The Jeep Cherokee, Any Experiance?

[HPI-Killer]

So I am having a HELL of a time picking out a "family" vehicle to buy and still maintain somewhat good MPG and have straight axles all around. I have always been a Cherokee fan since my first scaler from SMaxxin lol, but I want to know if anyone here has owned one that is 1990-2000, nothing new for I am trying to buy cheap (under 6k)

What are you experiances with them, any problems, issues, are they worth buying because I can't find any other trail freindly truck thats familyish.

 

[frickenjoey]

I had a 2002 Limited with the 4.7HO (Unbadged Hemi) Issues I had, Fuel injectors liked to go bad and foul out plugs had two. Front Viscous Diff leaked a little then went out ($1300). Cam possition sensor, fuel pump. This was over a period of 7 years though. Other than that it was a solid vehicle and I loved driving it.

 

[HPI-Killer]

Interesting indeed, I have heard both sides of this story but my wife is freaking out if it breaks were really screwed, because we just filed bankruptcy so you can imagine how strapped I am...

Anyone else had one of these vehicles? All input welcome please!

Thanks

 

[Phins Fan]

Had a 2001 with the 4.0 Bought used with 120,000ish miles and was able to put about another 50,000 of daily commuting on it with minimal issues. Be good with the general maint. and it should treat you ok. Providing you dont buy 1 where someone tried climbing Mt. everest they typically last well especially with the 4.0 and 5spd. Just my .02

 

[slowngreen]

Loring, my brother is a mechanic, certafied in just about every mainstream company, he says and has for as many years as i can remember that the jeep is one of the least reliable vehicles made especially the cherokee and grand cherokee.
Stick with a 4-runner or pahfnder imo....

 

[HPI-Killer]

Loring, my brother is a mechanic, certafied in just about every mainstream company, he says and has for as many years as i can remember that the jeep is one of the least reliable vehicles made especially the cherokee and grand cherokee.
Stick with a 4-runner or pahfnder imo....

I know they dont have straight axles, is it easy enough to swap them out to a straigh axle?

 

[slowngreen]

If you want to straight axle a toyota, its easy. If you are gonna just use it for a family rig and not do any real crawling, the ifs on them work fine imo. My brother has a 91 and a 93 toyota, running 38's, 6" suspension, 3" body, air lockers front and back, geared, and still has the IFS, but he just does trails, mud and snow runs, no really hard articulating stuff.

 

[bergoff]

I've had a 99 grand Cherokee since 2000 with only minor issues. The v8 in a Jeep is a joke the straight 6 is the way to go. Mine only has 90k on it. My uncle has had 3 6cyl Jeeps over the last 20years. All of them were driven well over 300k before he traded them in. They have some weird issues my door locks make a noise due to plastic gears. The stock tail lights suck and bulbs would stop working so I swapped them out for eBay specials. All in all I would buy another Jeep in a heart beat. Great in the snow I've never been stuck and has a nice ride with getting decent gas mileage.

 

[HPI-Killer]

If you want to straight axle a toyota, its easy. If you are gonna just use it for a family rig and not do any real crawling, the ifs on them work fine imo. My brother has a 91 and a 93 toyota, running 38's, 6" suspension, 3" body, air lockers front and back, geared, and still has the IFS, but he just does trails, mud and snow runs, no really hard articulating stuff.

Thanks Lloyd, that all I am interested in doing is some trailing but no straight crawling quite yet (gotta make dat $) I will look into some of these trucks, I even liek the style of them so we shall see in the next week or so what happens.

 

[slowngreen]

Whats your price range and I'll keep an eye out round here and over to eastern Idaho too...

 

[HPI-Killer]

Whats your price range and I'll keep an eye out round here and over to eastern Idaho too...

6k I would appreciate that indeed thanks

 

[slowngreen]

If you could get it from around here it would be rust free too I'll link up if I find something good.

 

[HPI-Killer]

Nobody beats anything up in Idaho I hear, find small cars with over 250k miles still goin strong lol

 

[tmaxxfreek]

I had a 96 cherokee with a 6 inch Rustys long arm lift on it, it had 90000 miles on it when i bought it and i had no problems with the jeep the entire time i had it it was the 4.0 auto, running 35 TSL Swampers, lockers 456 gears, needless to say it had a rough life while it was with me....someone stole it on dec 20th 2010 and decided to flip it off a cliff a total it, was a great jeep though. I personally would buy another one.

 

[rak12]

Back a while i had a 93 cherokee 2 door sport with the 4.0 liter straight six and manual trans. Very strong and powerful,, third gear chirps. Parts are dirt cheap( new radiator for $70, brake rotors for $12, clutch rebuild kit for $170 etc. etc.) and very easy to work on no need to jack up for bottomside work. finally sold it wit 227,000 miles no engine rebuild and still very strong. interior kinda ragged.

 

[hamz9561]

My sister and brother-in-law have 2 Grand Cherokees. One has the 4.0 and the other has a 318 V8. Both have over 250,000 miles without too much done other than regular maintenance. Both are around 20 years old and still run strong.