After I wrote this post I searched craigslist for 5 speed jeeps for s&g and found a 99 2 door 4 cyl 4wd 5 speed posted for $1000!!!!!!

I've been looking for these axles for so gd long and now I'm texting somebody who has them and doesn't even know what he has! I asked if he has abs and he said "no unfortunately".

Omg I'm way to excited. I need those axles.

Edit: wait a minute.... Did the manuals have 4.10s..? Hmm.....

 

Yes sir with a 4 Cy and manual they did I think most did. That's how I got my 8.25 and 30 with 4.10, found them at the junk yard pulled. Then stripped the rear new seals and bearings, the front is getting ready to order either a truss or tube sleeves or both.

 

Woooorrrrrd I'm back to being excited! After sending a few texts back and forth he said to me "wow that is a lot more then I know" haha. Made me feel good. Unfortunately he can't meet tomorrow but hopefully Saturday morning I can go check it out. I would be buying the whole jeep then pulling the axles and putting them under my xj.

So OP, they're out there. I just found one. Actually I found like 5.

 

Now I know why, thanks for the info about the 4% to 5% only of the 1997+ model years having a manual. That's why.


I found only TWO with manual transmission on ebay. Just TWO. Lots more of the automatic trans though.

The first was a 1998. However it's a 2 door, I want a 4 door. Having to get up out of my seat to let someone in/out of the rear seat? No way. I don't even know why they even made a 2 door version. It's got a 3-person bench seat in the 2nd row.

Other thing, it sold for $7685. Wow. Yeah it looked in good shape but man. That is FAR above my $4k-or-less price target. And not even a 4-door.
Here's that listing on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jeep-Cherokee-RARE-2-DOOR-5-SPEED-4-0L-4X4-LOW-MILES-1998-jeep-cherokee-sport-xj-just-82-k-miles-5-/201232247008?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2eda6068e0&item=201232247008&pt=US_Cars_Trucks


Then I found one that is 4 door, but it's got 166k on it already. The max miles I want is 120k as I want to drive it a few years.

This one sold for a bit less, $6250, but still -- way more than what the blue book says, and lots more miles too. Here's the listing.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1998-Jeep-Cherokee-4-0L-5-Spd-Manual-Trans-Very-Rare-Combo-No-Reserve-/171569379316?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&forcerrptr=true&hash=item27f254f7f4&item=171569379316&nma=true&si=loXc1yaN94Uhd32KYktZ2aZGxUw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

I may have to drop this idea due to the high prices.
Why is Nada.com so far off? Way too low, it got my hopes up.
Says I should pay under $4k for a pristine '98 with manual tranny.

Sometimes it seems the guy putting out those Nada numbers is on dope.
Not the first time that ebay shows the market is a LOT higher.

 

Look on Craigslist instead. Use SearchTempest.com to search ALL of Craigslist.

SearchTempest may ask you if you want to go to AutoTempest instead. You can try that if you want, but I think it's better to use SearchTempest by itself to search just Craiglist first, then go look on AutoTempest using the link at the top of the page.

A search for "jeep cherokee 5 speed -grand" or "jeep cherokee manual -grand" (the "-grand" is to filter out the Grand Cherokee listings) gets quite a few hits. Your criteria for mileage and price are a little strict, so it might take some patience until you find one that fits. If you run that search every day and wait, you'll eventually find one.

Like maybe this one, posted 7 hours ago:

http://littlerock.craigslist.org/cto/4879082708.html

'98 4WD Manual with 173K miles for $2500? How close are you to Arkansas?

 

I tried several years ago to use a tool that searched all of Craigslist. I don't know why they still don't have that on the site itself. Well, the first time I did a several-state search, they (craigslist) then blocked me. I had to write an explanation to their help email then they unblocked me. So question for you, because I don't want to get blocked a 2nd time, this time CL may not let me back in -- could that happen with searchtempest.com? The 177k miles is too high for me, but thanks for the heads up about that and searchtempest.com.

Buddy of mine said that craigslist "blocks your IP address". Don't know if they still do that.

 

There is about 3 5 speed xjs on my local craigslist now.Either look in different states or wait tell one pops up around you.

 

Thanks, I will have a look at the Louisville CL.
And will start looking at cities around me.

 

http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/4873871538.html
http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/4874958686.html
http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/4856339366.html
http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/4836663378.html

 

I have not had that happen to me after having used the search for more than a year.

What will sometimes happen is that Craigslist's server will refuse to serve up the page the first time you attempt it. You'll either get sent to a regular local Craiglist home page, or you'll get an error stating that the page has a "redirect loop." If that happens, just try again. It may take three tries, but eventually CL serves up the page. I usually open the pages in new tabs, so that way my search page remains intact if CL flakes out.

If you're worried about it, search them yourself one by one by one by one by one...

I think that's what's going to make your search very difficult. It's not going to be easy to find a 15 to 20 year old vehicle with only 140K miles in your price range. You might have to compromise.

 

I think what I'll do is broaden my search here locally and be willing to pay a bit more. However, my plan is to keep it and drive for a few years, so I'm wanting to find one under 120,000 miles, I know they're out there. I'll be checking ebay too. Maybe I will catch a break. I just don't want the auto trans.

I've learned a lot here so far, especially the cracked head issue, I had no idea, the 2000/2001 model years look the same as the late 90s versions.

 

I don't see manuals to often around here. They are usually 96 or older and 2 door. I have only every seen 2 xj's that were 4 door and manual. If you find one better ****** it up quick. It took me about a year and a half to find a 99 2 door 5spd.

 

The only ones I'm finding (not already sold anyway) have high mileage, 200k or higher. While I know they have a reputation of lasting a long time, I'm not a mechanic or even inclined. Also due to the fact I tend to keep my vehicles a long time, I'd probably end up with 300,000 miles which only a limited number of buyers would want when I'm done with it.

But waiting 1 1/2 year, wow. Long time.

 

Yep, and had 199k miles on her. DD'd her for about 5 years while I was in college and now she is strictly a trail rig and only gets driven once or twice a month. I don't plan on ever selling since like you said nobody wants a jeep with 300k miles on it. Low mile XJ's are getting harder and harder to come by so I recommend buying one and driving it till it blows. Don't count on any type of resale value.

 

187k auto.