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Jeep Cherokee as First Car ***OP EDITED***

roguerower

roguerower

Diamond Member
I'm wrapping up my senior year of college and will be moving on to my 5th year and then a job. I've been using the family cars since I started driving (first a beat dodge neon, then a hatchback ford focus), all of which have been great cars, but since I will be moving soon (who knows where) I want to get something a bit more larger and more made for the outdoors so I can carry my gear (hiking/camping, kayaking, biking)

This is why I settled on the Cherokee. I've loved the look of Jeeps for a while (at least the Wrangler and Cherokee) and while a wrangler is nice, it doesn't have a lot of space. They also run forever from what I've heard, so long as they are well maintained.

Any light to be shed on the subject by AT?

***EDIT***

I found these on CL
Link
Link
Link

***EDIT 5/31***
How about this one?
Link - 249k miles on it but has had a lot of new work done on it since being bought by seller - got off phone w/ seller, going to look at it and take for a test drive tomorrow
Link 2
 
Find a 4.0

that's my only suggestion... your house will have been eroded away into the nearest body of water before that engine destroys itself.
 
New, used? Chrysler is dead/dying, and although Jeep will likely be scooped up and live on, it will probably go through significant design/drivetrain changes, probably for the better.

Budget estimate would be muy helpful here. If you're going to put this through some serious off-road usage and some hard playing, used might make more financial sense.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/...st=1460&standard=false

$5k, less than 60k miles, 4x4, 4.0L 6-cylinder, classic Jeep styling, practical.
 
Oh, it will definitely be used. I'm looking for one for less than $2.5k that I can run into the ground and it'll still tick. I really don't like the new designs that jeep has been coming out with since the liberty and them discontinuing the cherokee really pissed me off...they look so much like every other manufacturer. In cap...

Used
<$3k, preferably $2.5
In Virginia for Summer so within 300mi is acceptable but not until July or so
 
Ah. Well as said above, the 4.0 is the motor you want, I'd look for one that's running smooth (obviously) with as few miles as possible. With your price range, you may have to make a few concessions, the 4x4 models command a premium, as do ones that are cosmetically intact. Ideal would be one that has some scratches and dents, but low miles and mechanically solid, sold for a discount. Expensive things on Jeeps are working on the differentials and transmissions, the motors themselves are pretty tough, but the rest of the vehicle may merit attention.

EDIT : This is a good example of something to look into : http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/...st=1262&standard=false
 
Another question. Some of these are manual and some are automatic, but the manuals are very hard to find. Is there a tried and true preference?
 
Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
Find a 4.0

that's my only suggestion... your house will have been eroded away into the nearest body of water before that engine destroys itself.
Click to expand...

This. Don't get the 4 cylinder. It's lacking in power and not as reliable. You'll be looking at around 20 mpg on the highway, but going with the 4 banger for better gas mileage is a poor trade off.

When you're looking at jeeps realize one thing, a small leak on the rear main seal of the engine is very normal. You may see it look wet but this is pretty typical. For some reason the I6 engines always leak just a little bit when they get old. They'll do this for 10+ years without it ever being an issue.

Around 100k cherokees usually need a radiator. They used plastic tanks on the side and after about 100k the plastic tanks begin to leak a bit. These are cheap to replace and can easily be done yourself in an afternoon. With the way the cooling system is on the cherokee you'll want to get the OEM radiator or better. Don't go with a cheap aftermarket one, it's a good way to overheat your jeep.

'97 and later have better interior and while I don't think you'll be looking at anything this old for a daily driver I would steer clear of '91 and earlier unless you're replacing the fuel injectors. There is a known issue where they can start leaking a bit over time and can end badly if you ignore it.

Besides that, that drivetrain really didn't change that much. The AW4 automatic is overbuilt for something as small as a cherokee. While they did offer an AWD transfercase for the cherokee my preference is the normal 4wd transfer case. It's less complicated and will last longer.

For a point of reference I just bought my '97 cherokee country for $3k about 6 months ago. It has about 100k on the odometer and runs great.

Now, all these vehicles are at least 8 years old or older so you need to be prepared to deal with the issues that may come along with an older used car before it will be perfect. When I got mine I had to fix some oil seepage from the adapter for the oil filter and do the radiator. The gasket for the oil filter was a few bucks and the radiator was just over $200 I think. Even with that cost factored in though I still got a great deal on a solid vehicle.
 
Originally posted by: roguerower
Another question. Some of these are manual and some are automatic, but the manuals are very hard to find. Is there a tried and true preference?
Click to expand...

The auto is arguably the stronger of the two transmissions if you're going to abuse it. Both are good.
 
Also, Grand Cherokee is larger if you want. Things I would look for is rust everywhere and drivetrain problems. The transfer case and axels on Jeeps aren't really heavy duty because there isn't enough space. Though I never owned one.
 
