Throwback Thursday: This Jeep Cherokee XJ Was Bought For 200 Bucks, A Year Later It Is Still Going Strong

How much Jeep can you get for 200 bucks? Well, you can get a Cherokee XJ that needs a new engine. Is it worth it?

There is no doubt that you are well aware of what the used car market is like right now. Prices are through the roof on everything from Kia to Koenigsegg. If you want a new Jeep prepare to pay over sticker. And if you think you will save money getting a used Jeep, those prices are inflated as well. So, the fact that this Jeep Cherokee XJ was bought for 200 bucks is a miracle. Heck, today you can spend nearly that much just on a tank of gas. OK, this particular Cherokee did need a new engine, but still, 200 bucks? That is worth the gamble. But did the gamble pay off?

This week’s “Throwback Thursday” is all about this $200 Jeep Cherokee XJ. It was purchased a year ago by Matt Stetar from Diesel Creek. He bought the Jeep, fixed it up a bit and has been driving it as his everyday work truck for the past 12 months. Stetar recently uploaded a video to his YouTube channel that neatly wraps up his first year with the Jeep. What went right, what went wrong and was it worth the $200 investment. It is a fascinating watch, especially in these times of astronomical SUV prices.

The Beater with a Heater

Stetar spotted this Jeep when one of his neighbors put it up for sale. He asked the guy how much he wanted for it and the guy said he would not take a penny less than 200 bucks. Sold! That is when the guy told Stetar the Jeep needed an engine. But still for just $200 it was too good a deal to pass up. He managed to get it home, but cylinder number 6 was destroyed. No matter, as Stetar was able to find a replacement engine for only $300. Once he got the new engine it, the Jeep started and drove and Stetar was happy.

Other Fixes

As you can imagine a $200 Jeep is going to need more than just an engine. The entire Jeep was just neglected over the years and if something would stop working on the inside it was ignored or duct taped back together. This was never intended to be a show Jeep, but Stetar did want to address some of the other issues. The power windows had failed so that was one area that received a bit of attention, and they are working once again. Speaking of work, Stetar put this old Jeep into service truck duty. He has it loaded up with tools and it has functioned as his everyday work truck. The extra weight of all the tools took their toll on the suspension. So Stetar installed a set of airbags in the rear and that worked rather nicely. LED headlights and undercoating round out the upgrades.

Expectations Exceeded

Stetar thought that maybe he would fix the Jeep up and get 6 months or a year out of it. But now at the one year mark a funny thing has happened. Stetar has fallen in love with this beater of a Jeep. Jeeps have a way of getting under your skin and that seems to be the case here. So now, he wants to keep this Jeep running for as long as possible. There is a lifter tick that needs to be addressed along with a small coolant leak and some rust. He also wants to put a new set of tires on the Jeep. These are all fairly simple items to address. And they should keep this $200 Jeep Cherokee XJ on the road for years to come.

Save a Heap, Buy a Heap

What Stetar is most proud of is that he saved this old Jeep from the scrap heap. If he didn’t buy it, it would like have been crushed by now or sitting in a U-Pull-It lot. The Jeep has been saved and a ton of money has been saved. Even with all the fixes Stetar is in for only about $1,500. Where are you going to get a driving and running SUV for that kind of money? Checkout the video below to see what a low cost Jeep looks like after a year of use.

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