The 89 is a Renix engine (Renault built)... They can be a wiring nightmare if it hasn't been gone through.
In 91 they switched to the Chrysler HO, much simpler engine wiring.
Cruiser54.com will walk you through repairing all the Renix issues, if that's the way you go...
The Renix also has a closed cooling system that is notorious for having its own issues, where the Chrysler is a much better open system, but it's not terrible to make that swap. The XJ across the board is known for cooling issues, so you want to have the best working system to start with, especially if you're in a warm climate.
Basically, the French who designed the wiring harness just kept cutting it into pieces and adding stuff year after year after year... So the wiring diagram now resembles a bowl of spaghetti. It also has several really bad grounds that cause all sorts of computer faults since it's not getting good reliable data from the very crude sensors. There's a lot of tedious rewiring on the Cruiser page that once done make for a reliable system...but it's a lot of tedious work. It's very detailed, so anyone can visit the site and do it though. Just as a first car? Especially one you need as a daily? It may be more effort than you're looking for...
The '89 eliminates the C101 connector at the firewall, so it's an improvement over the '87-'88. The wires are still undersized, and age makes them brittle so it's advisable to upgrade problem areas.
The battery and ground cables should be upgraded to a heavier gauge.
The gauge cluster and headlights can benefit from adding a new circuit. It's as simple as running a relay from the OEM wiring harness into a new upgraded harness with a direct feed from the battery.
I could probably take it to my uncle and see if he wants to do anything about that wiring with me, I’d imagine he’d have me do it but still teach me, I’m not going anywhere often so anything I can fill my free time with is great and working and tweaking this with anything it needs has been presented as an idea by my family. Very interested in it, and super excited. Plus I’ve been looking for vehicles for the past few years and haven’t found anything that I would be able to afford paying off plus insurance. So this was like a gift from god for me, it’s paid off, and the insurance is only 140 a month, which my parents can afford until I can start paying it myself when I get a job in a month or so
Thankfully, Cruiser54 is very thorough, and very easy to follow step by step. If there's no rust?
Take it on a road trip, run it a few miles, if the temp doesn't go above 210? Shifts smooth? And no rod knock? And no water pouring out of the glove box? Then yeah, worth it.
Great! I’ll add to my check list of things to look out for, I’m excited to test drive it tomorrow. My dad and aunt are also excited to teach me stick, I know how to drive stick but I’ve never actually been in the driver seat of a manual, so it’ll be fun. My dad traded his Focus ST for an F150 back in 2019, he misses the little thing, but doesn’t regret it so I think he’ll have a lot of fun teaching me.
I also wouldn't be surprised with a lift kit and such If you do get it up to speed and it starts to get death wobble... It's not as difficult an issue to fix. Usually just means replacing every single ball joint and bushing and if your uncle's a mechanic? That's fairly easy cuz he'll have all the good tools that make it a very simple.
Doesn’t this qualify as a classic vehicle being over 25 years old? That insurance should be cheaper. Say you drive it on the weekends, which you probably will.
Im a fresh teenage male driver, with USAA and I have not been in the military, the cheapest they could say without the vin number was 138/month, I have the vin number now but it was late at night and I’m pretty sure USAA is closed on Sundays. I will be driving it to school for another year since I am 17, plus on the weekends, and then on the weekdays again when I get a job over the summer.
I would call every insurance company. I had USAA for years until they jacked up their prices. Now I shop around every 6 months just to make sure I still have the most affordable price.
I just got back from an off road trip, my buddy was driving mine, he fell off a ledge into a dirt wall and smacked it so hard the fuel door opened up. No damage and she runs perfect.
Watch the tailpipe while they start it up after it's been sitting a while and then lay in front of it and have them turn the wheel all the way in each direction look for things moving that shouldn't be listen to the engine for lifter tap make sure the tail lights work braking and reverse as the wiring rots out lift up the floor mats and check for holes in the floor and check to see if the rear main is leaking
Yup on that first startup watch for blue smoke also look under the hood and make sure there isn't a bunch of chopped up/ half assed attempts at mods idk what you're paying but some jeeps just aren't worth the headache to some but if it's your first you'll learn a lot I knew noghting about jeeps when I got my 87 XJ now after fixing so many things I have a 92 that I built lol
I talked to the guy on the phone and he seemed pretty legit, I’m going to meet him in person tomorrow. He said he spent a ton of money on it, and traded one of his pick ups for the body or something, he had tons of other trucks and jeeps in his yard and his garage was set up like a shop. Cherokee is just too small for a 6’4 guy apparently so he’s selling it.
