vjz

I'm just kind of curious to see what kind of longevity people are getting from their 97-01 XJs.

Mine is a 1998 4.0L and just about ready to hit 198k. I'll have 200k before the end of the year I assume.

It runs like top. I bought it last September with 172k on it. All of my miles are highway miles (Seriously. Not the car sales pitch).

There's next to no rust on it, pristine interior.

My valve cover leaks a little, but not bad I guess.

I'm hoping to keep this thing going until 300,000 miles. I never "floor it" nor wheel it off road. It's just a DD for me.

I'm in the process of replacing EVERY front and rear suspension component.

In the year and a month since I've owned it, here's what I've had to do to it (And current issues):

--Immediately replaced the CPS, since it died out on me the first night I had it after driving it for an hour.

--Starter crapped out

--Oil sending unit (twice. From Advance so it's probably junk, but has a lifetime warranty)

--Rear shocks

--Full tune up

--Stabilizer shock

--Swaybar endlinks

--Current issues: Downshift and acceleration clunk (I need to grease the driveshaft and get a new transmission mount.). I also have the occasional CEL that pops up for one of the shift solenoids. It will come on for one day at the most and then it goes away for a few months. (Working on changing all the fluid in the transmission.) The secondary "12 Volt" outlet doesn't work (Don't really care).


I really take care of my vehicles, so any wear items, I just replace them at higher miles just so they're new.

It's pretty much stock. Might get a 2" lift in the future. But I'm more concerned about just driving it.

Anyone here have a super clean 97-01 with over 300k on the original engine?

Gee oh Dee

With good maintenance it'll last over 500k typically.

vjz

I'd sure love that.

I change my engine oil every other month or so, regardless of how many miles I put on it. While some may see that as a waste of money, I feel that the $20 every few months is still cheaper than any car payment and a worthwhile investment.

95Cherokee

Depends on how the person treated it before you bought it, if they beat it like a red headed step child it may explode tomorrow, you never know.

MichiganCherokee

Good compression and oil pressure?

kirknd4spd

FWIW, my 87 was definitely abused by its last two owners. And I've wheeled it almost every weekend for the past year and a half, beat on it hard, and don't really take care of it to be perfectly honest. I think I've changed the oil in it once, which is more than the two owners before me did to it. I know one previous owner ran it completely out of oil a couple times.
It now has almost 250,000 miles, and runs perfect. Good oil pressure, runs cooler than any other XJ I've ever seen, gets good gas mileage for what it is...I consider averaging 18 mpg in a vehicle as aerodynamic as a brick on 33" mud tires pretty good. It just can't be killed, I expect 300,000+ miles out of mine even.