Hello,
This is my first post.
I live in upstate NY . I purchased my first new vehicle ( 1999 Dodge dakota, 318v8, 4x4 ) back in 1999 when i was 21 years old. I fell in love with everything mopar/jeep since. I sold my 1999 dakota with 135k on her in 2009 for almost $4k. I put that cash towards and purchased a new 2009 dodge ram sport crew cab with rambox ..
I have always wanted an XJ. I made the GRAVE mistake of not purchasing one sooner. I think i should have bought one in 1999 but i was a kid and didnt know any better. However the dakota served me very very well for the 10 years i had it ..
So since i have an almost brand new Ram that i still have a few thousand to pay off, this XJ i want would be a PROJECT TOY. Not to go crazy with, just get up to snuff, get REAL REAL CLEAN, fix up all scratches, replace parts that need fixin, and a light lift with nice tires and im done .. I'll keep it nice, clean, and off the salt roads in the winter .. it will be my TOY and nothin else ..
Last week, after having searched craigslist on and off for over a year, i decided to purchase an XJ. I began to do some shopping on craigslist and the local auto sales magazine/websites ... I have gotten very serious about buying one and started to go look at some XJ's this weekend. Needless to say, being in upstate NY, we have a LOT of salt, and most of the XJ's are JUNK and rotted out. It's quite frankly VERY SAD. Everyone i saw was a rust bucket UNTIL TONITE.
Tonite while driving home in the dark, i found a 2001 Cherokee Sport, Blue, 4 doors, 4x4, I6, in the best condition of about 10 i looked at this weekend .. 94 thousand miles .. dark grey interior .. best part ... no leeks from underneath and MUCH MUCH less rust than the others ..
It was after hours, and on a sunday, so the dealer wasnt there.. his original asking price was $7,200.. then reduced twice so far down to $5,795. Compared to what i have seen this weekend, this XJ is a gem.
I have yet to even hear it run, but if the engine sounds as good as the jeep looks, i should be all set. I hope to offer him $4,800 in hopes he takes it.
Here comes the bad part. The door bottoms are starting to rust out. Not real bad BUT, we all know where there is a little rust that you see on a jeep, there is a lot more you dont ..
Since these haven't been manufactured since 2001, factory parts are getting scarce .. i REALLY REALLY would want to find new doors, replace them all, and eventually paint the whole thing. That would be my plan.
If you guys knew me, you would know JUST how anal i am. I ONLY do things the right way, and if i cant do them the right way, i don't do them at all.
I love to work on things, and i LOVE to restore things. I recently this summer restored an old 1977 Starcaft Holiday. If anyone cares, please click the link to view my entire process and check out my finished work at the end. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=471604
So this XJ will be a new TOY/FULL RESTORE process for me this winter and through next summer.
Please provide any insight you have, and tell me where i can get good aftermarket doors. I'm sure i'll need all four, and the rear hatch eventually also.
( remarkably, the rocker panels have no rust on them and sound strong with no hollow sounds to them ! yet )
Thanks all ! :clap:
This is my first post.
I live in upstate NY . I purchased my first new vehicle ( 1999 Dodge dakota, 318v8, 4x4 ) back in 1999 when i was 21 years old. I fell in love with everything mopar/jeep since. I sold my 1999 dakota with 135k on her in 2009 for almost $4k. I put that cash towards and purchased a new 2009 dodge ram sport crew cab with rambox ..
I have always wanted an XJ. I made the GRAVE mistake of not purchasing one sooner. I think i should have bought one in 1999 but i was a kid and didnt know any better. However the dakota served me very very well for the 10 years i had it ..
So since i have an almost brand new Ram that i still have a few thousand to pay off, this XJ i want would be a PROJECT TOY. Not to go crazy with, just get up to snuff, get REAL REAL CLEAN, fix up all scratches, replace parts that need fixin, and a light lift with nice tires and im done .. I'll keep it nice, clean, and off the salt roads in the winter .. it will be my TOY and nothin else ..
Last week, after having searched craigslist on and off for over a year, i decided to purchase an XJ. I began to do some shopping on craigslist and the local auto sales magazine/websites ... I have gotten very serious about buying one and started to go look at some XJ's this weekend. Needless to say, being in upstate NY, we have a LOT of salt, and most of the XJ's are JUNK and rotted out. It's quite frankly VERY SAD. Everyone i saw was a rust bucket UNTIL TONITE.
Tonite while driving home in the dark, i found a 2001 Cherokee Sport, Blue, 4 doors, 4x4, I6, in the best condition of about 10 i looked at this weekend .. 94 thousand miles .. dark grey interior .. best part ... no leeks from underneath and MUCH MUCH less rust than the others ..
It was after hours, and on a sunday, so the dealer wasnt there.. his original asking price was $7,200.. then reduced twice so far down to $5,795. Compared to what i have seen this weekend, this XJ is a gem.
I have yet to even hear it run, but if the engine sounds as good as the jeep looks, i should be all set. I hope to offer him $4,800 in hopes he takes it.
Here comes the bad part. The door bottoms are starting to rust out. Not real bad BUT, we all know where there is a little rust that you see on a jeep, there is a lot more you dont ..
Since these haven't been manufactured since 2001, factory parts are getting scarce .. i REALLY REALLY would want to find new doors, replace them all, and eventually paint the whole thing. That would be my plan.
If you guys knew me, you would know JUST how anal i am. I ONLY do things the right way, and if i cant do them the right way, i don't do them at all.
I love to work on things, and i LOVE to restore things. I recently this summer restored an old 1977 Starcaft Holiday. If anyone cares, please click the link to view my entire process and check out my finished work at the end. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=471604
So this XJ will be a new TOY/FULL RESTORE process for me this winter and through next summer.
Please provide any insight you have, and tell me where i can get good aftermarket doors. I'm sure i'll need all four, and the rear hatch eventually also.
( remarkably, the rocker panels have no rust on them and sound strong with no hollow sounds to them ! yet )
Thanks all ! :clap: