clunk
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- West Kootenays, BC (canada)
I have a low mileage (112k) 1990 with a few problems and I'm sitting on the fence of selling or continuing the repair train this year.
The body and interior are clean, floorboards are solid but need rustproofing in another year and just a bit of rust starting at the rear rockers. The AW4 is solid as is the 242 T-case and the power windows even work! I have a cheap stereo that works okay. I've daily driven it for 3 years and it has always started, no running problems although I have replaced alot of small parts in my ownership and know it inside out. I installed a rocklizard style lift around a year and a half ago and installed LT235 tires with new shocks, so it rides okay and the suspension is good for my needs. It was in a minor accident before I bought it but no tweaks to the unibody or axles, just a new door. Nonetheless, it still shows that it was in an accident so resale is next to nothing for me if I want to sell.
I need to have new axleshaft u-joints/TRE's installed and an alignment. Now that the shocks and lift have broken in and softened up, I should really install new swaybar links in the front to keep the handling in check. No space so I have to pay a shop for all this work...ouch!
Also, the 4.0 has been ticking due to heavy carbon buildup for the last 3 years/15k miles which hasn't really gotten worse. I still get good mileage and power and drive it hard on long distance (10hr) trips once and a while and it doesn't burn or leak any oil, no blowby either. I'm always worried it'll blow up one day though, so I always have to budget a good chunk of money for a new junkyard engine and installation. On the other hand, it could just tick away for another 15k miles and last me another 3 years. I only put 5k miles on it last year, so it would last me a long time.
If I keep it, I'd like to start taking it on longer road trips as well as wheeling it harder and eventually install 31" tires to do a bit more expedition and camping. On the upside, I would own a mildly lifted XJ that I'm comfortable with mechanically that could easily take me all the places I want to go without too much worry about scratches and dents. On the downside, I will likely have to spend $1500 on a junkyard engine, front end work and misc other minor repairs in the next year, then start dealing with a bit of cancer.
Should I spend the money to keep (my first) XJ on the road for a few more years and drive the wee out of it until it's completely gone, or should I sell it as-is now and apply a bit more cash into buying a new rig (possibly a ZJ). My budget doesn't allow for anything too new, so either way I'm going to end up with something 10 years old (at least). Considering the low resale I'd get with it's title and the work needed, I'm not too sure what would be better.
The body and interior are clean, floorboards are solid but need rustproofing in another year and just a bit of rust starting at the rear rockers. The AW4 is solid as is the 242 T-case and the power windows even work! I have a cheap stereo that works okay. I've daily driven it for 3 years and it has always started, no running problems although I have replaced alot of small parts in my ownership and know it inside out. I installed a rocklizard style lift around a year and a half ago and installed LT235 tires with new shocks, so it rides okay and the suspension is good for my needs. It was in a minor accident before I bought it but no tweaks to the unibody or axles, just a new door. Nonetheless, it still shows that it was in an accident so resale is next to nothing for me if I want to sell.
I need to have new axleshaft u-joints/TRE's installed and an alignment. Now that the shocks and lift have broken in and softened up, I should really install new swaybar links in the front to keep the handling in check. No space so I have to pay a shop for all this work...ouch!
Also, the 4.0 has been ticking due to heavy carbon buildup for the last 3 years/15k miles which hasn't really gotten worse. I still get good mileage and power and drive it hard on long distance (10hr) trips once and a while and it doesn't burn or leak any oil, no blowby either. I'm always worried it'll blow up one day though, so I always have to budget a good chunk of money for a new junkyard engine and installation. On the other hand, it could just tick away for another 15k miles and last me another 3 years. I only put 5k miles on it last year, so it would last me a long time.
If I keep it, I'd like to start taking it on longer road trips as well as wheeling it harder and eventually install 31" tires to do a bit more expedition and camping. On the upside, I would own a mildly lifted XJ that I'm comfortable with mechanically that could easily take me all the places I want to go without too much worry about scratches and dents. On the downside, I will likely have to spend $1500 on a junkyard engine, front end work and misc other minor repairs in the next year, then start dealing with a bit of cancer.
Should I spend the money to keep (my first) XJ on the road for a few more years and drive the wee out of it until it's completely gone, or should I sell it as-is now and apply a bit more cash into buying a new rig (possibly a ZJ). My budget doesn't allow for anything too new, so either way I'm going to end up with something 10 years old (at least). Considering the low resale I'd get with it's title and the work needed, I'm not too sure what would be better.