Josh781

Currently have a 99 sport (2wd)

Thinking about getting a 94-96 in the future. I really like the older cherokee body and interior and especially the 94 and older steering wheel (No air bag)

However my dad keeps telling me to avoid the older ones due to age and things breaking. I know to stay away from 84-90 but in my opinion 91-96 are still decent, no closed cooling system bull****. But then again, age. Things wear out but I'm thinking it's worth it, just love the older body and interior so much. Another reason I want a new XJ in the future is due to my current being 2wd, it was my first car so I didn't care, that's my only regret really. 250k miles and runs like a champ. What are your guys thoughts on the 91-96 cherokees, any major issues? They seem to be practically the same to the 97-01 apart from the body and interior.

jordan96xj

I have a 96, and I love it. Its all manual (locks, windows, mirrors). But it does have a driver airbag. It also has full OBD2, which is nice for scanning/data diagnosis.

The 96 was a very good year for sales, so there is pretty decent parts availability, though 60% of the parts you buy won't be different between the 96 and 97. If you have a late-in-the-year 96 like mine, almost everything is 97 (sensors, connectors, etc.).

The 96 also was the last year for the fuel tank with the access port on the front, which is nice (don't have to lower the tank to work on the pump). But it also was a one-off year for the in-tank fuel pump assembly, making it probably the one part on the 96 that is a little rare and a little expensive (compared to other parts that are dirt cheap).

I knew next to nothing about the differences in 96-99 XJs when I bought mine. I probably should have studied up more. But I lucked out and got something that has worked well for me. I wouldn't hesitate to get a 96 again if I had to do it all over.

Cane

x2 on everything he said. 96 here also and had no clue what i was getting when i bought the jeep. i wasn't even looking for a car and the opportunity came.

so yeah, 96 has all the benefits if you have similar tastes like us. older body style, OBDII, airbags (although you said no airbags in your post.. but i think it's good to have them if you daily drive it) and also the year with the most XJs sold if i'm not mistaken. yeah the fuel pump is a one-off year but you can get the whole assembly for a good price online, other than that lots of sensors are from 97 so that's important to know.

get it with manual doors/windows to avoid eletrical issues. some say 96-97 are bad when it comes to wiring but i personally haven't had any issues when it comes to that. only replaced sensors (TPS, CPS, o2)

Josh781

Yep, 96 was their biggest production year, over 280k made. And I'll be daily driving it, I don't mind having the air bag, just like the look of the older steering wheel without it, they added an airbag to the steering wheel in 95. And I knew about the OBD, that's also pretty useful. Supposedly the older bodies are much easier for certain stuff, like the gas tank and fender flares are less of a hassle to get off and on supposedly. I'll try to either get a 95 or 96. Maybe even a 94 if I find a good deal, this is down the road for me for sure, im not ready to buy another jeep, but can't wait too haha

Josh781

I'd like to also get as much manual stuff as I can as well, windows, locks, etc. Less electrical= less things to go wrong and less of it to deal with. I have no electrical experience at all

kyle96xj

I have a 93 and a 96 they are both great platforms, the only major things I've noticed as far differences (other than what has already been said) is the 93 has only one O2 sensor whereas my 96 has two of them, also the 93 has a fuel return line and the fuel pressure regulator mounted on the engine bay, my 96 had issues with heat soak that the 93 doesn't I believe it is due to the fuel return line setup. Additionally I love the seats in the 93 compared to the 96 they adjust backwards on a bit of an arc shape so they sit lower which is good because I'm 6'2" and they have "bolsters" (i think that's what they're called) that hold you in place better than the 96's did. But the 96 does have (or so I've read) a slightly stronger unibody and reinforced roof, so it is technically better in that respect. But either way pre-97 body style is way better IMO as far as looks. The lack of cup holders is something to take into consideration though

Josh781

Agreed on the looks of the pre-97 bodies, love em. As far as cup holders, im not too concerned, im sure theres aftermarket stuff for that. 94 is when they strengthened the roof and added side impact beams, and in 96 they strengthened it again, I also really love the older seats as well

TwistedWrench

I had a '92 and I loved it. 275K miles and it ran/drove like a champ. Biggest headache I recall was chasing down the typical blower motor gremlins, and constantly fixing broken vacuum lines(brittle plastic).

Cup holders are no biggie, the 97+ console can be transplanted with a little work.

Josh781

275k? Nice! My dads 98 XJ just hit 300k and still runs strong, just has a rough idle.

bad_idea

I have a 90. Whats wrong with a 90?!

I love this thing. It has 235k on it, less than your 99! I love the simplicity of the older ones. The 88-90s were the Renix years. Fuel injected, simple computer. No OBD, makes troubleshooting a little harder. BUT the computer is so simple, once you wrap your mind around it.

The 90 has minimal dumb **** to deal with. Classic style. Any of the short comings can be dealt with fairly simple. Nothing major. Closed loop can be changed to open loop with a radiator cap spliced into the upper radiator hose and a coolant overflow bottle. 20 minutes, tops.

extrashaky

The youngest XJs are now 16 years old. They're ALL going to have things break from age. There comes a point where a ten year difference in age may not make any difference. The condition will depend instead on how it was maintained, where it was driven, whether it was ever parked for a long period or continuously driven, etc. You will find older XJs that are in much better condition than newer ones.

Just look for the XJ with the least rust underneath.

Josh781

Yep, I agree. I've seen some really nice older ones in great condition, but i'm still avoiding 90 and below due to some things that were inferior on them, my dad had an 89 and it constantly had issues (overheating), which is probably why he doesn't want me getting an older one lol. I'm really hoping to find a 94 in good condition or even 95-96, but its hard to come by here in California. However, no rusty jeeps here

Josh781

I'd just rather avoid the headache of changing the closed cooling system and all the other things on it that are inferior to the newer models. Other than that, I'm sure they are good jeeps. 90 and below however don't have the H.O. engine like the 91 and newer. The only difference is 177hp with the older 90 4.0 engine and 190hp with the 91 4.0 H.O.

Outlaw Star

NOTHING wrong with older model Renix era XJs & MJs at all. The only reason people have problems with the closed cooling systems is they honestly don't know how to PROPERLY service the system, leaving air in the system, causing overheating.

jpk

I have a 96 Country 4x4. Like the OP I love the older body style. I would like to have the older leather covered spoke steering wheel on the 94's and down. The airbag steering wheel is pretty ugly.

Actually, I'd absolutely love to have 88 Wagoneer or 90 Brierwood. I met a guy here in town that has a pristine 88 Wagoneer. Dark metallic silver with a Cordoba (cranberry) interior. Absolutely beautiful with the woody sides and chrome trim.