Got my '89 given to me on my 16th birthday, and recently bought a '93 for $200 just a little dirty and a blown engine. Picked up a '97 drivetrain for $150 (friend hooked me up) and swapped over the necessary parts and now for $350 I've got a '93 cherokee sport 4.0 4x4 or two xj's!

 

Guy was asking 1,500 on Craigslist, I had noticed previous listing for the same jeep at 1700 and another at 2000. I showed up with 1200 cash In hand, I drove home with a 98 XJ Sport 196,000 miles Strong Running 4.0L, 5 Speed Manual(I would never dare to buy an automatic, especially at that mileage) 3in lift, 4 bald General Mud Terrain tires, 4 more rims 3 having Super Swampers that could be used 1 having a Super Swamper with a Sidewall puncture, 3 out of 4 corners of a bushwacker fender flare kit, and a few electrical problems, all of which I finally sorted out yesterday 6 months after purchase. Damn that Door Ajar switch.

 

A Ruger LC9 and $100.
1996 4 door sport with 187k
needs some minor fixes, but in solid shape!

 

I got mine around 5 years ago. The guy thought the tranny was bad. The radiator had been replaced a short time before and one of the quick connects were not sealed on the trans cooler lines. It was an auto zone radiator so it was bad also again.
I showed the guy how to check the tranny fluid properly and it was extremely low. He went to autozone and got a warranty replacement radiator for free, we put it all back together and then he said he would keep his word and sell it for the original price of 500 still.
I would say it was a 3000$ grand Cherokee at least. It had only a dent in the rear hatch and otherwise the leather interior was good , it ran great, had a lot of options and looked good with tinted windows even.
Before that I never owned an SUV. I was a truck and hot rod guy. That jeep made me an suv lover lol. It was like a luxury car that could go anywhere and had pulling power. That thing surprises me at the things it can do.
I still have it but it is no where near as nice and I can't get it out of full time 4X4, something in the inside of transfer, I already checked the linkage, and it has 187k on it now.
Last thanksgiving I got it buried in a Mississippi mud creak that had a thin layer of ice on the dirt bridge. I ended up pulling the front bumper cover off by trying to go in reverse. The tires on it are not very good , 3/4 worn out all season radials.
I went to look at that spot last week, I had been in the dark before, and now the bridge is totally washed out, only the culverts are still there and a little mud. I guess the jeep dug down to the culverts and ruined the dirt bridge. I don't think anything would have made it across in them conditions from when it got stuck.
Hopefully soon I will be able to get the jeep back in shape or I will have to sell it just to not let it go to waste. One thing for sure, it is the best deal I have got on anything since the new century started.

 

Paid $1,600 for my green '97 4x4 4-door 5-Spd 4.0L with 143k and sold the wheels and tires for $350. It came with a 3.5" OME lift, 31's BFG's, and JK's quick disconnects. It has it's rust from being a WI Jeep for 15 years, but nothing too terrible.

I've put $300 into preventative maintenance including a new Group 34 battery and Dirtbound mount, then fluids in the engine, tranny, diffs, and t-case, then replaced the oil pan gasket and valve cover gaskets, then changed the fuel and oil filters, then spark plugs.

Now I'm about to order $2,000 from Amazon next month including upgrades and complete replacements for the rear leafs, all the brakes, Rusty's tie-rod conversion and track bar, wheels bearings, lower control arms, new exhaust, and a bunch of Rust Bullet/Corroseal/Bed Liner for rust mitigation.

I also picked up a set of brand new 33's on Rubicon take-offs for $0. Oh yeah!

 

I traded a 1999 Subaru Impreza straight up for my 2001 xj. Turns out, they both needed cylinder heads. I disclosed mine, he did not disclose his. The Subaru was very rare.

 

I paid $1100 for my 99 being 2wd and all. It had a smashed front end and a very nasty interior. Sadly, around here, it was an awesome deal. Then I went and put way too much money in it but I am happy with the outcome. This one is a keeper. Here it is at day one.

 

Paid $2000 for mine

94 Country with 160k

New Rad, water pump, SYE/driveshaft, 3" rubicon lift, only one fist sized dent in the rear door otherwise pretty darn clean.

 

$600 for mine, 98 Cherokee sport 200k miles, cleanish, just needed a little work . . now its my DD lol

 

Don't remember for my 1999 bone stock clean body with good paint and only 109k. Zero rust. I think it was in the ballpark of 5-6k then picked up a 91 for $1600 with a good bit of modification.

 

$500 for a 90 in decent shape that I drove home.

 

$0 dollars for my 86 cherokee laredo 2 door. Someone had busted out the drivers side quarter glass and the older gentleman didn't have anywhere to keep it inside. All he wanted was his old man emergency preparedness provisions out of it. Jumped started it and drove it home in february. Still drive it today. 114,000 miles 2.5 liter, 4 speed.

I have spent money on it but it was because I wanted to....lift, tires, trac bar etc...

 

Bought a 84 xj laredo out of Idaho Springs, Colorado about a month ago. Paid $400 for it, fired it up and drove it onto the trailer. 2.8L v-6, 5 speed 2 door. It now resides in the Great State of Texas. lol

Haven't done a thing to it since getting it home. It's still on the trailer. Not sure what I want to do with it. Only bought it because it was a 2 door and had the factory swinging spare tire mount. The unicorn mount is almost worth what I paid for it. lol

 

when i bought my 99, it had 140k miles on it, 2" lift and 31's. The Guy thought there was something wrong with the transfer case because it "popped" when he turned sharp on pavement........I got in it, took it for a spin, shifted it back in to 2wd, crawled under it and monkeyed with the linkage and got the shifter to be in the right position. Drove it back in true 2wd and told the guy, "yea....probably needs a transfer case rebuild. Will you take $2k?" he said: "yep, heres the title" Took it home, changed the ATF in it, and never had an issue.

 

^ Sold that one for $4200 after modifying
Bought this one for $2000.