I have to be honest... my XJ is single longest I've ever owned any vehicle in my life to date....
I've loved XJ's for years before I bought mine... had it ever since I moved to the US.
There are so many pros to owning one IMHO.... and the cost of ownership is lower than ANY vehicle I've had prior for decades.
What do ya'll love about your XJ's that unless someone offered you absolutely stupid money... you'd never part with it?

 

If I was offered stupid money for one of mine I'd let it go - so I could spend it on the other one

 

I've had mine ('88 Laredo) for 24 years now. Had my issues with it but it's been reliable and it's relatively easy to work on. Being in Southern California helps as there's no rust issues to deal with, other than some surface rust on the body and the dead paint.

Problem is it's getting harder to find non-routine parts for it. Emissions related parts, other than O2 sensors are the hardest. A "compatible" one shows up at a local salvage yard maybe once or twice a year. I generally run right over and pick off sensors, interior trim, switches. etc, as long as someone else doesn't beat me to it.

Someone would have to offer "stupid" money for mine as it would cost more "stupid" money to get another, newer one.

 

Same here... even though it's about as aero-dynamic as a 2 story house... there's just something about it.

 

Where do I start ?

Parts availability. One of the most supported vehicles for replacement parts anywhere from cheap to high end, stock to very modified. Main reason I keep mine. And large active knowledge bases like this one.

Most of them built in what I call the golden era. Just enough tech to be very reliable, yet simple enough for the backyard mechanic to work on. And built tough. The 4.0 will keep going and going. You can mod most things with little worry.

Just the right size. Can carry a typical family and cargo, but is small enough to navigate narrow trails. Solid axle for extreme trails. Can turn a 180 in my driveway without backing up.

Edit: And it can tow my trailer.

 

I love that it starts every time I turn the key.

 

Exactly.... can't get that with most other vehicles.I mean seriously.... what other vehicle that hasn't been in production for nearly a quarter century still has the vast majority of parts still available for it and most reasonable on cost. Along with having the minimum on the electronics side (at least in comparison to most modern vehicles)... makes it pretty easy to wrench on yourself. I couldn't see getting rid of mine until parts became scarce. Which will probably be a while still.

 

What I like best about the XJI is it's capability envelope.

There hasn't been anything on the market before or since that matches it.

There's others that have more of this or that. None match the proportion distribution and balance of attributes and quantifiables.

 

I like the old style drip rails. The newer 4x4 SUVs don't have them.

A roof rack made by a local welder sits in the rails and makes my XJ very much a Utility vehicle.


Homemade roof rack

Over the years this rack has carried benches, church pews, school desks, mattresses, chairs, blackboards, cabinets, several 100 pound bags of charcoal, plywood, boards, studs, sheet metal, rebar, PVC pipe, palm branches, bamboo, the back packs of campers, and a ram.

 

Probably the simplest thing I like is the T shifter handle, just feels right.
But I love how simple they were designed, how comfortable it is to drive, and how well my 4.0/AW4 can get up and go when needed.