Need Your Opinion on Cherokee's
#21
JK Freak
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Originally Posted by terribad16
Hey guys, I'm letting my parents have my JK because I cant handle the car payment right now while I'm in college, and was hoping to buy a cherokee outright, so i have some questions....
What's your honest opinion on the cherokee?
I was wanting to get a 2001 because it would be the newest one... is that a good choice? If not, what year should i get and why?
How reliable are they? I realize every older car will have problems but I've got class 3 days a week, and work the rest of the week, so I want to know I wont have to fix something with it every week.
How is the power in it? I would like it to have more than the Jk did... As much as my parents suburban would be nice...
How much should one that is ready to be a daily driver cost?
Bottom line, is this a good choice? I would really like to not have a car payment, or atleast a very small one, and i would like whatever i get to be a jeep... But if you have any suggestions on a different vehicle you think i should get please post em up and let me know why.
Everyone's help is really appreciated...
What's your honest opinion on the cherokee?
I was wanting to get a 2001 because it would be the newest one... is that a good choice? If not, what year should i get and why?
How reliable are they? I realize every older car will have problems but I've got class 3 days a week, and work the rest of the week, so I want to know I wont have to fix something with it every week.
How is the power in it? I would like it to have more than the Jk did... As much as my parents suburban would be nice...
How much should one that is ready to be a daily driver cost?
Bottom line, is this a good choice? I would really like to not have a car payment, or atleast a very small one, and i would like whatever i get to be a jeep... But if you have any suggestions on a different vehicle you think i should get please post em up and let me know why.
Everyone's help is really appreciated...
#22
JK Newbie
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Montreal, Quebec
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I'm blessed - have both a JK & an XJ. Had the JKs not been available w/ 4 doors, never would have considered buyin' one 'cause I'm more than happy with the XJ. Other posters here described the XJ as 'bulletproof', they're spot on. Can't kill that inline 6 !
#24
JK Enthusiast
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Great vehicles! I just passed on my 2000 XJ to my son when I purchased the new JK Rubicon. The 2000 - 2001 did have some advantages (i.e. simplified distributor with coil packs, latest styling, etc.), but did have a couple issues. The biggest one has to do with a "hot start" issue which results in throwing multiple misfire codes. Other than that, it has been one of my favorite vehicles I've owned.
#25
JK Enthusiast
Join Date: Dec 2008
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It's a great vehicle - They had similar issues inherent to the common years - my wife & her brother both had 1988 limited's. They both needed radiator replacements - water pumps - Throttle position sensors - distributor caps - ac condensers - alternators & heater coils. The seat brackets both cracked on the driver side. (power seats in both) and the power distribution panel in the driver doors were issues. They were both ultra reliable vehicles and never gave up the reliability ghost without warnings. They were both fantastic mechanically. I would highly recommend one and still want to own one and make a toy with it...I want to put a v8 in one! They both saw 200,000 + miles and the parts all went within 10,000 miles of each other (weird) - they were both purchased @ the same time with the same exact options so my guess would be they were both built @ the same plant within the same week.
Everything I mentioned could be considered wear items on vehicles...or maybe the maintenance habits of their owners...but my wife was not the best @ it and my brother in law meticulous. They both eventually found their limits - the wife's fell to transmission woes and the other developed an electrical gremlin. with the mileage on both at those times we didn't want to put any money into them and they were sold for parts. Now if they both died @ the same time - then we would have made 1 from 2 and probably would still be in the family.
It's a sound decision as long as you choose wisely and get to know about the common years and their related issues (what to expect). Fuel injection differences - electrical differences - transmission differences - ignitions and other components. Do your research and find the right one for you... The 2 doors usually sell cheaper than the 4 doors, the manual transmissions cheaper than the automatics. The easiest way to tell a reliable vehicle is by how many are still available even though production stopped 10 years ago. They are cheap to maintain.
Good luck!
Everything I mentioned could be considered wear items on vehicles...or maybe the maintenance habits of their owners...but my wife was not the best @ it and my brother in law meticulous. They both eventually found their limits - the wife's fell to transmission woes and the other developed an electrical gremlin. with the mileage on both at those times we didn't want to put any money into them and they were sold for parts. Now if they both died @ the same time - then we would have made 1 from 2 and probably would still be in the family.
It's a sound decision as long as you choose wisely and get to know about the common years and their related issues (what to expect). Fuel injection differences - electrical differences - transmission differences - ignitions and other components. Do your research and find the right one for you... The 2 doors usually sell cheaper than the 4 doors, the manual transmissions cheaper than the automatics. The easiest way to tell a reliable vehicle is by how many are still available even though production stopped 10 years ago. They are cheap to maintain.
Good luck!
#26
my son who grew up wheeling with me, just bought an '89 XJ. Sure it has 22 years of wear on it, but everything works, no smoke, T-case is good, engine runs like new, no leaks. I really like it ! JMHO
#28
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I had two xj's. Loved them both! A 95 with a 2.5 lift and 32's. ( looked sweet) and a 99. That 99 is still here and running perfectly here in Ohio! Being in Ohio the rust is getting pretty bad but my brother in law doesn't care. Loved it since the day I gave it to him.
#29
JK Newbie
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I would look for a 97 to 99 they are the best years in my opinion. Some 00 and 01 had the bad cylinder heads that crack. The coil packs go bad. Other then that they Are the same. Sold my 98 with 250k on it with zero problems for the 150k I pit on it
#30
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We've had several...my son drives a '98 that we take wheel'in all the time and you can't stop it. He too drove his for school and never had any trouble. over 200K