Why did you choose an XJ/MJ?

[GSequoia]

Well, I thought it might be a fun way to kill bandwidth to see why you chose your first XJ/MJ. I'll start it out.

In July of 1998 I decided that I needed another car since I didn't know how much longer my '78 Ford Courier was going to last. Anyway, I wanted something that was 4WD and I wanted a wagon style vehicle. So my only three choices (Because of money) were Ford Bronco II, Chevy S-10 Blazer, Jeep Cherokee.

Bronco II: I hated those cars, my dad had one, felt like it'd tip over with a slight wind.
Blazer: I don't trust eighties GM vehicles, been responsible for too many!
Jeep Cherokee: I know these were reliable, and most imporatntly I thought it was the best looking of the bunch, yes, looks decided for me in a big way.

Anyway, I never really thought much about XJ's before, didn't think they were all that special. Then I took mine for a test drive (it's the first one I looked at, and the first one I drove, looked at a few others, but ended up with this one). Once I drove the XJ I was convinced. Didn't take me very long (two weeks) to get it out on the dirt, first time out I pulled a full size Chevy out from being stuck, had to actually put it in 4-Lo and drive in a creek to do the pulling. I was very convinced at that point!

So...with that...why did you choose yours?

 

[96xjeeper]

OK I'll play.....I got mine in 1999. It is a 96. I got married and all my wife ever wanted was a Jeep Cherokee. Well we looked around and found a great deal on what is now mine. I only had a few prerequisits. Must be 4x4, and must have the 4L. Hers were AC, 4 door, and Green. Well over 2 years later I lifted it, well now its paid for, I'm buying her a new truck, and it's fender trimmin time! Thats my story.

 

[Tucker]

I got mine about a year ago. I finally retired my poor old Ranger and I needed a 4wd for winter commute and recreation. I looked at a lot of trucks, new and old. I'd never seriously considered a wagon-type vehicle as a "real" 4wd so I was looking for a pickup.

I don't like the TJ style, the wheelbase is too short for me - not enough room for me, the little lady, the dog and all my gear. I was used to giving the Barbie Jeep crowd a good-natured earful as I passed them on the trail. Of course I took my fair share of abuse too... but that's all done, the Ranger has gone to the Big Trail In The Sky.

There was a line of about 6 XJ's at a local dealer and I looked them over ... I liked the lines on the pre-95 ones so I took a white 92 for a test drive. We sort of instantly bonded. I was surprised at how much I liked the Jeep. I bought it on the spot.

It just gets better from there ... my first off-road experience in it was phenomenal! I took it real easy and realized halfway through the trail that the Jeep wasn't even breathing hard so then I took it to my secret fishin' hole. Wowee. Stock height and street tires and we made it without more than a few brush scratches.

I like it so much that I did something completely out of character ... something that I've never done before ... I joined an owner's club.

 

[Mike in NJ]

I'm almost ashamed to admit that my first purchase back in 1986 was driven by looks. Sure, I had just built a house in the woods, so I needed space to move stuff around, and 4x4 seemed necessary for the steep driveway that I couldn't afford to pave, but I was focused on a full sized Cherokee or Bronco.

But, I had been seeing these sharp looking, stretched, square backed new Jeeps in ever increasing numbers over the past year or so. It was a "practical", mid-sized Jeep and had two doors and a five speed! (Always been a sucker for manual coupes) And there was a Jeep dealer in town on a back road a couple of miles away. I moseyed on over and was shocked on how much you got for the money!

Wanted to buy one right then in the summer of '86, but the wise old dealer said "wait a bit, there's this new engine coming out with the '87s, and you'll be real, real happy with it." What a brilliant man!

So, four 2 doors, 670K miles and 17 years later, I'm still hooked and the driveway still ain't paved (and not because I don't have the cash - )

Mike in NJ atriot:

 

[Joe]

To pick up groceries right??

I'll paly your game sequoia. Well my first off road vehical was an 88 XJ, but I made the mistake of selling it to my wifes cosin. Than I purchased a CJ7 that was the biggest mistake I have done. No wait I sold the CJ7 to purchase a 72 Bronco, that was the biggest mistake. So I sold it. In 2001 I had the chance of going to the rubicon with my long time friend Robert, Goatman was the trail boss. I think that after running the rubicon and meeting all the members that went, I was sold on how the XJ can get you to the trail in style, run the rubicon in style, and drive home in style. I would only wish Jeep would make a Rubicon Edition XJ now that would be the ultimate off road SUV.

