thinking of purchasing a cherokee4x4(non grand) for a 3rd vehicle

[spaceman]

ive always liked the reg cherokees/wagoneers.
my friends have had them.
they are a dime a dozen on the market right now, and i am just curious on what they are prone to?
i like the space and the flat long roof, perfect fishing vehicle.
not looking to offroad in it, it will be the winter beater/rec vehicle.
any typical problems?
i'll likely go with a manual.

 

[Q]

I heard Jeeps break down a lot/cost a lot repair wise, but then again I know s*** about cars

 

[PClark99]

undersized brake rotors that warp.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Quintox
I heard Jeeps break down a lot/cost a lot repair wise, but then again I know s*** about cars

Wrong

Originally posted by: PClark99
undersized brake rotors that warp.

Wrong

There are really no major trouble spots on the Cherokees after they switched to the 4.0L. Stay away from the old GM 2.8L V6 or the 4 cylinders (extremely rare). Parts are plentiful since it shares hardware with other Jeep vehicles. About the worst thing about them is the gas mileage and the noisy engine.

 

[lurk3r]

Repairs can be a bit expensive if something with the 4wd goes out, but generally its one of the best strongest vehicles out there. I nearly cried when they discontinued the model. If you don't plan to offroad it, the grand might be a better choice though,

iirc the grands got a fulltime awd system and the cherokees had a the transfer case (selectable 2/4wd with a low range).

Of course thats bound to change model to model, you can tell easily by looking for the 'extra' gear shift and seeing if there is a 4L/4H/2H selection. (You don't want this unless you plan to offroad)

Its entirely possible one year had crappy rotors, thats a very easy after market fix.

Of course this vehicle has a higher chance that it was beaten hard, so have it checked out by someone you trust. You don't want one that some kid's taken curb hopping.

 

[phreaqe]

i had both a cherokee and a grand cherokee and i loved the cherokee more then the grand. it was a 1992 with only 100,000 miles on it. the only reason i had to get rid of it was a stupid women blew a stop sign, hit me a totaled it. the only problems i had with that car were age related. things started to break due to being over 15 years old towards the end. i would love to get another one if they still made them. the vehicle felt light and nimble to me and was very good in the winter except for lacking ABS. but i am guessing new models have that. i loved the car and would recomend you get one in a heartbeat. Its a perfect car for what you described.

 

[krunchykrome]

I had a 92 Cherokee Sport. I loved that thing.

What I WILL own someday as a fun weekend car is a Grand Wagoneer, or as many call them "Woody"

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: lurk3r
Repairs can be a bit expensive if something with the 4wd goes out, but generally its one of the best strongest vehicles out there. I nearly cried when they discontinued the model. If you don't plan to offroad it, the grand might be a better choice though,

iirc the grands got a fulltime awd system and the cherokees had a the transfer case (selectable 2/4wd with a low range).

Of course thats bound to change model to model, you can tell easily by looking for the 'extra' gear shift and seeing if there is a 4L/4H/2H selection. (You don't want this unless you plan to offroad)

Its entirely possible one year had crappy rotors, thats a very easy after market fix.

Of course this vehicle has a higher chance that it was beaten hard, so have it checked out by someone you trust. You don't want one that some kid's taken curb hopping.

Rotors were a problem on the Grand Cherokee. The Grand weighs a fair amount more than the Cherokee and yet they all shared rotors (with the Wrangler, as well).

Cherokees have two different transfer cases, 231 and 242. The 231 is a part-time transfer case, so you must stop to shift it to 4wd and you should only drive it on slippery surfaces. The 242 is a full time transfer case, so you can drive it on dry surfaces as the transfer case does not lock the driveshafts while in FT mode. There is also a PT mode on the 242 (like the 231). Both are good transfer cases and they are dirt cheap.

BTW, the transmissions is pretty much bullet proof as well. It an Aisin Warner AW4 and it is very closely related to the A340, which is the transmission used in many Toyota vehicles at the time

 

[Bignate603]

I had a '93 cherokee, it was a blast. I would still be driving it if somebody hadn't stole it and crashed it. I'm going to get a another one as soon as I can afford it. They do rust, but they'll keep on going. The only problem that the rust caused was a hole in the fuel tank... It took $100 including parts (junk yard tank) to fix it. VERY cheap parts, used parts are plentiful and new parts are available everywhere.

I bought my '93 for $2000. In the 2 years I owned it I only put in $400 of maintenance, including oil changes. Even after it was wrecked I got $1000 when I parted it out. That made the total cost of ownership a crazy $58 a month. Hard to beat that.

