Yes they are! XJs are pretty cheap around here. Nice was super clean all original 2 owners before me



It WAS clean. Now it has its battle scars, and is getting ready for a 4 link or truggy chop

 

+1 I just found this out for myself

 

Well, I found one! Picked up an '01 Sport 4x4 last night. 120k miles, super clean and straight, bought from another Jeep owner. Paid $5k. Super excited to get this project started!

Thanks again for everyone's input. It helped a ton! I owe you all a beer or something... somehow.

 

Ill pm you my address if you ship a beer lol. Post some pics

 

Hi all,

I thought of starting my own thread, but a lot of the questions I had are inline with this discussion.

Never owned a Jeep, but always been a fan. Moved out to Colorado last year and it's time to get a vehicle that can really take advantage of the outdoors here. I've been researching and think the 1998 Jeep Cherokee is the way to go. I found a 98 Cherokee Sport Classic 4x4 with 124,000 miles on her. She looks good. The guy has her listed as excellent condition, which I would say is pretty accurate. She has some cosmetic issues: paint chips on the rear bumper, normal scratches and Knicks on the body, some staining in the floorboards, and a little rip at the seam on the drivers side seat. But over all, I'd say she looks good for her age. He has all maintenance records since year 2000. The VIN report I ran came back clean, except that between 2004 and 2013 the milage didn't change at all, and then it went from 70k to 119k in one month Red flag?

But here's my real question: He's asking about $1200 over KBB because he says these are popular vehicles and they always sale for higher than market value. Is this a realistic private sales markup for this area? It does have a nice aftermarket sound system, and he said the sunroof was customer installed (because these models don't offer that option--???). He's asking $5,850 and KBB says for excellent condition is $4,600.

Just wondering if this is a reasonable price, cause the Jeep has been well maintained and seems perfect. Thanks for the help!

 

I think it's a bit much. The one I ended up buying was a 2001 with 120k miles, flawless interior. Paid $5k. No expert here as I'm a new owner, but the '98 has 5 less horsepower. Most will tell you the 99 is the best to buy because of the change in emissions electronics from 2000 and up or something like that.

For me, I just like the feeling of driving a "newer" car from this century. The 2001 is a great choice and will be a classic because it's the last year they were made.

Either way though, cash is king. I'm sure the guy will move on the price. Just the fact the interior has flaws to me is a deal killer and he should be willing to discount it for that. There are lots of Jeeps out there!

 

I'd also like to take a moment to honor the previous owner of the Jeep I purchased. His name was Travis Witten, 61, of Beaumont, California. Little did I know before buying the Jeep, Travis had passed away just a week or so ago and his son was selling the Jeep along with lots of other things his Dad left behind.

Travis Witten was a veteran Cal Fireman, serving from 1969 until he retired in 2007. He had been working as a Fireman since he was 17 years old and it was pretty much the only life he knew. While I didn't know him and know very little about him, I don't want to let his service go unnoticed as I have relatives and friends that live in the areas Travis was busy protecting.

You can read about him here: http://fridayflyer.com/2014/04/25/in...-travis-witten

His son Jay, who is also a fireman, is an incredible guy with a ton of strength to keep a straight and sharp mind during this whole process. I am glad I was able to help him with the enormous task of selling off his Dad's stuff. I could tell he had a very heavy heart and was dealing with a lot of stress trying to figure out what to do with everything.

Travis and his son are also Jeep guys... owning several Cherokee's and other off road vehicles. Since I work for a digital publishing company, I am planning on dedicating this Jeep and project build to him somehow. If any of you know Jay and his family, please give your condolences.

In memory of Travis Witten... RIP.