Joe
1994 HO I-6 Jeep Cherokee
"Stock just a puppie right now"
Hopefully soon I will to be running with the big dogs

 

[Matthew Currie]

My Colt Vista was getting pretty iffy for long trips. Needed a robust, winter-worthy vehicle that could tow and hold stuff without being huge. Kids had grown up enough that I didn't need 6 seats any more, and couldn't find a minivan I liked anyway. Saw a good cheap XJ with 133K miles on it and despite having a slush box it said "buy me." So I did. That one is now sitting in my yard with 232K on the clock, waiting to be sold after two and a half years as my daughter's "need a car that will make it through one summer beater." I replaced it with a 95 that has given me about 70K miles of service so far (now at 179K), and can be expected to outlive the first.

My stepson learned to drive on my old Jeep, and when he needed a car to take to college, we found him the ideal first car: a 92 2-Door sport. A great vehicle for 2700 bucks.

I must confess I don't take it off road. Well, maybe out into the field or into the woods a little, but not seriously.

I've had a few 4WD vehicles in the past, including a 64 Gladiator, a 69 Scout, a 58 CJ5, a 78 Ford F150 and 88 Chevy K2500 (current) . Oh, and a Colt Vista!

 

[Georgia Mike]

Well,the history of ol' "Dirt Cheap" actually started life with a completely different XJ. I've had several 4X4's in the past,and they were either too expensive to screw up off-roading them,or they were already beat to death,and barely ran. I sold my last rig,a '71 IH Scout II,with the intention of getting out of 'wheeling all together. That lasted about 3 months

With thoughts of another rig floating through my skull,I sat out to do the research this time before I bought "whatever came along". I wanted something capable,but first and foremost,it had to be cheap! My main goal was to have the utmost fun per dollar spent. I settled on the XJ platform for the main reason that it had basically the same,proven drivetrain setup as a Wrangler,at half the price.

I found an XJ to buy from a friend. He wanted $1000 for it. I offered $800,and he took the money and ran. After a while,I knew why he ran. It had the 2.8 V-6,5 speed tranny and 207 t-case. Guess I didn't do enough research,eh? Well,I liked it anyway,so I threw on a quickie paint job (orange) and wheeled it for 6-8 months until I tired of the lackluster performance of the V-6. I guess the $800 price wasn't really worth it after all,or so I thought. The point is,there's a limit to the cheapness vs. value

I went to the auto auctions one night and found my new rig. A '94 XJ,4.0 HO,auto,231,8.25 rear,30 non-disco front,already dented,scuffed and scratched. It was destiny! My winning bid for it was $1250,and after taxes and seller's fee's,my total expense was $1488,just $12 below the maximum amount I had set for myself to spend. And thus,project "Dirt Cheap XJ" was born. I promptly took it home,and the next day I snatched the lift off of the old '84 and put it back to stock height. A guy from work bought it for $1400!! So,I took the money and ran.......

 

[HossHoffer]

My XJ

My XJ came to me by accident. I guy at work said that he had a Jeep for sale cheap. I was looking for a project for my son. Voila, $600 later I was the proud owner of an '85 2.5l. That was 2 years ago. I enjoyed it then but when I discovered this site, , I was hooked. 3 engines, a lift kit, larger tires, countless hours on the web site, home builts, fender trimmings and $1500 later I had a pretty good little XJ. If it wasn't for all the help from you all I'd have more money but alot less fun. I'd like to thank you all by joining as soon as my next paycheck comes. Thanks a million!

 

[w_howey]

I had an old Ford Ranger, with 230k on it, it was a work truck. I had to run and get some stuff in the big city. The 230k brakes gave up the ghost and the she ate a mini-van.


Insurance totalled her out, and winter was coming. The old Chevy malibu, I had sitting, didn't work so well for hauling parts and tools around the farm, or the house. So I needed something I could carry some cargo, and still be able to get the kid's car seats in.

