Considering an older XJ. (Maybe ZJ.) Any advice?

[TJMexico]

My little TJ just can't hack some of my trips when I need to carry extra gear. I am considering grabbing a Cherokee XJ and am looking at possibilities. They abound here for sale, but my experience so far (I was originally looking for an XJ but gave up) is that most of them on the market here have been "rode hard and put up wet."

I'd like a pre-1991 model as I understand that that was when they were switched over from natural aspiration to fuel injection. Hoping to find a manual shift, but those are almost as rare as hen's teeth - just almost.

Aside from dead give-aways like heavy rust and other mechanical issues, any advice or tips?

Here is a list of XJs currently offered on FB Marketplace in my area. I live in the state of Sonora, NW Mexico. (The peso exchange rate is about 18.5mxn to 1.00usd.)

This one is a 1999 Sport model, asking about $6,500usd for. (When it says "Mexicana," that means it's legally registered in Mexico as opposed to a technically illegal US vehicle, a big plus.)
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1540456203606571/

This one is a '97 model Grand Cherokee, going for about $3,000usd.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/800621799393602/

Here is a '88 model, going for just under $3,000usd.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1299471034718799/

'88 model two-door asking about $3,800usd. (I like the rack, but that squatty back end would have to be addressed.)
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/4115760968677687

Asking about $4,250usd for this '98 model...
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/679823838089330/

This '98 Sport has a Toyota transmission, 17" Rubicon rims and 1.5" spacers, and is one of the most expensive asks on my list at nearly $5,000usd.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1473597997252996/

2000 model asking $3,700usd.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/4154904424733045

 

[Rickyd]

You want a 4.0l powered xj,none of them had carburetors. 97 up as they are the better obd2 style.

The 4 cyl and 2.8l chevy motors should be avoided.

 

[TJMexico]

Thank you, very helpful. I was misinformed, then, re. the carburation.

Lots on offer from '98 to early 2000s. I'll do my due diligence.

 

[oldjeepman]

Look for 97 thru 01. High pinion Dana 30 and 8.25 rear end. Most that came with a tow package may have a Dana 35. My daughter has been driving one for the last 20 yrs..

 

[Chris]

Make sure to inspect the door jams thoroughly for cracks. If the vehicle has ever been flexed off-road the door jams will develop cracks from the body twisting. This is one of the disadvantages of a unibody vehicle for rock crawling. The doors will also be hard to shut.

Don't ask me how I know

 

[TJMexico]

... Don't ask me how I know

I might can guess...

 

[ColoJeep]

2000 -2001 used a low pinion D-30 instead of a high pinion D-30 The 5spd. manuals with the 4.0 came with 3.07 axle ratio . It works okay on the highway , but offroad or steep mountain grades you will be in low range immediately . ( my experience from the Colorado Rockies ) . My recommendation would be a 99 4 dr sport with the 4.0 , ( 99 and older used a distributor and plug wires , this could be better for your location ) and 5 spd. AX-15 . with the 8.25 MoPar rear end and 29 splines . A few things to be addressed with a XJ are : install some real tow points , no gas tank or real T-case skid plates , not much airflow under the hood they can run hot . I hope you find one just right for you !

 

[tnjeepguy]

https://naxja.org/

Good info, like on here. D

 

[srimes]

Unpopular opinion here, but in many ways the XJ is a better platform than the TJ. I love my TJ, but if I didn't insist on having a convertible I would have gone for another XJ.

The aw4 automatic is a great transmission. Autos are much better for crawling. Manuals are fun, but the main reasons manuals are so common in TJs is because the automatics that would fit weren't great.

1999 is the best year XJ. But there are many good years to choose from. Condition is the most important thing to look for. Like the TJ, rust on the "frame" is the biggest red flag to watch for.

 

[TJMexico]

Unpopular opinion here, but in many ways the XJ is a better platform than the TJ. I love my TJ, but if I didn't insist on having a convertible I would have gone for another XJ.

The aw4 automatic is a great transmission. Autos are much better for crawling. Manuals are fun, but the main reasons manuals are so common in TJs is because the automatics that would fit weren't great.

1999 is the best year XJ. But there are many good years to choose from. Condition is the most important thing to look for. Like the TJ, rust on the "frame" is the biggest red flag to watch for.

