.
And not that it matters in either case but I plan a 3" lift as it seems to be the sweet spot between height and the amount of extra parts needed.

 

My own opinion is that the Jeep Grand Cherokee is far from an upgrade over a Jeep Cherokee. I think it looks like a soccer mom car.

The newer Cherokees are nice, why not grab one and do the Jeep Grand Cherokee seat swap? Then you get the comfort you want and the best of the Cherokee world.

My Cherokee is a Florida Cherokee and I have no rust at all.

 

That was my original goal. 97-98 XJ with leather or an WJ seat swap.
I'm about 5'11" and the 96 doesnt feel small other than getting in and out, and the the cramped window. Both could likely be solved with a 2 door 97+ but the plushness of the WJ specifically overland is tempting.
Truthfully another thing I like about the XJ is the LACK of electronics make it so simple to work on.
My other car is a 1st generation modified neon which is also simple and easy to work on.

Still not dead set against another XJ, but I havent seen anything clean enough for the $. So far they are rusty or beat on

 

Get an XJ. There are alot of them out there, just search like crazy and do the seat swap if you want.

 

the 97+ xj interior is much nicer imo. so that would make a big difference along with a seat swap. but if your looking for comfort and not much offroad the wj might be a better choice for you. much more comfort options in the wj plus its a little bigger, has rear discs already and dual piston front brakes. dont get me wrong, i love my xj but if your looking for a comfy dd the wj might be better for you. also another thing to think about is its much cheaper and many more options for lifts with the xj.

 

Look into a ZJ and get the best of both worlds.

 

But they're ugly...


Personally, I like them. I've owned 2. I had one issue with a vehicle speed sensor in a 99. Replaced it and no other trans problems.

The 01 gave me zero trouble other than routine maintenance.

To be honest, I've been browsing for a WJ for myself.

 

Ive got both. A 2000 XJ sport and a 2000 WJ Laredo that my daughter uses. TBH I like driving the XJ better but I like the simplicity and utilitarianism. No doubt about it, the WJ is more comfortable to sit in. Better brakes, better doors and sound insulation. Better seats. But it's a much more car like drive.

And I agree with the above poster, my XJ looks a thousand times cooler, to me at least. An XJ looks like a car a man drives. A WJ looks like a car a woman or a grandpa drives. JMO.