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Old 01-12-2016
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Hi guys Willy65 here, Could some one let me know what to look out for when buying a jeep. I know nothing about them ,and my wife and I are thinking of getting one. any help would be great. Thanks Willy65.
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Old 01-12-2016
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Billnick  Billnick is offline
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Run away as fast as you can!! Haha, just kidding.
If you're after a cheap 4wd that is more than capable of tackling the heavy stuff, you're in the right place. They are a light weight vehicle with no heavy chassis but the same size motor as the big guys. Being American there is no end of modifications you can do if you want, the most common being a 2" lift, and /or bigger tyres. Parts are still plentiful, consumables from Repco etc. DO NOT get your parts from Jeep dealeships, you will pay 3 times the price. Most guys get their stuff imported from USA, most commonly a place called Rockauto.
Models... most common is the pre update which was manufactured up to mid 97. It is easily identified but quarter glass inserts in the front doors.
Mid 97 onwards was the update model, better imho. Same motor and running gear, just more modern. I've got a '98, my boy has a 2000.
Most common problem is overheating, but a cooling system in good shape will serve you well. Having said that, a modified cooling system will serve you better.
Read all the stickies at the top of the forum is my best advice.
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Last edited by Billnick; 01-12-2016 at 06:51 PM.
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Old 01-12-2016
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willy65  willy65 is offline
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Thank you for help BillNick ,will read up as much as we can thanks again.Willy65.
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Old 01-12-2016
anthonygubbin  anthonygubbin is offline
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My advice, take your time and take someone with you who knows all the problems XJs can have. Expect the diff bearings to be fkd unless they have been rebuilt. I would take a guess and say it is going to be hard to find a really good one nowadays as they are just really old and XJ's IMO were never built to last a long time, much like all the Jeeps ever built prior. I would love to have another XJ as I loved to drive my old one when she was going. I guess one thing to consider is do you want a good one? If yes then you will probably spend a lot getting it to a good state. However if you are happy with a hack, a 1000 bucks or less will get you one that you can drive and try to ignore the things that really can be left alone even though they are buggard, like diffs.
Old stuffed XJ's can still keep going for a fair long time as long as you make sure you keep an eye on the radiator and temp gauge. I know a bloke who cooked an engine in his XJ when he didn't realise the coolant had dumped itself somewhere on his 90km journey to work at 6am one morning......
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Old 01-12-2016
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Keep and eye on the 99 and 2000 model 4.0 as the cylinder head casting was bad and they crack between 3 and 4 giving all sorts of problems. There is a fix and a lot of the cars have been done. Just make sure if you get those years to be sure it has been done, or budget 1K to get it rectified.

I believe that the 98 is considered the best model. It missed the head issue of its younger brothers and was the most up to date.

The fastest XJ is the red model.

The "Sport" variant has 1" taller suspension and is valued for its offroad ability.
If you like luxury, then look at the "limited" models. They had power everything and leather seats.

The pre update models.. about 1995/early 1996 were OBD1 - which stands for onboard diagnostics 1. The computer systems were basic and you cannot use a blue tooth plug in reader to check and clear codes. Post update XJ's around 1996-7 and up have the OBD2. For $20, you can buy a blue tooth reader that scans your system, checks and clears codes and can save you a fortune. Use the free Torque App for your phone to talk to your Jeep.

The 4.0 XJ in indestructible. Its made from the same stuff as the black box flight recorders... You can easily get 500k out of it. Mine has done 350K and is barely run in.

The only real problem with XJ's is overheating. Do a pressure check of your cooling system, keep it good and it should all be OK.

Don't fear the price of parts. The dealer is your enemy. Its a 3K car for christ sakes, your not going to pay $7500 for an air filter. RockAuto, Summit racing and a few others are your friends.. just make sure you get a big order together of service parts like airfilters, sensors, etc.. and you will save a bundle.

I guess if i had a choice... i would be looking at a 98 Limited XJ with relatively low K's in the 150-200K that's had a service history. Definitely a 4.0 and not a diesel... an auto, as the AW4 auto is bullet proof..

Good luck and happy hunting. There are plenty of XJ's out there and finding a good one won't be hard...

Cheers,
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