1993 grand cherokee 4.0/AW4 vs. XJ 4.0/AW4 ?

I'm in the market for a new 4x4 for backup DD use, snow, camping, mild wheeling, etc. having owned an MJ and XJ before, Im thinking of going with something slightly different. I've researched ZJ's a bit, and heard mixed reviews. the 42RE and quadra crap being the major negatives so far. but what about an early ZJ with 4.0 and AW4? these should be nearly as reliable as a regular XJ correct? and available with a 242 correct? I have driven/ridden in a friend's late 90s ZJ thats pretty loaded but with a 4.0 and loved the interior comfort and ride. this is the main selling point for a ZJ for me, as well as many parts from them seem to be used as upgrades for an XJ. isnt the unibody stronger as well? ZJ coil rear suspension better or worse? I don't want awd for sure and do want automatic and 4.0. what are some pros and cons of going with a 4.0/AW4 ZJ over a comparable XJ?

Here's my opinion..

I have 2 ZJ's and 2 XJs in the driveway.. I have worked on both species, and honestly, I'd take an XJ over a ZJ anyday.. The ZJ is always harder to work on, I dispise the Rear coil setup, Leaf springs are much cheaper and easier to work on.

the Drivetrain is going to be mostly the same, but swapping in a different rear axle will prove to be much more of a headache then an XJ..

While i like the ride quality on the street in a ZJ, I still feel the XJ is all around a better, more ridgid platform to start with..

oh, and if you get an obd-2 v8 ZJ, they are an electronic nightmere.. I do all of my own work, but the ZJ broke down this week, and it left me so stumped, it's being fixed by a shop.

I have 2 zj's and 1 xj. 1st zj is a 84 4.0 aw4. racked up 250,000 miles and it is just as reliable as my xj. Its pretty much the exact same car and i swap parts in between all the time. Street driveablility is much better. second zj is a 96 v8 zj limited. By far my favourite car to drive. It never goes offroad just my dd. Also extremely reliable and easy to maintain.
The major drawback of a ZJ over an XJ is the availability of used parts. Before cash for clunkers i was hard pressed to find a grand cherokee in a junkyard. So if your gona do occasional easy trails and daily drive it, a zj with the 2' BB is a great choice. Its basically the same as an xj with a nicer interior and a more comphy ride on the road.

And yes sometimes the electrical can be a nightmare. more gadgets = more electrical. But ive had my electical gremlins in my renix xj as well.

mnaemark said:

I have 2 zj's and 1 xj. 1st zj is a 84 4.0 aw4. racked up 250,000 miles and it is just as reliable as my xj. Its pretty much the exact same car and i swap parts in between all the time. Street driveablility is much better.

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what t case does it have?

the v8 has the 242 or whichever one has 4wd on all the time. I had a 4.0 with the same t-case. i would recommend getting the v8 with this t-case because the 4.0 just lacks the power to make the system perform properly imo. The 4.0 aw4 combo has the 231 i think. Im not 100 percent sure but it looks the same as the 231 in my xj. cant tell as the tag has been removed

i'd rock a AW4 ZJ all day. only thing that pushed me away from them were the chrysler trannies. hell, try and find a AX15 ZJ, then you'll get a gold star.