used jeep help

[RaptorXJ]

I need some help deciding on what to do.

I have a 1994 jeep cherokee with 176xxx miles on it. For the most part it has turned into a money pit. (I have owned it for 6years) Mostly due to it was only ment for off roading or hauling stuff and from my other car having serious issues it got turned into a daily driver for near 2 years. Well now everything is wrong with it, tranny slipping, t-case leaking, oil pan leaking, all my hard brake lines are really corroded, tranny cooling lines leaking, axle seals leaking (but the 4.0L still running strong and no smoke! lol). My uncle ownes his own mechanics shop and he belives due to the money I have to put into it to keep it reliable he suggests time for a newer jeep.

Thats my issue a new jeep. I really can use recomendations.... I looked at cherokees and the ones under 100K miles people want a forturne for them like 5-7K. Was looking at 98-99 cherokees as there arguably the best years. Wranglers.... well there so much in decent shape any TJ that I saw on internet might as well save an extra few thousand and get a JK :/

But then theres the Liberty..... I know can say not a "real" jeep but it does have a decent power train in axles and t-case, the 3.7L is just ok. has 4 doors like XJ but the Libertys aftermarket sucks. As a 2002-2004 Libertys at like 100K miles is like 5K.

I dont know, any suggestions anyone has for any thing I would appresate!

 

[Cottontail]

Are you just going to use it to DD? How much is your budget? Why is 100xxx miles your magic cut off number?

Not sure about Jersey, but here in TN you can get ZJs all day long for $2500 or less and WJs for $5000 or less.

 

[91AzXJ]

The Liberty's are ok if you get one that is decently equipped for trails, I would get a early KK though. There is some aftermarket support available for them but nothing like the XJ or TJ. Like the previously post said, there's always the WJs and don't forget the Commanders. I've been seeing some nicely built commanders as of late.

 

[xcm]

Man up, fix your xj.
If your uncle owns a shop, tell him to stop offering his opinion, and start helping turn wrenches.

 

[RaptorXJ]

Are you just going to use it to DD? How much is your budget? Why is 100xxx miles your magic cut off number?

Not sure about Jersey, but here in TN you can get ZJs all day long for $2500 or less and WJs for $5000 or less.

No, the "new" jeep wont be my daily driver. My wife and I finally saved up and got rid of my old car and got a new mustang. This jeep that will be replacing my old one will be back to what I wanted it for, off roading and when I need to move something. On off roading note, I ussally just trail ride and do sandpits, currently my XJ has a 2 and half inch lift with 30 inch tires. Besides your typical mods like exhaust, bored TB, 2 row radiator its stock with nothing major.

On the miles 100K is just a number I throw out there, it can be more or less but I think around 120K miles would be my cut off unless it can be proven its solid still to mod and run off road with out major issues.

ZJs and WJs Grand cherokees I forgot about, I could look around at them too. My budget I would think is around 5K if its stock as I would like tires and lift at the least. If its modded maybe 6500 area.

 

[RaptorXJ]

Man up, fix your xj.
If your uncle owns a shop, tell him to stop offering his opinion, and start helping turn wrenches.

lol, belive me I am thinking about it. As 5K would fix like everything on my XJ with a rebuild tranny and letting someone else do it. As 5K is maybe just buying me a new starting point to do this all over again at. I dont think my Wife will let me sink big chunks of money into a 94 jeep and her and my dad have it all in there heads that its near 20 years old and 5K dollars is too much for that old of a vechile. So thats why am trying to figure out all of my options and worse case of getting rid of the jeep as I dont think my wife will let me continue dropping money in it as she has never really cared for my XJ.

 

[Lowrange2]

lol, belive me I am thinking about it. As 5K would fix like everything on my XJ with a rebuild tranny and letting someone else do it. As 5K is maybe just buying me a new starting point to do this all over again at. I dont think my Wife will let me sink big chunks of money into a 94 jeep and her and my dad have it all in there heads that its near 20 years old and 5K dollars is too much for that old of a vechile. So thats why am trying to figure out all of my options and worse case of getting rid of the jeep as I dont think my wife will let me continue dropping money in it as she has never really cared for my XJ.

I've clearly found your problem.

Yesterday me and some of the guys decided to go out for lunch. One of the guys that never comes with us decided he wanted to go. He literally made us wait on him so he could call and ask his wife if it was ok for him to pay 7 bucks for lunch... That blows my mind.

I just don't get that...

If you spend 5 grand fixing a couple oil leaks you're doing something wrong.

Sounds like you need less than 100 bucks in gaskets and RTV.

Clearly, you want to keep your Jeep and fix it but your wife wants it gone. You're hoping for a "Fix it it's worth it" response.

So, here you go. I'd fix the Jeep. Your list of issues is FAR shorter than some lists I've dealt with.

:dunno:

 

[Boatwrench]

Man up, fix your xj.
If your uncle owns a shop, tell him to stop offering his opinion, and start helping turn wrenches.

Literally, not just figuratively LOL.

Raptor,
Sell the Jeep and get one that is not a money pit. Once you either spend more maintaining the vehicle or lose confidence in the vehicles ability to go from point A to point B without a tow truck, sell it.

