Best XJ?

[mrbell83]

Hey guys, I am a noob, and I don't even have a jeep:bawl: I am however getting ready to purchase one in the nex few weeks. I am looking for something to be my DD but with some off-roading, currently I am looking at 95-00 models. Are there any years that are better than others? Also what about rust and common problems, did some years have better track records for quality? Also, what kind of miles can I get out of one of these? I drive allot and I really would like a new vehicle, but I love the XJ, always have, and I have never owned a chrysler vehicle so all this is new to me.

Any help/advise would be great.
Thanks,
Chris

[UNCC_99XJ]

first off, welcome!

Not trying to be a hard ass or anything, but all the questions and concerns you mentioned are very much covered on this site, and get repeated often. If you'll look to the top of the page you'll see the search button. Type what ever you want to know in it and I gaurntee you sevreal pages will come up and answer your questions.

Ohh and my vote goes for a 99...but I think i'm a little biased..http://www.naxja.org/forum/images/icons/icon10.gif

[mrbell83]

Thanks for the welcome, sorry if I have posted something over again. I am 23 but not the internet forum type. I will try searching.

thanks allot,
Chris

[LilRhodyXJ]

i have had two 2000s and mine have been fine but others have issues... the 00-01s went distributorless, they got precats on the header (which means more retrictive exhaust and less of an aftermarket header option if ur going this route), both of mine, dont know if this is common, but ive had to replace the wheel ujoints in the front on boh around 70000 miles...they make for a really bad rubbing/creaking/clicking noise and a little wheel hop at tight turns, I think they also switched to the Low pinion dana 30 for 00 and 01 (it could have changed in 96 though so u would get one anyway if this is the case)but ive heard both so u might want to see what year this occured..the Hi Pinion d30 is a lil better in that it doesnt give out as many driveline vibes..also the 99 and ups had the 0331 head on them which has been known to crack...some get lucky and some dont... like i said i love my 00s but if i had found naxja before my second buy i would have gone with a 99...i was a stupid when i had my first xj and i really beat the piss out of it, bad, i kno they are rugged but i trashed it like a fawkin idiot...nothing ever broke on me or went wrong other then those u joints and my alternator...the 00 i have now i baby it...take real good care of it and those ujoints still went so i dont kno...also the electrical on a 00 is a little different some how...my alternators have sucked..they sound like my cherokee is making boost (its just the bearing inside tearign themselves apart.. cute huh?) replaced the one on my first 00 and will soon be replacing the one in my new one...

i've had some minor issues yes. but both of my xjs have treated me well as wheelin Daily drivers... i would go with a pre 00-01 xj if i had to get a new one but if u must get something in this year range im assuring u there not terrible

hope all this helps

andrew

[CartsXJ]

to be honest, I would look for an early 99, still have a coil/wire/cap stuff, yet got the larger intake and no pre-cats, and still has the HP Dana 30. After that is really depends on what you find, are looking for and can afford.

[blue88xj]

I have had an '87, and now currently have an '88. I like them because they are easy to work on, and they are bulletproof. Mine has 251k+, and still runs like a champ(as soon as i can get the alternator on).:yelclap:

[Bridgman]

1998s that are red are the best!!!!!!!

[UNCC_99XJ]

I would like to make a comment on the head castings. I have a late model 99 (september build date) and I have the 0630 (the good one) head. This seems to be the extremely late build 99's that have the 0331 in it. Definately something to take in to consideration when looking.

[motorcityxj]

it says your in the mitten so i would assume your in meeechigan like me. If thats the case i would look for this.

1. NO RUST.
2. The fulltime transfer case called select track aka nv 242, it allows you to driveon dry cement with 4wd. Great for the michigan commuting when its half snowy half not or the center lane is snow but the right lane is dry'd up etc. If you find your dream no rusty XJ and it has command track aka nv231 then dont sweat it. Given the choice go with the select trac nv242

3. get the 4.0 dont waste your time with a 4 cylinder.

