Moving to the western slope!

[blefevre]

96+ has the HO engine. 2000+ has intake change for a bit more HP. I have never heard of any cylinder head problems and am pretty sure they are all the same.

The auto transmission + 4.0 is the entire reason you buy a Jeep.

[87-325ic]

what years XJ do i want to look for/ avoid..?

i hear late99- 2001 had bad heads. so it seems ideal is 98-earlier 99 for the HO motor..?

do i want to search out a 5 speed, i would prefer that, how are the auto trans?

Also, whats a decent price range? should i jump on something around 1500-2000? or should i spend a little more and get a nicer one, around 3-4500?

[A Sucked Orange]

Big Jeep guy here as well.

Been riding/driving in XJ's for 23 years now.

Huge fan. Great bang for the buck. 4L is bulletproof. Snow performance is phenomenal. Offroad performance as well. Parts are easy to find.

[blefevre]

The selection out here is greater and there are a lot of knowledgeable owners too. Just find the right one and get it wherever it's at.

[87-325ic]

Big jeep guy here.

Your best bet is to find a 1996 with selec-trac. Selec-trac is full time 4WD so you can drive like a moron in winter and be just fine. The rest are command-trac, which technically is stronger but it is part-time. I have command-trac and it can be annoying when going up I-70 in 2wd but I have never got stuck and doubt I ever will. You can just throw it in 4wd below 45mph (can be driven in 4wd at any speed) and you will be fine. You just can't drive on dry pavement in part-time.

Most of the older ones have the dana 35 axles which are a little weak, but they won't break under normal driving. Just heavy rock crawling. I have the later model with the chrysler 8.25 which is much stronger. If you find a Dana 44 you hit the jackpot and can pull houses from their foundation if you want.

The 96 was the start of the high output engine with more power. The 2000 changed the intake manifold and you get another 10-15hp or so.

They are very well built. Parts are dirt cheap, you will laugh and some of the prices. Everything, and I mean everything, is easy to replace unless it is all rusted. The 4.0's require almost no regular maintenance besides spark plugs and oil. We still offroad my friends 96 with way over 200k miles.

Get the auto, it is a toyota box that is proven to be very good.

I honestly would go for a close to stock one over the modded ones that are everywhere. There are a lot of cheap lift kits people put on that really just suck. I can answer a ton of questions about them. Just post the link to the one you are looking at.

/rant

Sweet!!! thanks for this. in looking, i have found tons of cherokees. so i think im going with that. plus, it means more room inside, no worries of beating on it( cuase its cheaper), and more ground clearance, meaniing i can go more places.

acan i trust a jeep to make it? or should i just buy one out there?

[fsmtnbiker]

+1 on all the Jeep knowledge. The 4.0 is as bulletproof as they come.

[blefevre]

so another question...

Im pretty set on a cherokee, they seem cheap and plentiful. and fun. Anybody know how reliable they are?

Also. about when can i start expecting the snow?

Big jeep guy here.

Your best bet is to find a 1996 with selec-trac. Selec-trac is full time 4WD so you can drive like a moron in winter and be just fine. The rest are command-trac, which technically is stronger but it is part-time. I have command-trac and it can be annoying when going up I-70 in 2wd but I have never got stuck and doubt I ever will. You can just throw it in 4wd below 45mph (can be driven in 4wd at any speed) and you will be fine. You just can't drive on dry pavement in part-time.

Most of the older ones have the dana 35 axles which are a little weak, but they won't break under normal driving. Just heavy rock crawling. I have the later model with the chrysler 8.25 which is much stronger. If you find a Dana 44 you hit the jackpot and can pull houses from their foundation if you want.

The 96 was the start of the high output engine with more power. The 2000 changed the intake manifold and you get another 10-15hp or so.

They are very well built. Parts are dirt cheap, you will laugh and some of the prices. Everything, and I mean everything, is easy to replace unless it is all rusted. The 4.0's require almost no regular maintenance besides spark plugs and oil. We still offroad my friends 96 with way over 200k miles.

Get the auto, it is a toyota box that is proven to be very good.

I honestly would go for a close to stock one over the modded ones that are everywhere. There are a lot of cheap lift kits people put on that really just suck. I can answer a ton of questions about them. Just post the link to the one you are looking at.

/rant

[Bimmerman325i]

so another question...

Im pretty set on a cherokee, they seem cheap and plentiful. and fun. Anybody know how reliable they are?

Also. about when can i start expecting the snow?

Can't help on Jeep front, but as for snow...depends on your elevation and how far in the mountains you are.

On our side of the divide, it will start snowing sometime between September and January.

I generally put snow tires on towards the end of October/beginning of November.

[87-325ic]

so another question...

Im pretty set on a cherokee, they seem cheap and plentiful. and fun. Anybody know how reliable they are?

Also. about when can i start expecting the snow?

[Roland H]

As far as I know you're right, but it seems like an awful amount of work when you can have a turbo 4 or 6cyl. Still....ls1 would sound awesome.

Yeah. It would be more for teh novelty factor. That V8 is a compact motor though. Totally doable.

hahahaha first I've heard that view of it.

I iz srs. Teh resemblance is striking...

[Bimmerman325i]

Hard, not impossible. :D

As far as I know you're right, but it seems like an awful amount of work when you can have a turbo 4 or 6cyl. Still....ls1 would sound awesome.

I think the ass end of the new STi Sedan is a (horrendous) rip off of the Evo 6... Front isn't that bad though.

hahahaha first I've heard that view of it.

[Roland H]

False, there's been a few people who LS1 swapped their Subarus and had to kill the AWD-- all are RWD conversions. Issue is front diff is integral to the transmission, which also is partly under the engine. Kinda hard to make an adapter plate for that.

Hard, not impossible. :D

Saw what I thought was an ugly version of a Ford Escape this morning....turned out to be a 2011 Forrester.

I think the ass end of the new STi Sedan is a (horrendous) rip off of the Evo 6... Front isn't that bad though.

[clarkkey594]

Saw what I thought was an ugly version of a Ford Escape this morning....turned out to be a 2011 Forrester.

[Bimmerman325i]

It could be made to work....

False, there's been a few people who LS1 swapped their Subarus and had to kill the AWD-- all are RWD conversions. Issue is front diff is integral to the transmission, which also is partly under the engine. Kinda hard to make an adapter plate for that.

mmmm.... regacy spec b...

srsly brah, do want.

[Roland H]

no worky with subaru's awd system, otherwise I'd be all over that like a fat kid on triple chocolate cake.

It could be made to work....

More reason to buy a used/CPO 07 specB.

mmmm.... regacy spec b...