I'm considering one. 2000 and newer. I'm looking for pro's and con's, why you like them or dislike them.
I'm of the touring mind, and I know they are anything but, so that has me mulling this over carefully, but if you have any great advice on owning one, please share. Thanks!
Tony, I have a 99 Cherokee that I utilize for my hunting truck. From my research, the 2000-2001 4.0 has some issues with cracked heads due to a redesign for emissions. I seem to recall some late 99's having the same issue. I have heard the 4.0 Jeeps are in high demand vs. the v6.
I'd say with the kids see if you can find/afford an unlimited. The longer wheel base makes for a better ride as well. Saharas have the better rear axle, 44, Rubicons have 44 and lockers front and rear. The inline 6 has exhaust manifold issues, header solves that problem. I'd stay away from the 4 banger.
A great dual purpose DD set up is a small lift and 33" tires, some arb lockers and some skid plates. Do a header and a throttle body spacer and you're set. My brothers was set up this way along with some steering upgrades and it did very well. It was his DD for a few years, made its way to Utah, South Dakota and all over Washington state, his only complaint was the short wheel base on long trips.
If I do another one it will be an unlimited with lockers, no lift and 35's. Bumpers and some armor...done.
Check out AEV, they have some great products and some killer real world builds.
We have a 09 Wrangler 2-door. We test drove a 4 door but just didnt like the ride or feel on the road. Turning radius felt strange compared to my car. I guess if you are used to driving a truck you might find the Unlimited turning radius comparable. We then drove the 2 door and loved its nimble, go anywhere feel. We do have a 7 yo boy who doesnt mind climbing over the seats to get into the back. It wont be long before he can sit in the front anyway. When the top comes off, he just climbs over the side. So far, all we've done is change tires and wheels to 34" tires and a 1.5" spacer lift. I call it my wifes mall crawler. Its a fun ride that we enjoy taking on family outings on Sunday afternoons into the country. Neither of us commute more than 15 miles a day so the gas mileage, though horrible, is manageable. This after all is not something you get into to cruise fast in or worry about mgp's. I will say that it is a little inconvenient when loading up groceries, the kid with baseball gear, my laptop bag for work, the wife with her 5 gallon purse... You just dont realize how convenient trunk space or rear doors are until they are gone.
__________________ Chris
Its not a Vega!!!!
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That's one thing I hated about my ext cab truck.. the turn radius. So I will only consider a 2 door Jeep and possibly the unlimited, as long as the radius doesn't suffer with that.
The wife and I rented a Wrangler on our Honeymoon in Sedona AZ as we had a blast... this was years ago, so I think it was around a 01 model. I was amazed at to what that thing could do with a 2" lift and 33" tires. So I'm not looking to go radical, I want to keep it practical. It will be a nice toy for us, and serve as a winter ride when we get a foot of snow as we often do here.
I guess I'm concerned about a soft top being too noisey, and the hard top being a PITA to remove and store.
The other guilt I have is that I will probably be spending more on this toy than I did on her Honda Odyssey (which is great BTW)...
The factory soft tops on the TJ (97-06) are NOT quiet. Look into a good quality aftermarket set up.
If you have the room to store the hard top it's not so bad. My brother had a lil harbor freight winch that would pull it off and up to the rafters of his shop. Takes longer to put the soft top on than to pull the hard top off.
These Jeeps are fun, the inline six is a great low end motor and with good maintenance will last a long time. I'm on my 3rd Jeep, this one being a Grand with a V8. The other two had the six, one 5spd and the other an automatic, both went well past the 150k with no major issues.
Tony, I have a 99 Cherokee that I utilize for my hunting truck. From my research, the 2000-2001 4.0 has some issues with cracked heads due to a redesign for emissions. I seem to recall some late 99's having the same issue. I have heard the 4.0 Jeeps are in high demand vs. the v6.
Jeeps don't cruise worth a crap, they 4x4.
I bought a 2000 Cherokee instead of a Wrangler. I glad you mentioned it.. for the price, these are great.
Do you have yours lifted at all? If so, how much and what brand did you use?
My wife and I went looking for a 4-door yesterday. Its time to start thinking about making room for our 2nd boy due for delivery any day now. I've always preferred the look and ride of our 2-door but would still enjoy a 4 if thats the direction the family needs to go. Its my wifes toy anyway. She wants to have a 6" lift and 37's.
__________________ Chris
Its not a Vega!!!!
Total Cost Involved - Total Control Products - Gateway Performance - Fatman - MaverickMan Carbon
My wife and I went looking for a 4-door yesterday. Its time to start thinking about making room for our 2nd boy due for delivery any day now. I've always preferred the look and ride of our 2-door but would still enjoy a 4 if thats the direction the family needs to go. Its my wifes toy anyway. She wants to have a 6" lift and 37's.
She's fighting the "Mom" image in a big way! My wife was all too happy to ditch her tricked out Tahoe for the Honda Odyssey though. Which was fine by me!
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