If you are in michigan find a nice clean low/no rust Cherokee. Mines a 1995 and almost ZERO rust overal but about 3 years ago i pulled up the carpet in back and had rust about the rear leaf springs about 3 inch.

This spring my dang passenger side rocker rusted from the inside out cause i previously treated the outside with POR15 rust treatment and coated with herculiner.

Check the solidity of the ROCKERS in michigan !! With out confusing you with minor details each year, the cherokee was mostly the same vehicle with major exceptions being it got dual air bags in 98 redesign/tweaking, slightly new body panels, slightly less engine noise, different cam, different intake etc. NOTHIGN that is a world of difference.

[splitz]

I'm only offering my opinion because you are not hunting on the same grounds as I.

I would get the 97+ with the 8.25 rear end. This will give you a 29 spline axle that is reportedly almost as strong as a D44. As far as the transfer case, it depends on what your application is going to be. If you want to drive in 4hi on the street (even in snow and rain) I would go with the NP242 because it gives you a full time option. If you only want to use your XJ for off road, then the NP231 is a good choice becuase there are a few 4 to 1 options for it (note: there may be some 242 options, but I am about as new as this guy, so I haven't looked for em yet) If you can get it, get one that had the FACTORY towing package. This will give you the possibility of 3.73 gears..which isn't great if you are planning to go big, but it is better than the normal 3.55 (for the manual transmission).

In summary:

Look for 0331 casting number on the head = Bad
Engine: 4.0 L
Transmission: AW4 (automatic is what I preffer)
Transfer Case: NP242 - "Selec-Trac" (NP231 is fine too depending on your application)
Front Axle: Dana 30 (no choice)
Rear Axle: Chry 8.25 (97+ had 29 spline, <97 had 27)
Gears: 3.73 (towing package)
Stock Armor (although I've heard mixed reviews on their durability)

[Ben H]

I would get a 1997-1999, if I could do it all over again.

[CartsXJ]

I'm only offering my opinion because you are not hunting on the same grounds as I.

I would get the 97+ with the 8.25 rear end. This will give you a 29 spline axle that is reportedly almost as strong as a D44. As far as the transfer case, it depends on what your application is going to be. If you want to drive in 4hi on the street (even in snow and rain) I would go with the NP242 because it gives you a full time option. If you only want to use your XJ for off road, then the NP231 is a good choice becuase there are a few 4 to 1 options for it (note: there may be some 242 options, but I am about as new as this guy, so I haven't looked for em yet) If you can get it, get one that had the FACTORY towing package. This will give you the possibility of 3.73 gears..which isn't great if you are planning to go big, but it is better than the normal 3.55 (for the manual transmission).

In summary:

Look for 0331 casting number on the head = Bad
Engine: 4.0 L
Transmission: AW4 (automatic is what I preffer)
Transfer Case: NP242 - "Selec-Trac" (NP231 is fine too depending on your application)
Front Axle: Dana 30 (no choice)
Rear Axle: Chry 8.25 (97+ had 29 spline, <97 had 27)
Gears: 3.73 (towing package)
Stock Armor (although I've heard mixed reviews on their durability)


I am still waiting for somebody to show me a factory tow package with 3.73's in 87+ XJ. I have a 98 classic, that had both the factory offroad and towing group with an auto and I got 3.73's. They were a possiblity in 84-86 XJ's and early model MJ's but have yet to see an 87+ XJ with 3.73 from the factory. Though they have done weird things for 4cyl auto XJ and TJ, like 4.56's from the factory.

[Beej]

This thread is rich with SPOBI...

[Rev Den]

1990 2 doors seem to be the most reliable, they are definitely the best looking.

Rev

[Menzenski]

1990 2 doors seem to be the most reliable, they are definitely the best looking.
Seconded. Red, 1990, five-speed two-doors.

