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Old cherokee to new cherokee...

S

SanDiegoOverland

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Diego
Anyone gone from an older jeep to a newer one?

I'm kinda getting done with the quirks of my old jeep, and a family member has some interest in buying it.

Anyone gone straight to an newer 97 and up cherokee from their old one?

I'd probably be looking @ a '99, or maybe a 2000-2001 with some careful checking of head casting numbers.

Thoughts, 20/20 hindsights?

Thanks. :)
 
I went from a 96 to a 98. I like the newer style more. So when I got my MJ, I put on late model doors, header panel, and center console.
 
I've had both and currently have a '99.

The late models are that much nicer. They also have a passenger side airbag. Late models have less vacuum hoses under the hood and are ODBII. Although, there's nothing wrong with earlier models.

Late models should have less quirks. But, that's because they are not as old. You can find an older model that's not quirky. However, you'll probably have more luck finding a late model in better condition.

I wish they continued making XJs so I could get a new one.

What year is yours? What kind of quirks?

E
 
No, but eventually I'll probably do this myself. My plan is actually to get a newer one as a daily driver 98 perhaps, and keep it stock for awhile. Eventually the parts will work themselves over to the newer one and then haul the old 89 caracas away.
 
Monkey55 said:
What year is yours? What kind of quirks?

E
Click to expand...

Mines a 1992, 4 door with 198,000miles. Here's my nitpicky list :):

-Suspension getting just about "there" as far as old age.
-NSS acting up more than usual
-Window regulators slowing down
-Door/window seals pretty much all hardened or cracked
- Seats wobbly, slow, uncomfortable
- Headlights dim as s#%t
- Carpet and headliner needing replacement
- Outside door-handles physically harder to push
- Using about a 1qt of oil a month now
- Original paint blown, and 1 year old home re-paint starting to look worn.
- A/C super expensive to fix due to being R12 system. (not sure if r134 is cheaper, but I would just like to have A/C in general, too)
- Windshield wipers sometimes flop off the window before coming back over
- Cruise control inoperable
- Etc, etc, lol...



I know most of those have fixes and if I had several thousand $$ I could fix it all, but honestly I don't know if I'd rather sell my rig to said family member who knows all this and still wants it, and throw that couple thousand at a fresh, new to me rig....

Hard to think about, cuz I love my rig, but I think about it more often than not lately.
 
Last edited:
thats the exact reason why i wanted a bare bones jeep. no power anything, so everything works LOL
 
Mines a 1999 158K miles. Here's the current list of issues

-Suspension is worn out (needs shocks and the rear springs are sagging)
-Has a 55 mph shimmey that I can't seem to locate (I think it's the tires)
-Drivers side window regulator grinds when it hits the limits
-Drivers side window switch, broken lockout and the drivers switch you have to push on to make the window go down
-Drivers seat leans left
-Headliner is sagging and needs to be redone
-Carpets were moldy due to a mysterious water leak and now live in the garage
-Oil pressure gauge is pegged
-Fuel gauge sits at empty
-Fuel pump check valve is toast so you have to prime it three times and crank it for 30 seconds to get it to start
-Headlights are super dim
-Has a slow oil leak from the valve cover, the oil filter housing and I think the rear main is starting to leak
-I have gear noise from the tcase or the transmission, both are topped off and the noise isn't getting any worse.
-I have a tapping in the transmission tunnel from the tcase shift lever needing a new bushing.
-Header is cracked
-Rear tires are bald and dry rotted

But hey, I picked it up for $1500 and it gets me from point A to point B.
 
I'm not entirely sold that the newer style XJ's are that much better, rather it's the condition of the individual Jeep that counts. As sidewaysstarion pointed out, ANY Jeep can have the same issues that you're having with your 92. Personally, I have a 95, and everything works. It's astonishing it's made it this far in life without any stuff breaking. A/C is r134 (but works), power windows are good, so is cruise etc. The interior is dirty but all there and nice, and it does not rattle or buzz when going over bumps. Also, the older body style is less sought after, so you can get one in better condition than a newer one for cheaper. I have a buddy with an 01, his has 20k more miles than mine, and it's a rattle trap inside, the windows don't roll down (except with the driver's switches) and he's facing head cracking issues.

If I were you, I'd shop for a 93-96 (so it has r134 a/c) XJ that's in nicer condition than the one you have. You'll maximize value, and I think you'll be surprised at how nice an older style can be.

Disclaimer: I come from an AMC family, so I find all the of the random AMC nuances in my 95 endearing, plus it's so simple and functional!
 
I can't compare stock to stock, but I went from a 91' to a 00'. And over all I wouldn't say either one was all that much better then the other. I liked them both. Change the moldings and control switches/knobs/buttons and you can have either one. The one thing that I did notice is that the 91' interior layout was a smidgen more "spacious", but the 00' is just fine. If you're under 6 foot, then you wouldn't notice it.

And as PetrolHead alluded to, 10 year or 20 years, things are wearing/worn out. So I'd find a well kept XJ, whatever year it be, and work with that.
 
