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XJ Philly · 11-16-2009, 01:43 AM

Alright, so here's the deal, I had a guy offer to take my XJ for $7,000 today. My first instinct was **** no, however after thinking a while, I might be giving this a second thought. I defiantly have more than $7,000 invested, but I know you don't get out of it what you put in, however I think $7,000 is a very generous offer. IF I sold the xj, the next rig would definitely be a TJ or a tube framer built from the ground up. So lets discuss.

With $7,000 I could buy myself a very nice TJ to start with, and slowly start mods from there. Eventually it would turn into a 1-ton with probably 42"s, full hydro, yada yada. Which is cool and all, but I have seen cheap xj's go everywhere $20,000 TJ's go. So that makes me want to cage mine, lift a bit more, finish the cage, currie 9" rear and d44 front, and some 37's??? But my cherokee is really clean/straight now, if I do this, dents are coming and re-sale is

But I guess I wouldn't really care about re-sale then. But is that what a cherokee is made for? I thought the idea was to be light, which is what makes them as capable as they are. And I don't want to lift it to the moon to be able to fit large tires, so that tells me I need a TJ.

Thoughts, opinions?
Thanks guys

**stamp** · 11-16-2009, 01:50 AM

Traiter

seriously tho ... id sale the xj buy another 500 dollar project one, and buy a cheapo tj ... or if you really look you can find some steals on cjs every once in a while ... buy one of those too

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
FTW

aj99 · 11-16-2009, 02:40 AM

sell and get another Xj to build. Heck watching the sale threads you can get used long arms for 100. I got mine that way. heck i have 3200 into mine with Lift,buying it, replacing Alt, brakes, tires, rims, winch, locker for the 44, junker jeep for the wiring harness, paint, c/b speakers, radio, metal for my bumper.

**stamp** · 11-16-2009, 02:44 AM

aj that is one sexy jeep

**jfxj67** · 11-16-2009, 02:57 AM

First Mudd, and now YOU???
WTF!!!

Unfortunately, only you can decide what's best for you. Personally i LOVE the XJ, it's everything i need it to be, (except 4WD, still). In my climate and size of family, it serves as a daily driver and needs to be more practical that utility. If condition were different, i might be one of those?

i hope that my input didn't help you out a bit!

Later Traitor...

**muddeprived** · 11-16-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XJ Philly

Alright, so here's the deal, I had a guy offer to take my XJ for $7,000 today. My first instinct was **** no, however after thinking a while, I might be giving this a second thought. I defiantly have more than $7,000 invested, but I know you don't get out of it what you put in, however I think $7,000 is a very generous offer. IF I sold the xj, the next rig would definitely be a TJ or a tube framer built from the ground up. So lets discuss.

With $7,000 I could buy myself a very nice TJ to start with, and slowly start mods from there. Eventually it would turn into a 1-ton with probably 42"s, full hydro, yada yada. Which is cool and all, but I have seen cheap xj's go everywhere $20,000 TJ's go. So that makes me want to cage mine, lift a bit more, finish the cage, currie 9" rear and d44 front, and some 37's??? But my cherokee is really clean/straight now, if I do this, dents are coming and re-sale is

But I guess I wouldn't really care about re-sale then. But is that what a cherokee is made for? I thought the idea was to be light, which is what makes them as capable as they are. And I don't want to lift it to the moon to be able to fit large tires, so that tells me I need a TJ.

Thoughts, opinions?
Thanks guys

My opinion is to stick with your opinion.

I love xj's and I also love tj's but I'd rather be driving a tj cuz that's just who I am and what I want. If you sell the xj for a tj, great, no big deal cuz you are still driving a jeep.

There's alot more work involved with getting huge tires on a xj than it is on a TJ so I can see why you'd want to swap vehicles. This is one of the main reasons why I'm getting another TJ and giving the xj to the lady. I want to run 35's but without cutting and hacking up the nice lookin xj. I'm in PA and we can't just remove flares and cut em up, it's illegal. I also want to be able to wheel without worrying about the body cracking, denting, or becoming weak due to no frame (I wheel HARD). I've rolled my tj on it's side twice, banged into a couple trees, etc and the body was still straight with little to no damage. A shopping cart hit my xj's door and I have a big-ass dent in it.

Both vehicles are equally capable so whichever vehicle you go with you won't be sorry.

*WARNING* you will get some "hate message" when you gather opinions on this type of swap so be ready for them

(although most of them are friendly pokes but....)

**jakeWI** · 11-16-2009, 10:55 AM

well heres my 2cents.

First off: $7k for your rig is amazing! for you. Im not saying your rig is terrible and you havent put more into it. i love your rig. but i have seen way more built and clean xj's go for $2k + less. so theres a positive for you.

Negative's: Trader! no jk. if so, stick around here. The base price for a TJ is a lot more. They hold their value because everyone including girls want one to drive around topless

. Another bad thing is you lose you inside dry space.

**SMXJ** · 11-16-2009, 11:19 AM

I hate to say it but I would take $7,000 and start over. Unless this is your end all ride then stick with it. I didn't help at all. Not even a little bit.

XJ Philly · 11-16-2009, 01:19 PM

Thanks guys. haha, I'd probably call myself a traitor too.

But I think that if I am going to build a XJ, I would stick with the one I have.
I just wish I would have bought one that wasn't so clean to start out with.

And I forgot about an open top. The coverage in the XJ is extremely nice,
and you are completely protected from the elements. If I were to go snow
wheeling I would take the XJ every time rather than be bundled up driving a TJ.