[mrbell83]

Wow guys, thanks for all the info. I have writen down the info for the heads, I want the auto with the 6 cyl. and I don't really care what kind of Xfer case it has. It seems that my options are limited for a 1997-00 with under 100k for 6500 or less. I wouldn't really care what year I got but as mentioned, I live in Michigan so the salt is cancer. Also this will be my DD and I don't really care if I have to put a motor in it because I have always wanted one of these and plan to keep it for a while. I was wondering tho, how many miles can one get out of a well maintained 6 cyl with the auto trans? Is buying one with 80-90-100k on it too many miles?

Thanks allot guys, all this info is great. I love Jeeps. :firedevil

[LilRhodyXJ]

my 00 just turned 90000 and is perfectly fine....


my step dads 91 went for 202k before it turned into a major turd he then decided Japanese was better and bought a :puke: camry,then a :puke: FJ Cruiser

he should have stuck with jeep:laugh3:

[UNCC_99XJ]

Thats about, to even a little less than half of what alot of them are getting if properly maintained.

The 4.0 and AW4 (the only automatic tranny offered with the 4.0) are an excellent combo and extremely hard to beat as far as reliability goes.

[Menzenski]

how many miles can one get out of a well maintained 6 cyl with the auto trans? Is buying one with 80-90-100k on it too many miles?
There are several threads about this, if you care to search for them. There are many XJs out there running strong with 300,000 miles or more on them.

[IXNAYXJ]

You forgot color. It has been proven that white XJs are better.

-----Matt-----

[XJ_ranger]

http://www.opiebennett.com/History.htm

honestly - just dont buy an 84-86 and you'll be fine...

[mrbell83]

Thanks for the tips guys, I have been looking at 2 that I really like, one is a 97 with 85K on it and a 99 with 91k on it. Both are black. I will have to go and check the number on the cylinder heads, what is the location of this number?

[UNCC_99XJ]

drivers side of the engine block, inbetween the bottom of the valve cover and the top of the head (it will be casted directly on top of the head), about halfway down the engine block. Bring a flash light with you, you'll probably need it to see it. 0630 is what you're looking for...0331 are the problems.

[mrbell83]

drivers side of the engine block, inbetween the bottom of the valve cover and the top of the head (it will be casted directly on top of the head), about halfway down the engine block. Bring a flash light with you, you'll probably need it to see it. 0630 is what you're looking for...0331 are the problems.

Thanks, This weekend I will go and check them out...:eeks1:

[splitz]

I am still waiting for somebody to show me a factory tow package with 3.73's in 87+ XJ. I have a 98 classic, that had both the factory offroad and towing group with an auto and I got 3.73's. They were a possiblity in 84-86 XJ's and early model MJ's but have yet to see an 87+ XJ with 3.73 from the factory. Though they have done weird things for 4cyl auto XJ and TJ, like 4.56's from the factory.

But you have a 97+ XJ with 3.73s right? So it is possible, just not probable.

I wonder if the "Classics" are more likely to have both aforementioned packages.

[mrbell83]

What would you guys pay for a jeep of this age and mileage? I went and looked at one last night and it had some scratchs on the door, a scuff on the rear lower quarter panel and a wet diff. they were asking 6500 for it and its a 2001. Is this a far price. Oh, it has the good head on it, but I haven't driven it yet......

Thanks,
Chris

[nonnie]

You forgot color. It has been proven that white XJs are better.

