Questions about a 95 Cherokee Sport 4x4

Hi,

What might I expect of a 95 Cherokee Sport 4x4 with just under 300K miles?

The engine, drive train and undercarriage look clean (no oil/grease - just road dirt). It tracks fairly straight down a smooth road. It pulls slightly to the left under hard braking. It starts easily and runs strong. The A/C and heat are strong.

4WD engages and disengages without too much difficulty (This is my first 4x4!).

There is a slight noise going over bumps on the passenger front side. There is no play in the rear drive shaft, but there is a small amount in the front shaft (but not in the u-joints). The tires appear to be 2 sizes (?) larger than stock, and they do rub on a full lock turn.

The sell says much of the milage is long distance highway, but there is no way of really knowing, is there ;-)

The seller also says it got a rebuilt engine about 40K miles ago, but my mechanic says it looks like the factory block (several white letter markings) . He also noticed that it had helper springs on the rear (along with a

2" (2.5?) receiver on the back) so it probably has seen a lot of towing. This also makes him think the tranny has probably been worked on or replaced ...?

All I'm hoping for is a few years of service from it. Think it'll make it?

TIA

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Reply to
noneyabusiness
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I like ten year old vehicles. As a rule they have the right combination of price, taxes, and anticipated repairs, to make them worthwhile. I like to buy them with about 100k-150k on the odometer though. With that mileage and age you are probably going to have to make a few repairs yourself, sometime in the future.

It is also nice to get something that doesn't have modifications or heavy duty use, and oversize tires, helper springs and towing certainly qualify. I'll bet you could find a 1995 with half that mileage, for about the same price. It is possible that the factory block was rebuilt locally, and that the white letter markings don't mean anything. You won't know that unless the owner has a receipt or warranty for the rebuilt engine.

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

The paint dabs on the outside of the block indicate what combination of crank journal sizes you have. Inside on the crank counter weights by each rod journal there's another dab showing what SIZES (plural) or rod bearings you have on that rod!! For indications of wear look for oil in the air cleaner indicating any blow by. And listen for noises but be aware these engines are noisy normally. At 300k I would tend to believe him unless it's ready to blow. Big tires, springs and a 2 inch receiver may just indicate a previous owner with little balls syndrome. You've already looked for mud on the bottom but look for signs of usage on the receiver. Noise in the front end on a 89 I owned was the bushings in the 4 arms holding the axel to the frame rails. Also look for and expect rust holes in the floors. 300k is a lot of miles. I would not pay more then 2k for it. A year ago I got a very clean 96 4dr auto with power windows, new paint, mag rims, 2" receiver and with half the miles (142K) for $3000 at a dealer.

JoBo

Reply to
Jo Bo

I forgot to mention, with upkeep you should be able to get a couple of years without big problems. No oil on the bottom indicates the rear main oil seal has been replaced as they tend to leak with age. But you indicate "your mechanic says" and with a any vehicle with those miles you'll need deep pockets or be your own mechanic.

Just my 2 cents. JoBo

Reply to
Jo Bo

Thanks. There is no blow by in the air cleaner, and I didn't't notice any rust when I was looking at the undercarriage. I don't remember exactly what the marks on the block were, but one of them was the letter "C". The receiver looks like it wasn't used for a while as the was a small amount of light rust on the inside.

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Reply to
noneyabusiness

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