 

[Throckmorton]

Read these forums...

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=114
http://naxja.org/forum/


...you'll get useful info and you will want to offroad. I don't see why you wouldn't either. The Northeast has a lot of trails doesn't it? You could see some great country just by going up some old trails.


I just got mine 3 weeks ago. It gets 19mpg mixed, probably over 20 if I go 65 on the highway. It also handles well... Amazingly well. I kind of want to autocross to see how it does. Should be a reliable vehicle. They last forever, especially the 4.0L.


Edit: About the transfer cases, if I were you I'd get the 242 since you live in Massachusetts. Full time 4wd is good for snow. Mine is a 231 and I'm wondering if I should swap the tcase if I move West.

 

[dandragonrage]

The main problem with Cherokees (and all Chrysler trucks) are the automatic transmissions, so you're a bit safer if it's a manual.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: dandragonrage
The main problem with Cherokees (and all Chrysler trucks) are the automatic transmissions, so you're a bit safer if it's a manual.

Again, don't talk trash unless you know what you are talking trash about. The transmission in the Cherokee is pretty much as bulletproof as the engine. F

 

[dandragonrage]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: dandragonrage
The main problem with Cherokees (and all Chrysler trucks) are the automatic transmissions, so you're a bit safer if it's a manual.

Again, don't talk trash unless you know what you are talking trash about. The transmission in the Cherokee is pretty much as bulletproof as the engine. F

I do know what I'm talking about. I've got a truck with the 42RE. The governor pressure sensor is very problematic on that entire series.

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: dandragonrage

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: dandragonrage
The main problem with Cherokees (and all Chrysler trucks) are the automatic transmissions, so you're a bit safer if it's a manual.

Again, don't talk trash unless you know what you are talking trash about. The transmission in the Cherokee is pretty much as bulletproof as the engine. F

I do know what I'm talking about. I've got a truck with the 42RE. The governor pressure sensor is very problematic on that entire series.

You don't know what you're talking about. The Cherokee 4.0 engine was backed by the AW4 transmission from 1987 until its retirement in 2001. The 42RE never showed up in the normal cherokee, though it was used in the grand cherokee.

The AW-4 is a solid transmission. I had it in mine and I loved it. It's very highly thought of in the jeep community and has a very good track record for reliability.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: dandragonrage

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: dandragonrage
The main problem with Cherokees (and all Chrysler trucks) are the automatic transmissions, so you're a bit safer if it's a manual.

Again, don't talk trash unless you know what you are talking trash about. The transmission in the Cherokee is pretty much as bulletproof as the engine. F

I do know what I'm talking about. I've got a truck with the 42RE. The governor pressure sensor is very problematic on that entire series.

That is great, but it has nothing to do with the Cherokee.

 

[Xyclone]

We rented a 2007 Jeep Liberty and it was quite the shitbox. Gas guzzler, low on power, small, extremely unrefined interior, etc. I'm sure Jeep's are great for offroading, but since you are not looking to offroad in it, I wouldn't recommend it, unless you absolutely need the 4x4 capability.

 

[IronWing]

OP, how tall are you? The regular Cherokee doesn't have much headroom.

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: Xyclone
We rented a 2007 Jeep Liberty and it was quite the shitbox. Gas guzzler, low on power, small, extremely unrefined interior, etc. I'm sure Jeep's are great for offroading, but since you are not looking to offroad in it, I wouldn't recommend it, unless you absolutely need the 4x4 capability.

How does a vehicle that was discontinued in 2001 have much to do with a 2007 model?

 

[dandragonrage]

Touche. My mistake.

 

[spaceman]

Originally posted by: ironwing
OP, how tall are you? The regular Cherokee doesn't have much headroom.

im 5 foot nothing.😀..well 5 6"(generously)
yes there are trails out here and lots of mountains where i live.
my tacoma is a 4x4, and i live at ~1000ft above sea level.
roads can get really nasty here come winter i want to have another 4x4 on hand for the ole lady(we got rid of the wrx and bought a new civic for her dd/commuter) there are some days you wont be able to get out of our driveway w/o 4wd. on those days and others she can take either the taco or cherokee and we can leave the civic parked.

i dont care much for the grand cherokee, i know many people who have had them and had issues.
i always loved the regular cherokees, for pure utility purposes.
if i had my druthers i'd like get a forester for similar layout reasons, but i'd be look at spending 2x-3x as much for one in similar condition to what i could find a regular cherokee for.
the long flat roof on those is perfect for cartopping my jon boats and canoes,+ i can mount a rod rack to the inner roof .
fuel economy is of little concern as i likely will be only putting 2-3k tops on the cherokee per year.

