Discontinuing the Cherokee...

[88XjLaredo]

I don't think I've ever really heard or read why exactly Jeep stopped producing the XJ. Can someone please explain? I've really started contemplating this lately after finally seeing that sh*tty Compass on the road, realizing that Jeep has officially died with the 2007 models. No 4.0, 90% IFS, and an absolute disgraceful Wrangler(even I'm embarassed and I don't even drive one). What happened to Jeep?

 

[mtsz52784]

good story here... http://www.xjfreak.com/

 

[bjoehandley]

I don't have a problem with the Wrangler, with some of what I've heard of the 3.8l it may be a better sucsessor to the 4.0l than the 3.7 ever will be. Now if somebody in Michigan or Germany will get up off their dead asses and stick that drivetrain and suspension in a solid unibody with the bodylines that the Patriot and NO GHEY ROUND HEADLIGHTS!!!!:lickout: :loveu: :yelclap: :clap:

 

[motorcityxj]

what killed the cherokee as it was .... was time. It was slated to be cancelled when the original grand cherokee came out. The zj was going to be the new cherokee, the kept the cherokee and ADDED the grand, the XJ cherokee lasted through the entire ZJ lifespan and into its replacement the WJ.

What really killed it was crash standards, cost, image (i loved it, it sold well and some of the last years, if i recall were among the higher selling years selling well over 100,000 units) but the image of the oldness, poor fit and finish was not great for the jeep name. Also emissions as the 4.0 is a re-did 258 which is from the early 70s i think (i was only born in 1978 lol so its before my time). Anyways thats what killed the XJ. What killed the XJ as a continueing model of solid axle front and rear unit body 4x4 was the success of the cute utes like the rav4 and crv etc, and the automotive press.

i REALLY like the new wrangler. As soon as the bring over a diesel wrangler it will be my first brand spanking new vehicle. i want one bad. I will wait it out though if the 3.8 is the only power plant. What i really want is a long wheel base 2 door a la the unlimited w/ a diesel. My dream jeep since i already have a cherokee.

 

[87manche]

good story here... http://www.xjfreak.com/

so many errors

 

[XJIDAHO]

When Chrysler announced the end of the Cherokee, they said it was the result of poor sales. It was the second best selling SUV in the world at that time. I guess the crazy moustache guy "Dr. Z." couldn't deal with number two?? By the way number one was the Explorer (read Exploder). It was inexpensive, that helps sales alot.

 

[RichP]

The XJ was flat out the best bang for the buck out of any of them, period.
Strong engine, strong drivetrain, solid axles, comfortable even for my 6'6" and carried a family of 4 on long trips with no problems and for under $18K in the SE version. I really liked my 87 trooper II LS, reclining rear seats were a winner with the two little ones but talk about a rust bucket, when I sold it the frame had about had it and the body was not much better.
I too am going for a 4 door wrangler next with that cool hard top provided the new V6 holds up off roading, I have never been a fan of aluminum engines as far as longevity is concerned and thats important to me, I'm on my second engine and heading for 400,000, the first engine lasted about 310,000.

 

[1985xjlaredo]

Jeep is nothing of what it used to be. Years ago I was hoping that Jeep would again design the next gen of LAV's

 

[Bradlybob]

It surely was a neat little vehicle. They could have made some changes to the sheet metal, stiffened the unibody, opened the wheel wells to accept 265's, put the CRD that went into the KJ, and sell it at an affordable price, and they would have had a solid little utility vehicle. But instead they make the KJ. I like to think of it as DCX's version of the AMC Eagle. There's more to life than having the top seller. How about building the best SUV for the money and the sales will follow.

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

so many errors

my thoughts exactly.

 

[xjtrailrider]

I think what killed the XJ is that the XJ doesnt kill itself. A properly maintained XJ as we all know will go forever without major problems, and thats why "they" killed it.

They couldn't sell enough junk that does kill itself.

"Planned Obsolesence"

 

[89Daytona]

Jeep killed the Cherokee because it was too manly, they are womanizing all their vehicles.

 

[WB9YZU]

No car line lasts forever. The XJ enjoyed a long, by American standards, life of 17 years.

I am not sure why the XJ is gone and only the persons who were in the know with Dalmier-Chrysler can tell you the exact reason, but it was profit related as all these decissions are.

The ideas from Jeep that will last are the ones that make them a profit and Off-Roaders be damned. We have an image that folks like to copy, but not live because it is hard on our junk. I can't tell you how many SUVs I have seen lately with Off-Road accys bolted on (lift, tires...) and there units will never even see a gravel driveway. The manufactures are keen to this and are adding the look to their SUVs.

We will do what we have always done; take a stock vehicle and mod the crap out of it. That is what Hot-Rodders do, and that is what Off-Roaders do. I hate to say this, but if you want a machine that is designed, out of the box, to work off-road, sell the Jeep and buy an ATV

The only time I can remember that a car manufacture backed a hobby by putting racing/Off-Road parts on a stock vehicle is when they did it to meet a racing body's rule book. Even the only goal was to sell cars on Monday.

