buying 87 chief

A friend of mine has found an 1987 Cherokee Chief for sale and haggled the guy down to $400. I said I'd check it out to make sure there isn't anything hugely wrong with it. According to the owner the starter is bad but it drove before the starter died. I figure I can try to get a start out of the starter using the hammer technique, then I can take it for a drive. If I can't get it started, I guess I'll just check the fluids, and suspension parts for anything out of place, along with any major rust problems.

Hopefully I can get it started and do a good check on it, but if I can't, what do you guys recommend? I'm not too familiar with Jeeps but I know a decent amount about cars in general. Thanks

standard things really. Take a jack and jack up the front end, see if the wheels wobble, if so then look at the upper and lower balljoints and the wheel bearings.
Pull up some of the carpet, look for moisture and rust.Rust hole on the passenger side above the cat is common.
Just look through the archives for a week or so and you'll see all the things I've mentioned. I think there's about a thread a day about pulling up the carpet and seeing rust.
I myself bought an 87 with bad wheel bearings, so I wish I had thought to check them before hand. Now it's gonna cost me almost $200 in wheel hubs.

It's highly unlikely you'll get another start out of it with a hammer, but good luck trying. Just give it a thorough inspection with the MK-I hairy eyeball, and make a decision. The '87 vintage should be good for well over 200,000 miles with routine maintenance. My '88 is at 253,000 and I just spoke with a guy who has (he says) over 600,000 on his.

Thanks, If I can't get it to start and the fluids are new, I'll probably tell him to forget it because he's probably hiding something.

an 87 should have a 4.0 right?

87 was the first year for the 4.0. It will be a Renix system.

The last 87 I bought I parted it out for over $1100, something to think about.