NickfromSD

RocketMouse

Welcome to the forum... and "almost" to the family....

I can say as a former long time 4x4 Tacoma owner in the past (love those trucks)... but they do cost a lot. And even though the maintenance intervals with the Toyota Tacoma 4x4s are farther in between then what you will find with an XJ... those Toyota parts are generally a lot more expensive then what you'll find with an XJ. And from more personal experience as I've worked on my own vehicles my entire life, the Tacoma's tend to be harder to work on just because the configuration makes it harder to get at things you need to change.

That being said.... and while you will find that XJ's can be fairly needy children, they are generally much easier to work on, especially the I6 4.0 motor.
Some may chime in, but other than overall condition you may want to watch out for the 2000 & 2001 model years. As they have a different head on them that is very prone to cracking, turn your motor into a milkshake and really ruin your day....and a few days afterwards too. lol.
I'm partial to my 99 and that's one that is not affected by that issue. But really any with the I6 4.0 that is a solid example will be good. Also go over the whole thing with a very close eyeball for any signs of body rust. Because the XJ's don't have a separate frame that can be replaced like some 4x4s can be.

Another plus in the XJ's corner is that because there are still so many of them around, and because they are still so sought after and popular, there are heaps and heaps of companies still making parts for them. That also helps keep the part price down.
Any questions just ask.

NickfromSD

Thank you! I'll keep all of those things in mind, especially about the block in the 2000 and 2001 models. Do you know if that only affected certain trim levels? & did they ever put our a service bulletin for that? If they did, i imagine Jeep threw in new motors for those individuals with the affected motors. Now that you've mentioned it though, ill probably be very hesitant to even consider those years

Being that you used to drive a 4x4 tacoma, can you compile a short list of the major differences in terms of choosing one or another, for daily driving, and for play-time?

jessenator

Well, giving up the Tacoma, you won't be able to prank your parts store, asking for a water pump gasket; "hey can you describe it to me? just want to make sure I got the right part"






I can speak to the pros/cons of 4Runner ownership: I can't go back to 4Runners. Unless I was a foreman or some job where I was driving a lot and I wanted no limits in terms of comfort. My '94 was probably the most comfortable SUV of the '90s to my butt at least.

Regular Car Reviews (nsfw language) , which could carry over to subsequent generations to an extent, as a platform to do whatever you want to it.

I love those guys' videos, but everything they say about the 4Runner in that video can arguably be done more inexpensively and more easily in a Cherokee XJ. Just look through all the build threads here and elsewhere and see how many different setups you can go with. Or you can keep it completely stock. They were made from 1984-96 & 97-01 - basically two generations- but yes there are some major differences in the early years' internals, but there is far more crossover than between Toyota generations, I think anyhow.

I think Rocketmouse covered a lot of the XJ's upsides, #1 being maintenance costs. I also agree, shy away from the '00-'01 if you can while shopping around, and the later '99 models as well: there's a head stamping "0331" to look for. True story: my local machine shop has a premium attached to any work done on a head of that casting. You can get lost in the rabbit hole that is metallurgical nuances of various years: which one is best, etc... but I won't open that can o worms.

I've owned a '96 and now a '98. '96 was a bit of a mishmash, integrating OBDII, but changing connectors partway through the year... think of it as the redheaded stepchild of the XJ years, but it suited me just fine, and regretted selling it so much that I bought my '98! Some folks swear by the Renix years, 87-90, others prefer the HO years, some prefer the '97+ upgrade. It all boils down to what you want.


Oh, PS: welcome!

NickfromSD

This literally made my night. I've only ever had this one toyota, so i had no idea about the shape of the water pump gasket. Thats honestly gold

And thanks for the video, got some laughs out of that as well.

And thats basically my whole reason for opting to go the xj route. I know that the market for parts is HUGE for these vehicles, and the modification- ability is nearly limitless. I just didn't know much about the trim levels and x vs y model years. I didn't even think about the fact that OBDII didn't come around '96, so thank you for the reminder. How do people pull codes without OBDII; a more expensive diagnostics tool?

Also, what years have power windows and locks? Thats one of those little things that means a lot to me- especially if it has to be a daily driver as well.

& another question- ive never had a vehicle with solid axle suspension. I weld for a living, and i feel confident and capable of doing these kinds of mods. What are the costs involved, and how would this mod effect daily driving?

Lastly, thank you guys for the welcome

jessenator

. I just didn't know much about the trim levels and x vs y model years. I didn't even think about the fact that OBDII didn't come around '96, so thank you for the reminder. How do people pull codes without OBDII; a more expensive diagnostics tool?

So pre-OBDII is doing the key dance and checking how many times the check engine light blinks. There's a procedure thread on here. Here's some good various info.

Also, what years have power windows and locks? Thats one of those little things that means a lot to me- especially if it has to be a daily driver as well.

Those kinds of options were available through all model years on certain trim levels, but it's a matter of what was selected. Best way is to check out what it had in person when buying. There's also a build order email request online, with a 24-48 hr turnaround usually, for older models. For post-96 jeeps, there's an instant build order generator, and hoepfully that link works, because it's kinda wonky.

There's a number of great threads on the forum with a lot of great info to peruse. Typically there's been a base, medium, upper, and luxury trim throughout the xj lifespan. Again the info is here, just gotta search.

As far as modifications, there are kits on the web, a la carte improvements, and even members on the forum who do their own fabricating and sell custom parts. And I don't want to sound like a broken record, but there's quite a lot of info on builds and such on this forum. I'd recommend using Google and adding 'site:cherokeeforum.com' at the end of your search terms and checking out the Modified XJ Tech forum:

Most of the Stickys on the Stock and Modified XJ thread groups are a good place to start.

RocketMouse

no worries... and just fyi.. it's not the block that's the issue in those years... it's the head that cracks.
You mentioned the availability of parts for XJs... that is very true.. however.. that being said, as long as you know what you're getting yourself into. XJ's are fun and quite capable, but they can also be very needy children. You'll want to keep that parts catalog handy because you'll be needing it. lol.

NickfromSD

Thank you guys, ill keep all these things in mind. Ill post back to here once i have a legit buyer for my truck and share with you the models im looking at and you guys can give me your .02.

Until then, cheers.

RRXJeeper71

I have owned both Tacoma and a Xj
Love them both!!
my 1998 Tacoma 4x4 was a beast!
my 01 XJ Sport is tough as nails!
I wish I still had my std cab Taco
Toyotas last a long time if well maintained
so do Xj's

NickfromSD

RocketMouse

Well they both need maintenance. I will say the Jeep tends to be more needy than the Toyota Tacoma...
That being said, while the XJ's need more parts and maint. the parts they do need tend to be generally be cheaper than if you were having to replace that same component on the Taco.
And the Jeeps do tend to be easier to do the work on yourself, instead of having to pay a shop to do it as long as you're handy, are willing to learn, and have basic tool sets.

Reliability... if you get one with the 4.0 I-6 that has been taken care of, then you might just be about even, as a taken care of I-6 is one hell of a motor. And most on here will tell you that exact same thing.