Why Should I Buy An XJ?!

[TruckLess]

I have some extra money now and i'm looking into buying a 4X4 Truck or Jeep. I want a reliable daily driver that I can go wheelin' in on the weekends and drive it back and forth to work/school through the week. Here are some of the rigs i've been looking at buying:

• 1987-Up Jeep Cherokee
• 1980-Up Toyota Pickup
• 1980-Up Ford F150/Bronco
• 1985-Up K5 Blazer/GMC Jimmy

Now here's my question...Why should I choose to buy an XJ Cherokee over any of those other rigs? Will a Cherokee make for a better Daily Driver/Trail Rig? I've asked this question on many other forums and most people have told me to get the Toyota or K5 Blazer but I really like Cherokee's. Thanks for the help guys!!

 

[Rev Den]

Buy what you like.

'cept the GM, all the other choices are better then the GM.

Rev

 

[rockwerks]

yota or xj.

 

[TruckLess]

The question i'm kinda asking is why should I choose a Cherokee over the other rigs as a Daily Driver/Weekend Wheeler? I'm asking this because i've never owned a 4X4 Vehicle and I want to get started in wheeling.

 

[explorerxj]

I have some extra money now and i'm looking into buying a 4X4 Truck or Jeep. I want a reliable daily driver that I can go wheelin' in on the weekends and drive it back and forth to work/school through the week. Here are some of the rigs i've been looking at buying:

• 1987-Up Jeep Cherokee
• 1980-Up Toyota Pickup
• 1980-Up Ford F150/Bronco
• 1985-Up K5 Blazer/GMC Jimmy

Now here's my question...Why should I choose to buy an XJ Cherokee over any of those other rigs? Will a Cherokee make for a better Daily Driver/Trail Rig? I've asked this question on many other forums and most people have told me to get the Toyota or K5 Blazer but I really like Cherokee's. Thanks for the help guys!!

xj or toyota only, they share the same trans, auto only, and engines both are very reliable, not chevy or ford you will have to fix it weekly,

 

[rockwerks]

The xj will be the most cost effective way to go, and most reliable

 

[Bent]

Buy one because station wagons are so manly!

 

[rockwerks]

Buy one because station wagons are so manly!

Got Groceries?

 

[DaveD912]

If you ride trails, you'll like the XJ over any full size rig. XJ's are easy to mod and parts are abundant.

 

[XJ&CHZ4ME]

Reason # 1....I have a 1993 XJ that has been wheeled every chance it gets and it has 286,000 miles on the stock motor and tranny and does not burn any oil (may leak a little, but she is just marking her territory!). Granted her body has seen better days, she is reliable and I drive her everywhere. My wife has a 2006 tahoe Z71 and it has already been in the shop 3 times.....that ought to tell ya something about the Chevys....

I have had a few yotas in the past and once I converted to the Jeeps, I have been very pleased with the vehicles that I have owned ( 5 XJ's, 1 YJ , 3 TJ's) not to mention the limitless amount of accessories that are available for them. You will come to find that there is no other brotherhood like the Jeep brothern.......

This is just my $.02...take it for what it is worth..

 

[rockwerks]

Reason # 1....I have a 1993 XJ that has been wheeled every chance it gets and it has 286,000 miles on the stock motor and tranny and does not burn any oil (may leak a little, but she is just marking her territory!). Granted her body has seen better days, she is reliable and I drive her everywhere. My wife has a 2006 tahoe Z71 and it has already been in the shop 3 times.....that ought to tell ya something about the Chevys....

I have had a few yotas in the past and once I converted to the Jeeps, I have been very pleased with the vehicles that I have owned ( 5 XJ's, 1 YJ , 3 TJ's) not to mention the limitless amount of accessories that are available for them. You will come to find that there is no other brotherhood like the Jeep brothern.......

This is just my $.02...take it for what it is worth..

Amen Brother!