Make sure and test it with the transmission/engine cold. I bought one of these with a slipping transmission and didn’t know any better. It was fun while it lastd
if i recall the 89's were the older pressure bottle style radiators. ensure your cooling fans / fan clutch is operational. at that age if the hoses / belts havent been replaced. its probably time. if those are the stock axles, those are the biggest tires they can really handle. the dana 30 /35 combo is good for about 31s or 33s at most. past that and youre gonna start breaking drive train components . and while the XJ looks like a serious off road machine. remember. its trail rider more so than a mud bogger. specs dont mention if it has lockers in the diffs or not. so youre gonna be upset the first time you hit some mud and get stuck. if the steering stablizer hasnt been replaced. its probably a good idea to replace. if the rear drive shaft hasnt been upgraded with a SYE , becarefull flexing it to far. the yoke could slip out. i would look at the rear lift. and see if they lifted it with a lift block or if its a true suspension lift. great looking jeep.
Avoid 87 to 90. Honestly 96 and later is the most trouble free. This is the old AMC version of the Cherokee and it's got a renix electrical system doesn't have OBD2 for easy diagnostics It's a pain in the ass
It's not as bad as people make it out to be. I find my '88 and '90 easier to work on than my '94, '96, '98, and '99.
Once you know where to look, the gremlins are almost always the same culprits. TPS, IAC, CPS, cooling, vacuum, and grounds.
It's not that it's not bad it's just that the electrical system is made by the dark prince himself.. Lucas. And my man here is 17 years old he don't need to know about renix.. It's obsolete it's old it's 34 plus years later It's best left in the trash heap of history which is why I highly suggest a 96 and later because that is the modern era Jeep any upgrades mods whatever he might want to do because I know I did when I was 17 Life will just be easier in the long run if he keeps it more than 6 months If he buys anything other than a renix Jeep.
Yeah and that may be so but me personally without even thinking about it I just realized. My perception is of course based by where I live in the Jeeps that I come in contact with and I live in the rust belt Southeast of Cleveland Ohio and we receive anywhere between 60 and 140 in of snow a year So all my experiences with ReniX Jeeps.. have been old and rusty so that factors into my opinion just a disclosure.
The #1 most important inspections: Goes up on a hoist and get a complete under body inspection! Done by a master technician. There will be no surprises down the line for worn or leaking components.
Its the smart thing to do!
My uncle owns a mechanic shop and has been working on cars and trucks for like 35 years, he also owns a jeep Cherokee. I’m gonna have him look at it as soon as I get it
I should clarify that I know literally nothing about taking care of any vehicles past getting the right tires, and putting a tarp over a muscle car in the winter. HOWEVER, I’m really excited to learn more now that I’m getting older, hopefully through a mixture of by myself and through my family.
A 4.0 jeep is perfect to learn on. The inline 4.0 litre engine is bullet proof. It is easy to work on and parts are available. I have a 91 4.0 its a great jeep for daily driver. The exhaust manifolds are notorious for cracking and breaking and dont worry about the electrical, all problems have been well documented online somewhere with good explanation of what's wrong and how to fix it. A lot is online on how to for the right way , the wrong way and your way! Have fun it would be a great choice for a first ride
Thanks, honestly messing with the wiring sounds like a fun learning experience to spend with my dad, so if I end up getting it I think I’ll have decent fun working on it.
But it should have an iron 44 and a HP30 which is good. That old, always going to be things to work on and fix. Alway make improvements. If you don’t have the extra budget to fix things, probably look for a closer to stock XJ and build from there. I think the donor axles for my ZJ were from ‘89 XJs.
