ColonelForbin

Wow you guys rock. Thanks for all the feedback. Definitely going to try to stick to all stock. Anyone have experience with the 2 door? I've seen a couple good offers for these, but I have a 10 month old that may periodically need to ride with me. Didn't know how difficult it would be with just the two doors getting him in and out of his car seat

abodyjoe

both look like junk to me.. probably decent parts cars.

my advice is to slow the hell down. take your time and find the cleanest one you can find/afford. the more money you can save the better.

when i was looking i wanted a stock one so when i made mods i knew how they were done and done my way. there can be some deals out there for ones with lifts and all already done but for those bring someone that knows what they are looking at to make sure they are done the right way and not just thrown together..

jordan96xj

Like anything being sold out of its era, and in various stages of degradation, a Jeep (no matter how nice) is worth precisely what the next person will pay for it. Not a penny more. For the ones being sold by small time "dealers", those can be tough because they make their money on the front side, which means if they are selling for ~$3000 then they picked it up for $1500 or much less and are asking the absolute maximum they think they can get, with some room for negotiation. Because dealers think they will have frequent buyer contacts, at first they are less motivated to sell. They can sometimes let vehicles sit and rot longer than the typical private party.

Your MOST POWERFUL bargaining chip is TIME. Don't rush. Watch craigslist like a hawk. Refine your searches until you know on a DAILY basis every single cherokee that is coming/going in your area. There won't be that many. Be ready to execute quickly. That means have your money ready, so that you can make the phone call and execute within 6 hours if need be. Because...

You'll use your most valuable resource TIME to be patient and wait for the right one. But when you see it (and you'll probably know its the one the second you see it), you need to act very quickly. Because it is not uncommon to have other people out there watching for the cherokees as well. Especially this time of year, when people think it would be fun to pick up a cheap 4x4 for the winter...they may not even be "jeep" people but just have the funds to pick up a vehcile in the sub-$4000 without any problem or delay.

Wait. Watch. Wait. Watch....Execute.

Right before winter is not the best time for the reasons mentioned. So be patient. Which might mean a few months. But it also might mean a few days. You never know.

andrewmp6

Unless you need a car today take your time and look around you will find what you want.And prices are never set on stone some will lower them in time or if you offer then less in cash they might just take it.Like said being its winter if you live in a place that sees snow most don't sell a 4x4 right now unless its a extra car and they don't wanna pay taxes on it at the end of the year.

ColonelForbin

OK. I'm gonna try to slow down a bit. Its hard though. I'm pretty sure I know of every XJ in the state that's for sale on CL. Lots of good info I really appreciate it.

ColonelForbin

So what else should I look for in a stock XJ. Rust on rocker and floor pan. Something before 00 to avoid 0331 head problem. Any other big issues to keep an eye out for?

jay_sco

FWIW, I had my eyes out for years, and seriously looked for a few months. They come and go, just need to be prepared to jump on the right one the minute it's posted, the right ones for the right price go quick. I scoured Craigslist multiple times daily, mine posted literally about 30 minutes before I contacted the seller, checked it out the same day, gave verbal contract to buy if it ran good (seller wasn't available that day), had keys in my hand the next afternoon.

studmuffin

I have a 2 door and I like it but I don't have any kid's and rarely do I have passengers riding in the back. When people have gotten in the back they always struggle to get in there. 2 doors do have larger cab space in the front though. I've had a 4 door before and when I came across a 2 door on craigslist I had to buy it. Word of advice tho never buy a jeep where the seller says "this was my toy". What he is saying is that jeep was used to be beaten the crap out of and rest assured no money on maintanance is spared on those types of rigs. Buy a jeep that was a family vehicle and the owner no longer needs it. Always remember that the youngest xj right now is 14 years old so these things will never be perfect so you have to settle for one that isn't terrible.

Rambler65

Yeah, when I was looking at CL ads it seemed like there was no end of XJs with questionable mods or they were rust buckets or just beaten to death. Here in the Northeast rust is the biggest concern. If in the rust belt you're not going to find a 15-year-old-plus vehicle that's completely rust-free unless it was never used in winter. So I pulled the trigger pretty quickly when I found a local XJ that was stock with minimal rust for a decent enough price.

One thing is that high mileage doesn't bother me if a vehicle has been well maintained. My XJ has over 200K but has been well cared for, would rather that than one with half the mileage that's been beaten to death and neglected. (For that matter my daily "Brand X" driver has about 330K miles and still runs strong. Maintenance is the key.)

Good luck, they're out there!

4BangerDanger

I have a 2-door and love it. Like another mentioned, the 2-door XJ's have more room in the front, which is great for me since I'm tall.

I do not have kids so I can't say how a car seat would work. A friend of mine has kids and a 2-door and he says it's a pain getting them in and out. My adult passengers have not had any issues.

jhc7399

You are in Ft Wayne correct? Have you looked in the Cincinnati area?

I will say, a lot of people talk about great deals in XJ's, doesn't seem to be true in the Indiana/Ohio/Kentucky area. Seems like a good XJ around here is $3,000-5,000.

ColonelForbin

I am actually in Crawfordsville, which is closest to Lafayette. Looked a little in cincy but that's pushing my limits on driving. A lot I have seen have the normal rust. The ones that don't have rust go for much more. For now I'm just waiting patiently. Found a great deal on a 2 door. But alas, poster never responded. And now ad is gone. I have responded to 6 ads. With 1 reply. What's wrong with people? Tempting to get one with zero rust and no mods from a used dealer.

jhc7399

I know the feeling, awhile back I was looking for an XJ for my stepsons first car. Found a nice black 99 for $3200, they responded a few times then left me hanging when I wanted to see it. A week later they lowered the price to $2800, what the heck?!

andrewmp6

And don't just use craigslist drive around town see if you see any jeeps sitting around with a for sale sign on them.Even some of them small car lots can have them here and there.

abodyjoe

i have a 2 door... my daughter is 7 and its tight for getting in and out since its been lifted. a 4 door would be a lot easier for her plus she would have a window she could put down too. but the 2 door is so much cooler looking.. i think a 2 door would be a real pain with a 10 month old.