http://www.jpmagazine.com/featuredve...ide/index.html

theres a good article on the different years and pros n cons...

 

yeah thats the one i was talking about

 

Thanks for the article guys, it was a good read!

I talked to the owner and it just has too many problems I would need to fix.

I'm going to look at 2-1999's and 3-2000's this week so i'll be busy trying to figure it out. I'll let ya all know what I find and take a picture if I buy one this week.

Mike

 

I got my wife an XJ. One thing I did look for was a 242 transfer case so I didnt have to explain when to use 4H in the 231 she can just put it in 4Hi FT on the 242 and not worry about dry/wet/snowy roads

 

If you go check out the red '97, post up some details with pic's for us to chew on, huh?


Just kinda curious, did you get a chance to check this out?

http://madison.craigslist.org/ctd/1532859655.html

There's a few others worth checking out in Madison and Milwaukee also. Alot of rust in your area?

 

I love my 97. Seems most of the ones with wiring issues have been weeded out by now? If I had a choice though I'd get a 99 limited.

 

The article in JP magazine was full of crap I thought. They make some years seem like total lemons while I know plenty of people who have them and have had no issues. A very important thing when checking out cherokees is how they were taken care of. How it was maintained by the previous owner makes all the difference. I've seen jeeps with 230K miles on them that run like new, then some with only 80K that run like garbage because they were never taken care of. I've owned a '90 as well as 2 2000 models. If I were you I'd look for a '91-'99. Can't really go wrong with something from that time period if its in good shape. The '00-'01 have the head cracking problem, and I have already had to replace my head.

You will be happy with the Cherokee though, they are very reliable and safe vehicles. My previous 2000 was totaled when I got T-boned by someone doing 50 in a Volvo. The driver of the Volvo went to the hospital, I walked away with only minor scratches and bruises, which was the exact reason I went out and bought another Cherokee.

 

I believe 97 was the first year they had cupholders as well, wasn't it?

 

YUP! I just got off the phone with the guy, gonna look at it in the morning. Looks pretty sharp hey?


On the 97 issues

I talked to a buddy who, as it turns out, had 2 of the 97 models and loved them. He said what your saying, if you buy one you will love it no matter the year. He currently ownes a 2000 Chreokee.

I'll keep you posted with pictures when I get them.

Thanks for all the help guys!

Mike

 

You guys are getting me excited about Cherokees, i'm thinking of eventually buying one for myself as well. I stopped to get gas and a guy next to me was filling up so I talked to him (1999) and he loves it and bought it new and has never put a dim into it. He did say it rides a little rough but that's the appeal of it. It a Jeep thing I guess.

Mike

 

yeah anything 91 has the newer 4.0 anything before that has the renix engine wich isnt as good as the h.o engine the tranny will run forever and the engines are great i love mine

 

when i got my 2001 everyone was saying that the head crack on them but as long you keep your cooling in line at the right temps youll be fine, i have 121k on mine and still going good my sis has a 98 and she has more probs then i do

but just like in jp "while there might be problems, they are associated with specific vehicles, not specific years"

its all about how the jeep maintenance was

 

as long as you take good care of the jeep then it will run fine. from personal experience i havent had any problems. just regular maintenance for mine. the heads do tend to crack but as everyone else had said just take care of your jeep and it will run forever and ever.

 

I've had my '97 since it had 18,000 miles on it.
JP says the wiring harness changed several times during '97, they did not say any of the harnesses were bad.
I have over 180,000 miles on my '97 now, and... the only electrical issue I had was because I stored a come-along on an exposed wire (under the rear seat) and it eventually wore through... aka, user/dumb error... but not a harness issue... having said all that, in the last 12 years and 162,000 miles, I've never had an issue with the harness...

Outside of routine maintenance it has been trouble free.

"I" would look for a '97-'99.

 

my first xj was a 95 with 244000 miles. i paid $300 for it. ran like it was brand new. we had a cold snap here it was like 10 below zero for about a week and it started first spin over every day. i would not hesitate to buy another one with that many miles as long as everything checks out ok.

right now i have a 99 i bought with 144000 miles in july (exactly a hundred grand less) i have put almost ten thousand miles on it since then and have (knock on wood) zero problems with it. besides mpg's i love 4 litres.