Automan2164 Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Recently, I have been on the search for a replacement for my daily driver '98 Grand Cherokee. I bought it because it was cheaper at the time than XJ's, and it was the closest thing I could get. Granted, it's been the nicest thing I have ever owned. Memory, leather, steering wheel controls for the radio, sunroof... Etc. I like it, but it's always made me nervous with the Chryco trans, the D35 or D44HD, and all the gagetry. Recently the rough midwest winters were starting to show also... Rust. I've been searching for a replacement for 6 months pretty heavily now, but I am super super picky. Prices have skyrocketed around here over the past couple years. I bet some has to do with CFC, and shortages, but holy crap. Just a couple years ago, I could buy a nice XJ for $2500 where as now the same thing seems to be $5000 at a minimum. As a gauge, at the public surplus auction we send some of our municipal cars to from work, they had a '01 XJ that a town over used in it's public works fleet. Just a sport, about average condition, little rust on the rockers, holes from antennas and lights, mounting holes in the inside... 67K. When the dust settled, it fetched $5300. A week later, it was for sale at a local used car lot for $8000. I heard through the grapevine that he got $7800 or so. Crazy money. I've looked at a few, but one bothered me in particular. I found an '01 60th with 130K about 3-4 hours away. Seller was super cool, had bought it in '02, had the dealer install mudflaps and a hitch. Been dealer maintained ever since. Guy had BFG A/T's on it, and even had a chart of how he rotated the tires, including the spare. Weather guard floormats, perfect exterior. All records kept, "immaculate". Had to make special mention of a door dent on the passenger side. The perfect PO. I drove the distance, only to find that he had lived on a gravel road, and the whole thing was sandblasted clean. It was so bad that the leading edge of the rear flares actually had texture... Wouldn't budge on his $5500 asking price. Thanks but no thanks. Didn't even take it for a ride. I have been getting down on it for awhile, it seemed all were out of reach, or just piles. Problem was that they were selling. I had my eye out for a late model limited, black/red/silver, agate leather interior, and preferably a '98-99 because of the head issues in '00-01. I found a few in various condition, most on opposite ends of the spectrum on price and condition. I looked at a '98 Limited on Monday, black, mist (light) grey leather interior, and keyless. 100K on it, $5000. Wouldn't budge, had cracking paint and bad body work. Not looking good. Then on Tuesday, I found this: 97 Jeep Cherokee Country MINT - $4000 (Huntley IL) Date: 2012-10-22, 2:52PM CDT [Errors when replying to ads?] 97 Jeep Cherokee Country 4.0 liter Inline 6 107000 Miles Mint Interior 9/10 Exterior 8/10 Runs Perfect Leather. Great Stereo 4X4! Perfect for Winter Price is $4000 obo Brand new Michelin tires all around New Water pump New Thermostat New Coolant Hose's New Power steering pump New Radiator New Front brakes Rear brakes just cleaned and adjusted plenty of life Hot heat and Cold A/C Needs Nothing Something was wrong with it. Had to be. $4000 with all that work? I had to go look. A high end independent repair shop had it, and it was sitting amongst the likes of Mercedes AMG's, Audi's, and Rovers. Looked fairly clean, no rot, no horrid damage other than what a 15 year old vehicle might accumulate. No hitch, but it was a non-ABS, so it got the 8.25. 231 instead of a 242, but I could deal. All said parts were replaced, looked new, and properly done. They had gotten it from a longtime customer who was the original owner. He owed some money on another car, and gave this to them for the balance. The shop did the work in their downtime, and put it up for sale. The original owner must have been pretty well off, as the condition of the interior and exterior showed some care... That, and it has one hell of an alarm. Pressure sensors, shock sensors, auto arm... Yowza. After a short test drive (and finding the window sticker), I was sold. No leaks other than a rear pinion. I offered $3500, and we settled on $3600. Other than a serpentine belt that was glazed from the old coolant leak that I replaced and a leaky valve stem, I am pretty happy with it. I washed and clay-bar'ed it this morning, plan on giving it a buff this week... Shine up the black and get rid of some of the surface scratches. For the pics: All I have to do to dial it into my liking is install an overhead console, hitch, replace the factory radio with another one (I like the factory one, and this one is shorting out the left speaker), upgrade the speakers in the doors/soundbar, add factory fogs, and maybe contemplate finding a agate leather interior, even though this one is growing on me. It might stay just to appease the window sticker. I've never had a car with one, so I don't want to ruin the integrity... Haha. The ZJ is on CL waiting for a new home. I can't honestly say I will be happy to see it go, but a change was needed. Hopefully I can find someone who can pickup where I left off. Rob :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COFFMAN Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Great donna for a MJ 97+ conversion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Even more special that the Country package was discontinued after the 97 model year and this was the only year a newer body style XJ was offered with a Country trim package. Looks like you got the winner you have been searching for....another prime example that great things come to those who wait :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knever3 Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Sweet, love the combination. I miss my '98XJ classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinkrun Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Very nice find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Score! That's a super sharp XJ I'd love to find one like that, but I think you're gonna miss the comfort of the ZJ. Its not like its hard to get parts for either, but now the yards here are starting to run out of XJs, while it seems ZJs are still showing up steadily. Way more ZJs in the yards nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Dope whip, yo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rymanrph Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Man for those prices, I just need to drive my '99 two door up north leave it with a 4 sale sign on it. Actually, probably half of the interested calls I get about it are from up north. Nice ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 Time for an update. I got a screaming serpentine belt changed out, as well as knocking a few other things off my list. I found an Overhead console for sale on CL locally, and it was perfect. The guy not only had the console, but had a template cut from a headliner to help put the new holes in for the OHC, spare boards, a handful of keyless modules and a fob, as well as some tweeter panels from behind the mirror off a more equipped XJ. Even though I had bought this console, while looking for a hitch I found another and just couldn't pass it up. It turned out to be the cleaner of the two, but the buttons showed more wear. I took the two and made one good one. I might do a write up somewhere, since all the ones I found were less than stellar on the install. The hitch was in decent shape, and it was a Mopar hitch with the 7 pin RV style plug. I got all the wiring out and clipped off all connectors from the Jeep side. I was contemplating just breaking off all the bolts and replacing the nut strip with a JCR one, so without even trying when I got there, I just tried tightening until they snapped. The first one wasn't doing it, so I tried removing it. It came out with a cheater bar and a 1/2" ratchet. The rest were simple. The passenger side had two of the dumbest studs with an 8mm head, which promptly stripped. I also needed more head room, so out came the BFH. I ended up locking a vice grip on it with a 2 foot cheater on that, turning it a quarter turn at a time. Sucked, because it was one of those all-your-might-both-hands-until-it-hurts-type clamping action. I didn't have it in me to do the second, so I beat the stud up into the frame with the strip, then made an access hole with my BFH. The torch made short work of the stud at home. After some grinding, priming and painting, the hitch and the nut strips were back in good form. Toilet cleaner rust bath first for the strips. Keep them from turning into rust flakes... Finished hitch and wiring. I'm still soaking the bumper bolts and all the hardware on mine to get everything apart, might tackle the hitch install next weekend. I also managed to get some new tweeters for the new bezels. I found something that worked at the local car audio shop. In true cheapskate form, once the car audio guy told me the price, I haggled him down. Doesn't hurt to ask. Stock tweeters are tiny, with a built in crossover. The new speakers have a crossover box to go inline to keep them happy. All the tweeter wiring is already in the doors from factory, I just need to pull it out from behind the panel. All I have for now. I can't get over how nice it is to be driving an XJ again. Rob :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainman Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 thats a sweet XJ. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaquaro Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 If it was a 2 dr "coupe " I would be Jealous ....... :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Did you sell the ZJ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 I finally got my plates today. That's update worthy right? Rob :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86customanche Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 That's all you've done in over a month? I guess if that's all there is to update, might as well let us know bout it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 Picked up something new for the XJ today... Rob :brows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 what is the square/rectangle indent piece for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 what is the square/rectangle indent piece for. It's actually an access door for what I am assuming is the amp for the woofer. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 gotcha. This mounts over /through your spare tire I assume? neat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 Yeah, slides right in... The only pain of the thing is that there is no pigtail for it back there... So you have to run the harness from the back corner all the way up to the radio... Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 harness didn't come with the kit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 It did. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 I thought that you knew the harness wasn't pre-existing lol. I've never seen a factory subwoofer in any xj. interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 I knew it wasn't there based on the limited amount of them, and that one of the few posts I found regarding them it was stated that it comes with an additional harness. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 The whole thing is actually quite neat. how many watts is that amp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 Dunno. I'll check into it more once I get rolling. As you know, I have many more important fish to fry. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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