Hey, I'm looking into getting an xj and was wondering if these we're good, bad, or OK deals...

http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/cto/4153146963.html

http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/cto/4232171500.html

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/cto/4245164062.html

 

"One of these things is not like the others ..."

 

Those prices seem suspiciously low. The first ad left out grand so they obviously didn't maintain the vehicle themselves. I would go with 3.

 

The third one for $1200 is your best bet

 

Another question is, how many miles, if maintained well and no accidents, can these cherokees last? I'm just starting to learn about them. I was focused on a yj for a while but just started looking at these due to the fact that I want some space in the trunk for a decent sub system, 4 doors, and room for more passengers because me and my friends love to just drive around and hangout so the yj's are out of the question. I love the xj's and have my heart set on one now but am very new to them.

 

Mine has 300,000 miles and is running strong. The 4.0L is an awesome engine and overall these things go up to 500,000+ miles. Accidents or boredom tend to be the downfall in the longevity

 

As for how long they last, consider that the newest XJs you'll see on the road are 13 years old. Most are older with some pushing closer to 30 years. There are very few of any year with less than 100k miles.

 

So say I bought one with around 200k miles on it... It'd last me a good amount of time with the right up keep? My dad is matching the money I save, so he is very critical about what I'm looking at because he is also putting money into it. I'm thinking about looking after Christmas when I have some more money. (My bday and christmas are 2 days apart, so I usually end up with a decent amount of present money). What exactly should I look at in the Cherokees? What are common problems? Good amount miles on it? (How many should I keep it under when looking at used ones?) and should I go stock, or modded already? I won't have money to mod it much and intend to use it lightly offroad and sometimes in the mud.

 

Oil leaks are pretty common for that many miles. Oil filter adapter leakers at the block (look for oil in bottom of oil filter), leaky valve cover gasket can make it look like the rear main is leaking (oil off back bottom of oil pan), 99% chance the exhaust manifold is cracked where the two collector pipes come together, motor mounts are probably worn out, check transmission fluid it should be pink if not pink then smell it and make sure it doesn't smell burnt. Make sure you're rough on it for the test drive.

I wouldn't worry about the miles, Cherokees just keep going.

 

I give this advice out to new XJ owners all the time:

If you are going to use it as a daily driver and you are on a tight budget .... DON'T LIFT IT. Keep it stock and focus on regular maintenence. Use any extra money you do have on reliability upgrades ... or save it for when stuff breaks.

When looking for your first XJ, don't be scared by high mileage. But do be scared by rust. When you test drive it, make sure to get it up to highway speeds for at least a couple miles. Make sure to test out the 4wd in high and low range. Poke around underneath with a screw driver looking for soft spots. Test all the windows, locks, lights, blinkers, stereo, fan etc etc. And make sure to get it up to temperature and then let it sit for 10 minutes to make sure it doesn't overheat. Don't be afraid to take 30 or 45 minutes to really look it over good.

And most importantly .... don't fall in love with the first one you see and overlook issues just because you like the color or something like that. Have patience!!! There are a ton of XJs out there and with some patience you'll find a good one.