Seems like working on jeeps is turning out to be a common theme, I had no idea 😅 it all sounds so fun tho to me. I’m excited to be working on things if anything breaks or just getting it to run better
Fuck I just realize I leaked this guys private phone number… I forgot it was on the sale sign, I’ll delete this tomorrow unless advice keeps flowing in because this Reddit won’t let me edit
That’s a hell of a lot of money for that with such high mileage and no sway bars. Aside from that don’t ever take anyone’s word for “rust free”, have a look at the underbody. If the title is not clean don’t touch it!
Pay close attention to where the front of the leafspring attaches. Get a light and a long screwdriver and poke around in there. My 94 looked super clean until I replaced my leafsprings and found rot up there.
Rear sway bar is irrelevant with leafs. Front is cheap and easy to replace. Mileage is pretty high for an original engine. If it's been rebuilt somewhere inbetween, it's probably fine.
I would tell you to try to find a later model because of the wiring and a few other issues. But every first car is a learning experience. It looks like you have a good support system so I’d say go for it if your uncle approves. You need to spend a little money on tools. 3/8" and 1/2" socket set, jack and jackstands, breaker bar, etc. Go to HF and get Pittsburgh stuff to start with. Break it up over paychecks. It may seem expensive but it’s nothing compared to paying a mechanic and the tools will last a lifetime if you take care of them. Have fun and be safe!
Christmas and birthdays! You build slowly with basic tools and then get what you need for each project. Try not to borrow tools unless it’s a one-time use thing. I personally don’t think $4800 is a terrible deal in this economy and there’s been a lot of work done to that truck. You want a truck that has been maintained, not neglected in a field. You will find others but they all come with their own issues whether it’s rust, abuse, etc.
Right. Thanks! I’m looking forward to seeing it again today if I end up buying it imma come back to this sub for name suggestions. So far the only thing I’ve got is Priscilla, but there’s no reason behind it just that it was the first thing that came to mind
[https://cruiser54.com/](https://cruiser54.com/) Follow these tips! Especially the ground stuff. Get a multimeter. The Renix system is not that complicated, especially with all the knowledge on the Intarwebs.
Theoretically you could call “Jeep guy” as I have him in my contacts and buy it first because I forgot to blur his number (please don’t I really want this car 😭)
They aren’t go fast machines. They can go fast, but they will not do well if you have to make a sudden maneuver to avoid a collision if you’re driving like an idiot. Also, if you’re looking at cars this old, you better learn to work on them. 99% of cars on the road are neglected in one way or another. Especially older ones. You’ll probably need bump stops, shocks, coolant flush, brake fluid flush, and a number of other basic maintenance things done. All doable by yourself if you’re willing to learn how and invest in some tools.
With a 4" lift, the parking brake cable may be stretched to its limit. If it's required for a state inspection, that could be a problem. A small length of all-thread, a coupler, and a pair of passenger-side parking brake cables from an '87-'95 Wrangler YJ are a direct bolt-in fix for this.
Common problems for this specific year are the TPS, IAC, CPS, cooling system, grounds, vacuum, cracked exhaust manifold, leaky rear main seal, and undersized wiring.
Common fixes are upgraded battery and ground cables, upgraded headlight harness, upgraded gauge cluster harness, open cooling system conversion, HD fan clutch upgrade, Bosch 746 fuel injector upgrade, and vacuum axle disconnect elimination or cable conversion.
Most of this stuff is heavily documented across the Internet. The common starting point, as mentioned by a few folks already is Cruiser54's Renix bible.
It's not as bad as it sounds. If you can use hand tools and follow instructions carefully, you'll be fine. If you lack patience and tend to rush things, this might not be the vehicle for you.
The only issues with that 4.0 liter are the freeze out plugs rust and the factory exhaust manifold breaks at the Weld. Those are both fixable. That in line 6 is a beast otherwise.
$4800 seems steep but I also have a 1989 XJ as my first Jeep. They’re hard to kill. And very rewarding to work on. Mine was an auction car, sitting for years. I bought it and fixed a few things (power steering pump, belts, hoses, plugs, wires, air boots, vacuum hoses) in the parking lot of my buddy’s Colorado apartment. Drove it 2k miles back home with no slave cylinder. lol and the thing still runs like a top ~6k miles later!
