Well guys after a long hiatus and years of frustration and calling it quits, I'm finally getting back into wheeling. I currently have a '92 Jeep Cherokee I thought about building up, nothing crazy mind you as I've had so much bad luck in the past I really want to take it slow this time.

My delimna is this, my wife bought a 2001 4 door Tracker and since she got it I've had the itch to go back to a Tracker myself (2 door) for a builder. 2 have popped up close by, one is even an automatic!, and both individuals are probably willing to trade. So I'm trying to weigh the pro's and cons of each to see if I really want to make the move back to a Tracker. Both have huge aftermarkets.

This is what I have come up with.

Cherokee: PRO'S
Solid axle
More power
More room
Power steering
Cherokee: CONS
Gas mileage
Heavier
Unibody
Expensive parts

Tracker: PROS
Lighter
Better fuel economy
Soft top
Frame

Tracker: CONS
IFS front end

I need help figuring out what else PRO or CON I'm looking at, I'm looking at a 94' Blue 4x4 Tracker tomorrow, 179k, pretty clean inside the soft top sucks on it but it has good tires, they are asking $2495 but it isn't worth that. Is there anything wrong with AUTO Tranny in the Trackers? The other one is white 4x4 with green rims and it's an auto, tires not as good, but the soft top is better, but it's missing the rear seats (no biggie) and it's only $1250.

Thanks guys!

 

Con?

Its a Tracker.

 

Tracker? Hahahaha is this a serious discussion?

 

Be different build the tracker put toyo running gear easy to find an make it yours

 

Don't underestimate Trackers, I have seen some really sick capable Trackers dominate the rock crawling series around here.

 

My buddy had a built samurai, I guess if you swapped a real front axle under the thing it's not much different

 

Cherokee parts expensive? Your going to the wrong vendors

 

Aftermarket parts is what I mean. $1000 for a bumper isn't exactly in my price range.

 

Mine cost me about 30 bucks in weld wire and grinder wheels, and several hours of work. Not much considering its beef

 

Be realistic. Thats not an option for everyone.

 

Swap that Tracker idea out for a Samurai.

 

This is true, but my point is you can make things work on a low budget with the right tools and knowledge. Friends help too

 

I did the Samurai thing for a long time, they can't pull themselves down the highway. I have to drive it every day, at least a Tracker can pull itself down the road.

 

nates 4x4 makes great affordable bumpers. but, i'm sorry about your past. but part of me wants to know what happened that would make you just say **** it. also, that tracker won't be getting that good gas mileage that you have listed under pros, if you put bigger tires on it.

 

I got burned out, it became more and more of a hassle and all I had were projects sitting around I couldn't wheel. Some local shops told me they would get me in and do the stuff I paid in advanced for, I'd call and they say yeah I have this done and this done, I'd show up unannounced and nothing would be done my **** would be sitting in the weeds. One shop it sat there 7 months, the other one 9 months and they never did a thing to them.

So I quit, I didn't have the tools nor the know how to do the stuff myself. I had an idea for exactly what I wanted, had the parts and the money to pay for labor and people shafted me.