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XJ-TJ dilemma

N

nickPRO

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Cyprus
So...Even though i know this is an xj/mj forum and most of you guys hate TJs i would like to have your opinion and help me out a bit in my dilemma of selling the xj and buying a tj. I currently have a 1996 2door xj 4.0, and i live in Cyprus where there are only about 10 2drs which makes it kinda rare! To cut a long story short could you tell me which one is better , the xj or the tj, taking into consideration overall performance, off-road capability, reliability etc. !!!


thanks for your help
 
I don't know what forum you think you're on, but to make a statement that most of us "hate" TJ's is a bit offensive and shows that you must not spend much time on NAXJA. This is probably the most user-freindly forum, regardless of what vehicle anyone has. People on NAXJA frequently help each other out by giving parts, advice and helping total strangers build their rigs. One big difference you should notice between NAXJA and Pirate is that here, people aren't just waiting to flame other people. About the worst you'll ever get from somebody is that person suggesting you search before posting the normal "Let's see your rig on 35's" thread.

As for your question about which vehicle is better, my question is, better for what? Your question is vague at best. If you want to stay positive, then welcome to NAXJA. If not, go back to Pirate.
 
i didnt mean anything by "hate" , and i sure didnt mean to disatisfy anyone and im sorry if you felt that way. i wasnt aiming in offending anyone on naxja , poor choice of words.
again im sorry if you felt that way...
 
If your rockcrawling the xj has a longer wheelbase.
 
I've considered doing the same but haven't for a few reasons. I like the idea of a TJ just because it is nice that it has a factory removable top and doors. I have kept my XJ because I would rather have the 4 doors and it nice to just roll up the power windows if it starts to rain instead of running out and putting the soft top up and the doors back on. I also like the additional room in the XJ especially with the seat folded down. If I could afford insurance on both I would in a heartbeat but I see a lot more gains to keeping the XJ.
 
TJs are nice, but I don't think I'd ever sell my XJ for one. They are just too short for me. Too much lift and you run into angle problems with the axles. My friend is having a dilemma with his YJ because of how short it is.

Each one has it's advantages, it's just about what you want in an off-road rig. The XJ is the one that I find to be the best to suit my needs. Krazors mentioned a lot I like about the XJ. Although I wouldn't have a problem with two doors, it's just they are hard to find so I have a 4 door.

I was actually thinking about going with a wrangler. Now that I have my XJ, I'm glad I didn't.
 
First, get the one that is easier to get parts for since you're a long ways from the factory.

Next, get the one you want.

Next, even if you get the wrong one, there are plenty of the others to go around and you can try a second time so don't worry about it.
 
I wheel woodland trails, gulleys, and hillclimbs. My usual group is two XJs, an MJ, a YJ, and a CJ.

We walk away from the swb guys. My brother-in-law's XJ on 31s and open diffs will outdo the locked CJ on 33s.

Maybe there are situations out there where a short wheelbase would help, but I haven't seen one yet, onroad or off...

Robert
 
Krazors hit the nail on the head, pretty much.

TJs are shorter, less stable. XJ, longer, more stable, and you wanna haul 5 guys and gear up your favorite trail, your set.

I always tell people that i can go anyhere in my XJ that you can in you TJ or CJ.

they both have thier advantages, but ill keep my xj, thank you.
 
I had a TJ. I miss the openness of it. yeah that is about it. after my TJ I got a WJ that out preformed my TJ (both were stock). Its hard to beat having a TJ with the top down on a trail in silverton. But ya have to drive there too!! and even with a hard top can be un plesant and then where does the hardtop get ya when ya get there ya cant fold it up. well you are choosing from the 2 best out there so I suppose ya cant go wrong.
 
Here's another 2-door owner, and yeah there aren't a lot of us. We've got a major advantage over 4-door types, however - fold down the back seat, fold forward the front seats and stuff pre-planned filler in the cracks, and we can comfortable sleep two inside with little modification.

As for your TJ/XJ comparison, both have advantages, and many XJ owners (me included) have owned or still own a YJ/TJ. Both are great vehicles, but they are very different in many ways. So, the main question comes back to you - what do you want to use it for? Write a couple paragraphs on your intended uses and I bet you'll get some good responses on which is better for that specific purpose.

Also, as you found, there's not much TJ/XJ rivalry - however, you might have gotten a different response if you tried comparing either one to the KJ....
 
if you wheel hard, consider the xj more disposable
xjs are more plauged by rust
xjs make horrible creaking and popping noises when all twisted up
tjs leak in multiple ways
tjs only seat 4
tjs don't have a spot 4 the dog
xjs only fit a 235 spare
tjs fit a 31x10.5 spare on the stock carrier
tjs roofs come off
tjs are easily damaged by thieves
tjs still come with crappy 2.5 l engines
tjs are tricky to lift more than 4-5 inches -driveline angles
xjs are much more stable
tjs articulate better
tj has better dparture angle
tjs have larger wheel openinings

in other words...they both suck!
just kidding i love them both n have 1 of each.
 
Personally my next Jeep will be a TJ with the wheelbase extended about 8" with custom suspension.

It will have great stability, approach and departure angles after extending it, and full width axles will only sweeten the deal.

Besides that it has a real frame.... Topless is always a sweet sight also:)
 
In addition to what was 2 posts above mine:

xjs unibody cracks under continuous extreme 4-wheeling
xjs have a better center of gravity and the roof is much lower
xjs are much cheaper
they both have similar drivetrains
tjs have narrower bodies (less room inside, but that extra inch or two per side of body fat tucked in for going through large boulders is nice)
 
I'll gave to say thanks because your replys were helpful in my decision as im thinking to keep the xj afterall but im not really sure yet!

and as for the recomendation that 92xjsp did, here in Cyprus there arent alotof wheeling options. It hardly rains ever, so everythings dry! But when it does rain...thats a different story:D So i pretty much wheel dry-rough terrain, not alot of rocks here.

when i get my membership i'll post some pics of a jeep jamboree here

thanks again
 
I'm surprised it took so long for someone to mention the price difference. An XJ is MUCH cheaper than a TJ of the same year and mileage. For the price of a TJ, you can get an XJ and a heck of a lot of mods for it. Also, XJs are a dime-a-dozen so they are really easy to find spare parts for. I don't think I've ever seen a TJ (or CJ or YJ for that matter) in a junkyard, but I've seen multiple people give away old XJs for parts.

Take the extra money you have for a TJ and upgrade your XJ.
 
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