I saw my 88 XJ, sitting on the back of a dealer's lot, out by the cars noone tries to sell. I went in, took her for a test drive, and bought her that day! I fell in love the first snowy day, when I just clawed my way up a steep(for IL) hill, while a guy I work with, who always talked trash about my XJ, not being a "real" 4x4 sat alongside the road in his Chevy truck(Junk auto hubs wouldn't lock)

I was looking for something to haul lumber, and fences posts, and other akward items, when I found a guy trying to dump a 4x4 MJ for $500 on a Yahoo Group. He listed a bunch of things wrong with it, and people didn't want to mess with it. I drove a couple of hundred miles, and bought it. I still can't believe I got it that cheap.

 

[Moto]

Had a 94 Camaro that pretty much left me stranded in my drive way all winter long every year. I had always Wanted a Jeep since I was a little kid, except never wanted an XJ, I wanted to be ODD and had a thing for a DJ-5 that I had "big plans" for like make it 4X4 and almost bought one but the deal never worked out, by that time the Camaro was not so healthy and was a pain to own so I wanted something to wheel and that I could sleep in while camping,had some cargo space, and had some power to it, but would only condider Jeep, So I went out lookin for a ZJ but the killer price, AWD, and coils all around made me wonder why not just buy an XJ, so I thats what I did, found a nice 98 XJ sport and snatched it up and have been happy ever since. Its the best decision that I have ever made. No regrets

 

[woody]

My first experiences with an XJ was in 1985...While I was off at Army basic training & AIT, Dad bought a 4cyl 2 door 4x4. That Jeep stayed in the family through 1991. It liked a $400 clutch every 6 months or so, and had vacuum disco issues that made it less-than-faithful off road. For many years afterwards, I heaped scorn and ridicule upon that "Plastic Jeep"

I got plenty of "wheeling" time in the service (K5 1009 and M54 5t) and after a few years piddling with dirtbikes & Harleys ended up with a bone-stock CJ3A...it was fun, but I never got serious about either restoring it or modding it. Sold for college tuition$$$.

In 1999 I was after another 4x4 for a toy...really wanted a M715 or a J2000-3000, but one of my customers wanted to do some swappin...so 12/99 I traded a rusty, but low-mile 84 1/2t 2WD Chevy and some cash for a 80k 89 MJ 4x4 LWB Metric Ton.

Since then added an 87 2x4 SWB MJ (stock and needing TLC) an 89 4 door XJ Pioneer (6" and soon to be on 35") and an 88 4-door Limited (stock for now) All Renix 4.0l, and will be all AW4 when the dust settles.

I found in 1/00 and joined 2/00. The great advice and wonderful folks here make my XJ/MJ experience fun. I decided to get more involved and served as Recorder / Membership Chairman in 2001-2003, and was elected President for the current term.

 

[sheetstorm]

I moved to the Reno area in March of 2001. My Chevy Cavalier was able to bring me out here safely. She was a good car but, the combination of 175,000 miles and Northern NV made me decide to get a new vehicle. I definitly wanted a 4wd. Too many trails to explore out here. I spent 3 months doing research online and in dealer's lots. My choices came down to the TJ and XJ. Lots of information on the web and the availability of aftermarket parts helped in that decision. So, I looked at prices in the Reno area and they were a little steep for me. I had a vacation to Virginia planned in January of 2002 so, I decided to wait until I got back. While driving around with my friend in Bassett, VA we spotted a Red Cherokee in a dealer's lot. We stopped to take a look. The price was 10,000 and it had 45,000 miles. I took her out for a test drive and knew that it was the rig for me. We spent the next few days looking around different lots but, I knew I wanted that 98XJ. A deal was worked out and I took her home. The cross country drive was great. I felt at home in my new XJ. 28,000 and a few modifications later and I still feel the same way as I did when i first saw her on the lot.

