Believe it or not a jeep Cherokee was always my dream vehicle when I was in school. I always loved how they looked lifted. Me and my younger brother would always talk and dream about when we finally get our jeeps what we would do to them. It was kind of one of those deals where you think yeah ill probably have a jeep... But I'll never have the money or know how to build it!

When I was 18 I bought my first vehicle and it was a 95 cherokee. I couldn't have been happier. It's the vehicle that sparked my interest in mechanics. I couldn't afford to get it fixed so I learned myself. Then I went to school and now I'm a union diesel mech for greyhound. I love that jeep . I owe a whole lot to that jeep. Still have it too. I'll never get rid of her. Now I'm on my 5th jeep. I've had 3xjs and 2zjs.

I will always own jeeps. When I finally decide to finance a vehicle it will be a new wrangler.

But times are changing now.. I remember wanting a cherokee for shoot... As long as I can remember! I ask my youngest brother hey what kind of car do you want for your first? He could care less! The kids nowadays don't know a flat head screwdriver from a mallet. I'm 22 and I can see the change. Lol

 

I'm a Benz tech and 21 and I can see the change in kids now man it's sad

 

I was always a full size rig kind of person. But rode along in my buddy's tracker offroad, that made me want a small offroad rig, but I needed more power then the 100 or so HP tracker... So for $300 I picked up a 4.0ho 5 speed xj, and love it so far!

 

It's unreal... Every kid nowadays has a vehicle handed to them and the repairs are paid for...

 

Saw the '96 Cherokee used on Eureka, and fell in love with it. Not sure why i liked it so much back then, since i didn't know much about them.

Now i got my sights set on getting an '87 Grand Wagoneer with the 401 V8 and 4-speed manual tranny.

 

Kind of a funny story with my jeep...

I was a computer geek before I got my jeep, not social, kept to myself indoors. Never cared on working on cars or getting my hands dirty. My brother and mom bought it for me for $500. Had a load of issues and my brother made me help him work on it. I'll be honest I hated it at first because I couldnt tell the difference between a socket and a crescent wrench and I knew nothing about cars in general. After a while I got hooked, would find myself on jeep forums, figuring out how things worked, soon after took it offroading(keep in mind its 2wd) once I hit the dirt, I was instantly hooked. Looking back almost a year now from when I first got it I could never believe what I was capable of doing. Converted it to 4wd, 3 different lifts, mods, etc. I thank my jeep every day for making me the man I am now. And I will keep it till i drive it to the ground.

 

My first DD when I was 14 was an 89 Cherokee Laredo 5 spd 4.0 4x4. I loved that thing. It was too young at the time to understand mods and really that much about off-road sports. It died at 280k on the clock and I traded it for an old ford that ran. Then a few years ago I decided that I was going to build me an off-road rig. It made sense to me to find a XJ to do it in. Here are my reasons for

1. Cheap
2. Parts abundant and interchange
3. Solid Front axel
4. Solid foundation
5. Aftermarket parts available.
6. Already had one and missed it

 

you have a much cooler story about your jeep/what's it's done for you than the rest of us, i must admit. good for you.

 

every 3 homes in my city have one (one person friends told me about have 3 XJ!!)

when we go to the desert saw this little Cherokee can do more than any 4x4 read about it see many video , then i like it when i see it in the street i cant take my eye search for 5 speed found one buy it ..

its cheap and spare parts every where + any garage can fix it + every body ask if i want to sell + off road driving + better MPG than many 4x4 , land cruiser or Nissan petrol winch we use in my country + I LOVE IT

many of my jeep owner friends sell them but they buy them again i knew one sell his xj and buy it back for more $$ !!

 

Great stories! I'm probably the only certified geezer here who doesn't have a Jeep! And, I know I've been wanting one longer than anybody! Some day, some day, and it better be sooner for me...

 

If mid-upper 40's counts as a geezer, count me in. But I have a Jeep. I got mine from one of the guys I have my shop with. No engine/trans/t-case so the field was wide open. I got it for $100.

 

In 1998 when I was 1 year old, my dad bought a brand new Cherokee Sport 4 door for my mom. Unfortunately, she didnt let him take it off road much because it was her DD and she didnt want it broken. Sadly in 2005 the dreaded words left her lips "I want a minivan". My dad sold the XJ, which old had around 50,000 miles on it at that point. When I was about 3 or 4, I had a power wheels wrangler. i would drive over the rocks in my front yard. When i was around 8 or 9, my grandpa bought a 1990 XJ 2 door 5 speed from his neighbor. It was already lifted and had a locker in the rear. He always took me off roading with him in it, so theres alot of memories/sentimental value there. Fast foward 5 years to when i was 14. Me and my dad would cruise around old neighborhoods looking for old cars. That was when we spotted an XJ Wagoneer Limited. I wouldnt have looked at it twice, but my dad said "come on lets see if they want to sell it". we knocked on the door, and an older man answered. My dad asked if he wanted to sell the jeep, and he quickly replied "No!" and slammed the door in our faces. My dad would always drive by there to see if it was still there, and one day, a couple months later, it was gone. At that point, I knew I wanted some kind of 4x4. I wanted a Cherokee, but then I read somewhere about the ZJ Grand Cherokee, and fell in love. I saved up some money, and was able to buy my 1995 Grand Cherokee Limited for $2000. I dont think I'll ever get rid of it.

 

I had a 2008 Chevy Cobalt and couldn't take it fishing or camping. Eventually got tired of borrowing other people's SUVs. Started looking for a Jeep and realized how expensive Wranglers were ( I did learn to drive in a Wrangler). Then realized how affordable the Cherokee is and more cargo room. Paid $2500 for my 1990 XJ Laredo with 116xxx miles. Since then I been working on it and spreading the bug. My in laws now have a 97 XJ and a 88 MJ. Also got another 88 MJ for parts.

 

Oh I know had an 18 year old girl bring in here 2010 e350 a 60k car all beat to **** and daddy paid for the repairs! I was astounded !

 

Gas mileage....
Hans no, it was cheap and ran good and I know they are good off-road.