need your honest opinion

What were his reasons?

If it was because he didn't have anything to fox on it because it is built too well, then you have his motive.

Did S talk to the mechanic first? LOL

Looks like a dana 44 front axle and a dana 20 is in back. Anything but a dana 35 9 like I have on my 93 grand cherokee is a good dana. well, that or d44A with the aluminum housing is not the best either.


Joe, I can scour around here and see what I can find for you. What do you think of regular jeep cherokees for say 97-01? Those 4.0's are bulletproof, the transfer cases are all good on those, front and rear axles are typically good, and they look nice. I would steer clear of S10 variant SUV's, Explorers are pretty solid, depending on year, 4runners are awesome vehicles if you can find one for the $$ you are looking at.

LMK what you are looking for, I can help a brother out.

 

No biggie. There's a lot of stuff I don't know too

 

i've actually got an auto body buddy of mine who has a cherokee for what i'm looking for. everyone i know is in insurance (i.e. has access to cheap totaled cars) and he is an extremely skilled mechanic/body man. it's a back scratching relationship... he hasn't told me if it's a grand cherokee or not but i'm hoping not. he's suppose to get back to me tonight or tomorrow.

i've been looking at toyota 4runners and tacomas, ford explorer sport 2drs, the jeeps, and have been playing with the idea of a late nineties subaru (awd + MPG, i figure what the heck i don't have to impress chicks, that's what a motorcycle is for...)

 

Yeah, the grand cherokees, for the most part have crappy transmissions in them, at least the ZJ (hey that is YOU) grands that are 93-98. The 93, like mine with the 4.0 inline 6 have the AW4 tranny. The AW4 is a great one. In 94-98, chrysler thought they could make their own trannies and save money. They may have saved $$, but those particular trannies were garbage. All regular cherokees with te 4.0 and auto, are the bulletproof AW$ tranny. Shoot for 97-01's as they ahve much nicer interiors, and a newer front end on them.

If you get a cherokee, you will have to call yourself XJpeter, since those cherokees are called XJ's.


The Fiance has had 3 4runners, A 95, a 98, and the 04 v8. The 98 was pretty slow, but very reliable. I drove it and liked that one. I never drove her 95, as she sold that before I met her. I used to have a 2000 explorer sport (2 dr) 4wd with the 4.0 (SOHC). Good vehicle, with very good mpg. The older sport 2 dr explorers have the OHV 4.0 good for 160 hp vs the 210 out of the SOHC 4.0. Good news about the explorer sports is that you can find them in stick.

Another good choice is a nissan pathfinder.

 

if my body guy ever gets back to me i'm giving you a call, tom.

 

I had a '99 Subaru forester. It was my first stick and my first car that I could call "my own", but it only lasted about 2 years before it needed over $1,000 in repairs (axle spewing grease, other crap, yadda yadda yadda). It had less than 150k miles on it too when we got rid of it. It was fun to drive and was good on gas, but you would have to drive it like a granny to make sure it didn't fall apart on you. I'd steer clear from them, IMO. there are better buys out there.

The other options you're looking for all sound good, though.

 

Jwin, that is not a typical subaru experience.

Was it used before you got it?

 

Just say, "SHOW ME THE CARFAX!!!"

 

with the letdown of the wagoneer still festering, i put my foot down and told my wife what's what and i bought this, an even bigger piece of crap!!



terrible pictures courtesy of my dad...

you are looking at the cheapest jeep i could find in good repair. it’s ugly, rusty, dented, stained, stinky and has 237k miles on it but how can you not love a face like that? she sat at my buddy's shop forever, no one would even take a second glance at her, but she was always hopeful. she's the quiet, strange girl sitting alone at the dance, who you knew was funny and sweet but you were afraid of what your friends would say. well, i've never missed a chance to ask that girl to dance and i've always been surprised by how much fun i've had.

the whole engine was run through a couple years ago and well maintained ever since. my buddy swears she's a runner and that's all the guarantee i need (the last truck i got from him had 220k and i but 30k on it and sold it for what i paid). i'll be painting this weekend so maybe i'll have some progress to show

i'm thinking of calling her Lucille. any other suggestions

 

looks more like a Brenda to me