I got a 97' cherokee, now what lol

[Zeus.:God]

The red one is going to be the Renix, which while not horrible, can be a nightmare if poorly maintained. Rotten wires, bad connectors, improperly set up TPS, stuck IAC, etc, etc, and since it's pre-OBD, you can't just plug in a code reader and figure it out. Then again, if it checks out- runs well and the wiring doesn't look like its been butchered, then have at it. Just beware that Renix parts are going to be a lot more expensive than the Chrysler fuel injection system.

As for the other one, check it out too. If it needs a radiator, you could drive him down on the price. A radiator, water pump, thermostat, and hoses aren't bad to replace. Only thing would be if you replaced the heater core, that would be a bitch. You have to tear the hole dash out and get at a bunch of nuts on the firewall behind the engine and such, with barely enough room for your hand. Shouldn't be too hard to check for a cracked head or if it's blown a gasket.

[angelicgundam90]

even though it seems uve made up ur mind on a jeep, what civic were u thinking about? if u said 92-95 they are awesome. i had a 93 hatch. i loved it until someone did a hit and run on it and my wife blew the engine.... :/

[demonoid369]

Originally Posted by Harvo

Why do you want the manual transmission? The 4 speed auto is a really solid unit.

im basing it off of how racing cars work better with manuals, I'm assuming offroad would be the same. is auto better for trail driving then manuals?

[tedo]

I agree the red XJ looks pretty good, and like THX mentioned.... don't worry about milage! These inline 6's run forever! The red one is cool, looks like it already has a mild lift and 31s. 31s are fine for 90% of what you sound like you should be doing. If you go bigger then 31s you need a bigger lift and should probably regear (which is $$$).

For me the 2inch and 31s is perfect for trailing around Vermont's class 4 roads. Got it through some pretty nasty stuff mountain biking last week as well.

As mentioned earlier DO NOT BUY THE FRST ONE YOU DRIVE. Cherokees always come up on CL, and especially if you widen your search to neighboring states. You can find 97-99s for 1500-4000 depending on miles and rot. Take your time. Would hate to have you make a few thousand dollar mistake...

Get the cleanest, newest, lowest milage you can afford (you will be surprised). Also, think about one with a mild lift and 31s already on it (there's almost another 1000 right there).

Good luck.

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by Zeus.:God

Ok.

Cherokees (XJ- not GRAND which would be ZJ and WJ) had the 4.0L inline 6, as well as a 2.5L 4 banger, both were equipped with manual transmissions and automatics. Stay away from the Peugeot BA-10 5 speed, which was available in both Cherokees and YJ Wranglers from 87-mid 89. What you want is the AX-15 which was available from mid 90 all the way to 99, in XJ's and Wranglers (YJ and TJ). The Grand Cherokee was not available with a manual. If at all possible, try to get 93 or newer on whatever you get, as to avoid the Renix fuel injection system. Technically, it is a better, more efficient system, but a maintenance nightmare as it is pre-OBD, and difficult to diagnose.

The vacuum disconnect shouldn't be a deal breaker for you. You can change it out to the posi-lock setup, but for light stuff like beach running and so on, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I've never had serious problems with mine. The deal with that is, there are two separate shafts on the passenger side of the axle. The shaft from the stub, with the U-joint, and an intermediate shaft between the diff and that outer shaft, and then there is a sleeve that is splined on the inside, to mate up with the splines on the outside of the shaft. The vacuum disconnect or posi-lock moves that sleeve to either connect the two together, or disconnect them, so as to decrease driveline resistance (the diff is unloading when the wheel turns, and isn't rotating the driveshaft), and hopefully better fuel economy. Obviously it doesn't really accomplish much in terms of mileage, but whatever. Its not that big a deal.

Fuel mileage... I wouldn't worry about it... You'll be able to deal. It's not that bad on a properly running Jeep, but it's not that great either. Anywhere between 12-20 depending on how you drive, and/or have a tail wind.

true for the most part, but the earliest of the cherokees used the craptastic GM 2.8 V6. Don't even take one of those Jeeps for free, that engine has to the candidate for the worst engine design of all time.

There are also some grand cherokees available in a manual trans, but those are hard to find. Also,not ALL XJ's have a vac. disconnect front axle so you have to physically look. I had a '99 sport XJ w/ the 'select trac' transfer case that did not have a vac. disconnect. My personal experience w/ the jeep was that it was too small for me, the 4.0 was a gas hog and the cost of properly modifying the suspension to clear a 31" tire was ridiculous. The Jeep got around 15 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway.

[crunky]

if your going for the jeep, don't go picking up something that has been lifted already and has a million miles on it. here's my list of the things to look for when purchasing a used cherocar...

1. pre - 1998
i don't know about your state but here Massholeachusetts we need to plug in cars that are made after 1998 to check OBD emissions values and run diagnostics. basically, you got a check engine light on, you fail.

2. stock everything
i don't want to be buying some trail beater or puddle jumper unless the price reflected as such.

