tskerik

Hey everybody! I'm new here and am finally ready to take the plunge on a Cherokee. I've been searching craigslist for awhile now and have missed out on a few cherokees. However, tomorrow I am going to look at a 95 Sport 4x4.

So first of all let me give everybody a little heads up on my plans. I am looking for a jeep to turn into a hunting vehicle. My extended cab pickup with 4 people in and out hunting hogs is starting to be to much. So my intent is to have a vehicle that will go through a reasonable amount of mud but nothing too major that I can drive place to place.

So now to the vehicle I am looking at. I found a 95 on craigslist as I mentioned earlier. The jeep looks relatively straight although I have not seen it in person. The paint is faded but I was planning on putting a flat green paint job on anything I bought anyways, so that is not a big deal. It has 220,000 miles on it and the guy really does not know much about it, as he just took it in on trade yesterday. However, it does have noise coming from the engine which the guy described as a ticking noise. I am not sure if its a lifter, flex plate bolts, cracked flex plate, or something more serious. He did drive it thirty miles yesterday and said it ran great besides the alternator is draining the battery.

With all that said, the guy wants 750 bucks for it. I have never owned a jeep, but have been searching them for awhile. So my question is do yall think that its a fair deal for 750? And what is yalls thoughts on engine noise? The guy did also tell me that the previous owner claimed the jeep had been making the noise for around a year but he continued to drive. I am not afraid to get my hands dirty and part of my intent for buying is to having a toy that I can tinker with. Any input would be appreciated! Thanks!

Ianf406

750 does not sound that bad BUT you know it has an engine problem (just for price sake say its shot) and that the alternator is bad. Alt is a cheap fix but the engine could be super cheap or fairly expensive/labor intensive. I'de say take a close look at it tomorrow and see what you think then. Check for rust on the floor boards, Check to see if the unibody is dented up, make sure there are no major leaks in the transmission/transfer case area.

If it all looks good to you, 750 is not terrible. I would still try to get him lower if you can (as always). They are not hard to work with and parts are common- both Junk Yard/aftermarket. It will probably be much better for 4 guys.

If you do get it, I would try and take care of the engine noise as soon as you can... Would not be fun to be stuck in the middle of nowhere haha.
Oh and welcome to CherokeeForum!

XJwonders

Welcome to the forum

tskerik

Thanks for the reply! The engine is definitely going to be my first priority if I buy this one. The transfer case does have some oil on it however once again that is just from pictures I am driving up to look at it in a little while. Is this a major problem, or fairly common with an older jeep? I know older vehicles are going to have oil leaks I just want to make sure its not going to be something else costly to fix.

Ianf406

Nope nothing specific for jeeps leaking- valve covers leak a bit more frequently than other cars Ive had but that's about it. It does however give you something to check out. If the tranny is leaking, check the fluid level- will let you know if he drove it that way for along time or if its just a small leak that he periodically added fluid too. The transfer case is harder to check- (believe its a 32mm or 10mm allen dependent on years if memory serves me right) but just make sure you put it in 4x4 while your driving it. 750$ is not a bad price depending on what the problem turns out to be. That XJ still bluebooks for 1579$ with the milage/year etc. in fair condition So if it costs you less than 800 bucks to fix it, your good to go!

tskerik

Well I went ahead and bought it for 700. The alternator is shot so it wont run after it drains the battery. Or barley anyhow. Anyways, I had a question, and I might need to post this in a different place, but I'll ask here first. The electronics are acting goofy with the low battery and it not charging. However, I almost locked the keys in it when I unloaded it (luckily the back latch didnt lock). But the doors lock everytime you start the vehicle. Is this a common features on these vehicles or is it something with the low battery. And is there anyway to disable this feature? Really kind of a pain that I don't want when hunting.

slowjunk

my 92 does it too. your jeep and mine probably came with keyless entry. you can program the lock if you have the factory remote. im sure there's a fuse or relay that you can pull off.