Without knowing some major details on this one mechanically...
Interior Body in good shape .
Was a trade in to a dealer who knows my friend, she may buy it.
Wondering if $2500 for a 2000 Cherokee 170K is a good median price?
I'd be able to ck it out in a week or less.
Things I should look for ????

 

I would offer him $2250 and look fr oil leaks, rust, engine noises, take it for a ride and make sure it drives straight. I would also listen for drive train noises IE: U-joints, drive shaft noises...Tj

 

Check the bottom of the oil cap for a milky residue... if so.... run... this model had a bad problem with the 0331 head cracking... 170k is over the milage they normally go out at...

 

Depending on what part of the country you are from look underneith it and make sure you can't see the carpet thru the floor. Pretty much every Cherokee more than 10 years old in Michigan has rust issues underneath.

 

if you can, bring it to a mechanic and have them give it a once over. it wont cost you (at least it shouldnt...) the 4wd, is crucial, physically yanking on driveline parts is a good way to check for play. deff check the fluids. vac. leaks are common, it seems, so try putting the heater on the floor setting and get on the throttle, if the air flow redirects to, say, the defrost, then there is a vac. leak. it probably wont mean anything for how the jeep drives, but it might get you a lower price. look for cancer under carpets, or wherever you can see. how does it accel. and decel? breaks pull even? any service records? does litterally every switch work, and work the way it should? i often make this mistake of not checking things like the window switches (from all doors) does the key work the manual locks? jeeps are pretty -proof, and even though mine doesnt lock, have e-flashers, a fan that only works opn high (resistor motor), no w/w sprayer, there is this uterly frustrating hesitation that i thought i solved but didnt, i need new control arms, just got all new breaks ($460 plus a little other stuff...) you get the idea. the things still kicks *** on all fronts. just dont be hasty. i got my 99 xj sport w/ <100k, and new paint, minus the clear coat for 2500 and it seemed like a good deal. it was a salvage title from NY, i guess VT has lower standards for "totaled" good luck

 

Thanks for the all replies guys,
This was for my friend and she was looking for a back up Jeep.
She passed on the XJ Cherokee it had a few leaks and the guy after saying he was gonna fix them hadn't yet.
He kept pushing her to buy it saying how her '93 ZJ with 210K "is gonna break soon" Yeah right. We all know how long they last,
I said 'he doesn't know what he's talking about"
But not having a lot of money to begin with it may have stretched her finances to get it.
This guys works at a dealership and supposedly this was a trade in yet he was looking for a cash deal hmmm.
Told her to go with the gut feeling and it didn't feel right.

 

She has a zj... 93-98 zj... 99-04 wj

 

First things to do are drive it see if it shifts OK. Listen to the motor for any noises such as knocks or loud valve train noise. Check the fluids, engine oil should not be thick as molasses. If you can do a compression check but with 170000 miles don't expect high readings, however the readings should be within 30 or 40 PSI. If OK offer the guy a price that you think he will NOT take, this way you will know what price he WILL sell it at. Also expect to put a few dollars into the 20 year old vehicle. Then tell your friend to have fun with it!

 

You should read ALL the post before posting...

 

Guess I missed one, So SORRY, please don't be angry!!!!!!!!!!

 

thanks for the ZJ clear up, just edited to reflect that, can't remember those codes sometimes!