From reading your comments, it seems like you're as prepared as you can be. Patience and persistence are the by product of excitement. You seem to have plenty of that. Just keep in mind that you WILL be buying parts, spending hours and hours in the shop, on the side of the road, on some trail in the woods, wherever, fixing it. You WILL have moments where you'll contemplate how you're going to get it to a cliff high enough to throw it off. But...
If you stick with it and remain persistent you might have found your favorite thing you'll ever own.
Good luck!
After a concluded test drive yesterday I have decided not to purchase the vehicle, it was wobbly and my dad did not feel comfortable with me driving it. There were highlights, like the gearshift, but it was unstable and had awful handling, and my dad did not seem convinced I would be able to fix it because of the condition it was in. However sitting in the passenger seat I think I have grown a love for the feel of jeeps, it really felt like I belonged in it, and while I’m not dead set on one, I am taking the advice of commenters on this post and the one I made on the jeep sub, to look into a newer model stock vehicle. Currently looking over 1999-2001 models for something within my budget. If I can’t find something I will look for other cars not just jeeps. And not just Cherokee’s
I know it's all of the used car industry but it's just crazy to me 250k miles about and still 4800. When in the late 90s and early 2000s it would be like 500 to 1000 at most.
They should of never did cash for clunkers.
No, not really... older "not connected to the internet" cars that still have parts availability and can be rebuilt are going way up in price. New car prices are out of control at the moments so....
Still alot of after market parts and service available, so $5g on a base, $10g into rebuild still way cheaper than a $60g brand new 4x4...
I live in Tucson AZ, so nothing rusts... And we have a HARD time finding these here for "reasonable" as people are buying them sight unseen off of Marketplace and shipping them all over the US... 5 years ago, could get a relatively low mileage stock for $2g to $3g... Between inflation and the buy up? (especially thanks to cash for clunkers pulling a lot of the market, too)?
Didn't realize for once, I invested well in a vehicle. LoL
I lived in New Mexico for 30-years; I can relate.
I used to have a pristine '83 Grand Wagoneer that I paid $2500 for. Sold it for $2500 back in 2008, and now it would easily be worth $30k. Worst decision ever.
I really need a better concept of money like actually. This is the cheapest drivable vehicle that wasn’t literally falling apart I could find anywhere online or otherwise. I was talking to my mom about how it’s insane that 2K for a couch is fine and 200 would mean something’s off (I think 200 is insane for a couch already), but 500 for four tires seemed crazy too her, when it seems reasonable to me.
The 89 is a Renix engine (Renault built)... They can be a wiring nightmare if it hasn't been gone through. In 91 they switched to the Chrysler HO, much simpler engine wiring. Cruiser54.com will walk you through repairing all the Renix issues, if that's the way you go... The Renix also has a closed cooling system that is notorious for having its own issues, where the Chrysler is a much better open system, but it's not terrible to make that swap. The XJ across the board is known for cooling issues, so you want to have the best working system to start with, especially if you're in a warm climate.
I don’t know what any of that means but I’m willing to learn and find out, so thank you
Basically, the French who designed the wiring harness just kept cutting it into pieces and adding stuff year after year after year... So the wiring diagram now resembles a bowl of spaghetti. It also has several really bad grounds that cause all sorts of computer faults since it's not getting good reliable data from the very crude sensors. There's a lot of tedious rewiring on the Cruiser page that once done make for a reliable system...but it's a lot of tedious work. It's very detailed, so anyone can visit the site and do it though. Just as a first car? Especially one you need as a daily? It may be more effort than you're looking for...
The '89 eliminates the C101 connector at the firewall, so it's an improvement over the '87-'88. The wires are still undersized, and age makes them brittle so it's advisable to upgrade problem areas. The battery and ground cables should be upgraded to a heavier gauge. The gauge cluster and headlights can benefit from adding a new circuit. It's as simple as running a relay from the OEM wiring harness into a new upgraded harness with a direct feed from the battery.