Originally posted by: SonicIce
Also, Grand Cherokee is larger if you want. Things I would look for is rust everywhere and drivetrain problems. The transfer case and axels on Jeeps aren't really heavy duty because there isn't enough space. Though I never owned one.
Click to expand...

Maybe if you're comparing them to fullsize trucks but the wrangler and non-grand cherokee are plenty strong for their size. The NP231 transfer case that you'll see on practically every 4x4 non-grand cherokee (was used after '87 and the only other one offered after that was the AWD case) is great even after you start abusing they jeep offroad. The axles are fine until you start putting on large tires and beating on them. While many people say the Dana 35 which is in the rear of a few cherokees (the Chrysler 8.25 is more common) and some wranglers is a bad axle it's perfectly fine if you're not being abusive. The only guy I personally know that's broken one had 35" tires on his wrangler and was trying to crawl up a 2 foot step. Even after the rear axle started eating its spider gears he was still able to drive the jeep home.

If you're planning on keeping it stock and are going to use it as a daily driver you'll never see any issues with the drive train because its over built for on road use.
 
Check the floor pan for rust, as well as the door sills. The 4.0L motor is unstoppable, as are the NP transfer cases and dana axles. I've got a 97 Grand Cherokee with a few mods.
 
Ahhh... my favorite subject. First off, go for 97+, that was the restyle and really nothing was done that was negative. Late 99s-00s have a very, very small chance of having a badly cast head that will crack. Look it up, the 0331 casting is the problem. It's rare, really, really rare, but it does happen. 2000 and up had coil packs and not a distributor, along with a few more horsies. 2000 also saw a new manual transmission, the NV3550 (unstoppable). The older manual (AX-15) was good, the oldest manual (AX-5) was garbage.

Originally posted by: Arkaign
Ah. Well as said above, the 4.0 is the motor you want, I'd look for one that's running smooth (obviously) with as few miles as possible. With your price range, you may have to make a few concessions, the 4x4 models command a premium, as do ones that are cosmetically intact. Ideal would be one that has some scratches and dents, but low miles and mechanically solid, sold for a discount. Expensive things on Jeeps are working on the differentials and transmissions, the motors themselves are pretty tough, but the rest of the vehicle may merit attention.[/L]
Click to expand...

No such thing as a smooth 4.0 😉. It will sound like a diesel engine.

The automatics and engines are bullet proof. Look for a Non-ABS model. ABS has a craptastic rear axle. The automatics are the same autos that are sound in Supras, just an FYI.

Originally posted by: Bignate603
Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
Find a 4.0

that's my only suggestion... your house will have been eroded away into the nearest body of water before that engine destroys itself.
Click to expand...

This. Don't get the 4 cylinder. It's lacking in power and not as reliable. You'll be looking at around 20 mpg on the highway, but going with the 4 banger for better gas mileage is a poor trade off.

When you're looking at jeeps realize one thing, a small leak on the rear main seal of the engine is very normal. You may see it look wet but this is pretty typical. For some reason the I6 engines always leak just a little bit when they get old. They'll do this for 10+ years without it ever being an issue.

Around 100k cherokees usually need a radiator. They used plastic tanks on the side and after about 100k the plastic tanks begin to leak a bit. These are cheap to replace and can easily be done yourself in an afternoon. With the way the cooling system is on the cherokee you'll want to get the OEM radiator or better. Don't go with a cheap aftermarket one, it's a good way to overheat your jeep.

'97 and later have better interior and while I don't think you'll be looking at anything this old for a daily driver I would steer clear of '91 and earlier unless you're replacing the fuel injectors. There is a known issue where they can start leaking a bit over time and can end badly if you ignore it.

Besides that, that drivetrain really didn't change that much. The AW4 automatic is overbuilt for something as small as a cherokee. While they did offer an AWD transfercase for the cherokee my preference is the normal 4wd transfer case. It's less complicated and will last longer.

For a point of reference I just bought my '97 cherokee country for $3k about 6 months ago. It has about 100k on the odometer and runs great.

Now, all these vehicles are at least 8 years old or older so you need to be prepared to deal with the issues that may come along with an older used car before it will be perfect. When I got mine I had to fix some oil seepage from the adapter for the oil filter and do the radiator. The gasket for the oil filter was a few bucks and the radiator was just over $200 I think. Even with that cost factored in though I still got a great deal on a solid vehicle.
Click to expand...

I personally have never seen a 4 cylinder Cherokee in person. i have read about them and seen listing, but never more than that. Radiators are not necessarily an item to replace assuming that the coolant was taken care of over the years.

Originally posted by: SonicIce
Also, Grand Cherokee is larger if you want. Things I would look for is rust everywhere and drivetrain problems. The transfer case and axels on Jeeps aren't really heavy duty because there isn't enough space. Though I never owned one.
Click to expand...

