Right now I have a '96 Grand Cherokee Laredo with a freaking V8 in it. I want something that gets better gas mileage (currently getting 9-11, though with this weather it's been closer to 8). But I love my Jeep to bits and have fallen HARD for Jeeps (especially this week with the snow and shitty roads, OMG LOVE), so I still want a Jeep.
It's in pretty good condition, it has some minor body damage and the headliner is droopy. It runs well, and the only time it's ever failed to start is when the battery died, so it has a brand new battery. It has a check engine light that comes on intermittently, but I haven't got around to checking it yet to see what it's for (I honestly can't remember the last time I had a car that DIDN'T have a check engine light...my Intrigue and Caliber both did all the time, I'm pretty sure my Sable did most of the time). The only MAJOR thing that needs fixed is the left CV axle. It need the seal on the rear differential replaced, and I have the stuff to fix it, just haven't had the time/decent weather to do so yet. It also has enormous tires with no lift or spacers, so when you turn hard the tires bump the wheel wells and sound like death.
All that said...I'm wanting to trade it for a similar Jeep, but with a smaller engine. The only thing stopping me from taking this one on longer trips are the things I mentioned and the shitty gas mileage. I want something I can take on long trips (minimum 3-4 hours one way...cross-county would be fantastic). I'm willing to do minor repairs (like the axle) as long as it's not some mystery **** that will never get solved (like the coolant leak in my Intrigue...for anyone still curious about that, my brother put several hundred to a couple thousand dollars into it trying to fix it, and when he traded it in for his current car, it STILL leaked to some unknown location, even after the entire cooling system and intake manifold and gaskets were replaced).
So, what Jeep should I look for? I suppose I'll consider other similar vehicles, since if a CR-V fell into my lap I wouldn't complain.
Should I get the axle fixed before I try to trade in hopes of getting a better deal, or wait and use what I would have spent fixing it to fix whatever issues the next one might have?
And can someone please explain to me the xj and tj and whatever other letters thing again?
TIA!
It's in pretty good condition, it has some minor body damage and the headliner is droopy. It runs well, and the only time it's ever failed to start is when the battery died, so it has a brand new battery. It has a check engine light that comes on intermittently, but I haven't got around to checking it yet to see what it's for (I honestly can't remember the last time I had a car that DIDN'T have a check engine light...my Intrigue and Caliber both did all the time, I'm pretty sure my Sable did most of the time). The only MAJOR thing that needs fixed is the left CV axle. It need the seal on the rear differential replaced, and I have the stuff to fix it, just haven't had the time/decent weather to do so yet. It also has enormous tires with no lift or spacers, so when you turn hard the tires bump the wheel wells and sound like death.
All that said...I'm wanting to trade it for a similar Jeep, but with a smaller engine. The only thing stopping me from taking this one on longer trips are the things I mentioned and the shitty gas mileage. I want something I can take on long trips (minimum 3-4 hours one way...cross-county would be fantastic). I'm willing to do minor repairs (like the axle) as long as it's not some mystery **** that will never get solved (like the coolant leak in my Intrigue...for anyone still curious about that, my brother put several hundred to a couple thousand dollars into it trying to fix it, and when he traded it in for his current car, it STILL leaked to some unknown location, even after the entire cooling system and intake manifold and gaskets were replaced).
So, what Jeep should I look for? I suppose I'll consider other similar vehicles, since if a CR-V fell into my lap I wouldn't complain.
Should I get the axle fixed before I try to trade in hopes of getting a better deal, or wait and use what I would have spent fixing it to fix whatever issues the next one might have?
And can someone please explain to me the xj and tj and whatever other letters thing again?
TIA!