Ron

 

[Wallymander]

Jeep killed the Cherokee because it was too manly, they are womanizing all their vehicles.

AMEN which is why we get the compASS.....Everything has to have A/C and power windows... AGHHHHHHH even the wrangler.....how many creature comforts do we have to have before we forget we're in something that is movign at sppeds taht are capable of killing us and others, and area capable of more than taking you to the store to get your fat ass more food.

 

[RichP]

One thing I'm not happy about with the new wrangler is they now have cumple zone ends, in fact the front clip and frame are designed to be replaced.

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

AMEN which is why we get the compASS.....Everything has to have A/C and power windows... AGHHHHHHH even the wrangler.....how many creature comforts do we have to have before we forget we're in something that is movign at sppeds taht are capable of killing us and others, and area capable of more than taking you to the store to get your fat ass more food.

While agree that I don't like the compass either, I for one like the few creature comforts that are on the Jeeps in my driveway.....power windows really nice (when the regulators arent busted) and I love having keyless entry....and while I dont run my a/c when i'm wheelin....for those days when i'm stuck in traffic and its almost 100*, or i'm on the highway goin on a trip, the a/c is a wonderful thing (again, when it works)....lol.

 

[5-90]

One thing I'm not happy about with the new wrangler is they now have cumple zone ends, in fact the front clip and frame are designed to be replaced.

Yeah - that's why I don't like imports. They crumple like beer cans, and have the tensile strength of wet Kraft paper.

"My crumple zone is YOUR car. Don't like it? Don't run into me!"

5-90

 

[jfox21]

Yeah - that's why I don't like imports. They crumple like beer cans, and have the tensile strength of wet Kraft paper.

"My crumple zone is YOUR car. Don't like it? Don't run into me!"

5-90

funny story. . .

the other day i was workin and a zj pulls around the corner and the woman hops out and said "someone just ran into me". i looked at her car and saw a little dent on the rear bumper and didnt think anything of it. then someone walked around the corner and said the other car died and might need a push. i thought wtf? how'd the car die theres no damage on the jeep, couldnt have been a bad accident. so i decided to go check it out. i walk around the corner and see a 1999-00ish volvo s40 completely destroyed. the bumper was about 2 inches away from the windshield, radiator fluid all over the ground. the driver was fine, but the car was destroyed!

 

[bjoehandley]

funny story. . .

the other day i was workin and a zj pulls around the corner and the woman hops out and said "someone just ran into me". i looked at her car and saw a little dent on the rear bumper and didnt think anything of it. then someone walked around the corner and said the other car died and might need a push. i thought wtf? how'd the car die theres no damage on the jeep, couldnt have been a bad accident. so i decided to go check it out. i walk around the corner and see a 1999-00ish volvo s40 completely destroyed. the bumper was about 2 inches away from the windshield, radiator fluid all over the ground. the driver was fine, but the car was destroyed!

Sounds like a wreck my folks had back in the sixties, Dad was driving Mom's '57 Pontiac Superchief and he noticed a then latemodel compact (I think it may have been a Nova or one of it's GM clones, but I can't remember which one Dad said it was) wasn't going to stop before it met the back of Mom's Pontiac. Dad let off the brake just as the car ran into them, when they got out to survey the carnage they noticed the Pontiac had almost no damage (maybe a slight tweek to the bumper) and the car that hit them kinda looked like the Volvo you described above!

Also in '98 one of the guys he worked with at the time had just bought a '95 ZJ and stuck a hitch extention in the reciever. The ZJ's owner was going some where and suddenly he felt something hit the back of the truck. He got out out to see what happened and was some little Toyota (either a Corolla or Tercell) behind hime with the front bumper caved in, hood mangled, a hole in the radiator shaped about right for his hitch extension and a very pissed Toyota owner. The ZJ had some Toyota paint on the hitch........... IIRC after the police got done with their work the Toyota's owner got even madder as the ZJ's owner got in the thing to leave and drove off while his car had to take a ride on hte back of a wrecker:looser:

 

[BigG]

I've had two significant incidents with my '96 XJ. the first was a couple of years ago. a sedan rear ended me on the highway during rush hour. Her whole plastic front end was torn up. A nice square stamped in the center from my hitch. I got a $300 check from her insurance to repaint my bumper. Ended up buying a PSP.:laugh3:

The second was last night. I hit a deer on the road going 45MPH. It was small. Head didn't come above the hood. The thing bounced of and went sliding along the road ahead of me. Dead, of course. Damage: Cracked plastic in grill and left light bezel, the front of my stock bumper is even with my grill, and my left turn signal lense is shattered. I think the license plate took the most damage.

the XJ is a freaking tank. i love having steel bumpers.