Thinking of a Liberty? If you can get over driving a vehicle that looks like it escaped from the claymation world of Chevron commercials than I suggest you search for L.O.S.T. Liberty Owners Support Team. This group was in Moab during IC on the Rocks a few years ago and they were out having fun on the trails.

Just my $.02

 

[xcm]

Thinking of a Liberty? If you can get over driving a vehicle that looks like it escaped from the claymation world of Chevron commercials

damn man, thats a burn!

 

[RaptorXJ]

Thanks guys for the sugestions! Negitive and positive there all valid and helpfull. I have been thinking alot the last couple of hours about what to do and I ultimatly dont want to get rid of my XJ. Plus I really hate selling and hunting to buy a vechile. Over the next few weeks ill fix what am capable of doing and see where the rest takes me lol.

 

[ILLXJ]

Raptor,
Sell the Jeep and get one that is not a money pit.

I didn't know there was a Jeep that wasn't a money pit.

JIM.

 

[westvirginia24976]

Thanks guys for the sugestions! Negitive and positive there all valid and helpfull. I have been thinking alot the last couple of hours about what to do and I ultimatly dont want to get rid of my XJ. Plus I really hate selling and hunting to buy a vechile. Over the next few weeks ill fix what am capable of doing and see where the rest takes me lol.

You spoke of some corrosion on parts. If the body and floor pans are rust free, keep it. If the rust has started there, sell it. Body rust to me is the most difficult thing to deal with. You seem to have a great attitude regarding all types of advice. Welcome to .

 

[kastein]

I need some help deciding on what to do.

I have a 1994 jeep cherokee with 176xxx miles on it. For the most part it has turned into a money pit. (I have owned it for 6years) Mostly due to it was only ment for off roading or hauling stuff and from my other car having serious issues it got turned into a daily driver for near 2 years. Well now everything is wrong with it, tranny slipping, t-case leaking, oil pan leaking, all my hard brake lines are really corroded, tranny cooling lines leaking, axle seals leaking (but the 4.0L still running strong and no smoke! lol). My uncle ownes his own mechanics shop and he belives due to the money I have to put into it to keep it reliable he suggests time for a newer jeep.

Thats my issue a new jeep. I really can use recomendations.... I looked at cherokees and the ones under 100K miles people want a forturne for them like 5-7K. Was looking at 98-99 cherokees as there arguably the best years. Wranglers.... well there so much in decent shape any TJ that I saw on internet might as well save an extra few thousand and get a JK :/

But then theres the Liberty..... I know can say not a "real" jeep but it does have a decent power train in axles and t-case, the 3.7L is just ok. has 4 doors like XJ but the Libertys aftermarket sucks. As a 2002-2004 Libertys at like 100K miles is like 5K.

I dont know, any suggestions anyone has for any thing I would appresate!

tranny slipping - throw a new one in. no more than $200 at the junkyard, they go for less than that on here all the time.
tcase leaking - won't rust! (shouldn't be hard to put new seals in though, and cheap, too - do it while the trans is out)
oil pan leaking - well, drop $50 on the pan gasket and rear main seal, do the seal while the trans is out and it'll be easy.
brake lines - this is about 3-4 hours of work to replace all of them, maybe $60 in materials, and you'll even be able to sit under the jeep with plenty of head room while the trans is out.
trans cooler lines leaking - Dorman makes replacements. Something like $80 for all 3 - part numbers 624-300, 624-301, 624-334. If the fittings at the trans are ugly looking get two of those too, part number 800-714.
axle seals leaking - with a helper, this is a $20 (assuming you put new gear lube in) 2 hour job.

The thing about the "you've spent so much money on it, get something new" logic is that new stuff costs more money, and if you buy a newer used vehicle you have no idea what's really been maintained and what hasn't and what terrible Previous Owner Hackjobs you'll find in there. On the other hand, you've probably replaced enough parts on the current jeep that there are a limited number of wear items that haven't gone bad yet.

I see people dump thousands of dollars into a vehicle, make it almost completely rebuilt, then one silly little thing goes wrong and they throw up their hands and junk it because they're tired of spending money on it. It's like giving up at mile 25 of a marathon because you stubbed your toe.

Unless the unibody is rotting to the point that it's not worth saving, I'd just fix what's broken and keep driving it. Hell, throw 150-200 at it a month in parts and you're still paying less than a car loan, no one's gonna repossess it if you don't have time to fix it once in a while, and they are a lot cheaper to insure than a new car too.

 

[bigalpha]

Unless the unibody is rotting to the point that it's not worth saving, I'd just fix what's broken and keep driving it. Hell, throw 150-200 at it a month in parts and you're still paying less than a car loan, no one's gonna repossess it if you don't have time to fix it once in a while, and they are a lot cheaper to insure than a new car too.

I fully agree with this.

 

[heyhar]

Any vehicle, as it approaches ten years old, will become a money pit. Near twenty, and anything goes. We have a '92, a '95 and two '96 XJs, and I've seen just about everything that can go wrong with a vehicle. But, we live near a big u-pull-it junkyard that routinely has a few dozen donors on hand, and the auto parts stores nearby usually have anything we may need. So, for an old vehicle, the XJ is probably the easiest one to live with. They're easy to work on, and you don't even need to jack it up to perform routine maintenance! Other than a Subie, most of which have their own Achilles heel (head gaskets), the old Jeep models are probably the best choice if one wants to rock an older vehicle.