 

[RichP]

I'll play too. In Dec of 97 my 87 Trooper had made it's last summer trip to cape cod from PA, rust was bad, body mounts were rusting thru and alot of little things were going. Had two kids that were out of car seats but not yet teens so I went looking, needed 4 doors, wanted 5sp, 4x4, ac and a straight 4 or 6. Stopped in at a local jeep dealer after pricing a new trooper [$$$$$WOW], new blazer [no personality] and wandered around the jeep dealers lot, over a 100 XJ's in there but out by itself parked between two TJ's was this nice dark green w/tan interior Cherokee, every other XJ was black, red or white. Grabbed a saleman [actually just turned around and two materialized from the asphalt ] asked for the keys so I could do the first big test, DO I FIT, 6'6" 250lbs, I did, took it for a test drive and haggled the price down from 19.9K to 17K even. Picked it up the next morning. This XJ has been the best and in 97/98 was the best bang for the buck out of ANY of the other manufacturers. IMO chrysler was nuts to stop production, all the tooling paid for it was a cash cow. At 180,000mi I am stil as happy with it as I was when I picked it up.
That said, if my wife had told me she planned on getting a big new oldsmobile two weeks after I got the XJ I would probably bought the dual top sahara TJ that was parked next to my XJ.
The XJ is part of the family, both kids learned to drive on it, one now has a YJ and the daughter is looking for YJ or TJ also, her mantra is "Six inches, 35's, 5 speed and red". It ticks her boyfriend of no end, he has a slicked up neon with one of those silly looking picnic tables on the trunk and a road kill scraper under the front bumper, luckily he can't/won't come into my driveway, specially after the last rain storms we had

 

[Steelerfan]

Well I chose mine for a couple of reasons. One O got tired of the fact that I just couldn't lock any thing up in my CJ. And I also got tired of the old 4 banger in my CJ so I got a XJ with a 4.0 in it.

 

[XJourney]

Well I'm not sure when it started, I guess it was my buddy, he bought a 91 XJ started using it for camping, hiking and around the farm building shet. He does ZERO maintinance and works it like it is a John Deere.

I had been into fullsizes and one late night him and I went down to one of his fields to go mudding. We got down there and went a few rounds and i got bored (didn't even get it into 4 wd)
So i spotted a HUGE pile of SHET(manure). I had to see if my 79 F250 on 38" SS could climb over. Well I made it over a couple of times and then I high centered the truck. Sat her right on the frame with the front tires hanging in the air. So my buddy (while i was laughing) hooked up his STOCK XJ on street slicks to my strap and proceeded to give me a few heavy yanks in the mud. On the 5 or 6 yank he freed me. That was it i was impressed. So shortly after i went a bought a 01 XJ and have loved it ever since.

Hans"I have a fullsize forsale"Huisman

 

[Hawaiian Style]

I just stumbled into the XJ's...

Wife wanted a Wrangler so bad that I had to get her one. We put some nice Dick Cepek AT's and some Eagle Alloys on it and she was in heaven. Soon enough we moved to Florida and she no longer wanted to drive it in the hot stop and go traffic. I inherited a girly jeep and of course had to install a 4" lift and 33X12.50 tires. This left me with a set of 15x8 wheels with no home. I needed something to drive to the airport and take the dog to the beach in so I did what any logical male would do, I based my third-car purchase on a set of wheels in my garage. That meant an XJ. After getting to know the XJ (hours and hours and hours of work) I fell in love. Best damn truck I've ever owned! I'll never understand why they decided the Lady Liberty was a suitable replacement for the XJ.

 

[Centrevillemx]

I needed A 4WD to drive in the woods and arouund the farm and my friends mom was selling a '90 pioneer for 700 so SOLD. Haven't looked back either. Right now since I'm not old enough to grab my licencse Im using it to haul feed bags.(And to pull My dads 49 willys off the hill when he gets Hi centered)

 

[sidriptide]

