1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport or not?

I am looking at buying a red 1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport. The funny thing is that the guy selling claims to know Jeeps and wheels and he said that it's a Sport, but it has color-keyed red bumpers and fender flares. The entire Jeep is red except for the roof rack. The Jeep also has stock lower fog lights, roof rack, power everything. It has the Chrysler 8.25 29 spline with a trailer hitch. It also has the good dash gauges (non-dummy gauges). My question is did Jeep make a Cherokee with this complete package in 97 or has this Jeep been modified after it was sold?

That combination doesn't seem impossible. Someone could have ordered the jeep from the factory as a sport and just added options. I have a 2000 sport XJ that had color matched bumpers and flares and a black roof rack so I don't see why they wouldn't have done it in '97 since they're the same body style. I've also got the full cluster. When you say power everything are you talking seats as well? I've got power windows and locks but not power seats.

sounds like when it was 'new' ,it just got 'extras' add on to it .i have a friend who's 98 sounds like yours,its a sport. but he calls it his 'sport classic'.

It doesn't have power seats actually. So these other options such as color-keyed bumpers could have been ordered from the factory in '97?

As far as I knew, 97-98 Sports came with black bumpers, flares, bumper caps, and grille. The CLASSIC came with all those painted in those 2 years. 99-01 came with painted flares, bumpers and grille, but black bumper caps.

What is it badged as? Has it been repainted or stripped of moldings/decals?

keep0njeepin0n said:

As far as I knew, 97-98 Sports came with black bumpers, flares, bumper caps, and grille. The CLASSIC came with all those painted in those 2 years. 99-01 came with painted flares, bumpers and grille, but black bumper caps.

Click to expand...

Agreed, as I remember now before I cut and folded my quarter panels the bumper endcaps were black. Now both my bumpers are black with bedliner.

When in doubt, order a build sheet:

Thank you for contacting the Chrysler Customer Assistance Center
regarding your 1990 Jeep Cherokee.

We appreciate the time and effort you took to write to us.

In response to your email concerning your request for the build sheet,
we would like to inform you that your vehicle was equipped from the
factory with the following:

Cloth Low-Back Bucket Seats
Heavy Duty Electrical Group
Sport Group
SE Decor Group
Value Plus ES Group
Monotone Paint
Visibility / Protection Group
Power Front Disc/Rear Drum Brakes
Low Back Bucket Seats
Reclining Front Seats
Rear Folding Seat
Carpets - Floor and Cargo Area
Cargo Compartment Carpet
Cargo Tie Down Loops
Spare Tire Cover
Passenger Assist Handles
Full Length Floor Console
All Manual Transmissions
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Command-Trac Part Time 4WD System
Dana M30/181MM Front Axle
3.07 Axle Ratio
175MM Rear Axle
All Engines
Tinted Windshield Glass
Front Door Tinted Glass
Front Left Side Sliding Window
Tinted Quarter Vented Glass
Rear View Day/Night Mirror
Left Remote Mirror
Right Remote Control Mirror
Manual Remote Mirrors
Heater w/Instrument Pnl Ventilation
Instrument Cluster w/Tach
85 MPH Primary Speedometer
Digital Clock
Var Intermittent Windshield Wipers
Cigar Lighter
Shift Indicator Warning Lamp
Glove Box Lamp
Halogen Headlamps
Black Front Bumper
Black Rear Bumper
Front License Plate Bracket
Black Grille
Black Windshield Moldings
Upper Door Frame Moldings
Belt Moldings

So, black bumpers aren't necessarily part of the "sport group".

joe_peters said:

So, black bumpers aren't necessarily part of the "sport group".

Click to expand...

They were in 97 and 98, which the OP was asking about his 97 with painted bumpers and moldings.

I still stand strong by what I originally said...if it came that way factory, then it's a CLASSIC, if it truly is a Sport, then it's been painted.