Thinking of an XJ

My wife has grown attached to a solar yellow XJ and wants to trade her 01 4.7L WJ for it.

All I know about it so far is it has the D35 rear.

Is there a D44 option? What should I specifically look for in this one?

It's either a 99 or an 00 sport


Thanks.

Unless there is something wrong with the WJ why not have it custom painted solar yellow ? I've started seeing some WJ's worked over, one local one here has done D60's front and rear, 6" lift. Add nice suspension seats, go to town.

JeepTraveler said:

My wife has grown attached to a solar yellow XJ and wants to trade her 01 4.7L WJ for it.

All I know about it so far is it has the D35 rear.

Is there a D44 option? What should I specifically look for in this one?

It's either a 99 or an 00 sport


Thanks.

Click to expand...

Solar Yellow was only offered in '01 (else my '00 would probably BE S/Y. )

IIRC, the D35 is an indicator of ABS brakes (my non-ABS '00 has the 8.25). I don't believe the D44 was available anymore.

By this late date, the XJ's options-list was pruned pretty bare. Once you selected the model (I think Solar Yellow was only on Sports), there were only a handful of individual options (ABS, Upcountry suspension, tow package, alarm system, stereos, Selec-Trac full-time 4wd, etc.). Almost all Sports had a "Value Package" that gave you $2000+ in options for "free" (power windows/locks, keyless entry, A/C, sunscreen glass, AM/FM/cass 4-speaker stereo, floor mats, etc).

When negotiating the deal, remember this: a V8 WJ stickered for AT LEAST six or seven grand more than a loaded XJ. (XJ topped out at $24k, WJ started at about $28k.... $30+ for V8).

Den

2000 has the DIS- Direct Ignition System, no distributor. They Dana 44's only came in the mid-late 80's on specific packages. There was the possibility of the Chrysler 8.25, but if you have ABS, you got the 35. If it is a 2000 most likely has the Low Pinion from Dana 30. 99's are thought from various reasons to be one of the best years. I have a 2000 with 140K on it and it runs good, only problem was the AC compressor and the Fuel Pump.

I agree with RichP. Unless there is some big problem with the Grand why not just paint it. You are going to take a big loss financially most likely trading down in year and model.

I think WJ's look good when repainted Yellow, visit http://jeeparena.net then click on modifications, and then the "Cliffhanger Makeover". That has pictures of the entire process of repainting the WJ from black to Yellow. Its a pretty good looking Jeep.

I agree with RichP and Steelerfan, why lose all the money in that WJ when it would only cost a couple hundred tops to repaint your WJ. A happy wife makes a happy husband but a few thousand dollars can make the husband unhappy real quick

Plain and simple, you will take a beating on the WJ. Go whole hog and get a super custom paint job with some custom graphics thrown in, killer wheels and tires, bumpers, good set of fogs and driving, lift kit maybe for bigger tires. Built WJ's are still pretty rare and will be for another couple of years till they start getting in the used market of lower prices.

Steelerfan said:

I agree with RichP. Unless there is some big problem with the Grand why not just paint it. You are going to take a big loss financially most likely trading down in year and model.

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Most likely. NADA indicates we are ok, but you know the dealerships always offer 50% NADA values.

The one she has her eye on is Solar Yellow, so that makes it an '01. It's listed at $7995. Although I only have two years of payments left on the WJ, I got into it with Chrysler financing at 1.9%. However, we were pretty bad off with the minivan we traded in.

She is just picturing going from $600+ payments a month to $175/month for 'buttercup' ~ yes, she has already named it.

My DD is an '04TJ so it has the same engine. I've had an 89XJ and an 85XJ previously, but never did anything with them.

at least the xj has a 4.0. repairs can get expensive when the 4.7 starts to fail, like when you have the not too rare valve guide problem and have to replace a cylinder head for about $500.00 plus labor to reseat all the valves. there are a lot less driveability concerns with the 4.0's

went and checked it out - It's been somewhat abused. an '01 with 95k on it.

I think its too small to be a family car though.

Do like the looks of those lifted WJ's..

Yeah, doing a small lift on a WJ is super cheap as well, 2.5" BB lift for $150 (To actually make it work off-road and not just on the street you would need bumpstop extensions and shocks etc, which would make it more expensive).

check out www.nagca.com/forum for more info, and use the search before posting or they will flame you .

JeepTraveler said:

The one she has her eye on is Solar Yellow, so that makes it an '01. It's listed at $7995.

Click to expand...

SH*T!

The local dealers list an "asking price" for their off-lease '01s of at least
$14k... some closer to $16k! Inflated for sure... but an idea of what kind
of deal yours is.

I just bought out the end of my lease on my '00 for $8800. (I had an 18-
month extension on the 3-year lease... to 54months/54k). Even THAT was
a bit more than I wanted to pay... but I know its history... from the 3-day/
7-mile mark til' the present. (I ordered it... so I got it just a couple days
after it rolled off the assembly line!).

But... looking at your next post, I see the high mileage. You'll have to
come up with your own idea of "abused". 95k is well over double the
"typical" mileage... but still quite young by XJ standards. With that
kind of mileage (30k/yr) it's almost gotta be all highway miles. It should
really be in close to the same shape as most other '01s.

It'll definitely be smaller than the WJ... most XJ's are! That's a whole
different kind of decision to make! I love the maneuverability of the
XJ... but I have another car to haul people in... !!

Den