Local 4wd Cherokee's or 4runners?

[aero]

I am still looking to get a 4wd Cherokee or 4runner sometime in the near future. I want/need to eliminate my stupid car payment that I have now, and I know if I get a car... I'll end up needing to borrow a truck all the time.

I need something that'll mostly be a DD, but something I can mess with a little bit and make it off road worthy.

So just figured I would see if anyone knew of any in the area (I am on autotrader/craigslist/ebay daily). They would need to be reasonably cheap (eliminate payment with not much out of pocket... less than 4k asking price). I would rather have a little body damage and a strong truck.

Cherokee's, I only want 4dr, and NOT Grand cherokees. I6 4.0, auto or manual and probably 1991+

4runners... gotta be a v6, and 4wd.

:wave:

[Jeepin']

IMHO, 4 Runners (Toyotas overall) are junk. But wtf do I know?

In all seriousness, if your going to get a 4 Runner, I'd go third gen. The Toys' biggest pitfall, IFS. This limits you offroad abilities due to untrustworthy CV axles. (*been with out with tons of Toys, seen alot of failures) Not like its drastically hard to fix though.

Another reason to go 3rd gen, the 3.4L. In your price range for Toys, it'll be the best motor you can get. Something they did that I like is the design of the rear hatch, with roll down glass. Pretty grovy. Also 4Runners will fit 31" tires stock with no rubbing.

Again, IFS and that motor are my 2 biggest turnoffs. There are however tons of kits to do a SAS on the front, making a 4Runner a REAL offroad contendor.

One benifit to the Toyota is cheap lifts - its a body on frame compared to our unibody. Makes us stronger, but if something gets tweaked, your day is over.

Cherokees? Avoid anything pre 91. Very poor motor coices. You want the I6 fuel injected. Don't waste your time with the 2.5L 4 banger. If you get a manual, it'll be the AX-5 in a 4 pooper (peice of TOTAL JUNK!! I hate them I hate them I hate them!!!) OR the AX-15 in the 6 cyl, which is a great combo.

As for axles, all Cherokees come Solid axles, front and rear. All front axles are Dana 30s, rear axles are roughly 70% Dana 35 or starting in 95 an optional Chrysler 8.25. Both very decent rear ends. However, if you can find a Cherokee with a Factory equiped tow package, you run the chance of scoring gold. A Dana 44 rear axle, bulletproof with tires up to 42". All Cherokee suspensions are Coil front and leaf sprung in the rear, making for some real fun without the sway bars on.

Cherokee does lack with drums in the rear, but I beleive 3rd gen Toys had them too, if I'm correct. The inline 6 is inkillable, and I've personally seen one run over 60 miles with 1 quart of oil. Even moderately maintained, it will clock 300,000 no sweat.

What to look for in a Cherokee. Rear main seal will be leaking. Garontee it. Electrical system isn't the worlds best, ignition coil, cps, and fuel pump are all known to be weak links.

If your on a budget, both trucks run about the same out the gate. Both share many high points, 4 doors, seating for 5, though the Toyota does feel a little more roomy inside. But you also have to look to the long run - normal upkeep. American parts a just way cheaper and easier to get ahold of, keeping costs down.

Its your choice, hopefully someone can fill in the Toyota blanks for ya.
Whatever you get, wheel it!!! see ya out there.

[95w_bTEG]

what ^ said, lol!

[aero]

Yeah, I know about the 4runners' downsides.. although as far as being junk... maybe as an off the assembly line off-roader they arent the best.

I would much prefer a 3rd gen for the 3.4 (what I have now), but its just the price...finding one that isnt totalled in this area WITH 4X4... is hard. Trying to find one in my price range... hasnt happened yet. I have seen quite a few that are cheap, but they are always far away, and I am really looking to get rid of the payment out of this as well. I dont mind the cv axles since I dont plan on seriously off roading it, since there isnt anything around here anyways.

A second gen is more in my price range, and most of them are 4x4... the engine isnt the greatest, but worse comes to worse, I could always put a 3.4 in it, its not too much of a pain to swap in. There is a decent one listed online locally... 180k, but looks pretty good and only asking $2500.

But a 4runner would IMO be a much nicer DD than the cherokee, which looks and feels like a tyipcal domestic car inside (put together at wal-mart). Not trying to bash it.. just saying since it would for the most part be a DD.

The plus' with the Cherokee are that most of them are 4x4, and I can get a later model for cheaper, and yeah, there are parts everywhere (especially used lifts, wheel/tire combos)...

[Keith]

95 tacoma lifted on 36's. 6 cyclinder.

Pretty BA, my brother is willing to sell fast...

[STiDriven]

95 tacoma lifted on 36's. 6 cyclinder.

Pretty BA, my brother is willing to sell fast...

Wrong thread for whoring your bro's rig. It's basically the opposite of what he's looking for.

[AminalPlanet]

But a 4runner would IMO be a much nicer DD than the cherokee, which looks and feels like a tyipcal domestic car inside (put together at wal-mart). Not trying to bash it.. just saying since it would for the most part be a DD.

The plus' with the Cherokee are that most of them are 4x4, and I can get a later model for cheaper, and yeah, there are parts everywhere (especially used lifts, wheel/tire combos)...

+1 to that

[aero]

I just find it really funny... no matter what I am trying to buy, they always seem to go and hide until I purchase something. It happened with the s2k, and the 4runner. When I was looking, they were nowhere to be found. When I went to sell, they were everywhere.

I think I have to tell myself that I am not looking, because I can swear that there were cherokee's all over the place prior to me looking for one.

[Jeepin']

Lol, then after you buy a specifc car, you feel like you see the same damn model everywhere. lol

As far as onroad manners, they definitely couldn't be farther apart. The 4Runner feels like an old mattress, and a Cherokee feels like its suspension is made of concrete. Of course, these can be altered to your likeing via whatever suspension setup you choose.

Personally, I dont mind feeling like I'm driving a sherman tank, but thats just me.

As far as interior and put together goes, I cant help but love Cherokee. You open a door, and see the bolts holding the dash on, its simple, doesnt try to hide anything. And Cherokee got a very nice interior upgrade in 97, everythings smoother, gauges are simple, air con is a snap, with dual airbags. Previous Cherokees had like cubby holes accross the dash, for litterly everything. Very ugly.

Idk, I feel like I could step into a 4Runner, and have to remember its a 4Runner, Rav4, Corolla, Camary, all their interiors feel exactly the same to me. Too cookie cutter for my taste. But hey, thats why I didnt buy one. lol.

Like I said, whatever you get, wheel it. Thats all. Have fun.

[Pro-Mo]

Like I said, whatever you get, wheel it. Thats all. Have fun.
werd