infohound

Re: 1988 Jeep Cherokee Limited

Greetings all,

I am joining this Jeep forum because it seems like the best place to find people knowledgeable about Jeeps. I have to keep or sell an '88 Jeep Cherokee Limited that has been my uncle's vehicle since it was new. He has aged out of driving (80's) and will be carted around by his wife in their Saturn sedan.

I am leaning toward keeping said Jeep because it is a maroon Limited with less than 60k original miles. It is very nice. It was repainted once years ago due to fade, not an accident. They truly are the proverbial little old couple that you want to get something from. Everything is always dealer or reputable mechanic maintained.

My wife is leaning toward me parting with it. She says, sure, its a free Jeep. But when was the last time you got a vehicle and left it alone, as is (never)? So sure, it's free and how much will it cost us?

The kicker is that our first child is due in August. We are knee deep in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University, planning budgets, college funds, three to six month emergency funds in separate savings accounts etc... There has never been a worse time in our four years together for me to propose adding another vehicle to our insurance policy and more expenses to my man needs.

However I have craved these Jeeps ever since my friends family in high school in the early 90's had 3 of them. They had a red Limited, a black Limited and a Grand Wagoneer with the wood paneling on the sides. I loved each one more than the next. When we took the black Limited to the mall we were like kings.

Our other cars are a 2004 Matrix XRS with only 70k miles on it so that is a good, fun car with lots of life left in it. It is a 6 speed and that is her car and it would be tough to get her to separate from it. I change cars a lot because every car I wanted when i was younger I am chasing down now as an adult and crossing it off my list. I have owned an 86 GTI, 92 GTI, 90 Civic si, 93 Civic si, 1990 Dodge Dakota Convertible pick up 2 wheel drive, 1988 and 1990 bmw 325 i convertibles, 1992? bmw M5 sedan, etc... I usually keep them for a while until I see something I want more and then sell and get the different one. This usually winds up costing me some money and she has seen this cycle play out enough that I can't slip any fast ones by her.

This Jeep is an 88 and it is proving very difficult to find a blue book value online. I also know that blue book values are less accurate the older vehicles get and the less there are available. For instance a 1995 Honda Civic si with 100k miles might have a blue book value of $2000 but I would gladly pay double that, I just can't find one.

Does anyone know what this car is worth? Also, cars often suffer more from under use than over use. What kind of things do you think I would have to do to a Jeep that has been driven less than 5 times a year for the past 5 years and still hasn't broken 60k miles? Do these things have timing belts that need to be changed? Cv joints that have boots crack and need to be replaced? I am used to Hondas where that is the service that gets done, clean up rust around rear wheel wells, change the plugs and you're good for another 100k miles.

I'm torn, distraught over the timing, I love the Jeep but also like to be frugal and get good gas mileage. My current daily drive is a 96 Infiniti G20 with 57k miles. Will probably run forever but not really worth anything on the open market.

What is this Jeep worth? What will I have to put into it if you were a betting type? I know not what the common ailments are.

99 Purple XJ

Dont sell the jeep theyre great reliable jeeps you dont find them with that low
miles any more

ZINGGG

Yeah that's an insane amount of miles. I'd keep it. Shoot, even park it and don't drive it for a while until your child gets older and the expenses die down a tad (congrats on being a dad, by the way!)

But if you're really dead set on selling it, with that amount of miles, I'd start the price at like 7k or so. Obviously you may not get that but I'd start it somewhere up there. And to answer your question, our Jeeps have timing chains, not belts so they wouldn't have to really get changed like any other car would

jeepguy93

Keep the jeep! Park it for a year or so (so no insurance needed!) And then ehen ya can use it!!!
Thats an amazing jeep, that honestly is perfect do not sell it

91 limited owner

Attachment 120843 Here is my 1991 Limited, In 2008 it Kelly Blue Booked at $2500. Only because it was a limited and at 62,000 miles. it's at 70,000 miles right now.