3. don't buy the first one you see
jeep made a million and one cherokees and just when you think you found the gem, there was another gem parked four streets over.

4. wood grain sides
generally the older population purchased this model, old folks take care things usually. plus it just looks hot when lifted.

5. solid floors and rockers with no fresh undercoating or rhino liner
small holes can easily be patched, but you don't want a yabba dabba do rig. you also don't want to go buying anything that might smell of fresh undercoating. there just may be a tar paper repair under that.

6. manual roll up windows
this is huge to me, it makes it easier if you ever want to take the doors off, and cherokees are known to have window problems.

7. tow package
better rear end, bigger brakes and generally better gearing.

8. NP231
better aftermarket support and it was known to be the stronger of the factory offered cases. a close second would be the NP242 only because it's versatility for the street when using in wet, snowy or icy conditions. downfall of the NP242 was the shortcoming of aftermarket support. if you plan on building something and lifting it go for the NP231 simply because there are cheaper options available to do a slip yoke eliminator.

9. under 150,000 miles
although jeeps are known to run forever you want to have something that is going to have the least amount of wear and tear possible.

10. no major oil leaks
jeeps mark their territory often, so a little drip here or there isn't the end of the world. they are known to develop a leak at the two-piece rear main seal, the back of the valve cover gasket, the harmonic balancer seal, or any combination of those listed.

bonuses for me

A. two door

B. flip out vent windows on the doors.

C. older cherokees with the "off-highway vehicle" package consisted of tow hooks, tranny cooler, skid plates plus a 1 inch lift. i think they also call this country version, except country didn't get the lift and tranny cooler
( i think tranny cooler came with tow package don't quote me there )
the 2.5L cherokees came through with the 4.10 gearing in the axles. i would swap a 4.0 in.

D. no visor on the windshield
although i actually do like the look of a lifted cherocar on 35's, bushwacker flares, hood louvers, and a visor, it will get your jeep pissed on.

that's all i can think of for now, happy hunting !

[demonoid369]

Originally Posted by crunky

.

8. NP231
better aftermarket support and it was known to be the stronger of the factory offered cases. a close second would be the NP242 only because it's versatility for the street when using in wet, snowy or icy conditions. downfall of the NP242 was the shortcoming of aftermarket support. if you plan on building something and lifting it go for the NP231 simply because there are cheaper options available to do a slip yoke eliminator.

can you go a bit more in depth with the 242 and the street versatility? Is it gearing, etc... ?

[Zeus.:God]

Originally Posted by BigSki

true for the most part, but the earliest of the cherokees used the craptastic GM 2.8 V6. Don't even take one of those Jeeps for free, that engine has to the candidate for the worst engine design of all time.

There are also some grand cherokees available in a manual trans, but those are hard to find. Also,not ALL XJ's have a vac. disconnect front axle so you have to physically look. I had a '99 sport XJ w/ the 'select trac' transfer case that did not have a vac. disconnect. My personal experience w/ the jeep was that it was too small for me, the 4.0 was a gas hog and the cost of properly modifying the suspension to clear a 31" tire was ridiculous. The Jeep got around 15 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway.

You're right, forgot. I had one. lol

As far as the manual Grands, I've seen one on Craigslist. One. Could have been custom, though claimed all original. There isn't even really any documentation online, and is rare enough that it's considered a rumor in most parts.

The vacuum disconnect ended in the early 90's... I believe 91 or 92.

31's can fit stock with slight trimming or with a budget boost lift. Had them on an 89. Fit 32's and 33's on 3-3.5" lift (don't remember which).

[crunky]

Originally Posted by demonoid369

can you go a bit more in depth with the 242 and the street versatility? Is it gearing, etc... ?

to answer your question with exact facts i turned to wiki.

