hey guys a little help needed plz....

[gary69]

well its getting time to buy my first jeep here shortly and i do not have as much money as i would like to get a vehicle.....im only 16 and see alot of potential in these XJ's so i foiund this one for sale.

1989 CHEROKEE NEEDS WORK MANY NEW PARTS ,MUST SELL $500 OR BEST OFFER ,INSPECTED UNTIL 4/08
RUNS AND SHIFTS STRONG.NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED
http://images.craigslist.org/010106010205010301200706102e1aafe6e9fb7da4f200cdfe .jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/01010801021201030420070610e42ed4d9d50e339c8700d7e6 .jpg

so im thinking i can prolly get it for about $300-$400 and just strip the interior, herculine it, new seats from the junkyard and rebuild the engine. but im a little weary of the renix system..i have heard good and bad about it. not sure how good it is....i would like to eventually drop a stroker in it too and a nice lift....do you think this truck would be a good base?

[Matthew Currie]

The Renix system is no real problem, but when it's advertised as "needs work," you'd better find out just what work it needs. Some things are fairly cheap and routine (for example u-joints, brakes) but some things are pretty pricey. Give it a really thorough rundown, check for serious rust, serious front end problems, safety issues, etc. and if you find something specific wrong, someone here can probably tell you what you're in for in the way of labor and expense.

[sandman]

Wasn't that on pennwoods? I was eyeing that up earlier. But you're safe, I need the money for college.

From what I have heard, I would prefer a renix system. Just the lack of computers involved is nice. But, I can't say for sure since I don't own one. But you are doing the same exact thing I did a year ago, and I'm happy I did. I got one that needed work, so I got it real cheap. I learned how to do the stuff and got a better understanding of the condition of my vehicle. Plus, it was great having something cheap since the insurance is low, and you can beat the hell out of it since it didn't cost much, which is great as you need to worry more about your driving skills more than not ever getting a nick on it. And when I did get into an accident (not my fault, I swear :P ), I was able to walk away thanks to having a car with a little more meat on its bones.

Check all the fluids and look under it REAL good. Keep an eye out for floor pan rust. Good luck, and welcome to NAXJA.

[gary69]

thanks for the welcome...yeah i have some beginner fabbing skills and a welder and a shop setup in my garage so i can handle cutting out and replacing floor pans and body work and minor stuff like that, i work at an autobody shop and i have access to the downdraft paint booth and sand blasters and all that good crap...im more worried about the transfer case and transmission....i know im going to give it a good test drive but like does anyone have any pointers on what points of the jeep to pay close attention to?

[Matthew Currie]

Of course you need to look at all the usual stuff you'd look at with any vehicle, but for XJ specific things, I'd say you need to look pretty closely at the front end. Check the front wheel bearings for play and roughness (they're expensive), and the steering. Steering parts aren't too pricey one at a time, but it adds up. Make sure the track bar (panhard rod) is all right, and check the ball joints if you can. The steering box can also get pretty loose, with play developing at the output shaft.

If you're comfortable with welding and metal fabbing, then you can afford more floor rust than some people, but look especially well at the floor above the exhaust system, which often rots away. Even if you don't mind fixing it, it could be worth some bargaining power.

The seat frames often crack and come apart, but it's not too hard to weld them up.

Check the radiator fins for rot. The cooling system works well when it's all right, but can be pretty finicky, and normal operating temp is pretty hot. If the fins have started corroding out, you'll never get decent cooling.

I notice on this one that the rear wiper is missing. Usually that is accompanied by a dead or seized motor. If you want functional rear wipers this may cost you some coin. The motors are expensive.

Brakes are not terribly expensive to fix on an XJ, though early XJ ABS systems can be a pain, I hear, so I hope it's a non-ABS model. Some time after 89 there was a booster improvement. The brakes on an 89 are adequate when working well, but never much more than that. I wouldn't consider bad brakes a deal-breaker on an otherwise decent Cherokee, since they're conventional and relatively cheap to replace. Check the hard lines for rust, and the hoses for cracks, though.

[gary69]

well i got a reply from the seller, the jeep dosnt seem to be in too bad of shape at all for what the price is.... here is the reply i got.

it needs alot of little things, but it runs strong as i am telling everyone the needs work it has about 140k on it the rear hatch stopped opening one day , the trac bar recently developed a little play.the overall condition is fair but the tires are newer and that brakes have been replaced. most of the exhaust has been replaced . i cannot list everything that you are going to need as i don't know what you are looking for. the response to this add has been pretty overwhelming it you are serious it may be worth a look as it won't last long. and if you are not mechanically inclined i would suggest that you pass this one up.

whadda ya think?

[gary69]

also its going to need a new drivers side ball joint.....

[sandman]

If its as popular as he says it is, he might not budge on the price, figuring he can wait a little longer to get the most out of it. Then again, it may just be pure bullshit and he wants to unload it asap. He got it inspected in April and it needs a ball joint? Must have been a good inspection station. If it were me I'd just take it somewhere to get the ball joint done, cause I don't care to fiddle with em. You could probably handle a trac bar, just dont forget alignment. Take a good look at it, but don't stop looking for others. Don't forget to take someone mechanically inclined with you when you look at it. They might look at something differently than you and see a problem.

Anyways, good luck.