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Have you driven one? Most got traded in within the first year of ownership because they wanted the jeep...till they owned one. They are NOT a car.. Assuming you have driven one, and know that, the older you go the more chance that the frame is rotted away. The TJ [97-06 ] is my favorite, is a real solid time proven little truck.
Not sure for what opinion you are looking?I believe 4.0 means you're looking for a TJ (round headlights, coil springs) and not a JKU.The 4.0 I had in my 98 XJ was a very stout motor. I know it has a fantastic reputation for longevity. The chassis a little less so, especially (as mentioned) corrosion. So finding a clean frame and body vehicle will be the challenge. I'm a JKU owner these days and love it.Honestly the JKU reminds me a lot of the XJ in basic feel.As a now four time Jeep owner I love them, despite (or maybe because) of their relatively simple/primitive/basic nature.
Thank You for your opinion! I’m now looking at a 2005 with the in-line 6 4.0 motor. But it has 169,000 miles on it!
Mileage is not that big a factor if it has been maintained properly. Maintenance records go a long way to help sell a vehicle with mileage. I would be more concerned with the number of owners and the lack of maintenance records than the mileage. Without the records my offer would be based on what items am I likely going to need to replace soon which contributes to me not being able to purchase one. If this is going to be a toy and you either are going to wrench on it yourself, or already have a trusted mechanic, and the price is right, you will never spend the amount it cost to buy a new one. You were saying in another thread that you need a truck. Why not buy a new Gladiator and combine both want and need.
Maybe there is something to be said about the durability/longevity/reliabilty of design of in-line six cyl engines??!!
We bought a 2000 Cherokee Sport (Elizabeth Warren model, it's white!) for my wife brand new with the 4.0 engine and automatic. About to turn 200,000 miles. Lots of them are available with 200,000+, 300,000+, and a friend has one with over 400,000 miles.My wife loves it. Lots of people have asked to buy it. She to drive it forever.With the 4.0 engine, it is a rocket with tractor like torque right from idle! A friend who is a lifelong mechanic says the 4.0 engine models have a Toyota transmission which is bullet proof. Additional benefit is (according to my buddy) the split seal at the back of the engine leaks oil from day one, so the body is continually getting rustproofed with engine oil.Back when it was new, I compared the under hood components to a friend's 1988 Cherokee. Almost everything looked the same. Other than replacing front brake rotors early on, and an intake/exhaust manifold gasket, electric door lock switch, no problems in 200K miles. I would buy a used one with 100,000-250,000 miles in a heartbeat.
The 5 speed AX15 manual used in 90's Jeeps was not Toyota transmission, it's an Aisin Warner used by several manufacturers. It was replaced by the NV3500 in 2000...
Mine was a 98 XJ Classic.I can't say it was trouble free (other than the motor).Let's see, in 5-6 years of ownership I remember replacing:* Leaf springs in the back cause it was sagging under the weight of our small boat (that I also towed with a Subaru without problems)* Shocks all around well before 100k* Brake pads and rotors every single year (till AutoZone or Advance, I forget which, told me to stop coming back for free "lifetime warranty" brake pads)* Rear brake shoes just the once at ~80k* AC compressor (went kaput)* Hood release cable (snapped)* Removed dash to reinstall the connector for the instrument cluster (went intermittently dead until I did that)But mine probably had a tough life.Drivetrain just kept chugging with minimal attention.
Wow! That's a lot of problems. Not the typical story from an XJ owner. The OEM front brake rotors on my wife's XJ were shot at 30,000 miles, after that, no problems.Typically, I have not been a big fan of Jeeps, but my wife's vehicle has been excellent. Maybe it is an unusual example. It is the only one I have ever owned or co-owned.
Most got traded in within the first year of ownership because they wanted the jeep...till they owned one.
Wanted a more reliable civilized version so I am picking up my new 4door Blue Bronco up in a week. FORD was nice enough to email me a picture of it as it rolled off the assembly line along with the window sticker!
I've had a '90 YJ (last year with the old roll bar and first year with the 4.0) and currently have an '09 JK. Those are world's apart technology wise but not really that different in practical terms. Since I just went through the buying experience here's what I learned.There are plenty of trashed out Jeeps from all years in marketplace. If a thrasher is all you are looking for then other than overpaying you'll have no problem.There are very few nice YJs left and they will bring the same price as the TJs when you find them. I'd therefore skip to the TJs.There are nice TJ's out there but you are going to pay for one. If looking at a TJ pay close attention to the manual transmission. It can be a pain to get into reverse through '04, and they had problems with the 6 speed NSG370 in the '05-'06. Pick your poison year wise but you need to pay attention to the tranny. A nice TJ runs around $18k to $22k here in Texas.If you move on the JK then skip '07 and '08. Those were the worst years from all of the consumer complaints. My '09 has a few gremlins but hasn't let me down. A 2 door, soft top JK '09-'11 are the budget buys of the Jeep world. It's why I have one!Any above '11 when they changed the interior, and any JL (2018 and above) will be ridiculously priced or completely trashed.If the Jeep has lifted then look real close how it was done. Remember that the 2 door averages about an extra 1" of lift over the 4 door for the same kit. Mine had been lifted with a 2.5" spacer and that puts the lift at almost 4". As a result I've already replaced many parts in the front end including the drive shaft. If I were looking for a 2 door TJ or JK I'd want to see no more than a 2" lift under there without seeing upgrades to the steering, tie rods, and drive shaft. I've spent about $5k on suspension upgrades so far.[/li][/list]Scared yet? I'm not. A Wrangler is not to be considered transportation but instead a hobby, and it's one of the few hobbies that you can spend a ton of money on and get it all back when go to sell. It's crazy how they are still valued despite all of the flaws.