Read more: Is a NP242 Transfer case better then a NP231

The Select Trac option on the Jeep Cherokee gets you the New Process NP 242 transfer case. This transfer case gives the following operating modes: 2wd, 4wd with the center differential open, 4wd with the center differential locked, neutral, and 4wd low range (center differential locked)
The addition of a center differential is the main difference between the NP 242 and the NP 231 or Command Trac transfer case. Without a differential, the 231 transfer case offers only part time four wheel drive mode.
The NP 242 transfer case Full time mode opens the center differential allowing the front and rear axles to rotate at different speeds while still being linked by the transfer case. The end with the least traction will get the most torque. While this mode may have some disadvantages off road where a wheel may loose contact with the ground, it has the advantage of being usable on all paved surfaces. Part Time mode - with the center differential locks can only be used on loose or slick surfaces with out possible damage to the transfer case.
I use full time mode on wet streets, hard packed gravel or dirt, some snow and ice situations and on dry pavement when full acceleration without wheel spin is desirable. I use part time mode on loose gravel, dirt, grass and any off road situation. I use Part time mode when RallyCross racing as well.
I use low range for more control in off road situations or on rough gravel roads when traveling downhill to avoid excessive use of the brakes. I also often use low range when positioning my trailer or other towed equipment when precision placement is needed.
The NP 242 transfer case can be switched between 2wd and either 4wd mode at any speed simply by moving the lever. The switch to low range must be made at very low speed - the Jeep manual says 3 mph.
One common operating problem with the 242 transfer case is that it will stick in 4wd even if the lever is moved to 2wd. Internally, moving the lever loads a spring which then applies force to move the selector fork. If the gears are loaded with torque, the spring will not have enough energy to move the sleeve off the gears. Once torque is removed from the gears, the spring will then move the fork and slide the sleeve of the gears.
Momentarily lifting your foot off the gas will often unload the gears enough to allow the spring pressure to move the fork. On some high mileage units, a wear groove will form on the sleeve or gear causing it to stick longer and may require a couple of changes from loaded to unloaded to get the sleeve to release form the gear.
The Jeep NP 242 is lubricated with Automatic Transmission fluid. The level is checked by removing the upper of the two large plugs on the back of the case. The fluid should be level with the upper plug.
The NP 242 has a slip yoke on the tail shaft. If the drive shaft is damaged or removed, fluid will be lost out the tail shaft. Also this seal is important to maintain in good condition to prevent fluid loss.
The NP 242 is a very versatile transfer case and is my choice for three of my five Jeeps. The full time selection gets frequent use in all of them

[THX_138]

Helpful budget tip:

On the Cherokees with coil spring rear suspension you can remove the rear springs and put them in the front and receive 2 inches of lift basically for free!
You will only need to buy or make 2 inch extenders for the front shocks, or buy longer shocks.
And then simply buy 2 inch longer springs for the rear and the same deal with the shocks back there.

Cheap way to grab 2 inches of lift





.

[demonoid369]

Originally Posted by THX_138

Helpful budget tip:

On the Cherokees with coil spring rear suspension you can remove the rear springs and put them in the front and receive 2 inches of lift basically for free!
You will only need to buy or make 2 inch extenders for the front shocks, or buy longer shocks.
And then simply buy 2 inch longer springs for the rear and the same deal with the shocks back there.

Cheap way to grab 2 inches of lift





.

Was the coil springs an option or as common as the rear leafs?

[jetboat]

for your question regarding manual vs auto offroad... Manual allows you to use the starter to bump the motor, it also gives a little better control of the power. With that being said, when your offroad you have enough to do between throtlle control, wheel control, watching obsticles etc. Its real nice being able to put it in D and go. No shifting on hill climbs, no clutch getting wet in deep holes etc.

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by demonoid369

can you go a bit more in depth with the 242 and the street versatility? Is it gearing, etc... ?

crunky gave a great reply, but if you need more clarification, just Google 'command trac vs. select trac'

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by demonoid369

Was the coil springs an option or as common as the rear leafs?

XJ's ( the smaller cherokee) only came w/ rear leaf springs, the ZJ and WJ ( grand cherokees) only came w/ rear coil springs.

[demonoid369]

how about this? it has the tow package
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
is the price high?

[johnnyh66]

Originally Posted by demonoid369

I would use it for the beach, mountain, light to medium off roading. That's why it's a toss up between the two. One gets way better gas mileage, but the other is off road capable and going to the beach(fourwheeling) or mountain(snowboardin) I can drive safely knowing I have 4wd.
Insurance isn't an issue because I have the basic liability, and I've asked them and the I'd be only pay maybe a few dollars more than what I'm paying now and I'm only paying $97.

you could get a CR-V or a Subaru Forester.

Personally, I'd like to get a CJ but for practical reasons I'm looking for a TJ.

[demonoid369]

Originally Posted by johnnyh66

you could get a CR-V or a Subaru Forester.

Personally, I'd like to get a CJ but for practical reasons I'm looking for a TJ.

hows the foresters look on reliability, parts costs, easibility, etc...

[crunky]

forester screams lezbaru... i like subi, but not the girl cars.

stick with the jeep. they made a million jeeps and parts are a dime a dozen. you won't find a vehicle with better aftermarket support because everyone makes something for jeep.

[THX_138]

Originally Posted by demonoid369

how about this? it has the tow package
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
is the price high?

That is a perfect Jeep for you

I would offer $2,200 and hopefully end up with a deal somewhere in the middle around $2,400. Unless it has some hidden issue it seems a good deal.

NADA book value on it is around $2,000 trade-in and $3,800 retail.

Wife had a 96 just like that for a few years that we bought brand new. Had it for 4 years and did NOTHING but change the oil and one set of tires. Was a great ride



.

[demonoid369]

so it looks like they wont fix it so im posting here again for feedback on jeeps. found this:
95 Jeep Grand Cherokee
miles are fairly high, would it still be fine or should i look for around 100k miles range?

or this?
http://corvallis.craigslist.org/cto/3281288174.html

hows laredos? are they something to stay away from?