What to look for when buying an XJ

[98XJ_Limited]

Hi Guys,

My friend is looking at getting an XJ cherokee here in Perth and was wondering what things he should look for when he goes to inspect it. I do have a scan gauge he can use to look for any codes.

There are 3 he has organised to look at, two 98 XJ's and a pre update 96. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[Wooders]

FYI ScanGauge will not work on pre-96 as they are OBD-1.

[anthonygubbin]

Where to start. It is going to be hit and miss. Heaps of problems on the XJs if they have not already been attended to to prior.
Diff whines, grinds; Leaky heater cores, and occasionally air cond evaporators, plastic tank rads which can leak unless you get lucky and it has a copper & brass. NSS which can make the XJs not start and no reverse lights also caused by NSS. Saggy rear drivers side leafs, slightly less on the passenger side. Flogged out panhards both on the top chassis under guard mount which is completly inadequate, the stud plate that is and also the bottom bush. Fuel pumps that can go at anytime without too much prior notice. Depending on the model to whether it is a drop tank repair, later models yes. Worn out contol arm bushes. IMO the a scan will only show up things that are not mega bucks.

That is a good start.

regards A

[Billnick]

I may be a bit biased, but I would go '98 update anytime. Update, that's what it is.

[Easy Rollins 1]

IMO the majors should work well,motor,gearbox and transfer.Do a compression test if poss.Most anything after that can be fixed at a good price and give you a bargaining point,brakes,suspension,tyres etc

HTH'l

[rainman]

yeah I would be leaning toward the up dates as well, with a '98 might even get a 8.25 diff.

[anthonygubbin]

Try not to pay anymore than 4.5k for the update. That is all they are worth. In Adelaide people struggle to get 4k for a 98. I just checked Redbook and yerr 4.5 would be tops. Trade in value is less than 2k. Remember you are unlikly to find every not so obvious fault in 30 or 40 mins. There will more than likely be $ to spend after purchase. Rollins forgot to mention that the little things might not be expensive on their own but add them all up and it will easily come to 2k.

Regards A

[Easy Rollins 1]

Market value for my '95 is $4000,insurance is not interested in any more dollars for it.I'm happy,it owes me less with new front arms,new brakes,lifted springs,s/hand 9R's and a JJ Superloom(TM).

So the moral is buy cheap as you can,add little dollars for stuff you don't need to buy.

[BoxWG]

At this age don't worry about market and trade in values, look for a vehicle which has a reasonable service history.
Some vehicles are worth more due to low ks or appearance / accessories.

Get a proof of service if you can. Some people that own these vehicles carry out their own servicing so ask questions they should be well informed.

If unsure spend a little cash and get your mechanic to have a look over the vehicle.

Look for a vehicle that looks clean and has no leaks ( all kinds) ensure the engine runs smoothly and the vehicle drives well.
Check for a smooth shift and no vibrations.
Check oil levels and quality of the oil both in the engine and transmission.
Have a quick look at the air filter.
Generally anyone who looks after their 4x4 will look after these simple maintenance items.

Ensure there are no lights on the dash and take the vehicle for a decent road test. Let it heat up and cool down.
If possible drive it twice on consecutive nights before purchasing.
At the end of the day your new old car might need a couple of hundred bucks spent on it here and there...:) look at it as an opportunity to improve the vehicle.:)

Best of luck.

[Pre 97 XJ Limited]

also if you dont have a compression test handy take the car for a nice long drive and when u get back open up the oil cap (with the car running) and make sure there are no fumes coming from the rocker cover if there is means the rings are stuffed its just like when i bought mine the guy told me the gearbox was stuffed but i noticed his front tranny lines were leaking paid 2k and 20 bucks for hose not a single problem with it :)

[98XJ_Limited]

Thanks for the info guys much appreciated!