Mudd, thats exactly what I was thinking. Along with a tire problem,
a frame sure would be extremely nice. This guy walked away with only brusies, but this is what made me decide a frame would be nice. (And should make every other serious cherokee wheeler get a cage too!)

And no, it was not chopped in the rear.

So IF I keep the XJ it will definitely be getting a cage, obviously the TJ too.
But like you said, tires are almost no problem on a TJ, with a 4.5 lift and cut/flat fenders, my friend is running 40's no problem.

Jake, no offense taken. I was highly surprised at the offer. The only reason I am considering this is because it is a ridiculously high price for what it is. And yes, I am seeing that you are right on the price on TJ's. However I did find this ### 97 Jeep Wrangler ### Probably not, but just some scouting I did earlier.

Anyways, thanks for all the advice. Its obviously not an overnight decision (least for me). The guy said no rush, so we will see how things turn out. Guess I just need some time to sit on it now.
Thanks

**jfxj67** · 11-16-2009, 01:48 PM

Just getting back for shopping on CL.

I remember now what initially got me interested in XJ's. Pretty much the only thing that my budget would allow. I didn't fall in love with the Cherokee until i actually got one!

Now... $5500 for a '97 TJ, that is an GREAT deal for a Builder!!!

Huh? Decisions, Decisions?

To Be Continued...

**2000XJ** · 11-16-2009, 02:08 PM

Damn, if someone offered me $7,000 for my trail rig XJ (hell even for the DD XJ) I'd sell it on the spot, then go and start my YJ build. Or I'd sell it and go find a semi-built YJ that already had geared/locked tons under it and continue the project. I know that the XJ isn't what I want to wheel forever. Too much body, no frame, waaay too much time, money, and effort to reinforce everything - which in turn makes it a heavy pig, then you add the D44's or 1-tons to it, cage, try to figure out how to run hydro steering on it, etc.

Don't get me wrong, it's been done on XJ's, but I personally don't have the money and time to throw at building an XJ, when I could have a linked YJ in less than half the time (in a perfect world of course).

**muddeprived** · 11-16-2009, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XJ Philly

Thanks guys. haha, I'd probably call myself a traitor too.

But I think that if I am going to build a XJ, I would stick with the one I have.
I just wish I would have bought one that wasn't so clean to start out with.

And I forgot about an open top. The coverage in the XJ is extremely nice,
and you are completely protected from the elements. If I were to go snow
wheeling I would take the XJ every time rather than be bundled up driving a TJ.

Mudd, thats exactly what I was thinking. Along with a tire problem,
a frame sure would be extremely nice. This guy walked away with only brusies, but this is what made me decide a frame would be nice. (And should make every other serious cherokee wheeler get a cage too!)

And no, it was not chopped in the rear.

So IF I keep the XJ it will definitely be getting a cage, obviously the TJ too.
But like you said, tires are almost no problem on a TJ, with a 4.5 lift and cut/flat fenders, my friend is running 40's no problem.

Jake, no offense taken. I was highly surprised at the offer. The only reason I am considering this is because it is a ridiculously high price for what it is. And yes, I am seeing that you are right on the price on TJ's. However I did find this ### 97 Jeep Wrangler ### Probably not, but just some scouting I did earlier.

Anyways, thanks for all the advice. Its obviously not an overnight decision (least for me). The guy said no rush, so we will see how things turn out. Guess I just need some time to sit on it now.
Thanks

Hey a TJ with hard doors and a hard top is just as protected from the elements as a XJ is. Mine was great in the winter time. Jeep put some nasty hot heaters in those wranglers so it got heated very well. The soft top is a different story though. I once sold my soft top and hard doors and had to deliver them to NJ. The weather wasn't cooperating with me and it rained the WHOLE time there. That's an 8 hour drive with no doors and no tops and pouring down rain. I have 2" of water in the cab LOL. THAT was when I wished I had a XJ LOL.

**jakeWI** · 11-16-2009, 05:20 PM

If you were thinking about building a wrangler for wheeling. Why dont you buy a DD car or whatever and build a YJ then? Even off the bat, YJ's are cheaper to come by.

XJ Philly · 11-16-2009, 05:40 PM

Yea this is a toughy.

2000XJ, thats what I'm beginning to think. IF I built the XJ how I want, its going to be a pig.

Mudd, yea I forgot about a hard top, thats definitely a possibility that I had not thought of (for some reason

).

Jake, at first I did not want a YJ because I do not want to have leafs f/r. But in reality, if the "build" goes how I plan, the frame would really be the only thing I want. In a perfect world I would replace trans, motor, suspension etc. So maybe I should be searching for a wrangler (TJ or YJ) that is wrecked, or that has no motor??

Only thing is, if I sell the XJ and get a stock/damaged TJ or YJ, I'm not "wheelable" right off the bat. It would take me several months to get it trail ready. Plus the money is going to have to start pouring out too. Decisions decisions . . .

**CT99XJ** · 11-16-2009, 05:55 PM

You don't need a Wrangler to fit bigger tires. you just need to not have fear of a cutter

people lift wranglers sky-high to fit massive tires, then wonder why they flip. I've seen a stock height XJ cut for 33s and skidplated get into, and out of, places a 6" TJ on 37s flipped trying. my personal .02c? keep your XJ, lift it a bit more if you want (not too high, though. low COG ftw), trim fenders, and exo-cage. you'll have one hell of a solid rig. not knowkin' you TJ lovers, bc i have a soft spot for them too, but i still prefer a XJ for a solid platform on the trails.