 

[TruckLess]

Thanks for the help guys, you're persuading me more and more. Are Xj's reliable even with high mileage? I only have about $1,000-1,500 to spend and most of the XJ's i've found have 150,000 or more miles.

 

[8Mud]

I bought mine because the salesman said I'd get layed more in a Jeep. Now I'm always covered in grease and oil, girls don't like grease and oil. I think he lied.

 

[casm]

Thanks for the help guys, you're persuading me more and more. Are Xj's reliable even with high mileage? I only have about $1,000-1,500 to spend and most of the XJ's i've found have 150,000 or more miles.

As long as they've been looked after, the 4.0/AW4 combo is pretty bulletproof. Ditto transfer cases and axles; regular fluid changes and simple maintenance in these vehicles goes a long way towards promoting their longevity. Assuming proper care has been given, most issues seem to arise from faulty sensors or vacuum lines.

This doesn't mean that the 'universal' things you'd expect to see on any vehicle of a certain age and mileage won't be an issue - stuff like thermostats may need replacing, ditto catalytic converters, oxygen sensors, EGR valves, etc. Typically nothing really major, though.

Expect oil leaks from the main seal, valve cover gasket, and/or oil filter O-ring. These should be considered normal in the age range you'll probably be looking in, and provided that oil isn't gushing out of them can be taken care of as time and funds permit.

Spend some time pawing through the OEM Tech forums - it should give you an idea of the sorts of issues that most people are running into.

 

[Rob Mayercik]

Are Xj's reliable even with high mileage?

Is the Pope Catholic?

I only have about $1,000-1,500 to spend and most of the XJ's i've found have 150,000 or more miles.

Heck, 150K is just getting broken in.

Like Casm said, a little regular maintenance goes a LONG way.

 

[DrMoab]

Something to keep in mind about yotas too. ALthough they are highly reliable parts are stupid expensive and somewhat hard to find.

Every junkyard in America has a few XJ's lying around and even though they are getting more expensive, parts are still fairly cheap from a dealer.

 

[motorcityxj]

best value is probably an xj for a daily driver and wheeler. Early 1st gen 4 runner and solid axle toyota pickups are nice but the age makes it harder to find one thats not a rust heap. Your in NC so thats probably mot much of an issue. If you can find one cheap and its nice i would definately strongly consider a yota (the solid front axle being the more comparable wheeler to the xj)


For the 1,500 your budget you can get xj with the high output 4.0 inline 6 which makes 190 hp conpared to a i think 110-120 hp for the common 4 banger 22re yota 4 banger (great engine just not powerful, it will last forever like the 4.0). The cherokees are a dime a dozen, no where near a collector enthusiast hobby status of a solid axle toyota. Every other big car lot will have a used xj and the classified or auto trader in your town will have dozens of them. You might have only 1-2 yotas in your price range.

I would not get a f150 or bronco unless a amazing deal fell in your lap or it was from someone you know and you can be sure it was cared for like a family member neighbor etc. Same with the K5 blazer or jimmy. Granted they have the cool factor of being able to pop the top like a bronco. but they are all gas hogs compared to the xj and yota, and kinda wide for wheeling allot of trails.

 

[90Blue_XJ]

Thanks for the help guys, you're persuading me more and more. Are Xj's reliable even with high mileage? I only have about $1,000-1,500 to spend and most of the XJ's i've found have 150,000 or more miles.

Bought my 90 with 151,000 on the clock and have wheeled it every chance I got and still use it everyday for gardening with the wife to grocery getter to remodeling the kitchen. It gets used and sitting on my back lot is a Chevy Z71 which has always been in and out of the shop and has less than 120,000 on its clock. So you decide which way I would lean!!!

 

[CheapXJ]

XJ all the way.

it will be the most reliable thing you've EVER driven, you can beat it like a redheaded stepchild and it will look at you and say "thank you sir may I have another"

 

[JeepDawg]

What are your collective thoughts on the 4.0/ax-15 combo? Seems most people like the AW4....but I prefer manual transmissions. Is this combo just a reliable?