4runner, XJ, or a ZJ, or maybe even a wrangler

[castleman123]

Fixing to buy a new dd/trail rig, in less than a month. With a limit of $6000, and if I spent $6000, then I would have to leave it stock for awhile, unless, I bought it with some mods already done to it. Im in college, and I can only afford to have one vehicle, so it has to be good enough and reliable engough to get me around. Problem is, that there are alot of choices, and im not sure exactly what to buy.

I have a 94 XJ right now, with 31's, and a 3 inch lift. 4runners come stock with 31's right? So that would mean it would sit just as high as my jeep does right now stock. correct?

I used to hate ZJ's but now I kinda liking them, but I was wonderin how good they are on the trail. I know the transfer case is junk, so that would be one of the first things I would have replaced.

and i know almost nothin about wranglers.

I need somethin that would be reliable, fairly cheap to fix when it breaks, and has good and cheap upgrades. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[castleman123]

Also, it looks like to me, that ZJ's sit higher stock than XJ's, true or not?

[RichP]

Your last sentence says it all, wrangler upgrades are about half of XJ upgrades as far as cost, as far as simplicity the TJ can't be beat. We just rebuilt my sons after he rolled it back in january. Everything bolts on, we had to replace his windshield frame, grill, fender, hood, rear tailgate, soft top, factory roll bar setup and mirrors. We also added a 4.5" lift that we got used from someone who went higher, new shocks, 1" body lift. This was the first time I ever did that much of a rebuild in many years and it came out really well.
An example of cost was the warn front bumper, for the TJ that bumper cost me $205, the XJ version is over $400, the TJ one bolted up in 4 minutes :D
We have two TJ's and one XJ, they both serve well and I like both but I also like going topless and door less which is impractical on the XJ...

Toyota stuff is expensive as soon as you talk lift.

Now if you really want a ZJ a club member here is selling his and it's been in some magazines, is well setup and well maintained. George is selling his here (http://www.bmja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8421)

[castleman123]

yeah that would be cool, to own, but a little out of my price range, unfortunatley

[rockwerks]

If you go to a GSA auction you should be able to buy a 96 or newer XJ for around 4000. with low miles. I just bought an 01 for 8000.

a 4 runner of any quality will be 2 times as much in initial cost as a comperable xj. a ZJ about 1/3rd more than an xj. Also toyota maintance costs are about 2 times that of an xj also.

If you can spare the room and dont mind a few creature comforts the TJ is always a good choice. The shorter wheelbase is a disadvantage ofer an xj. but I do like the convertable top!

[castleman123]

i found some good 4runners for around $6k near where i live, and my roommate has one so he could help me work on it if somethin breaks. and they have more leg room in back.

but i kinda like the xjs cause there smaller, the other day it stormed here, and there was a big tree down in the road, but i was still barley able to drive under it. if i had had a 4.5 inch lift and bigger tires i never would have made it under, and would have drove 30 minutes to get to the trail for nothin, cause i had forgotten my axe.

arent tj lifts expensive? maybe im wrong. I like the thought of being able to go topless, and im in the process of takin the doors of my xj.

i would only buy a zj if i could find one for cheap, and i would like it to be lifted already.

also does anybody know any good websites to loof for jeeps that are for sale, and also has anybody bought one off ebay?

[rockwerks]

i found some good 4runners for around $6k near where i live, and my roommate has one so he could help me work on it if somethin breaks. and they have more leg room in back.

but i kinda like the xjs cause there smaller, the other day it stormed here, and there was a big tree down in the road, but i was still barley able to drive under it. if i had had a 4.5 inch lift and bigger tires i never would have made it under, and would have drove 30 minutes to get to the trail for nothin, cause i had forgotten my axe.

arent tj lifts expensive? maybe im wrong. I like the thought of being able to go topless, and im in the process of takin the doors of my xj.

i would only buy a zj if i could find one for cheap, and i would like it to be lifted already.

also does anybody know any good websites to loof for jeeps that are for sale, and also has anybody bought one off ebay?

One thing to remember the yotas have a low slung TC and longer wheelbase so a 3" lifted cherokee on 31"s has the same BOA (break over angle) and a $ runner with 6" of lift and 33's.

