New Final Decision Thread... 86 4x4 XJ or a 94 2WD XJ...

The 90 is out, so here is one more Final Decision Thread for the 86 and the 94...

Ok... Looked at the 86 this morning and hopefully looking at the 90 at lunch... Here are the ups and downs of both. Opinions VERY much wanted and respected... :thumbsup:

86 4x4 XJ-
Ok, it's ugly, but the seat covers are/will be off, and the wheels are just hubcaps, so they can go right off the bat. It's got the GM V6 that I hear is crap, but the 4x4 works, and the A/C is cold. Drives ok, and the 4x4 seems solid, although when I first start going in 4L, it kicks like its shifting. Maybe it is, but I'm not sure it's supposed to like that in 4L. Actually, I'm actually pretty sure thats odd, but you guys can tell me for sure. Tagged and inspecter till 08/07. The tires are Dominators, which I don't know a lot about, but they look WAY better in person than they do in the pics. He wants $1600 if I bring my own tires and he keeps his, or $2300 if I keep the tires on it now (I would not go above $2000 with them)...
Pics:









or


94 2WD XJ:
I'll just post the ad and pics. But let me add that the brakes might need pads...
The Ad:
"116K Miles, 2WD, 6 Cylinder Automatic, Cold A/C, CD"
Pics:







Please Read-
I know the 86 v6 sucks, but aside from the motor, how are they? Are they able to perform basic trails and mud, or is there something that makes them suck other than the motor? I need a daily, but I also want to play on trails. The main point is that it will be a family driver for my wife, myself, our 4y/o son, and a baby due in April. It will be a long time before I can try converting to 4wd. So the question is, since my goal is a fun, capable-when-I-need-it daily driver, would you go w/ the 86 (and add my own tires/wheels) 4x4, or the 94 2WD?
Or anyone wanna sell me a 4x4 XJ w/ a 4.0 for my price range and get it to me asap?

Thanks again for all the help... You guys rock! :thumbsup:

The 94 i would go with all you need is the 4 wheel drive the other one is straight up ugly and has to many issues. You NEED the 4.0, the best engine IMO that jeep ever made. I would keep looking around but if i had to pick from those too it would be the 94 but that means it will be a daily driver for a while.

Don't get any XJ with the 2.8L V6. Hope that helps. Keep looking.

don't settle for anything older than 88 and without the I6 or 4x4 period. Keep looking.:read:

i did some work on a guys jeep with a 2.8 and when i test drove it the thing couldn't get out of its own way

The '86 doesn't look THAT bad (except for those hubs) but i would tell that man to shove it if he wants $2300 for it if you keep those tires. They are not worth that much money. Thats $700 extra dollars you could spend on some badass bfg's. I say go with the '94 too. Its pretty capable for trails w/o the 4wd but still i wouldn't stray too far out without a trail partner.

Oh, plus you can always jack it up and put some nice exhaust on it and make people THINK its 4wd.

get the 4.0 liter. nuff said. even if it doesn't have 4x4, thats fixable.

deesiexj said:

doesn't have 4x4, thats fixable.

Click to expand...

So how many of you that are saying a 4x4 conversion is no big deal have actually done it?

Ya know what, I'd go with the newer one, then I would add a limited slip diff for the winter though they are a bit scary the first few times you drive a LSD or locker in the slippery stuff, there is a learning curve there.
Now as for the conversion, alot depends on the tranny, if it has a removable tail shaft [I'll admit right off I've never owned an automatic, at least since 1979 so I have not paid any attention to jeep autos cept for my sons YJ which had a 999 in it] the conversion is pretty straight forward once you get the parts. If the tranny tailshaft does not come off then you will need a tranny that you can bolt the transfer case up to.
Unlike the others here I have nothing against the 2.8L, my 82 S10 had one that ran flawlessly for over 680,000mi and was still running two years after I sold it, it's not a powerhouse by any means but it worked, oil filter was PIA but otherwise I had no issues with it.
Thats quite a set of seat covers in that 86 :shocked: they are almost bright enough to qualify as interior illumination
If you go the 86 and the 2.8L takes a crap you can always go with the bigger 3.4L V6 that replaced it, thats pretty much a straight drop in but for tires, let him keep those dominators. Hit Sams club or BJ Wholesale and get some LT235 BFG AT/KO's for $450 and get them mounted on a set of AR black steel wheels at ~$30 ea.

I'd forget the both of them. The 84' is out for sure, the v6 is a piece of crap and the price is high.
I'd keep looking 'til you can find a 4.0...I'd try to get one with a AW4 auto tranny. This combo is pretty much bullet proof and one hell of a workhorse.
As for the 4WD..which you want, why go to the time and expense of converting a 2WD, you'll get either a 231 or 242 TC, I prefer the 242 but you may feel diff.
Good luck with your search.

get a 89 or 90 thats what i have. it has the 4.0. it is a beast. it was sitting for 2 yrs untouched.with 217000 miles with blown battery flat tire leaking fuel injectors bad fpr. i was in now way engine savvy. and i replaced them all. it is the easiest motor to work on. no odb codes to shuffle trough. later the rDItor blew with out me knowing. i drove it 4 miles with no coolant. replaced radiator and it ran fine. this is the last of the real jeeps. :scottm:

over post

gjxj said:

So how many of you that are saying a 4x4 conversion is no big deal have actually done it?

Click to expand...

:wave:

Another alternative is to hit autotrader.com 2x a day, with the prices I've seen down there I bet they go fast. Stil can't get over those prices down there. They all must have the texas gold plated engine dress up option... whew.