Tom5170

I'm new here, BUT I have a few questions about a jeep that I was offered to trade for my car. I used to drive nothing but chevy trucks. My friend is a jeep guy. A few months ago I was stuck in a phase about needing better fuel economy because I was driving to school and work every day and I was spending too much in gas. I ended up selling my pickup and then buying a little 1995 pontiac sunfire gt with a 5 speed manual transmission.

I absolutely HATE the car. It's a huge piece of crap and I got f'ed over by the guy who sold it to me. If I were to fix every thing wrong with it, the car would basically be a money pit. It's probably worth 900 bucks as is right now.

There's a guy who has a 1989 jeep cherokee, 4.0 liter, automatic. It has around 240k on body and 130k on the rebuilt motor. It's on a 4 inch rough country suspension lift and 31 inch tires which will need to be replaced before summer. The front diff is a dana 35, and the rear diff is a dana 44 with a 239 t case. It's got a custom front bumper, and custom back bumper. He's replaced the fuel lines, fuel tank, brake lines, and brakes. It needs new control arms or they might be able to be repaired - the mechanic pushed the rubber bushing out, and broke the metal sleeves inside - they were going to use pipe to replace the sleeves but they never did and he just never bothered fixing it because it wasn't bad. He says the engine also smells like burning oil and that it burns a little because of a possible PCV valve. It also has an oil leak coming from the rear main seal. The interior is pretty clean along with the body, but I haven't checked out the frame. He has it at the shop right now because he sheared off a bolt on the steering box and it fell out... he claimed he was stuck hood deep when this happened. When I asked him if it drived straight he said it doesn't. I asked why and he said that it would need a wheel alignment to find out why. He said he was going to buy a 3 inch kit and lower it to 3 inches because the replacement parts are cheaper. He says he daily drives it on the freeway 50 miles a day, and that it has a shake at 45-50 but then smooths out.

Ironically, my friend who is into jeeps has a buddy who is a mechanic, and HE'S the one working on the guy's jeep at the shop fixing the steering box. My friend says his buddy says the jeep is worthless and that it's a piece of crap. That it doesn't drive straight, it needs control arms, and the tires need to be replaced. He also says I don't want it either way because it's going to be bad to use as a daily driver.

Do you guys think I should stay clear of this jeep? I wouldn't mind getting it and having a toy, but I do kinda need a daily driver right now as well.

Bustedback

Run away from that turd! He told you about some of the problems, but you can be sure there are a ton more problems he is not telling you about.

JackJare9455

Holy crap run fast!! Sounds like a rolling nightmare!

salad

I admire your desire to get a Cherokee. Keep looking lol

Turbo X_J

Drive what you have now, save your money, buy something hopefully a lot better later on.

BatmanXJ

.

hbracing13

It don't seem that bad, need more info by breaking off the bolts for the gear box, has in pulled thru the unibody? Or boke off in the gear box? The wobble is prob from the tires worn, bushings gone, alighnment out, and prob worn steering components.
I bought mine for 600 stock with 240k and its been a daily driver, my girl bought one that was wrecked needed the unibody pulled in the front left side, for 500. And she drives it everywhere with no problems, but then again something wrong I fix it.
It just all depends on if you need it right now or can throw some money into it to fix it within a coupe day even a week. Or you look for something better but, as for gas mileage your not getting any better with a lifted box with wheels.

Bustedback

You're not helping. It's a turd, don't try and polish it.

hbracing13

Well yea I know you can only do some much and its still crap. Just giving my .02. Sometime you can get lucky on one sometimes you can't catch a break. Yet if I had to do it again id would of gotten something newer and nicer. But I wanted a jeep, like this last jeep I bought its a 98 2dr 5speed 79k 2wd for 2200 found some moab wheels and some tires for dirt cheap 200 for 5 for still less then asking price.

salad

It's one thing to buy a good body for scrap price to beat on... this guy is planning on trading his daily driver for a hunk of junk. Definitely not in his best interest.

Fred/N0AZZ

This would be a good deal "IF" you wanted to build an off-road XJ or even a DD over time, depending on price an in "CHEAP". At best it is a project and should be considered as such or a parts XJ. If all your car is worth is less than $900 that XJ might part out for more than that driveline and body parts. The D44 is a very desirable part for sure to name just one. If it was close to me I would buy it for parts.

carbuff

Just the fact that he wants to trade for a 95 pontiac sunfire should tell you something.

WarPath

HELL NO!!!
If I got it free I'd part it out

Bustedback

It just means he is a glutton for punishment.

investinwaffles

If it is cheap enough, you could always rebuild the suspension.

But chances are its overpriced because of the "upgrades" that you will need to redo. I would really suggest looking for a stock Cherokee and upgrade it as you see fit.