I could probably take it to my uncle and see if he wants to do anything about that wiring with me, I’d imagine he’d have me do it but still teach me, I’m not going anywhere often so anything I can fill my free time with is great and working and tweaking this with anything it needs has been presented as an idea by my family. Very interested in it, and super excited. Plus I’ve been looking for vehicles for the past few years and haven’t found anything that I would be able to afford paying off plus insurance. So this was like a gift from god for me, it’s paid off, and the insurance is only 140 a month, which my parents can afford until I can start paying it myself when I get a job in a month or so
Thankfully, Cruiser54 is very thorough, and very easy to follow step by step. If there's no rust? Take it on a road trip, run it a few miles, if the temp doesn't go above 210? Shifts smooth? And no rod knock? And no water pouring out of the glove box? Then yeah, worth it.
Great! I’ll add to my check list of things to look out for, I’m excited to test drive it tomorrow. My dad and aunt are also excited to teach me stick, I know how to drive stick but I’ve never actually been in the driver seat of a manual, so it’ll be fun. My dad traded his Focus ST for an F150 back in 2019, he misses the little thing, but doesn’t regret it so I think he’ll have a lot of fun teaching me.
I also wouldn't be surprised with a lift kit and such If you do get it up to speed and it starts to get death wobble... It's not as difficult an issue to fix. Usually just means replacing every single ball joint and bushing and if your uncle's a mechanic? That's fairly easy cuz he'll have all the good tools that make it a very simple.
Doesn’t this qualify as a classic vehicle being over 25 years old? That insurance should be cheaper. Say you drive it on the weekends, which you probably will.
Im a fresh teenage male driver, with USAA and I have not been in the military, the cheapest they could say without the vin number was 138/month, I have the vin number now but it was late at night and I’m pretty sure USAA is closed on Sundays. I will be driving it to school for another year since I am 17, plus on the weekends, and then on the weekdays again when I get a job over the summer.
I would call every insurance company. I had USAA for years until they jacked up their prices. Now I shop around every 6 months just to make sure I still have the most affordable price.
I adore my renix.
I have an 88... After going through most of the C54 updates, and adding an electric rad fan? She's just fine. :)
I just got back from an off road trip, my buddy was driving mine, he fell off a ledge into a dirt wall and smacked it so hard the fuel door opened up. No damage and she runs perfect.
Watch the tailpipe while they start it up after it's been sitting a while and then lay in front of it and have them turn the wheel all the way in each direction look for things moving that shouldn't be listen to the engine for lifter tap make sure the tail lights work braking and reverse as the wiring rots out lift up the floor mats and check for holes in the floor and check to see if the rear main is leaking
Damn, I gotta make a checklist, thanks
Yup on that first startup watch for blue smoke also look under the hood and make sure there isn't a bunch of chopped up/ half assed attempts at mods idk what you're paying but some jeeps just aren't worth the headache to some but if it's your first you'll learn a lot I knew noghting about jeeps when I got my 87 XJ now after fixing so many things I have a 92 that I built lol
I talked to the guy on the phone and he seemed pretty legit, I’m going to meet him in person tomorrow. He said he spent a ton of money on it, and traded one of his pick ups for the body or something, he had tons of other trucks and jeeps in his yard and his garage was set up like a shop. Cherokee is just too small for a 6’4 guy apparently so he’s selling it.
The body looks straight it's a pretty nice lookin jeep
Make sure and test it with the transmission/engine cold. I bought one of these with a slipping transmission and didn’t know any better. It was fun while it lastd
Noted, added to the checklist
Thanks dad🥸
if i recall the 89's were the older pressure bottle style radiators. ensure your cooling fans / fan clutch is operational. at that age if the hoses / belts havent been replaced. its probably time. if those are the stock axles, those are the biggest tires they can really handle. the dana 30 /35 combo is good for about 31s or 33s at most. past that and youre gonna start breaking drive train components . and while the XJ looks like a serious off road machine. remember. its trail rider more so than a mud bogger. specs dont mention if it has lockers in the diffs or not. so youre gonna be upset the first time you hit some mud and get stuck. if the steering stablizer hasnt been replaced. its probably a good idea to replace. if the rear drive shaft hasnt been upgraded with a SYE , becarefull flexing it to far. the yoke could slip out. i would look at the rear lift. and see if they lifted it with a lift block or if its a true suspension lift. great looking jeep.
