kent_kurt

Hi there,
I’m considering buying an XJ Limited ‘96 in Germany. I live in Sweden.
Before I go check it out in person I’d love to get some feedback on the photos the vendor has posted. Do you see anything that looks incorrect or modified from stock (apart from the front bull bar & lights).
https://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/d...l?id=383697323

I appreciate any feedback.

BruceB

I guess my biggest concern would be availability of replace OEM mopar sensors, PCM, and other parts. $15000 US for a 58000 mile vehicle seems a bit high for a daily driver....if you plan on keeping the vehicle as a show vehicle that's another thing.

Root Moose

Pictures are not great but I don't see anything that is setting off any alarms.

I don't know if that is a high price for the EU zone, or Sweden for that matter, but if the underside is as clean (ish - not professionally detailed obvs) as the interior and top side I would consider this Jeep a good buy if the price jives with the market. In Canada that is probably a ~$12k (CDN $) Jeep in the collector market. Maybe a bit more on a good day for the seller. This implies the Jeep needs nada, zilch, zero to be shown at a show.

The Jeep has low kms but I'd still want to see the underside and the engine bay - that will reveal past sins and a lot more.

If I bought it the first thing to go would be the junky, pretend push bar and lights. Ha!

HTH

kent_kurt

Thank you both, appreciate the feedback. I am looking for a nicer Sunday countryside ride car, and not a daily driver or a proper trail vehicle.
Happy to hear that nothing shown in the photos rings any warning bells. The dealer notes that it was registered in '97, but it looks like a '96 or earlier to me.
Appreciate the pointer about rust, that's one big unknown here. I'll also be requesting photos of the engine compartment and the boot interior.
Does the leather seats look like the original leather, or have they been
Yes, I think the "bull bar" and the lights will have to go! Are they random aftermarket parts, or did Jeep sell these as a factory or dealer option?

Anyone else checking out this post, please feel free to add your opinions on what you see and what I should look out for when going to see the vehicle, disregarding the high asking price.

ijeeep

Bull bar and lights were a fashion trend back then.

Dave51

You should find out exactly what year it is and bring an OBD tester and read codes and every other parameter you can.

I would bring a compression tester and check the engine ID. In order to be a "collectible" all the numbers have to match.

Root Moose

Typical rust spots would be rockers, behind above rear wheels, rear upper shock mounts, between the unibody to uniframe interface and around all the holes along the length of the uniframe, roof drip rails, and everywhere else. The ones I listed are the hot spots though.

A lot can be told just getting a glance at the state of the front control arms and steering/Panhard linkages and the gas tank straps and behind the fuel tank.

The push bar could be a EU factory option. I don't know enough about that market or the earlier ChryCo XJs (my focus has always been '97+).

For the seat leather I'd need to look at old magazine articles. I'll try to remember to do that later. The leather does look kind of loose in the photos but I don't know if that is normal for that series.

Re: the year and series of Jeep, it's not uncommon for the North American changes to not occur at the same time in other regions but I don't know if that is the case for XJs. The VIN would reveal all. Also these Jeeps were slow sellers in Europe so having a '96 on the lot and not be sold until '97 is not uncommon. IIRC the way a vehicle's year is handled in paperwork is different than in North America and this raises confusion sometimes as to the year of a vehicle. NA vehicles are always only referred to by the year of manufacture in the VIN. I don't know if this is happening in this case - just putting it out there. Plus it's been so many years and the seller is not a Jeep specialist and the person that put up the ad might not be great at their job and, and, and...

HTH

74Plb

The seats look like the original material but from the factory they are stretched much tighter.
The only thing I can add is that the cup holders on the right side of the shifter console are an add on by a previous owner.
74Plb

ijeeep

I believe in North America that cup holder as well as mud flaps and floor mats etc. were OEM accessory items available from the factory and from dealerships.

tlc1976

My 96 has that same cupholder mounted to the right of the shifter.

kent_kurt

Thanks Dave, much appreciated. Do these cars require a model specific OBD reader, och can a standard OBD reader access and interpret all the codes? Asking as I have a Volvo that has manufacturer specific codes that I have to have to use a special reader to access.

Dave51

As long as it's at least a 1996 basic reader will be fine. Check pending codes and any live data. Even if the MIL light is off (PO could have broke it)(I am cynical).

See if it's the original engine:

Eyeball all the fluids you can. When plugs are out for compression look for anything odd.

Dave51

Cause dealer's rating is lukewarm:

kent_kurt

A friend helping me with the communications in German called and talked to the seller today. He wasn't impressed with the professional level of the seller, the seller spoke poor German, and the car had no service records! Strange to have a car with low miles and nice exterior condition but no service records. He suggested that I'd give this car a pass.

robsjeep

That jeep looks very clean, if original paint it shows no rust nor collision damage, repaints can hide that. before traveling to look, ask for more photos, get photos of engine bay, both top and from under the engine. get detailed underside photos front to rear, and close ups of the rockers both exterior and from under the jeep. ask for the date code on the tires are they new or 15 years old for example.

If it really is as good as these photos make it out, as an original, well it is a gem.

keep us posted