[castleman123]

yeah thanks. i didnt think about that.

Ill probably go with another xj, and just buy some good shocks and hope that that will improve the ride. unless i find a zj or tj thats in good condtion for cheap. plus i love the way my xj handles and steers. I think another xj, with alot better shocks, and a gear change to try and get back some power, and maybe a kn and filter. will be good. plus xjs so cheap and plentiful. and u can put them threw hell and they still run.

also out of curisity does anyone know what size lift and tires is the most common on the jeepspeed rigs. i would love to do somethin like that, but live to far away from where they do that at, so im just curious about.

[rockwerks]

4."5 to 6" lifts many use the 4.5 Rubicon Express super ride or super flex kits,

and 33" tires

[castleman123]

cool thanks for the help again

[castleman123]

ok how about this. with a 4.5 inch lift on a mid 90's xj, how long could it be driven without an SYE, I would eventually put one in as i got more money. And at first most of the use from this xj would be around town. so it would see just very light offroading. maybe just some little mud puddles, and a few small rocks, and logs, incase i wanted to drive it somewhere to go fishing. Just wonderin if it would still be ok to drive it like this for a couple of months until i got some more money to buy an SYE. Cause i could still use my old xj to go offroadin in. and im thinkin of using a 4.5 inch lift from rustys for money reasons.

[nitrogt101]

Maybe I missed something, but whats wrong with the xj you have now? Unless your next one will be newer or have something this doesnt have, why not just spend the $6k and make your current jeep more drivable(comfortable)?

And as far as TJ lifts go, they're generally cheaper than xj's. They have coils all the way around, which means no expensive leafs to buy.

Just throwing out ideas before you commit your money. :lecture:

[castleman123]

well the one i have now, is kind of a piece of junk, it needs some motor work done, but it still runs. Body is pretty beat up and and scrathced and dinged. Also there are huge scratch marks all the way down both sides from tree limbs. The interior is pretty rough now, and the front end needs some work done to it. The front end is vibrating around 45-55 or so, and also it kind of slopes to one side. It would take alot of money to fix all the things that are wrong with it. And I couldnt sell it for very much. So I just decided that I would keep it, and play with it as long as I could.

Iwant a new XJ, that I can build on, one, that is in better condition, to take girls on dates, and to go to job interviews, and nice restaurants and stuff. I don't mind the one I have now so much for myself, but girls arent a big fan of it, u know how most girls are. And it would be nice to not have to drive a beat up piece of junk around town, and to stores and stuff. Plus the one I have now is just pretty destroyed. It was my first car, and I just drove it like hell. I wish I hadnt of now, cause I could use all this money to make a really nice cherokee. But I just think this one is not worth spending so much money on.

[Lawn Cher']

How about a nice little fuel efficient car?

[Ramsey]

4runner junk because it has ifs, zjs are pos's based on my experience with them. cant go wrong with a xj or tj

[castleman123]

Wheres the fun in that. Plus I do plan to buy a nice little car next year, but for now, I wanna make a better XJ to drive. Cause the gas mileage on the XJ's suck. But I can only afford insurance for one car. And my current jeep is tagged, and i plan on driving it to trails, and the rvier nearby my house, without insurance, and I figure as long as I drive correctly there wont be any problem.

[Lawn Cher']

Now that's smart. :rolleyes:

[castleman123]

but yes, i do plan to buy another vehicle to go offroading in for now, and to use as my dd.

[Atl XJ]

I've been i this boat recently trying to find somthing cheap for my brother in law who was in the same price range. Around here you will not find a TJ in that price range or a 4Runner unless it has a million miles on it. Both of them hold their value like gold around here. Don't get a ZJ, they are very unreliable. If you did for some reason have your heart set on one get one with the 242 transfer case and the 4.0l--that will eliminate half of you problems. Out of what you mentioned that leaves you with the XJ and you can get a pretty nice XJ for $6000.

My brother in law ended up with a nice low mileage 95 Pathfinder. I like it alot other than the fact that its underpowered compared to my XJ but most SUVs are. They're about the same powerwise as a 4Runner or 4.0l ZJ. I think he only paid $5000 for it. They're great vehicles too and in my experience (Ive owned a few of them) Nissans don't cost very much to maintain.