If I was in the market for a used Jeep 4x4 of some kind, which ones are the shiznitz and which are to be avoided at all costs?
Budget < 12K Intended usage: driving on snow in the winter, and tooling around the mountains. No 'vertical' offroading or anything like that, but a lot of dirt tracks, etc. off the beaten path.
Well, a Grand Cherokee is going to be better on snowy roads, because they come with center-diff transfer cases with a full-time 4WD setting and more elaborate traction control. Plus they have bigger engines available, if you're looking to feel less like a slug in comparison to the Mustang. But you'll have to get a fairly old one to keep it under 12k. '02 or older would be my guess. And the older it is, the more repairs you'll have to accept. The plain old unibody XJ Cherokees would be a less expensive option if you need the larger interior. You can still find the center-diff transfer cases in them, but fewer traction control options and the biggest engine is the inline-6. They also stopped making these in about '01, so older and more repairs, but a simpler design and an engine known for longevity. If you can live without a huge amount of interior space, your 12k would go the furthest on a Wrangler. They stopped making the TJ model in '06, and you might be able to swing an '04 or '05 within your budget. If you need a slight bump in interior space, the "LJ" (Unlimited) version is stretched a bit, but adds more weight to the same drivetrain. Full doors and hard tops were available on all versions. I would actually recommend avoiding the "Rubicon" models, because while the bigger axles, locking differentials, and beefier transfer case are a bonus, they also jack the price up, and chances are that the guys who bought those actually took them out and beat on them a little more, and you have a higher degree of wear and tear to contend with.
Don't buy a fuckin' Scout unless you enjoy the prospect of pretty much everything on the damned thing being a restoration project. They actually shared a few parts with Jeep CJs, and I wouldn't rely on an unrestored CJ, either. But they stopped making Scouts in what? The late 70's? The last CJ-7s were sold in '86.
Get a Toyota Hilux, best, hardest most indestructable 4x4 there is. Not too expensive either... and doesn't look as bad as a Jeep This is the car that survived being hit with a wrecking ball, having a caravan dropped on it, being driven into a tree, being tied to a jetty and having the sea take it, bouncing down several sets of steps, dropped from 10 foot... oh and being placed on top of a 15 story block of flats which was then demolished. And all with no new parts and just simple tools to get it going again.
Can't fit a family of four in there, either. And no, the kids aren't riding in the bed during an Idaho winter.
Family of four, eh? I'd personally still go for about an '04 Wrangler Unlimited (long wheelbase.) The kids'll still fit in the back, as long as their asses are pretty narrow, and you can fit a few sleeping bags and suitcases behind the back seat. A Grand Cherokee is just too much luxury to be taking anywhere fun.
Well, you can...but not with the diesel engine. Oh, and Dan...you forgot about being submerged in the ocean during an entire high tide.
Marso. For cheap transport, look for a used Wrangler from 94-97. Make sure it is the 6 cyl. They had an inline 6 that will go for 200,000 miles. You can get them real cheap and insurance is very low also. Had one of them for 10 years, then needed more than 4 seats. Never had a problem with it. Oh yeah, get a stick shift.
There is a great availability of those 4.0L engines. The 2.5's, not so much. :/ The later 4.0's (98 and up) were screwed up by dodge - head problems. Idiots. Screwed up one of the best American engines ever.
That's an interesting range of years, since there was no '96 model. The YJ Wrangler was sold from from '87 to '95, and the TJ Wrangler from '97 to '06. I would say avoid YJs in general. Not because they're horrible vehicles overall, but because of a few noteworthy flaws that were corrected later on. Right before the TBI 4.0L came out, they were running a problematic computer-controlled carburator that requires frequent attention. The later versions adopted the injection system, but still retained the "center axle disconnect" front axle engagement system, which used this silly-assed, failure-prone vacuum motor to move a shift fork to connect the 2-piece driver's side front axleshaft. It's a weaker, less reliable system overall, which they abandoned entirely with the TJ model. I still wish they would bring back manual hubs, but getting rid of the CAD was a definite improvement.
Used to own a Comanche. Damned fine little pickup. Woulda kept it, if it had 4wd. Anyway, I believe they axed that model in the early 90s. Even if there was enough interest in resurrecting it now, it was based on the XJ Cherokee platform, which was killed around '01. There have been rumors of a pickup based on the current (JK) Wranglers, but nothing concrete so far. I'm not loving those 3.8 V-sixes, anyway. On the other hand, the Saudi military has some kind of license to build a version of the JK for their military, but with a few attractive differences. The most notable of them being a 2.8L common-rail diesel, but they also come with a Dana 60 rear end hung from leaf springs. They call it the J8. Looks to be a 2-door truck with the 4-door JK wheelbase.
I picked 94' because they redid the roll cage and some other things for that year, including available ABS. I had one for 10 years and never had any problems with 4X4, tranny or anything. Fuel injection worked great.
I really miss my commanche and I'd like to get another Jeep when my current car craps out. It's a really tough choice on what to buy though. I do know that with the winter weather here, I wont be going for anything with a soft top.
My Jeep search is about to pick up. Rather than trying to sort through recommendations and such, let me phrase this question: Are there any models/years of Jeep that should be AVOIDED at all costs?
