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XJ4Ever

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  1. Rich, I concur with everything that Moses has posted here, and I'll add few comments of my own. When you consider TCO (total cost of ownership), the XJ Cherokee is unbeatable and unmatched. It's perhaps the smartest choice on the planet when considering a used SUV. The track record for these vehicles as far as maintenance and repair has been widely chronicled. This may seem to be a bold statement, but no vehicle in the history of the automobile can parallel the XJ when you consider all of it's attributes. The 4.0L, beam axles, Dana rears, rugged interiors, an abundace of OEM parts and a huge aftermarket industry surrounding it, all combine to make the XJ one of the best values ever. You would be hard pressed to find any vehicle, made anywhere in the world, with it's longevity and TCO credentials. Owners love them, and garage guys hate them because they can't make money off of their repair. I agree with Moses on the Nissan Pathfinder. Your money is better spent considering the Jeeps. I can see why you would have interest in them. At first glance, and at face value, they seem like decent vehicles. However the enjoyment will stop when the bank account runs dry. I'm not picking on it as I'm as open to, and have interest in, many vehicles. Just consider the overall value and what you're getting for your dollar in the long run. TCO for the Pathfinder would be much higher that that of the XJ Cherokee, and even the Grand Cherokee. If you have your heart set on on a Grand Cherokee, I would consider a ZJ or a WJ as Moses points out. If you want a ZJ, focus on the later 96 through 98 model years as they have the best track record. I have an uncle who put almost 350,000 miles on his before going to the WJ. In my opinion, the WJ Grand Cherokee is the best and most reliable 'Grand' built to date. The WJ had the benefit of all that was experienced in the ZJ. It offered a slightly roomier and more efficient cabin, and still maintained all of the proven drive train goodies that made the ZJ so attractive. I'd be interested in how you make out. Let us know what you decided on and we wish you the best of luck with whatever you purchase. Tim Swank
  2. It's funny that you should mention in your first paragraph that you've replaced the window lift motor and cable assemblies. The day after I read your reply I was driving down the road and kerplunk, down went the front passenger side window. The cable had broken. I didn't want to use the show car to run for parts because a coat of paint sealant was curing. Luckily my father was visiting that day and it gave me a chance to to borrow his XJ. This particular unit is a '95 1st generation that can only be described as a cream puff. He really lucked out when he found this baby. It's as near to perfect as any XJ running. I didn't want to give it back to him. Anyway, two hours and $120 later we had the window working again. The window had been operating slowly for awhile which usually has been a good indicator that a cable is about to break. It's been my experience that when you're driving along and a window suddenly comes down hard and fast, it's a broken cable. If the window comes down slowly when it fails, it's usually a broken piece of plastic on the block assembly. Either way you've got some work to do. Another tip for anyone having to fix a window regulator is taking your time when you pop off the door panel. If you don't have the right tool to pop each plastic fastener carefully you can break them. If you don't have a panel tool just grab the panel and carefully shake it off, rather than simply pulling it off and running the risk of breaking the fasteners. Cheers!
  3. XJ Cherokees do have a few electrical quirks, as in Moses' example of the tach/speedo/check light bug. Most of them are fixable. Another issue common to most XJs, and others, is the window lock switch failure that prevents the passenger side window from operating from the passenger position. I have two XJs and my father has two as well. All have had the same issue, and I've fixed the issue on all four vehicles. There are other issues but I'd like to share some self-made ones that you may enjoy, perhaps getting a chuckle out of my stupidity. A few years ago, I decided to add an aftermarket sunglass compartment that mounted to the roof between the visors. I didn't have an overhead compartment for such things and, being bored on one occasion, I decided to install this creature. All that was required was for me to screw in two tiny screws into the headliner. Sounds easy right? Nope! As I screwed in the first screw I heard the familiar, but unwanted, sound of the doors locking. OOPS! Luckily I was in the car at the time as my keys were in the ignition. So, in a fantasic display of my technical prowess, I managed to nick a wire that ran above the headliner. What was a 30 second job became a hour long ordeal when I was forced to remove the trim and pull down the headliner to make the repair. Here's another gem. I had, what seemed to be, a battery going bad in one of the XJs. It quit in the driveway so I decided to put in a new battery. I swapped the battery out, turned on the ignition, and nothing. Hmmm. Rather than running a VOM across the terminals or checking anything else, I returned that battery for a new one. I installed it, turned on the key and nothing. Hmmm again! Well, I discovered the problem. If I had taken my time and had not been in such a hurry, I may have noticed that the positive lead had been burnt in half about two feet from the terminal. One would think that I might have noticed the 'extra play' in the wire as I hooked up the terminal. Not a chance. This would have made entirely too much sense. It was a good thing that I didn't have any fireworks! I hope everyone enjoys my dumbness. I can build a show quality XJ, but keep me away from batteries and screw guns!
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