I really wanted an XJ, mainly for the extra cargo space and being able to carry more people. I recently returned from a trip to a mountain village. Went in with a full load of gear in the back and one friend. Came out with two ladies who needed a ride (my friend rode his mule down the back way) and had to leave some of my gear behind. Not an issue this time as I'm going back soon to do some fencing work, but more space and a decent roof rack would do wonders.

The one linked below is probably worth considering. The asking price is, from what I can tell, nearly double of what most prices are, but my experience thus far is that most of these are, as I said previously, "rode hard and put up wet." A lot of them are used out on the beach and in the dunes here, so a rust damage is common. If this one is in good shape, it is probably worth the $6,500usd asking price. I see, looking for '99s for sale in the US, that about $10,000 seems to be an average price.

This is the one that most gets my attention. I need to go look at it, though, and talk turkey with the owner. I need to get into town soon to do that.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1540456203606571/

 

[tnjeepguy]

talk turkey with the owner

The turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris, native to North America. There are two extant turkey species: the wild turkey of eastern and central North America and the ocellated turkey of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.

more ??

https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/the-sounds-of-the-wild-turkey

 

[srimes]

The turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris, native to North America. There are two extant turkey species: the wild turkey of eastern and central North America and the ocellated turkey of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.

more ??

https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/the-sounds-of-the-wild-turkey

They can all carry coconuts, right? But are they migratory?

 

[TJMexico]

They can all carry coconuts, right? But are they migratory?

Are you thinking European turkeys or African turkeys?

 

[Rickyd]

I really wanted an XJ, mainly for the extra cargo space and being able to carry more people. I recently returned from a trip to a mountain village. Went in with a full load of gear in the back and one friend. Came out with two ladies who needed a ride (my friend rode his mule down the back way) and had to leave some of my gear behind. Not an issue this time as I'm going back soon to do some fencing work, but more space and a decent roof rack would do wonders.

The one linked below is probably worth considering. The asking price is, from what I can tell, nearly double of what most prices are, but my experience thus far is that most of these are, as I said previously, "rode hard and put up wet." A lot of them are used out on the beach and in the dunes here, so a rust damage is common. If this one is in good shape, it is probably worth the $6,500usd asking price. I see, looking for '99s for sale in the US, that about $10,000 seems to be an average price.

This is the one that most gets my attention. I need to go look at it, though, and talk turkey with the owner. I need to get into town soon to do that.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1540456203606571/

Dumbasses with snorkels aren't the seller you want. A few tastless mods don't make your jeep worth more than it is. I'd argue that crap lowers the value.

 

[TJMexico]

Dumbasses with snorkels aren't the seller you want. A few tastless mods don't make your jeep worth more than it is. I'd argue that crap lowers the value.

Actually, the snorkel serves a purpose here. The roads I run on are all dusty; very dusty. Lots of dust. Drawing intake air from higher up off the road helps to keep the intake a bit cleaner. Not enough deep water here to justify one for that, but for keeping the air intake a bit cleaner, they actually help.

Having or not having a snorkel is no issue for me, no consideration. If it's properly installed, I see no problem.

Sorry the snorkel triggered you. Might needs a snorkel warning on the photographs.

 

[speeding_infraction]

I'm currently trying to find a 99 limited 4.0 4x4. Do you need lockers etc?

 

[Rickyd]

Actually, the snorkel serves a purpose here. The roads I run on are all dusty; very dusty. Lots of dust. Drawing intake air from higher up off the road helps to keep the intake a bit cleaner. Not enough deep water here to justify one for that, but for keeping the air intake a bit cleaner, they actually help.

Having or not having a snorkel is no issue for me, no consideration. If it's properly installed, I see no problem.

Sorry the snorkel triggered you. Might needs a snorkel warning on the photographs.

You miss the point, if you want to buy something overpriced with a few cheap mods then a snorkle equiped rig is a good place to start. It isn't emotion,it is my experience buying vehicles. You'd be better off installing your own snorkle after.

 

[TJMexico]

You miss the point, if you want to buy something overpriced with a few cheap mods then a snorkle equiped rig is a good place to start. It isn't emotion,it is my experience buying vehicles. You'd be better off installing your own snorkle after.

