What should I check over on a cheap XJ Cherokee?
 

This isn't quite a what-to-look-for-when-shopping question, as the car has already been purchased. A friend of mine wanted to get a cheap car for occasional use in the city for a few years and asked for my help. Something in the $3k-$4k range. After her running cars by me and my giving her suggestions, she decided she wanted an old Cherokee. I happened to have another friend who had a cheap Cherokee she wanted to sell, and condition and price suited my first friend and I thought it was OK for her, so she bought it. It needs a few things and she's going to take it to a shop in her neighborhood for the work. (I'd do it but I don't have time).

Vehicle in question is a 1998 4-door Cherokee Sport, 2wd. Has 195k miles, my other friend owned it for 20 years and has all records for it. Paid $2k, with the expectation of putting another $1k into it to take care of things. Known issues/needs are:

-fuel leak when running from fuel pump. Either the pump itself or a hose fitting, but it's definitely coming from the pump, just inside the LR wheel. She drove it home, but I told her to get it addressed immediately. Can't imagine an XJ fuel pump is expensive.
-needs fluid changes - engine oil is a year old, trans fluid looks pink and clean, brake fluid is dark and nasty-looking, reservoir is low and pedal is soft. So new oil, new brake fluid, bleed the brakes, check pads.
-oil leak from either the trans pan or maybe the output seal. Looks more like the pan.
-minor stuff like rear hatch struts, cleaning/detailing the interior, a/r bar end link bushings, maybe VC gasket.

There's a squeak from the front suspension occasionally, but it generally tracks straight, doesn't shake, and goes/stops/turns well. Body is completely rust-free, a surprise for a car that's spent 20 years in Chicago.

I'm not familiar with XJs - what else should be looked at when the shop has it?

Coolant/belts/hoses/filters?

I would think with a $1k to throw at it you could get it to a fairly complete baseline maintenance wise.

Electrical grounds. Inspect for corrosion

mine of the same vintage (mine was 4x4), purchased in 2005, had serious rust at the bottom of the doors....but i see you consider it rust free so maybe she got lucky

Thanks, I forgot to check the coolant myself but the oil looked good and no reason to suspect overheating - my friend would have told me about it if so. Grounds, good idea. I was thinking of any XJ-specific areas that I may not know about. The car has the expected surface rust on things like suspension components and so on, but the body is amazingly good. I'll check the front floors under the carpet - I read water can get in past bad seals and sit in the floor. Floors look great underneath though. The frame rails, rockers, wheel lips, fenders, etc. on the car are perfect.

By all records do you mean all the maint according to date/miles etc?
That'd make it a lot easier to trust the car if so, IMO.

Yes, all maintenance records since about 2000-2001. She bought it when it was about two years old with 20k miles. Even though the friend buying it could have bought a $4k Cherokee that didn't need some work, I thought the long ownership history and records and knowing that it came from someone I know and trust added a lot of relative value to her as a buyer.

Check grounds from block to chassis, chassis to battery, etc...

Rust. Lifted? Check the frame rails. Door fall off yet? ��


Used to have a couple. 4 liter, ax15, and 4x4. Would be what I would want.

LOL I’m not sure who would lift a 2WD Cherokee :) No, it’s bone stock. I’ll get photos when I can. I mean, it doesn’t look like a dry California car, but it’s amazingly clean for Chicago. This has the usual 4L and Aisin-Warner automatic.