-----Matt-----
I thought that red ones were faster though
:confused1

[LilRhodyXJ]

I thought all mid yr 99s to 01s had the 0331 head on them? also an issue most might not know about, in late 99 when the company started to slack on the 4.0 (as u can see cracking heads and what not) but theres another thing that occured when this happened....heat soak...this occurs if you lets say drive from your house, shut your Xj off, run in a store to grab something quick and come back to start your vehicle...quick off and ons...they didnt insulate the injectors on 00s and 01s in the tj, wj and xjs...not all get it...my first didnt get it almost at all this new one gets it all the time...it occurs because the injector gets so hot with no insulation that fuel vaporizes inside them ...believe me when i say u feel like your XJ is going to self distruct...shaking, unstable rpms, loud weird exhaust noise, electric fan cranking away all for about 20 seconds then back to prefect normal running temp and operation...the way to fix this problem is to take heat wrap (sheilding) and insulate your injector... the problem motly occurs with the number 3 injector but wrap all of them to be on the safe side..better yet tell the dealership about this and see if they will do it for u (that is if ur buying it from a dealership)...the part number is 56028371aa and the picture that comes up with this number when imputted (is that a word??) in the dealers computer will not correspond to what im telling you (should look like a plug wire holder clamp) but trust me it is..
this is another reason to stay away from 00 and 01s
good luck hunting....

Andrew
p.s. pm me if u want the directions on how to do it in case you buy private, or the stealership won't do it for you

o and dont listen to these guys about red and white being better they lie, dark green is the way to go...your XJ will feel like its part of the trees around it and further solidifies its nature to be, well, with nature :D

[IH8RDS]

1990 2 doors seem to be the most reliable, they are definitely the best looking.

Rev

This thread is rich with SPOBI...

:nono: Red 99 4 Door Classics are FAR superior in all aspects

[Gonzoso]

I thought all mid yr 99s to 01s had the 0331 head on them? also an issue most might not know about, in late 99 when the company started to slack on the 4.0 (as u can see cracking heads and what not) but theres another thing that occured when this happened....heat soak...this occurs if you lets say drive from your house, shut your Xj off, run in a store to grab something quick and come back to start your vehicle...quick off and ons...they didnt insulate the injectors on 00s and 01s in the tj, wj and xjs...not all get it...my first didnt get it almost at all this new one gets it all the time...it occurs because the injector gets so hot with no insulation that fuel vaporizes inside them ...believe me when i say u feel like your XJ is going to self distruct...shaking, unstable rpms, loud weird exhaust noise, electric fan cranking away all for about 20 seconds then back to prefect normal running temp and operation...the way to fix this problem is to take heat wrap (sheilding) and insulate your injector... the problem motly occurs with the number 3 injector but wrap all of them to be on the safe side..better yet tell the dealership about this and see if they will do it for u (that is if ur buying it from a dealership)...the part number is 56028371aa and the picture that comes up with this number when imputted (is that a word??) in the dealers computer will not correspond to what im telling you (should look like a plug wire holder clamp) but trust me it is..
this is another reason to stay away from 00 and 01s
good luck hunting....

Andrew
p.s. pm me if u want the directions on how to do it in case you buy private, or the stealership won't do it for you

o and dont listen to these guys about red and white being better they lie, dark green is the way to go...your XJ will feel like its part of the trees around it and further solidifies its nature to be, well, with nature :D


Good to know, my dad lost his number three injector but his XJ is a 98...

At any rate this information was helpful. This is my first post and I did not start a new thread, some may tweak over reviving an old one, oh well.

Anything else I should know? I am basically looking for the same thing as the op but in 2009. I am planning on trading my Wrangle(97 2.5l tj AX-5) and some money for an XJ. My life is changing and requires I get something else.

My impression is that the AW-4 is pretty rugged. I prefer standards but being open to both persuasions would allow for more possibilities when it comes to shopping.

I reckon I will get a 97-99 or so, hopefully with under a 100k or so.

[snail]

Welcome! nothing bad about resurrecting an old thread. shows you used the search option :yelclap:

id say the advice is still pretty much the same (i remember reading threads dated almost 5 years old when i was first looking to buy). the 5speeds are somewhat hard to find but are out there. and dont be afraid of high mileage if youre not afraid to possibly do some wrenching. i just picked up a pretty solid 97 5spd with 220K original miles and it runs great.