Keep this post alive! I too am looking for a XJ so keep it flowing I want all the info I can get.

 

I have had a 93, 94, 95 and 96. All perform dutifully. All have had the 4.0 and various auto tranny's. I have used both t cases (231 and 242). I have never had a drive train problem with a cherokee that was not caused by pure abuse. I blew my tranny once while stuck, and only after about an hour of beating on it hard and spun a rod from keeping it at like 5500 rpm for too long. Both of these issues were caused by abuse, not a defect in the drive train. I have been fortunate to never get stuck with a Dana 35 in the rear. I have seen how easily they break.
I like the pre 96's only because you don't have to deal with the emissions crap.
I forgot to look where you live. if it's somewhere rust is an issue, then check for that. Here in NY, that's what takes them. My 93 and 94 drove til the frames cracked. The 95 and 96 are both still on the road and off road.

 

keep up your maintenance and dont ever let it get too hot. i know someone with an 01 w/ 198k who has yet to have a problem.

 

thanks for the tips so far guys! im looking at a black 99 xj stock and from what it sounds lik 99 is a really good year!

 

hey guys new to this site but not to jeeps or wheeling this is my second jeep. my first was a 66 cj5 that sold me on jeeps i beat the hell out of it and never got stuck and it was stock no lift no lockers and i made it through everything. My cousin also worked for a jeep dealer as a mechanic all his life and i learned everything from him , just looking for some feed back on my rig what do you guys think?

 

well that hollowed cat is doing you no good. go with a high flow instead

 

yeah i thought about that but as you probably know on a 2000 xj there are 3 cats two on the actual exhaust manifold where all the o2 sensors are and one down stream with no o2 sensors after it so i didn't have to worry about throwing any codes and this is a poor boy customs jeep on a very low budget and im saving all i can for a max energy hypertech chip

 

yeah i thought about that but i have three cats 2 on the manifold where all the sensors are so when i hollowed out the one down stream i didn't have to worry about throwing any codes and this is a poor boy custom jeep im trying to save for a chip throttle body spacer and a flowmaster series 10 and k & n intake

 

There is some rare mythological breed of Jeep in 99/00 rang where you had a powertech setup with no admission so it was a HO with power tech setup no crankcase vent or knock sensor. Thats only going by what my friends have told me there suppose to have around 30 more HP then the Powertech stock I don't know if that true or not. IT be cool but who knows. If anyone can confirm or bust or plausible let me know.