Good Deal for an UPGRADE

Currently own a 1987 Wagoneer Limited (renix). I have done some mods to "open loop" the cooling and have a new radiator and a few other things. No lift or anything. But this model has a Dana 44 rear end.


I have the opportunity to purchase a 1992 Cherokee (do not know the trim package yet) for about 1/2 of blue book. I has new tires and "low miles"


MY QUESTION: What are the significant upgrades/differences between these two years?

I could buy it and sell my other one fairly easy since I would be able to sell it cheap.

thank you,

Dave.

via google:
http://jeephorizons.com/tech/xjstockspecs.html

Great link !! Thanks alot!

Dave.

the buy, fix, resell and repeat method is great. i have done it in the past with a jeep cherokee and a few other vehicles/ items.
unfortunately i personally wouldn't do it in todays market, especially with an SUV, the line for profit is slim, and you may not come out on top.
of course you are potentially getting a set of tires out of the deal, but still...
think about it carefully, and think about the amount of time, money etc you have to put in to resell at a higher price.
plan it out, and if you cant make money, or break even, then i wouldnt go for it, if you think you can atleast break even then go for it.

I am looking at keeping the '92 and selling the '87.

since I think I can get the '92 for $1000 which is 1/2 Blue Book.....I can sell the '87 for $1000 and get the newer/lower mileage/non-renix as a trade up.........if I can sell the '87 for $1200 all the better.

I appreciate the input.

Thanks,
Dave.

cj5wagomando said:

.... and get the newer/lower mileage/non-renix as a trade up.........

Click to expand...

-- newer is fairly irrelevant when you are considering twenty year old vehicles with different owners (I've seen five year old cars with more abuse than anything I've owned)

-- I don't have the benefit of knowing the mileage of the '92 (or yours, for that matter), so I can't tell you if it's better in that respect.

-- any of the engine management systems can be seen as an "up-grade" from the others depending on what you are comfortable working with. A DVOM is just as easy to use as a code reader or an OBD-I reader, but whatever YOU are most comfortable using will be an "up-grade."

I'd test drive the '92 and see if it is really better (lower mileage and cleaner than the '87) and decide if I really think it will outlast the '87. If it seems more solid and runs better, I'd swap the D44 into it and sell the '87 with the D35 in her. Most people looking for a 20+ year old vehicle aren't buying it for the rear axle (unless you plan to sell it on )

Thanks again for the input....

1987 = 195,000 miles -torn seats

1992 = 115,000 miles -no tears in seats

The '92 is owned by an aquaintence of mine. He is the second owner and this is one of his many cars.

I do like the idea of switching the rear ends. I have quite a few D44s around my house in my other jeeps....

I am going to go get a look at it in a couple hours.

Dave.

I will stick with my '87 Wagoneer Limited.

The '92 Cherokee is a base model.

'92 may be in better condition but it is not better enough to justify the work involved for purchase/sale/parts swapping....



Dave.

if your wagoneer is in great shape, you would be stupid to get the 92, the reason I say this is because waggys are rare and you dont see them anymore plus you have the dana 44 rearend. For a couple hundred bucks you can go steal the upper part of the engine off of a newer xj and get rid of the Renix system and for not much more you can switch out the radiators and get rid of the pressure bottle. Max $300-400 you fix almost all the problems with the older xj and you have a unique ride. Just my 2 cents anyway