 

[Bignate603]

It sounds like a cherokee would work out well for you then. I will admit that the interiors are usually pretty utilitarian, but as a utility vehicle for what you want they should work well.

Here's a few things to look for when you go looking at these cherokees...
1. Crawl underneath and check all the seals. A rear main seal on the engine (where the engine connects to the transmission) isn't uncommon. It's not the end of the world if it looks a bit oily and most high mileage cherokees will look a bit wet but you don't want it dripping.
2. Make sure it shifts into 4 wheel drive. Fixing it can be as simple as fixing the shifter linkage or tracking down a bad vacuum line but it can be annoying. With so many on the market just move on to one that works.
3. It's an old jeep, the more electrical gizmos, the more likely something won't work. Remember, this is at least a 7 year old vehicle. Wear and tear can cause a few gremlins, so check everything. If something doesn't work that you really care about just move on to the next one.
4. '91 and earlier used a wiring harness that has been known to fail. Expensive to replace and kind of dangerous when it goes, so stay away. '97 and later is probably your best bet, it's got the nicest interior and should have the lowest miles.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
It sounds like a cherokee would work out well for you then. I will admit that the interiors are usually pretty utilitarian, but as a utility vehicle for what you want they should work well.

Here's a few things to look for when you go looking at these cherokees...
1. Crawl underneath and check all the seals. A rear main seal on the engine (where the engine connects to the transmission) isn't uncommon. It's not the end of the world if it looks a bit oily and most high mileage cherokees will look a bit wet but you don't want it dripping.
2. Make sure it shifts into 4 wheel drive. Fixing it can be as simple as fixing the shifter linkage or tracking down a bad vacuum line but it can be annoying. With so many on the market just move on to one that works.
3. It's an old jeep, the more electrical gizmos, the more likely something won't work. Remember, this is at least a 7 year old vehicle. Wear and tear can cause a few gremlins, so check everything. If something doesn't work that you really care about just move on to the next one.
4. '91 and earlier used a wiring harness that has been known to fail. Expensive to replace and kind of dangerous when it goes, so stay away. '97 and later is probably your best bet, it's got the nicest interior and should have the lowest miles.

The 4.0 will leak from the rear main, it's a fact of life. I would suggest not even worrying about it. I have done a couple with friends on their Jeeps and we have always ended up with bigger leaks afterwards, so I never bothered. Both of my 4.0s weeped a bit, no drips, though.

Electrical problems wont be too big of a deal since there aren't many electronics on an XJ. :laugh:

I would definately stick with a 97+, though. Prices are comparable between the 87-96 and 97+, so there isn't much reason not to. If I were you, I'd hold out for a 2 door 5 speed, but those are shockingly rare.

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82


The 4.0 will leak from the rear main, it's a fact of life. I would suggest not even worrying about it. I have done a couple with friends on their Jeeps and we have always ended up with bigger leaks afterwards, so I never bothered. Both of my 4.0s weeped a bit, no drips, though.

Electrical problems wont be too big of a deal since there aren't many electronics on an XJ. :laugh:

I would definately stick with a 97+, though. Prices are comparable between the 87-96 and 97+, so there isn't much reason not to. If I were you, I'd hold out for a 2 door 5 speed, but those are shockingly rare.

One of my buddys has a '98 that the rear main seal just went out on to the point of leaving oil drops all over his garage. Most I've seen are always a bit wet, but dripping in my opinion isn't something you want in a vehicle your buying. Just move on to the next one.

I've seen a few of the more loaded versions of the XJ with interior power packages, even back into the early '90's. I agree though, in general the XJ avoids most of the electrical problems that plagued the grand cherokee just because its simpler.

 

[Saga]

The only comment I have on this is the following. Think very hard about any jeep you have ever seen broken down on the side of the road. I live in Nebraska, where there are probably 10x more trucks, SUV's, and Jeeps than cars. In my entire life, I can NEVER remember seeing a Wrangler broken down on the side of the road. But plently of Cherokee and Grand Cherokee's come to mind as having been left on the side of the road.

Actually. Driving home last night from a post 4th party was a good example, I saw two of them broken down on my 12 mile trek. (Granted, it's possible they could also have been retards caught driving drunk and hauled to jail, but the vehicles were on the side of the road abandoned regardless)

 

[JulesMaximus]

They are prone to extremely poor gas mileage and poor build quality/reliability.

YMMV on the latter but definitely not on the former.