No, I did not miss the point.

The snorkel has absolutely no bearing on my purchasing the vehicle. Prices for that model in the US range from about $5,000 to sometimes well over $10,000. Here it's similar but in a lower range due to the economy and the fact that in this area they are often driven on the coast where they accrue salt damage. I am sure there are many factors that go into the price differences, but mainly a well kept, maintained vehicle with no body or chassis issues is going to fetch a higher price. That's what I'll be looking for.

If the snorkel is properly installed, that's fine. It can be useful, as I said. No reason to consider the seller a "dumbass." If it's not properly installed, then that'd be a strike against. I'm not sure why the presence of a snorkel or any other modification would negate a purchase if the mod is properly installed and useful. Lifts, winches, sound systems, beefed up bumpers, cargo racks are all commonly installed extras and can add to the value of the vehicle if they are properly installed, look good and are useful.

 

[jeepguy03]

Unpopular opinion here, but in many ways the XJ is a better platform than the TJ. I love my TJ, but if I didn't insist on having a convertible I would have gone for another XJ.

The aw4 automatic is a great transmission. Autos are much better for crawling. Manuals are fun, but the main reasons manuals are so common in TJs is because the automatics that would fit weren't great.

1999 is the best year XJ. But there are many good years to choose from. Condition is the most important thing to look for. Like the TJ, rust on the "frame" is the biggest red flag to watch for.

I owned 3 XJs with various modifications over the course of 13 years and they are great, but finding one that hasn't been beat up is a real challenge now, and you will pay significantly for it. Almost to the point where it doesn't make sense to buy one for wheeling, because you will pay that much for a decent one.

1987-1990 were the "renix" years, with renault/Bendix fuel injection. 1991+ were the 4.0L "High output" years which made more power and were simpler. I owned a 1990 renix 4.0L and as long as you were good with a multimeter it wasn't too hard to fix, but the renix specific parts are becoming harder to find. I would really recommend 1991-1999 as the "sweet spot".

1996-2001 had OBD2, 1997+ were the refreshed smoother body style. 2000-2001 had the crack-prone 0331 cylinder heads.

Rust is obviously something to watch out for, and ultimately what kills XJs. They like to rust at the bottom of the doors, the floors, and the rocker panels. They also like to rust above the windshield where the windshield seal is, and that is what kills a lot of them, because it spreads underneath the seal, and Jeeps that look otherwise clean can have a ticking time bomb underneath the windshield that requires significant body work to fix.

If it were me, I think a 4.0L ZJ is a better value. Yes, the 42RE automatic is much weaker than the AW4, but the ZJ is larger inside, has coils all around like the TJ, and parts are cheaper. For the price difference between a clean XJ and a clean ZJ you could buy quite a few transmissions.

 

[srimes]

I owned 3 XJs with various modifications over the course of 13 years and they are great, but finding one that hasn't been beat up is a real challenge now, and you will pay significantly for it. Almost to the point where it doesn't make sense to buy one for wheeling, because you will pay that much for a decent one.

1987-1990 were the "renix" years, with renault/Bendix fuel injection. 1991+ were the 4.0L "High output" years which made more power and were simpler. I owned a 1990 renix 4.0L and as long as you were good with a multimeter it wasn't too hard to fix, but the renix specific parts are becoming harder to find. I would really recommend 1991-1999 as the "sweet spot".

1996-2001 had OBD2, 1997+ were the refreshed smoother body style. 2000-2001 had the crack-prone 0331 cylinder heads.

Rust is obviously something to watch out for, and ultimately what kills XJs. They like to rust at the bottom of the doors, the floors, and the rocker panels. They also like to rust above the windshield where the windshield seal is, and that is what kills a lot of them, because it spreads underneath the seal, and Jeeps that look otherwise clean can have a ticking time bomb underneath the windshield that requires significant body work to fix.

If it were me, I think a 4.0L ZJ is a better value. Yes, the 42RE automatic is much weaker than the AW4, but the ZJ is larger inside, has coils all around like the TJ, and parts are cheaper. For the price difference between a clean XJ and a clean ZJ you could buy quite a few transmissions.

At this point, if I wanted a nicer on-road driver, I'd probably lean towards a WJ if I wanted a grand. Or at least a ZJ with a V8.