Thinking of Replacing the Cherokee
 

This has been a thing coming. I love my jeep but i'm really really tired of dumping money into it. I think this year along i'm in about $3000 (including new wheels and tires) and now the service shop says the AC compressor isn't working properly and I also have a leak in the roof where there is a rust spot. So they are quoting me $1000 for a compressor and recharge and the rust fix with repainting is like $600. I've had it for about 4-5 years and spent about $10,000 in repairs and work to fix it up.

Below is a quick list of everything i've done to it. I'm getting to a breaking point.

BFG Tires & Procomp wheels
Oil Change & Pressure Switch
Replace shocks, front disc brakes, rear drum brakes, brake fluid
Installed spark plugs
Battery
Steering Damper, bushing set, valve gasket
Transmission Service/Fluid, Differential Fluid front and back
HID lights
HID light and fog light
Recharge AC system
Fix locks
Exhaust leak check
Exhaust install, alignment
Tires Duratracs
2.5" Lift install
Waterpump, inlet tube, radiator hoses, heater hoses, serpentine belt
Headlight kit
Passenger side window wiring harness
Coil brake line, rear brake
Pressure test evap system, Oil check
Evap leak, Front brake rotors, F axle shaft, universal joints

It's a great looking truck but God it's been a money pit. I'm pretty sure after fixing the AC it would be all dandy, but dropping another grand is just not of interest. Someone could easily use this as a badass ORV and not care about the AC getting fixed. However this is a DD for me.

Thoughts on what to get next with a $10k budget?

If that's 10 grand worth of stuff you've been :bangin:.

I keep records.

Date Year Location Modification Type Cost
6/29/2015 2015 Paint roof/fix windshield Service
4/30/2015 2015 4wd.com BFG Tires & Procomp wheels Custom $1,075
4/20/2015 2015 BC tire Oil Change & Pressure Switch Service $147
4/2/2015 2015 BC tire Replace shocks, front disc brakes, rear drum brakes, brake fluid Service $920
3/30/2015 2015 none Installed spark plugs Custom $20
3/30/2015 2015 Autozone Battery Service $120
3/18/2015 2015 BC tire Steering Damper, bushing set, valve gasket Service $435
3/6/2015 2015 BC tire Transmission Service/Fluid, Differential Fluid front and back Service $330
1/19/2015 2015 Class1 HID lights Custom $50
12/27/2014 2014 Class1 HID light and fog light Custom $312
9/8/2014 2014 American Tire Recharge AC system Service $182
5/29/2014 2014 American Tire Fix locks Service $589
3/1/2014 2014 American Tire Exhaust leak check Service $114
2/22/2014 2014 American Tire Exhaust install, alignment Service $314
11/12/2014 2014 Autocouture Tires Duratracs Custom $1,000
11/12/2012 2012 Autocouture Lift install Custom $1,300
10/24/2012 2012 Milltown Auto Waterpump, inlet tube, radiator hoses, heater hoses, serpentine belt Service $706
10/5/2012 2012 Quadratec Headlight kit Custom $127
9/14/2012 2012 Milltown Auto Passenger side window wiring harness Service $410
5/11/2012 2012 Sears Battery Service $128
12/14/2011 2011 Milltown Auto Coil brake line, rear brake Service $521
7/19/2011 2011 Milltown Auto Pressure test evap system, Oil check Service $169
2/7/2011 2011 Milltown Auto Evap leak, Front brake rotors, F axle shaft, universal joints Service $944

Total $9,438


but maybe i'm overreacting and will just drive it to death with no AC for eternity. What's a little sweat :icon_cheesygrin:

You spent that much money because you wanted to. A lot of that work could have been accomplished much cheaper or even ignored. These are 15 plus year old American trucks (station wagons really) - they're going to need attention but they won't leave you alone.

Why not just fix the A/C yourself?

i'm going to look into compressors and see how hard it is to fix. I don't have a lot of time so I do mostly small jobs myself when I can. And yes I spent that much money to keep it going. I could have saved a lot on labor if i had the time to do it myself.

Shop quoted me $500 for a new compressor. Labor was only an hour.

What I see is a bunch of crap you added to your XJ that you didn't need to. Couple that with the fact that if you wrenched on it yourself you'd save about 80% of the cost of the things you actually needed to do.

I'm not sure what your complaint is other than apparently you can't stop modifying your XJ regardless of cost or that you don't do your own work? :dunno:

Doing things yourself will save you a ton of money. I'm no mechanic but I like to get my hands dirty and fix what I can. Things like a tune up for example an oil change, spark plugs, and other general maintanance you really should do yourself. I know nothing about a/c so something like that I would shell out the cash to a shop to fix.

yeah i did the plugs myself and oil. not much else. Robert does have a point, i did dump a lot into it that truck that was unnecessary and part of the cost. However it was only wheels, lift and lights. Everything else was due to something being broken. I don't have the space, luxury and time to do it. Guess it's been a bad year on getting things fixed. AC i would need help with, can't do that solo. But even with that said, would be nice to have something that doesn't require much maintenance, would likely end up being a Honda or Toyota.

My friend used to drive a truck that averaged about 5 mpg. Everyone would ask him why. His reply, "I'd rather spend money on something I love driving vs. something I could care less about."

I feel you man but unless you go with a newer vehicle even a honda or yota will need the same kind of attention.

your handle says it all lol, i have a porsche also. So that is where my focus goes towards along with my driving enjoyment. Not so much the jeep though I do love it.

you paid a grand for shocks and brake pads.. holy ****, can I be your mechanic?

I'm sure the rear upper bolts broke which added to the cost.

If you're tired of dumping money into it & don't have the time to do the work yourself, selling it is your best option. An old Jeep is a hole in your driveway that you throw money into, and paying a shop to do the work means that hole runs MUCH deeper.

Bear in mind that any older vehicle is going to require work, most will require more than your XJ will, these are among the most reliable, long lasting vehicles on the planet. A new car will be more reliable, just add in a car payment and full coverage insurance.

Oh, and the shop is "cutting you a break on labor" because they're gouging you on the part. Pick up a compressor from Oreilly's for $250, swap it out at home, take it down for a recharge.

To replace the compressor, you'll need a vacuum pump and a set of gauges in addition to parts. If you're going to replace the compressor, you might as well do a full overhaul of the system, because you probably have leaks.

If you're looking for a decent truck under $10K to replace the Cherokee just for getting around town, I would look at Suburbans/Yukons. Used ones in good condition are in your price range and are pretty durable. They're bigger than the XJ, but their gas mileage isn't as bad as you might expect. They're also a lot easier to drive than you might expect.