how reliable do u mean when u say a cherokee is reliable? cause i need reliability cause it will be a dd for whatever i buy.... toyotas are super reliable but not as trail capable but this ia dd again.... a toyota 4runner with 190k miles or more is about the same price of a cherokee with 100k miles.... and my dad will kill me if he buys a truck for me and it starts breaking down after i have hounded him for either a jeep or a 4runner 4x4 instead of a car. so i wann know what common problems arise in cherokees.... and if im not correct then correct me but i have heard to look for a 96 to 99 cherokee.... thanks

 

well the in-line 6 is a bullet proof motor ...I think they have been using that motor since like the 50"s

 

all i can say is that i have had both i have had small minor probs with the jeep and also toyota surf (uk version 4runner) the jeep is cheap and simple to work on the yota is more complex and far more expensive for parts

 

stay away from 4-runners with the v6 they are know for blowing head gasket

 

also the 2.4 oil burners are weak

 

Find the cleanest Cherokee you can afford. Check it thoroughly for any electrical problems whatsoever, as some are plagued by shorts that are sometimes difficult to find and expensive to repair.
But they are rugged vehicles that give years of service with (usually) few complaints. IMO
And I'd rather tow a Jeep than drive a 'yota. JMO
Dan

 

The problem confronting you is not the general question you asked. Cherokees are, in general quite reliable.

However, that isn't really what you want. You want to know that the specific one you might buy is more reliable than the Toyota you didn't buy.

There is no way to answer that question, because one is a real vehicle, and one is a hypothetical one that never breaks down.

Yes, the 4.0 liter straight six is a good engine, but they do wear out, especially if poorly maintained. I had to replace one at 188,00 miles because the bearings were shot--I got a junkyard engine that looked PERFECT inside--bearings could have been put in boxes and sold as new because they looked that good. Maintenance is everything! Same for the transmissions, rear ends, body, etc.

Best bet is to have someone knowledgeable in Jeeps give it a pre-purchase inspection. This needs to be someone who really KNOWS what to look for AND who is not emotionally attached to the possible purchase.

 

i hate toys! they always die fer us at 200k its weird.... but my jeep has 210k and still contently purrin away!

 

My jeep has 330xxx miles on the orginal i6 motor and tranny. I have it for a dd and a play toy.

 

Their pretty bullet proof and easy to work on. Toyota's are alright but they suck to work on and parts cost more and their frames rot.

 

X2, The price of maintaining a Toyota is much greater than maintaining an XJ.

 

my old 89 cherokee had 296K when i sold it for more than i bought it for. and it was still running like a champ when i sold it. as said before the toys are expensive to replair and the parts for xjs are plentaful and cheap too. however IMHO both have good potential to be reliable. just look for a clean well maintained one and your set. again have someone not attached to either one look them over. good luck with your purchase and let us know.

 

A Jeep Cherokee is a lot easier to work on and maintain. Toyota trucks from 86 to 95 had ball joint problems, the timing chains tend to wear through the timing cover, the V6 engines had head gasket problems and were kind of weak in power to start with, and parts are harder to come by than a Jeep. Chances are NAPA will have that odd ball part for a Cherokee, not so much for a Toyota.

 

Had both, 2 Jeeps('89 I6, 96 2.5 4-cyl.), and a '95 4runner 4x4. There's no easy way to answer that, it boils down to how well you take care of it. Having said that, Toyota has more creature comfort and parts are more expensive, but my particular one was a nightmare. It had a failed oil pump that resulted in an engine rebuild, it had the (automatic) tranny rebuilt, had problems with it's axles, etc., overall $3,500+ in serious repairs. But it could've been a Monday car, they are pretty sturdy, usually. My '89 Jeep busted it's transfer case, my own negligence, at 190k miles. The engine may still be running, nothing special, just normal maintenance and wear & tear stuff. The '96 I drive at the moment, 150k miles, all I did was oil changes, brakes and plugs/wires. Love it. I'd go with the Jeep, because:
a) They cost less, because they are simpler, and therefore have less that breaks.
b) They are easy to work on, and parts are cheap.
c) There are folks with 300k miles on their Jeeps out there, and they don't hold back using them as they are meant to be used.
d) Registration and insurance are ridiculously cheap (on mine, at least)
Just my opinion.
Just to add that for the 4runner: Tranny rebuild @ 75k mi, engine rebuild @ 100k mi, sold @ 115k mi.

Haha, I forgot:
e) I REALLY don't care, if my Jeep is dirty, someone bangs his door into my car, and the paint fades a bit. Couldn't have said that about the 4runner.

 

Preventative maintenance is EVERYTHING!!