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How Safe Is My XJ?

B

Bigjfb

NAXJA Forum User
Location
California
My first Baby is due any week now, and I am second guessing my XJ as a safe car to drive baby around in. 92 4x4 5spd sport, fairly fresh Mopar rebuild, new water pump, new radiator, new brakes at all corners, good bfg tires, stock ride height. 206k miles on odometer. Been my best friend for a long time now.

I worry how well my beloved XJ would fair if truck by a 3 ton SUV driven by a texting soccer mom.

Would you haul your newborn around in this thing? If not why?

My woman works for Mercedes, her techs all love her to death, would do anything for her, recommend an older 300e or 300 se as a good car for our budget. I have looked at Volvo wagons but I know nothing about them, seem to be plenty around in the sub $3000 price range though.

Never really thought about vehicle safety before, this baby has me thinking about plenty of things ive never considered.
 
I have seen quite a few XJ in bad wrecks. Other than the lack of airbags in older rigs, they hold up very well.
 
when i got the XJ my first son was just over 1 he is now closing in on 4 and i have a newborn 3 months old, i got the XJ as a family truck to haul the wife and kids in

noting will protect you against
3 ton SUV driven by a texting soccer mom.
Click to expand...
but defensive driving on your part
 
Why not buy a 3 ton SUV??

If I'd haul my own butt in my XJ, I'll haul my offspring. 2 Jeeps, 4 kids, no dents in either!!!
 
Bigjfb said:
I worry how well my beloved XJ would fair if truck by a 3 ton SUV driven by a texting soccer mom.
Click to expand...

A NEON ran a stop light and T-boned a lifted Suburban a couple months back here in my city. The Suburban ended up on its side.

I applaud your concern for your newborn's safety.

Looking back on the days before car seats, seat belts, shoulder belts, air bags, or in our parents' days when it took 20 years after Henry Ford adopted the French process for laminating glass--1917--before safety glass became mandatory in American vehicles, makes you wonder how we survived it.

Driving defensively is pro-active and can keep you safer than all the equipment or devices, but its nice to have them when you need them.

Put a cage in your XJ, that will keep the 3-ton SUV off your back--literally.

PS--congratulations on the baby. Sorry he is starting off in debt.
 
What Washington has saddled us with. Somewhere over $100k+ of debt for every soul drawing a breath. And, since almost 50% of our population are non-contributors, it just makes matters worse. Step over to the Political Discussion Zone for a good idea about what's REALLY going on...
 
You're in Calif. Take your car seat and Cherokee to the nearest fire department and have them check the seat and show you how to properly mount it. You might want to add a hold down bracket for the seat if you don't already have one.

And, congratulations!
Mike
 
Bigjfb said:
My first Baby is due any week now, and I am second guessing my XJ as a safe car to drive baby around in. 92 4x4 5spd sport, fairly fresh Mopar rebuild, new water pump, new radiator, new brakes at all corners, good bfg tires, stock ride height. 206k miles on odometer. Been my best friend for a long time now.

I worry how well my beloved XJ would fair if truck by a 3 ton SUV driven by a texting soccer mom.

Would you haul your newborn around in this thing? If not why?

My woman works for Mercedes, her techs all love her to death, would do anything for her, recommend an older 300e or 300 se as a good car for our budget. I have looked at Volvo wagons but I know nothing about them, seem to be plenty around in the sub $3000 price range though.

Never really thought about vehicle safety before, this baby has me thinking about plenty of things ive never considered.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I would totally drive it with a newborn in it. Trust me, I hit a Mercedes in November with my old Jeep. Snapped the front axle at the pumpkin and put my tire through the floor board. All the Driveline is still in working order AFAIK.Totalled it but the ARB bumper held it together quite well. They are stupid reliable on top of what everyone has said. I would strongly consider an aftermarket bumper. Oh...I did....TWICE! :D

This was at 50mph:

S7300689.jpg


S7300694.jpg


And the benz:
S7300697.jpg


Look at the other XJ in the Background! :eek:
A tear just rolled down my cheek! :bawl:
 
Last edited:
i drive my 6 and 5 year old in mine daily,it is a 99. i have had it since they were newborns! no wories here! mike
 
They don't seem pretty safe considering they lack things like disc brakes, side curtain airbags (my '95 has one airbag), and those other sorts of airbags. but from my exp. once hit the side of a Honda, smashed the Honda's rear quarter panel, and all i got was a scuffed plastic bumper and this was like at 45mph. But if your looking at a
 
I would trust the XJ, but it is up to you to make sure your little one is propperly secured in a good car seat. Babies in a properly secured car seat in the rear of a vehicle tend to survive in accidents where nobody else does... If my parents were good to drive me around in a pre-airbag minivan or 84 celebrity wagon, an XJ is totally safe.
 
FlexdXJ said:
Look at the other XJ in the Background! :eek:
A tear just rolled down my cheek! :bawl:
Click to expand...
There is a video floating around of a Cherokee crash test. That wagon in the background looks like an exact mirror image! Even the color,... offset hit on the right side instead of the left.
 
We have two XJ's, but added a Suburban primarily because our family expanded to four kids. I never felt unsafe in the XJ, and still don't, but there is a definite difference. As mentioned, defensive driving is the key no matter what you drive. I commuted in a Geo Metro for years. Trust me, I know defensive driving.
 
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