.....oh... is it my turn already?? i have always liked jeeps since i was a kid.. and i still think the XJ is a a definate top 5 all time jeep designs... my main interest was cars though.. chevelles and camaros... in 95 i was helping a friend of mine find a truck and i test drove like 50 XJ's for her till we found the perfect one.. at that point i knew i wanted one... in 96 my 2nd daughter cam along so we needed something better than an 84 monte carlo.. i picked up an 89 pioneer with all the bells and whistles and 85K for the magic price of 8999.00 ... i guess it was the going rate at that point.. i loved it but i didnt know anything about them. that was my first 4WD and the i was taking it thru places that amazed my friends in their full size trucks,, after 6 months of fighting with the dreaded "no start" bug and an incompetent dealership service manager i sold it and anded up in a 97 neon coupe.. fast, disposable car.. traded the neon on a new TJ SE in 99.. i did a spacer lift and gave it 31's and honestly never off roaded it cause it was too nice and the payment was incentive enough to not trash it.. family crisis rears it's head last summer and the TJ sells in less than 8 hrs of hanging the sign on it.. 70Kmiles in 18 months, i will get another one.. got a crappy 91 blazer with a hopped up 4.3 , headers and full dual exhaust and a spooled rear, for $500 from a moron who was going to jail.. i beat the snot ou tof it and got the off road bug in my blood again.. its soo much more fun when you dont care about what you're driving isn't it? .. then i started missing my TJ.. two kids kids now and i admit the TJ just aint big enough anymore... last november my friend was looking at new dodge cummins deisel and i start eyeing the XJ's... bought my current 99 sport the next day.. once again its too nice to trash in the woods.. so i start looking for a TJ and actually came acros this site.. forget the TJ.. i'm hooked.. "my name is michael...... and i'm an XJ addict....." i got ny 87 limited for a steal on ebay in march and my other 2 from from NHXJer when i "assumed" his project in may.. i have given up on the old chevys for now.. i think it was david frieburger who said it when he was the editor of Car Craft Magazine a few years ago when talking about how to cure a hot rodder... he said...
"buy him a jeep.... "
damn i'm long winded....
mike

 

[whoozey1953]

I co-signed on it (2001 Sport) for an ex-wife (insert flame here, I know, whatta dumbass), and the beyatch thought the meth pipe was more important than car payments, house payments, food, bla bla bla...so I repossesed it. Now I am glad I did, and am starting to fix it up and wondering why I never paid any attention to these before. They are great vehicles.

 

[xjblue]

Fell in love with the XJ while in high school during the late 80's. Well actually I had a crush on this girl and when she drove to school she drove a very sharp looking red Cherokee Chief with black trim! So it could be just because of that association as to why I have loved XJ's since high school but I think there was more to it. I like things that are well balanced, match or just go together, as well as things that are made well, fit their purpose and get the job done right. The XJ's lines are just put in all the right places, very neat, orderly, evenly, and balanced, to me they just look right. I didn't know anything about how well made or how well they handled off road untill after owning one for some time. The utility vehicle concept appealed to me in general so that was part of it. After high school I focused more on newer vehicles and thought a Pathfinder would be the way to go for a while. In the mean time a 66 mustang became my first vehicle. I decided to park it for restoration and purchase my parents 86 Olds gutless Cierra. My dad still regrets not getting an XJ he test drove before he got a replacement for the olds, it was sold before he got back. I am ashamed to admit that I talked him into a pathfinder, however that did steer me back in the right direction! The Olds was not easy to camp out of either and after a few years the tranny died and the engine lost compression. I had a friend who had a plan to build up an old flat fender and while flipping through his Jeep magizines I kept finding articles about how good Cherokees are off road. This helped put them back into my thinking prior to the death of the Olds. I started noticing them on the road. I compared ground clearance and stance and they just looked more capable than the competition even though they were the same looking for 10 years. So when the Olds died, I told my friends brother who sold cars that if he found a cherokee about 5 years old I'd consider buying one from him. A week later he called saying he found a teal 93 sport 4 door with the 4.0. I didn't like teal so I was skeptical. He took me out to test drive it. It was actually a nice and unusual turquoise color, the interior was used and stained but not worn, exterior was decent, milage was a "high" 86k and the engine sounded a bit clackity so I went ahead and purchased it! It's now been 5 years, just got title from the credit union!, odometer is over 150K "low miles", engine is still clackity, exterior has more bumps and bruses. It's been stolen once, ran into once, It's carried me over hill and dale on many an offroad adventure and I continue to learn what the stock suspension can handle as my driving skills increase. For not knowing anything about XJ's or offroading I made a pretty darn good choice! Now I don't drive past an XJ without looking, and I seem to have caught an MJ bug! I've had a great time deciding what mods to do, like being a kid in a candy store! I own both my high school dream cars and couldn't ask for more, just to always be able to fix em up, well and perhaps an MJ, oh and maybe a Ducati! Anyway thanks to you for all the fix em up XJ advice!