My 96 leaks from most every gasket under the hood
back doors don't open from outside
PDL only work sometimes
Pass rear window only works from the switch on its door
Driver rear doesn't work at all
Pass front is slow
Missing some weather stripping at base of windows
Big hole in driver front door weather stripping
Kid broke clock spring while steering box was being changed, so no cruise or airbag
oil pressure gauge is pegged
dented gas tank
Gauge always reads 3/4 unless you hit a good bump and jar it loose past the dent


Any older vehicle (which includes every XJ) will little maintenance issues come up. If you don't take care of them as they arise, they will pile up and you will be overwhelmed.

I've considered a 97-99 solely for the couple holders. Plus I could spend more time prepping the chassis for the mods and wheeling...stiffeners, possibly some cage work, etc etc.
 
I have an 85 Cherokee Chief that all electronics as far as doors and windows still work. It has a V8 so the gauges other than fuel are disconnected. My 95 has crank up windows which are ok till you need to roll the Pass. side down then they suck. 92 to 96 THEY SAY were the best years as far as H.O. motors and the t-case having more splines with the 96 being better because of the OBDII. Everything except cruise works on the 95 because the previous owner had radiator issues and let the corroded water spray constantly on the unit and seized it. My 95 rear exterior door handles were giving me trouble but I took them apart and lube them up and the work fine. I also bent/removed the child door lock deal next to the jam lock (clamp) which might be Darky's problem not being able to open from the outside!
 
Well, honestly as reliable and overall trouble-free as mine has been the last few years, (having just taken my whole family and trailer full of "birthday in park" party gear around town today, in fact), maybe I just need to quit my b"tchin and simply put that money into taking care of my list...

I definitely, definitely appreciate all the comments. I love my rig for what it is, but it's always a hard decision for me to decide if a rig is still doing it's job or if it's time to move on.

From what i'm hearing, I could have just as many quirks or maybe even more in going to a different rig. I REALLY like the fact that i know what condition every major system is in on this particular truck.

cheers!
 
Boss Cherokee said:
I have an 85 Cherokee Chief that all electronics as far as doors and windows still work. It has a V8 so the gauges other than fuel are disconnected. My 95 has crank up windows which are ok till you need to roll the Pass. side down then they suck. 92 to 96 THEY SAY were the best years as far as H.O. motors and the t-case having more splines with the 96 being better because of the OBDII. Everything except cruise works on the 95 because the previous owner had radiator issues and let the corroded water spray constantly on the unit and seized it. My 95 rear exterior door handles were giving me trouble but I took them apart and lube them up and the work fine. I also bent/removed the child door lock deal next to the jam lock (clamp) which might be Darky's problem not being able to open from the outside!
Click to expand...

I'm thinking this might be one of my next weekend projects, as someone else had suggested I do that, too.
 
SanDiegoOverland said:
I REALLY like the fact that i know what condition every major system is in on this particular truck.

cheers!
Click to expand...

This is worth untold amounts of money to me. Whenever you buy a vehicle from someone else, you have no idea what it's history is. You have to take some dude's word for what was done, and sometimes you luck out and sometimes you don't. But once you get to know you're rig, you know everything about it...good or bad. Sometimes the bad outweighs the good, and when that happens, it might be time to start looking for something else. But it's also sketchy to find the right rig and more importantly, the right seller.

I can get bored and frustrated with little issues and completely understand where you're coming from. Sometimes, I find it helps to make a list of things you want from your rig within your budget and compare to how much it would cost to buy a different one with the things you want. I usually find it makes more sense to hold on to your current rig, sink a bit of cash into it and make it closer to the thing you've always wanted.
 
smart move. how much would it cost to fix your rig up? probably close to the same price as just the registration on a new rig, assuming you sourced used parts.
 
im thinking the same thing as mike g. get a newer XJ and DD it for a while stock and slowly morph it to the wheeling rig. i just want to find something that has everything working, no leaks, no dry and rotten door seals and window molding, and with less miles. an old person XJ. but in looking online they all of a sudden became far less common on craigslist and people want way too much for them these days.
 
1990JEEPXJ said:
im thinking the same thing as mike g. get a newer XJ and DD it for a while stock and slowly morph it to the wheeling rig. i just want to find something that has everything working, no leaks, no dry and rotten door seals and window molding, and with less miles. an old person XJ. but in looking online they all of a sudden became far less common on craigslist and people want way too much for them these days.
Click to expand...

Yeah, thanks for mentioning this...i was finding the same thing actually, just casually browsing on craigslist, etc.
 
Vanimal said:
smart move. how much would it cost to fix your rig up? probably close to the same price as just the registration on a new rig, assuming you sourced used parts.
Click to expand...

I've just started researching prices and other than a few shockingly expensive things like door seals from a Omix-ada/crown dealer, as you say, everything is pretty darned affordable.
 
I like the old/earlier models as of right now because it's easy to find replacement parts at the Junk Yards and some aftermarket parts seem to be cheaper too.
 
For those that electric windows in 1999 XJ's. On mine, a had a couple windows that were not working. Started checking everything. Found the wires leading to the doors were the door hinges are inside the rubber boots, a lot of them were broke.

For windows that are grinding when lowering or raising. I pulled the door pannels. You will see a white color tube that is coming off the motor. Shoot a bunch of WD=40 or PB blaster oil into it. Run it up and down. As you work it, help it till it starts working like it should. Mud and rust get inside the tube.
 
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