The WJ Grand Cherokee (99+) is a money pit. Poor axles, the full time transfer case (NV247) is a time bomb, and various electronic gizmos to break. There's a reason Cherokees and Grands are the same price now. 😉

Originally posted by: Bignate603
Originally posted by: SonicIce
Also, Grand Cherokee is larger if you want. Things I would look for is rust everywhere and drivetrain problems. The transfer case and axels on Jeeps aren't really heavy duty because there isn't enough space. Though I never owned one.
Click to expand...

Maybe if you're comparing them to fullsize trucks but the wrangler and non-grand cherokee are plenty strong for their size. The NP231 transfer case that you'll see on practically every 4x4 non-grand cherokee (was used after '87 and the only other one offered after that was the AWD case) is great even after you start abusing they jeep offroad. The axles are fine until you start putting on large tires and beating on them. While many people say the Dana 35 which is in the rear of a few cherokees (the Chrysler 8.25 is more common) and some wranglers is a bad axle it's perfectly fine if you're not being abusive. The only guy I personally know that's broken one had 35" tires on his wrangler and was trying to crawl up a 2 foot step. Even after the rear axle started eating its spider gears he was still able to drive the jeep home.

If you're planning on keeping it stock and are going to use it as a daily driver you'll never see any issues with the drive train because its over built for on road use.
Click to expand...

The 231 and 242 are pretty much split for Cherokees. The 8.25 will be behind every 97+ Cherokee other than those ABS models (see my comment above). I have seen D35 axles snapped on stock vehicles, FWIW.

Originally posted by: angry hampster
Check the floor pan for rust, as well as the door sills. The 4.0L motor is unstoppable, as are the NP transfer cases and dana axles. I've got a 97 Grand Cherokee with a few mods.
Click to expand...

I've never seen a floor pan go on 97+ XJ. The rocker is the place to keep an eye on.
 
they last a long time, not the most comfortable things, and really not that much more room then a jeep. in my tj and cj, i took out the back seat, and there is plenty of room. get ready for horrid gas mileage. the only thing that gets poorer gas mileage then my 4.0 jeep is my fj's 6 cylinder.
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I personally have never seen a 4 cylinder Cherokee in person. i have read about them and seen listing, but never more than that. Radiators are not necessarily an item to replace assuming that the coolant was taken care of over the years.
Click to expand...

There are a few of them around but luckily not many. From what I remember a relatively small percentage of people got them. As time goes on I think you'll see even less because the 4.0L is by far the more reliable engine.

The 231 and 242 are pretty much split for Cherokees. The 8.25 will be behind every 97+ Cherokee other than those ABS models (see my comment above). I have seen D35 axles snapped on stock vehicles, FWIW.
Click to expand...

While I don't deny it happens I really doubt anyone doing mild offroading with stock size tires will ever have an issue with a D35. From what it sounds like from the OP he's not going to be abusing this thing on the trails so I doubt he'll notice the difference.


I've never seen a floor pan go on 97+ XJ. The rocker is the place to keep an eye on.
Click to expand...

Heh, on my '93 I got rust holes so big I could stick my hand through them. The thing still ran great until somebody stole it and crashed it. :brokenheart:

My current '97 is awesome though, much nicer interior and the AC finally has a recirculating option.
 
Originally posted by: angry hampster
Originally posted by: iamwiz82

No such thing as a smooth 4.0 😉. It will sound like a diesel engine.
.
Click to expand...

Mine sounds more like an outboard boat motor:
http://smg.photobucket.com/alb...stTHISISTHELASTONE.flv


That's with a magnaflow muffler, 2.5" pipe and no cats. 🙂


edit: ROFL I just realized there's a few seconds of me screwing around at the end.
Click to expand...

My '93 was missing its cat, but that's because it rusted out and fell off on the freeway. It ran just fine with a piece of flex pipe in the there instead. 😉
 
The Cherokee design was 25+ and the motor was 40+ when they were discontinued with very little changes to either. If there was one thing AMC got right it was the Cherokee.
 
I got a '94 cherokee last year for around $3k (~book) and love it, it was in tip-top shape. The 4.0 engines will not die.

Since they are unibody, make sure it's not a rustbucket and take care of the metal, because it's not like you can replace rotted frame parts.

oddly enough, my Volvo 240 wagon had more cargo room, the cherokee is shorter in length than it, also weighs less.

Also, if you live near snow, still get snow tires in the winter. Learn to drive with the 4wd in the snow so you don't lose control. Mine is a 5-speed which I went off the road with because I was stupid to leave the clutch in on a slippery turn instead of leaving it out and letting the 4wd do it's thing.
 
I'd avoid getting one with the pressurized cooling system. Those things were a PITA. I think 91 was the last year for that.
 
Holy crap...this is a lot of great info. Iamwiz, thanks for all the advise, it's gonna take me a little while to decipher it all though. What does wj, cj, tj stand for?