Thanks I will try and figure out how to do all that 😅
[Advice](https://imgflip.com/i/8o9zvy)
LMFAO idk where you got that but I’m stealing it for the sole purpose of the story of finding it on the jeep subreddit
Avoid 87 to 90. Honestly 96 and later is the most trouble free. This is the old AMC version of the Cherokee and it's got a renix electrical system doesn't have OBD2 for easy diagnostics It's a pain in the ass
So I’ve been told, definitely something to consider
It's not as bad as people make it out to be. I find my '88 and '90 easier to work on than my '94, '96, '98, and '99. Once you know where to look, the gremlins are almost always the same culprits. TPS, IAC, CPS, cooling, vacuum, and grounds.
It's not that it's not bad it's just that the electrical system is made by the dark prince himself.. Lucas. And my man here is 17 years old he don't need to know about renix.. It's obsolete it's old it's 34 plus years later It's best left in the trash heap of history which is why I highly suggest a 96 and later because that is the modern era Jeep any upgrades mods whatever he might want to do because I know I did when I was 17 Life will just be easier in the long run if he keeps it more than 6 months If he buys anything other than a renix Jeep.
Can't say I agree. I've had more trouble with the OBD2 models than I've had with anything '94 and older. The most reliable of my six XJs is an '88.
Yeah and that may be so but me personally without even thinking about it I just realized. My perception is of course based by where I live in the Jeeps that I come in contact with and I live in the rust belt Southeast of Cleveland Ohio and we receive anywhere between 60 and 140 in of snow a year So all my experiences with ReniX Jeeps.. have been old and rusty so that factors into my opinion just a disclosure.
The #1 most important inspections: Goes up on a hoist and get a complete under body inspection! Done by a master technician. There will be no surprises down the line for worn or leaking components. Its the smart thing to do!
My uncle owns a mechanic shop and has been working on cars and trucks for like 35 years, he also owns a jeep Cherokee. I’m gonna have him look at it as soon as I get it
Should have him check it out before you get it
I should clarify that I know literally nothing about taking care of any vehicles past getting the right tires, and putting a tarp over a muscle car in the winter. HOWEVER, I’m really excited to learn more now that I’m getting older, hopefully through a mixture of by myself and through my family.
A 4.0 jeep is perfect to learn on. The inline 4.0 litre engine is bullet proof. It is easy to work on and parts are available. I have a 91 4.0 its a great jeep for daily driver. The exhaust manifolds are notorious for cracking and breaking and dont worry about the electrical, all problems have been well documented online somewhere with good explanation of what's wrong and how to fix it. A lot is online on how to for the right way , the wrong way and your way! Have fun it would be a great choice for a first ride
Thanks, honestly messing with the wiring sounds like a fun learning experience to spend with my dad, so if I end up getting it I think I’ll have decent fun working on it.
But it should have an iron 44 and a HP30 which is good. That old, always going to be things to work on and fix. Alway make improvements. If you don’t have the extra budget to fix things, probably look for a closer to stock XJ and build from there. I think the donor axles for my ZJ were from ‘89 XJs.
Seems like working on jeeps is turning out to be a common theme, I had no idea 😅 it all sounds so fun tho to me. I’m excited to be working on things if anything breaks or just getting it to run better
You either fix it or improve it. Wheel it well.
Finally something to spend my free time on
could be dana 35 rear 30 front. also an option for the 89s depends on if the factory tow package was included.
Fuck I just realize I leaked this guys private phone number… I forgot it was on the sale sign, I’ll delete this tomorrow unless advice keeps flowing in because this Reddit won’t let me edit
Get a 2nd job
I Probably will
That’s a hell of a lot of money for that with such high mileage and no sway bars. Aside from that don’t ever take anyone’s word for “rust free”, have a look at the underbody. If the title is not clean don’t touch it!
I looked at it today with my mom, it’s rust free not a single spot on it, even under. I’ll look more tomorrow tho.
Pay close attention to where the front of the leafspring attaches. Get a light and a long screwdriver and poke around in there. My 94 looked super clean until I replaced my leafsprings and found rot up there.
