What to look for when buying a ZJ??? - Off-Road Forums & Discussion Groups

xj_kid · #1 09-04-2007, 12:28 AM

I know XJ's inside out but I'm still on the hunt for a ZJ.

Any recurring problems that I should be looking out for?

I'v decided on getting a V8.

Nik

LionShooter · #2 09-04-2007, 08:18 AM

95-96 had bad transmissions. Mine went out at 57K, but Chrysler gave me a new one because it was a known problem. I had to pay labor. I also lost a water pump early on but that could happen to any car.
The 93 was plagued with bad coil. Mine just died in the middle of the road. Happened twice. Third coil was fine.
That's about all I remember. Been a while.

krabysniper · #3 09-04-2007, 12:59 PM

Hey Kid,

Truthfully, I would steer clear of a ZJ. There's a lot of stuff that can be problematic with them. I got rid of mine when the warranty expired and was glad I did (Talked to the salesman I dealt with, a short time later, when I traded it off and he told me that the stereo went out on it right after I traded it, was the factory Infinity Gold System too). Electronics are a hit and miss deal (PCM gave me lots of problems, and a couple of friends of mine who both owned or own a ZJ have had troubles with them).

As shooter pointed out, the trannies were notoriously problematic (BTW Shooter, IMO you got bent over, at that milage it should have been %100 their cost, I had the trans replaced in mine at about the same milage and it only cost me the "deductible" on the warranty (man if that isn't a crock in and of itself, having to pay a so called "deductible" on a warranty issue).

Other points of issue:
Trans lines
Brakes
Sunroof (NEVER get a vehicle with a sunroof, what a buncha junk they sell these days, damn thing was either broke or leaking all the time)
Entire front suspension (Had to have it all replaced in my 96 within the first year, and I do mean ALL, ball joints, tie rods, trac bar, shocks, steering dampener, blah)
A/C lines
A/C and heater climate controls
and on and on and on

Damn thing spent more time in the shop the first year I had it then it did in my possesion.

That said, I did love it (when it wasn't in the shop) because that 5.2 had BALLS. Unfortunatly the power did not make up for the poor gas milage (11 in town and 17 highway, average) and all the headaches of getting it fixed or trying to get it fixed at the dealership.

If you do get one, you best make sure you have a bank account set-up just for the purpose of keeping it running.

Just my .02 bud.

xjy173 · #4 09-04-2007, 08:44 PM

Well, I can relate to warranty work done by a dealer. (In my case a Ford dealer replacing a tranny on our 1996 Windstar). I had to pay a "troubleshooting fee" of approx $100 for them to diagnose the problem. In 1989, my 86 XJ's torque convertor (Torqueflite 904) case cracked and I had to pay full price for the replacement, 1986 XJs only came with a 1 year/12000 mile warranty.

A friend at work has a '94 ZJ and he too had trouble with his sunroof. His has a 4.0 engine and it seems that the fuel pump on those models is a trouble spot. I'd heard also that the first model year, 1993, the ZJ was notorious for catching fire. By now, I would think that most of the trouble spots have been worked out of them.

I actually looked into buying a used ZJ as a possible replacement for my aging beloved 86 XJ, back in 2003. I ended up finding a real clean 96 XJ that I have now. I really liked the ZJs I test drove, especially the ones with the 5.2 (318cid) V-8 and the Select Trac transfer case.

krabby, I just knew you would like your 318; being a Mopar man like you are.

xj_kid · #5 09-04-2007, 09:12 PM

Hmm,

This makes things difficult.

I do all my own work and I get parts at wholesale prices so that helps a bit.

We'll see. Overall I like the ZJ better than my old XJ.

Not sure what to do

krabysniper · #6 09-04-2007, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xjy173

I really liked the ZJs I test drove, especially the ones with the 5.2 (318cid) V-8 and the Select Trac transfer case.

krabby, I just knew you would like your 318; being a Mopar man like you are.

There is just no replacement for displacment or mopar engineering.

Wish I had that engine to put in the dart (or even the 5.9L), I am sure the 5.2 would easily perform as well as the 360 thats in it right now (the 5.9 would just be WOW) As it is, I am torn between modding the current 360 to a set of the swirl port heads or building a 444 for it (thats a 400ci block with 440 crank and rods with custom pistons.

It's capable of 14's in the quarter as it is (I run 87 octane local pump crap gas

) in full street trim (weighs in at 3700 lbs with half tank and me in it) I would like to make it capable of 11's, so I am leaning towards the 444. Just takes time and money, lots, and lots of money

I wasn't aware they made a select-trac V8 version. I always thought they were all (the V8's that is) quadra-trac.

I guess thats just because all I have ever seen up here was quads. I guess for a more southerly zone they probably saw fit to supply the select-trac.

LionShooter · #7 09-04-2007, 11:24 PM

I drove a '00 for 3 years, (not a ZJ. I think it was WJ?) It never had a single part replaced that was it's fault. Damage was done but it was from stupidity. Dare to go where no man has gone before...and hopefully will never go again. It cost me a bunch. Long story, long night in the swamp in Brunswick, GA. Damn, they have a lot of big mosquitos down there.

LionShooter · #8 09-04-2007, 11:48 PM

I liked the Grand better than the XJ also. That's why I owned 3 since it debuted in 93. My 96 and 00 had the 5.2. Kickass! (can I say that here).
The 00 did look a lot like a minivan though. Nice to see that Jeep got back to the square body...and it's nice to see they brought the Cherokee back as the Patriot. A bit wider, longer and ahelluvalot nicer inside.
I got the XJ in Costa Rica because the GC costs $60,000 down there. But that too was a mistake because there are no parts. And 12-15MPG at $4/gal. Now it's for sale and I will take my Samurai down. Sammys are live and kickin in CR...but that's a different board.

xjy173 · #9 09-05-2007, 09:41 PM

Quote:

The 00 did look a lot like a minivan though. Nice to see that Jeep got back to the square body...and it's nice to see they brought the Cherokee back as the Patriot. A bit wider, longer and ahelluvalot nicer inside.

I'm sorry, the only thing the Patriot has in common with the XJ Cherokee is that it has a uniframe construction. The Patriot is IFS, it doesn't have a 6 cylinder engine offered and it has no transfercase nor does it have a low range.

xj_kid · #10 09-05-2007, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xjy173

I'm sorry, the only thing the Patriot has in common with the XJ Cherokee is that it has a uniframe construction. The Patriot is IFS, it doesn't have a 6 cylinder engine offered and it has no transfercase nor does it have a low range.

I think you can get it with an optional low range.