Wrangler yj or Cherokee?

[hkusp1]

I have some disposable income on its way. Which one would you choose?

 

[itchin]

Yj will hold value much more. Xjs are a dime a dozen.

 

[ROGER4314]

I have a 93 YJ now and had a 06 TJ and love them both! The 06 had the 4 cylinder and the YJ has the straight 6. Both are/were standard transmission. My ex-lady friend had a 06 6 with automatic. They are great vehicles, not terribly economical (17-19 MPG) and ride stiff. My 4 cylinder only got about 2 MPG better than the 6's.

The soft tops are very noisy but my YJ has a hard top. I like the hard top best. I always worried about vandalism on the soft tops.

The Jeeps work! The tumble rear seat is great and the front passenger seat tips to allow the rear passenger a way in/out. The frame on my 06 was 4" top to bottom and the frame extended bumper to bumper. They are strong, tough and ready for anything! I pulled at least a dozen vehicles out of "stucks" in the sand. The Jeep dances over the sand and I never stuck them in sand. I stuck mine in black mud on the beach and Bonnie slacked off on the throttle jumping a sand dune and hung her center up on the top of the dune. She liked to jump hers.


On the 06 TJ's we replaced the A/C blower switches several times. Bonnie had her power steering pump fail. On my YJ, I had a front brake caliper seize up so I replaced both sides. I converted my YJ A/C to R134a refrigerant.

Flash

 

[Dredge]

+1 for the YJ. If you want to upgraded components, there is more stuff out there for ya. It's kinda like an AR platform/Harley/ Lego kit. Lot's of stuff out there.

 

[alexrex20]

Any Wrangler is better than a unibody XJ Cherokee, especially if you plan to wheel it. Cherokees need LOTS of hammering and cutting to fit 35s.

 

[alexrex20]

+1 for the YJ. If you want to upgraded components, there is more stuff out there for ya. It's kinda like an AR platform/Harley/ Lego kit. Lot's of stuff out there.

True, but the XJ market isn't exactly slim pickins...

 

[winchster]

The YJ is much easier and cheaper to "upgrade".

 

[majormadmax]

True, but the XJ market isn't exactly slim pickins...

It is compared to the Wrangler market!

No hesitation, I'd take a YJ (or any Wrangler) over a Cherokee in a heartbeat!! Plus, factory Jeep softtops are not that bad on the highways, I regularly cruise at 70 MPH with mine and it's tight. Of course, if folks been driving around with the windows out the sail panels will stretch out on older Wranglers making them more noisier on the road. I usually run a bikini or safari top on mine in lieu of using the stock softtop with the windows out...

Cheers! M2

 

[chris211]

Just like in firearms, "What are you going to do with it?"

We like to drop the top and hit the beach.

 

[chris211]

It is compared to the Wrangler market!

No hesitation, I'd take a YJ (or any Wrangler) over a Cherokee in a heartbeat!! Plus, factory Jeep softtops are not that bad on the highways, I regularly cruise at 70 MPH with mine and it's tight. Of course, if folks been driving around with the windows out the sail panels will stretch out on older Wranglers making them more noisier on the road. I usually run a bikini or safari top on mine in lieu of using the stock softtop with the windows out...

Cheers! M2

If I have to drive with the top up and windows out, I take the sail panels loose and bungie them on top.

 

[alexrex20]

Dare I say, the only people that wheel Cherokees are people that already had a Cherokee, and then got the bug. If you have a clean slate and you want to build a trail rig, you start with a Wrangler, not a Cherokee.

 

[hkusp1]

Just like in firearms, "What are you going to do with it?"

We like to drop the top and hit the beach.

Nothing to serious, no rock crawling or anything. Light off road stuff and things of that sort. I was lurking on a jeep forum and saw this and really liked it.

 

[chris211]

Nothing to serious, no rock crawling or anything. Light off road stuff and things of that sort. I was lurking on a jeep forum and saw this and really liked it.

That is nice looking!! Looks like it fits "Light off road stuff and things of that sort."

If it's in Houston, buy it and I'll drive to Dallas for you!

 

[itchin]

I prefer the longoer wheelbase of the xj. I disagree with the post above. There are forums dedicated to the xj platf

 

[alexrex20]

I prefer the longoer wheelbase of the xj. I disagree with the post above. There are forums dedicated to the xj platf

There are forums dedicated to the Toyota Rav4. That doesn't make it an excellent choice for off road.

The only advantage of the XJ is that it comes with solid axles from the factory. But that doesn't outwigh the downside of having a UNIBODY and shit for tire clearance. You can stretch a wheelbase on a Wrangler, but you can't easily put a frame into a Cherokee. If you're into it that much, then it's not a Cherokee anymore.

 

[itchin]

Well I've wheeled tjem for years including multiple moab runs and rio puerco. Ive seen tons of tjem on the trail.

 

[chris211]

Test drive...

I will say, if you plan on hauling a few people, a couple of ice chest, camping gear, etc...The Wrangler can get cramped. Nothing a few cargo carries or a smal trailer won't fix.

XJ, you're not going to take the top down nor will you get that turn radius or dune buggy feel.

 

[hkusp1]

My wife has a 07 wrangler 4 door but it"s 2 wheel drive, don't ask me why she bought it before we got together and I've driven an Xj before. I like both of them for what they offer but I'm stating to side with the wrangler.

 

[itchin]

The lj is my favorite. Well actually the cj8 but I doubt I will ever be able to own 1

 

[M. Sage]

I have some disposable income on its way. Which one would you choose?

Depends how you're going to use it. The YJ will be better off road, but the XJ will still be good off road, way more comfortable on road and will have a back seat you can actually use, to say nothing of the cargo room.