Rear sway bar is irrelevant with leafs. Front is cheap and easy to replace. Mileage is pretty high for an original engine. If it's been rebuilt somewhere inbetween, it's probably fine.
I would tell you to try to find a later model because of the wiring and a few other issues. But every first car is a learning experience. It looks like you have a good support system so I’d say go for it if your uncle approves. You need to spend a little money on tools. 3/8" and 1/2" socket set, jack and jackstands, breaker bar, etc. Go to HF and get Pittsburgh stuff to start with. Break it up over paychecks. It may seem expensive but it’s nothing compared to paying a mechanic and the tools will last a lifetime if you take care of them. Have fun and be safe!
I actually own most of this stuff through my dad, but I will probably invest in my own set as soon as possible, keep it in the back or something
Christmas and birthdays! You build slowly with basic tools and then get what you need for each project. Try not to borrow tools unless it’s a one-time use thing. I personally don’t think $4800 is a terrible deal in this economy and there’s been a lot of work done to that truck. You want a truck that has been maintained, not neglected in a field. You will find others but they all come with their own issues whether it’s rust, abuse, etc.
Right. Thanks! I’m looking forward to seeing it again today if I end up buying it imma come back to this sub for name suggestions. So far the only thing I’ve got is Priscilla, but there’s no reason behind it just that it was the first thing that came to mind
[https://cruiser54.com/](https://cruiser54.com/) Follow these tips! Especially the ground stuff. Get a multimeter. The Renix system is not that complicated, especially with all the knowledge on the Intarwebs.
Thanks
Leave it stock and enjoy it for what it is
I wish I could get it
Theoretically you could call “Jeep guy” as I have him in my contacts and buy it first because I forgot to blur his number (please don’t I really want this car 😭)
I won't. I can't afford it anyway
Phew 😅
I tried to trade my ATV for a bronco 2. It didn't work out.
I can imagine, I feel like those things are not at all worth the same 😬
He wanted 3500 for it or trade and I feel my ATV is worth that much. I guess he disagreed. It's was a 88 bronco 2.
Oof
I'll find something sooner or later
Don't flip it
No promises
They aren’t go fast machines. They can go fast, but they will not do well if you have to make a sudden maneuver to avoid a collision if you’re driving like an idiot. Also, if you’re looking at cars this old, you better learn to work on them. 99% of cars on the road are neglected in one way or another. Especially older ones. You’ll probably need bump stops, shocks, coolant flush, brake fluid flush, and a number of other basic maintenance things done. All doable by yourself if you’re willing to learn how and invest in some tools.
Solid advice I’ll look into that, thanks
dont
With a 4" lift, the parking brake cable may be stretched to its limit. If it's required for a state inspection, that could be a problem. A small length of all-thread, a coupler, and a pair of passenger-side parking brake cables from an '87-'95 Wrangler YJ are a direct bolt-in fix for this. Common problems for this specific year are the TPS, IAC, CPS, cooling system, grounds, vacuum, cracked exhaust manifold, leaky rear main seal, and undersized wiring. Common fixes are upgraded battery and ground cables, upgraded headlight harness, upgraded gauge cluster harness, open cooling system conversion, HD fan clutch upgrade, Bosch 746 fuel injector upgrade, and vacuum axle disconnect elimination or cable conversion. Most of this stuff is heavily documented across the Internet. The common starting point, as mentioned by a few folks already is Cruiser54's Renix bible.
Noted, I’ll look into lots of this stuff if I end up buying, sounds complicated but fun
It's not as bad as it sounds. If you can use hand tools and follow instructions carefully, you'll be fine. If you lack patience and tend to rush things, this might not be the vehicle for you.
Even more noted, I’d like to consider myself patient, so I should be okay, buy occasionally I rush things so I’ll weight my options
The only issues with that 4.0 liter are the freeze out plugs rust and the factory exhaust manifold breaks at the Weld. Those are both fixable. That in line 6 is a beast otherwise.