The basic jist i'm getting is:
-4.0L
-1997+
-Look for rust on the frame
-Get ready for bad MPG

Questions tho...
-By ABS i'm assuming antilock brakes...why avoid that?
-Are the 3 digit numbers some sort of identifier? (i.e. 0331, 242, 231)

Thanks and keep the advice pouring in. I'll be sure to update the thread as I search and take pictures of anything i'm thinking of buying.
 
Originally posted by: roguerower
Holy crap...this is a lot of great info. Iamwiz, thanks for all the advise, it's gonna take me a little while to decipher it all though. What does wj, cj, tj stand for?

The basic jist i'm getting is:
-4.0L
-1997+
-Look for rust on the frame
-Get ready for bad MPG

Questions tho...
-By ABS i'm assuming antilock brakes...why avoid that?
-Are the 3 digit numbers some sort of identifier? (i.e. 0331, 242, 231)

Thanks and keep the advice pouring in. I'll be sure to update the thread as I search and take pictures of anything i'm thinking of buying.
Click to expand...

Bad is arguable. You will pull 20ish on the freeway. Not as bad as a few vehicles I have had 😉.

You don't want antiock brakes because the rear axle they used with them is junk. It's very light duty and with the power the 4.0 has it can snap them under the right conditions.

0331 is the casting ID for the heads of late 99 and up 4.0L engines. The early 0331s have a casting problem and can crack. It's rare but it happens.

242 and 231 are transfer case models. The 231 is a part time transfer case, its not meant for full time use and can be damaged by driving on dry pavement. 242 is a full time case and can be driven all the time. You can tell the difference by the transfer case shifter gate. If it says Full Time anywhere on it it's a 242.

I'm going to look at a 1998 tonight. 2 door 5 speed 😀
 
ZJ=the first Grand Cherokees
WJ=second Grand Cherokees
WK=the current Grand Cherokee
CJ=the older Jeeps (Civilian Jeep, ranges from CJ2 to CJ10, 8 and 10 being rather rare, 5 and 7 most common)
YJ=the wranglers with the square headlights
TJ=the newer wranglers that went back to the round headlights
JK=the current wranglers
SJ=the full size Cherokee
XJ=the later Cherokees
KJ=the first Liberty
KK=the current liberty
 
Originally posted by: roguerower
Holy crap...this is a lot of great info. Iamwiz, thanks for all the advise, it's gonna take me a little while to decipher it all though. What does wj, cj, tj stand for?

The basic jist i'm getting is:
-4.0L
-1997+
-Look for rust on the frame
-Get ready for bad MPG

Questions tho...
-By ABS i'm assuming antilock brakes...why avoid that?
-Are the 3 digit numbers some sort of identifier? (i.e. 0331, 242, 231)

Thanks and keep the advice pouring in. I'll be sure to update the thread as I search and take pictures of anything i'm thinking of buying.
Click to expand...

On my '97 with a 4.0L and an automatic I get 22 mpg if I keep it below 70 mph on the freeway. You can get ok mileage out of them if you don't get too crazy with the gas pedal. The engine has some nice torque and sometimes its hard to keep yourself from punching it just for fun. If you're getting absolutely terrible mileage it means something is wrong, its not unheard of for these cars to have bad O2 sensor that will make it run as rich as a pig. It's a cheap fix if that's the case.

On the ABS, as iamwiz has said you can only get ABS on a vehicle with a weaker axle. Personally I think for a jeep that doesn't see more than a dirt road and you aren't going to be going nuts with gas pedal it should be fine. However, if you have any thoughts about venturing offroad I'd get it without ABS because the other axle is a big step up in strength. There's some people that gut the weaker axle and replace the components to make them stronger but its just cheaper to start with the stronger axle.

My preference on the transfer case is the 231 part time case, however you shouldn't use it on dry pavement. The 242 would be nice for places that get snow because you can just put it in full time 4wd and not think about shifting back and forth as you drive between areas with snow and areas with dry pavement. However, I live in Phoenix so I don't really need to worry about that.

Also, check for any evidence of an accident. The cherokee has a flexible unibody and good hit to the rear end can bend the unibody. The damage may not be apparent until you stick your head under there. I test drove one that looked ok until I climbed underneath (check around the gas tank area). The unibody was messed up and whenever the rear suspension cycled it made a horrible groan.
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82

242 and 231 are transfer case models. The 231 is a part time transfer case, its not meant for full time use and can be damaged by driving on dry pavement. 242 is a full time case and can be driven all the time. You can tell the difference by the transfer case shifter gate. If it says Full Time anywhere on it it's a 242.

I'm going to look at a 1998 tonight. 2 door 5 speed 😀
Click to expand...

Where can I find the transfer case shifter gate? (Car newbie here)
 
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