The XJ was in my mind one of the top 10 vehicles ever made, and the only way to truely bring it back is to make it again; plain and simple.
Change isn't always good.
It(the XJ) was directly responsible for the downsized SUV craze that we are in now. Look at the utility this vehicle has too. Capable of driving around a family of 4 with some comfort yet at the same time, it could be towing a trailer. Then you have the 4wd it has to add to it's versatility in bad weather locations. One of the greatest things that's ever happened to it was the 4.0L. Hands down I think this is definately up top with some of the greatest engines ever made(blast me for it if you want). That engine will turn over 200,000 miles in service with few probelms if any along that road. Dependability, versatility, and useablity. How convient is it to drive a huge SUV like a chebby k5 through city traffic, weaving in and out. The XJ was more than capable of doing it and still is.
I'll through in my personal experiece for what it matters. Yeah I'm only 20 now, but I remember the day my dad drove home the XJ I drive now. I was 4 years old and I thought it was one of the hottest things. A sweet steel grey paint job, 10hole rims with the "rivet" style on them too, 2 dr. roof rack etc.. I thought it was a awesome looking vehicle at age 4. Me being the only brother out of 3 that was outside got the first ride in it's shotgun seat. Of course I was little buy my Dad didn't hold back, always a peddle heavy driver he took me out and put it through it's paces while being gentle to the new vehicle too it felt real peppy and sporty. Years passed, my dad was in military, so we moved often like every year and a half. Sure enough It was always the "poor" Jeep's job to tow a trailer if we had to often from NY through mountains to Kansas or someother remote location. We did this with 5 people, lemme tell you it wasn't a great ride, but the truck got through it with no problems. That same XJ has been to Germay from which we took it through the Alps to Italy by going straight though Switzerland. Red hot brakes on the way down , no struggle at all coming up. Then we move back stateside. Live in NJ, for a few then have to go and bang out some time in South Korea, we take the Jeep again, at this point it was about 1995 and my parents rational was take the Jeep if it gets destroyed it's older of vehicles and easier to replace etc.. etc.. So we take the thing again, still to this day we are surprised nothing ever happened to it in shipping it overseas, not a thing. XJ, bangs out 2 years in Korea like nothing mind you we lived in Seoul which is the capital so this is seeing a TON of city traffic. 2 years passed and we moved back, did a little time again in NJ and my dad retired after 23 fun years in military. Now we live in NY. Now my dad driving the XJ to work for a couple years I was 14 when he started driving it to work and he was becoming a little less satisfied on how it physically looked. No rust or anything on it at all but paint was starting to fade and look like it got sunburnt. Now my dad being tighter than bark on a tree when it comes to money was like I'm paying for a house I'll drive it for two years. Now I'm 16 got my license and my dad is getting ready to trade it in for a F150, I went with him and I kept reminding my dad how great that thing has been and how I'd love to have it. Being an 88 and having a paint job that's on it's way out, not a lot of miles around 90,000 the dealership was gonna give us 1000 for it. I dont' know how buy my dad said, heck with it, i can come up with that and kept the XJ and gave it to me because nothing was ever wrong with it mechanically. He was under the thought though as it was soo old it was gonan die on me some day etc. We'll I undertook care of my "brother" and gave it a new paintjob etc.. and now and starting to go throgh adn clean parts under hood etc.. trying to restore some of original luster as it's runnign great on all orignal parts with absolutely nothing but oil changes and regular maintenance done to it. All sensors are fine never been replaced etc..
I love this damn truck, the XJ is in my heart forever. My dad questions me why I keep it and why I won't trade it in when I'm done college. I just tell him some people restore some old mustangs etc.. I want my XJ. I love the damn truck and as far as I'm concerned nothing will ever replace it unless they build the same thing, it can hae a noisy engine it can have typical Jeep vibrations etc.. but it gives it the character which I have grown to love and enjoy.
In my dead honest opinion, I think some car companies should look back at the succesful vehicles of the past and try to bring them back only with newer equipment and "better" mechanical design.