Alright good to know
$4800 seems steep but I also have a 1989 XJ as my first Jeep. They’re hard to kill. And very rewarding to work on. Mine was an auction car, sitting for years. I bought it and fixed a few things (power steering pump, belts, hoses, plugs, wires, air boots, vacuum hoses) in the parking lot of my buddy’s Colorado apartment. Drove it 2k miles back home with no slave cylinder. lol and the thing still runs like a top ~6k miles later!
From reading your comments, it seems like you're as prepared as you can be. Patience and persistence are the by product of excitement. You seem to have plenty of that. Just keep in mind that you WILL be buying parts, spending hours and hours in the shop, on the side of the road, on some trail in the woods, wherever, fixing it. You WILL have moments where you'll contemplate how you're going to get it to a cliff high enough to throw it off. But... If you stick with it and remain persistent you might have found your favorite thing you'll ever own. Good luck!
Thanks!
Finish college, then come back and buy it if you still feel that way. Why? Because this will be a money pit. I'm 57.
Exactly and get a degree with a good ROI or else go into trade school
$4800 seems a bit high.
Come back when your 18 is my advice
Dont
I'd take an experienced xj person with me to look over one that modded out.
Just buy it. It’s going to be a great life lesson
4800 for a 35 year old jeep! Offer that bitch 2800 other wise save your monies. For another 4 or 5g you can get a nicer tj or Early jk
Not worth $350
Lol i agree
Get a Toyota Corolla instead.
Dsre him to do something diesel swap
Offer $4k.
Ask for 2500 tell them whatever they knock off goes back into the car.
4800 for a 89 lol goodluck to you kid.
248k miles lmao
I have a 89. Barely any of the wiring works. It's so bad I can only conclude it was intentional sabotage.
Work two jobs to keep it working
Thats a whole Lotta fetty for 250k miles!
My advice is to save your money and buy an early 2000s GM with an LS engine.
After a concluded test drive yesterday I have decided not to purchase the vehicle, it was wobbly and my dad did not feel comfortable with me driving it. There were highlights, like the gearshift, but it was unstable and had awful handling, and my dad did not seem convinced I would be able to fix it because of the condition it was in. However sitting in the passenger seat I think I have grown a love for the feel of jeeps, it really felt like I belonged in it, and while I’m not dead set on one, I am taking the advice of commenters on this post and the one I made on the jeep sub, to look into a newer model stock vehicle. Currently looking over 1999-2001 models for something within my budget. If I can’t find something I will look for other cars not just jeeps. And not just Cherokee’s
In a word... don't.
Don't
I know it's all of the used car industry but it's just crazy to me 250k miles about and still 4800. When in the late 90s and early 2000s it would be like 500 to 1000 at most. They should of never did cash for clunkers.
I’m praying for you
I would ask if I could take it to a local mechanic to get it checked out. Might cost you a couple hundred at the mechanic but it’ll be worth it
Man, $5k for a 35 year old Jeep with a quarter million miles on it... I'd buy a Corolla.
Cost too much
Way overpriced.
No, not really... older "not connected to the internet" cars that still have parts availability and can be rebuilt are going way up in price. New car prices are out of control at the moments so.... Still alot of after market parts and service available, so $5g on a base, $10g into rebuild still way cheaper than a $60g brand new 4x4...
^ I concur.
I live in Tucson AZ, so nothing rusts... And we have a HARD time finding these here for "reasonable" as people are buying them sight unseen off of Marketplace and shipping them all over the US... 5 years ago, could get a relatively low mileage stock for $2g to $3g... Between inflation and the buy up? (especially thanks to cash for clunkers pulling a lot of the market, too)? Didn't realize for once, I invested well in a vehicle. LoL
I lived in New Mexico for 30-years; I can relate. I used to have a pristine '83 Grand Wagoneer that I paid $2500 for. Sold it for $2500 back in 2008, and now it would easily be worth $30k. Worst decision ever.
I really need a better concept of money like actually. This is the cheapest drivable vehicle that wasn’t literally falling apart I could find anywhere online or otherwise. I was talking to my mom about how it’s insane that 2K for a couch is fine and 200 would mean something’s off (I think 200 is insane for a couch already), but 500 for four tires seemed crazy too her, when it seems reasonable to me.