Here's Why Everyone Loves the Jeep Cherokee XJ

CHECK OUT CARS & BIDS
carsandbids.com
The Jeep Cherokee XJ is loved by car and SUV enthusiasts -- and everyone else. Today I'm reviewing a 2001 Jeep Cherokee to show you why the XJ Cherokee is so well-loved.
FOLLOW ME!
Facebook - / ddemuro
Twitter - / dougdemuro
Instagram - / dougdemuro
DOUGSCORE CHART: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

[@DougDeMuro]

Jaguar XJ ain't got nothin' on Jeep XJ.

[@Pitchrack]

ily doug

[@joost6994]

When's the Z8 video coming?

[@rayman5817]

Doug DeMuro back again with the average cars no one cars about. Your channel is getting boring Doug’s past acts a minivan and 2 suvs no one gives a fuck about. Up your game

[@shinigamix5167]

Daddy Doug

[@memoonaashraf1156]

new doug car

[@AlmanzaColor]

So I just got my XJ after looking for one in good shape for years. I was passing by my neighbors garage and there was always a covered car in his garage, well a few days ago the wind was crazy and it uncovered the beauty, a 1996 Jeep cherokee with 120k miles, him being the only owner and it was there because it wouldn’t start. I told him if he was willing to sell it and he said, how much you got, I said “ i only have like a thousand”, i was just kidding I had no shit. And he said, let me get the title, I had to get a loan to buy it lol, I pushed to my house, ( this vehicles are not heavy) I got it in, called a friend, turns out it was only the crankshaft sensor, It costs 60 bucks, i bought my friend a 6 pack. Now I have a really nice, impeccable jeep cherokee.

[@eyesalooking]

You are one lucky - thief. You stole that one😁

[@mccartneystuart]

I picked up a 92 limited with 80k miles on it for 1k. Slightly inherited though.

[@yaelvillagomez2713]

yeahh dudeee! i found my beauty at a tow yard for 1000, just finished putting about another 10,000 in her and shes a beast! a street legal armored fortress.

[@davelastname8074]

My mom had a 95 (I think) cherokee, she paid $600 and it worth of upgrades into it for offroad use and such, it lasted her about 5 years until the sub frame cracked. Not too bad if you ask me. Definitely got her money's worth out of it.

[@aidanmakinster922]

Nice find!!!

[@_JimboSlice]

Holy shit, I've had my XJ for sale online for 2 weeks with only 2 legit offers. Doug publishes this video and within 48 hours, I get 8 offers and have a bidding war that's pushed the sale 30% over my asking price between 3 people. Thanks, Doug!

[@FearlessP4P1]

Is doug getting a cut? Lol

[@wildbill23c]

Sell it LOL...don't hold out sell it to the first person who shows up with the cash. Then go out and buy another one and modify it for 4 Wheeling and you'll be able to sell it in a heartbeat.

[@griffithd05]

got that DougBump (TM)

[@redxj4968]

Its tax time buddy

[@redxj4968]

Hmmm sell you one???

[@mikederucki]

Proud daily driver of a 2001 Cherokee. No tech but the radio, no luxuries, just a car that starts drives and stops, and never breaks.

[@chaseappel8030]

still driving my 1999 and have 167,000 on it and it still is driving on the beach for me

[@colemcquestionable4950]

i have a feeling it doesnt break or brake

[@mortenjohansen4120]

I bought a low mileage rust free 2 years ago that I use for daily driver. I have upgraded it with a Sony Android unit with car play and rear view camera. I don't need another car.

[@helenabasquette7222]

the striaght 6 is just a awsome engine

[@justinmeaney2492]

I have a manual 1993 with 140k miles. Best car I’ve ever owned. Will never sell it

[@zh4210]

The Cherokee Xj is one of the best offroading vehicles ever. Excellent wheelbase, great powerplant, good visibility, and tons of aftermarket. They are fantastic.

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

My favorite 4x4!

[@sirosis2576]

Glad you said that, l'm thinking about buying one. Always liked them, but don't know much about them!😂

[@ShawnPitman]

Doug's the type of guy who still talks about that one really great sandwich he made in the 90's.

[@colinfiftyfour]

Cmon man, it was a perfect sandwhich.

[@a.ortega4505]

it was a fucking great sandwich

[@jonathandickerson4696]

@@a.ortega4505 the best

[@jimmysgarage9068]

So good

[@careful__Icarus]

Dang is this King and the Sting now?

[@MadisonAshleigh]

my grandma TO THIS DAY drives a 1990 Jeep cherokee laredo with 300k miles 😭 my 2017 jeep cherokee has more issues than hers

[@christophertunbridge9678]

⁰⁰0

[@mikeLs32]

Because you bought a modern pile of crap lol

[@davelastname8074]

The newer Cherokee is not a real jeep if you ask a jeep enthusiast, if you like it awesome, but as a jeep enthusiast I would never drive one unless it's a 2001 or older

[@augsgaragetx6922]

@@mikeLs32 until you get one and you have to accept that

[@erikh1041]

old cars are more reliable, and thats just facts. they were built to last forever, new cars are made to last until the warranty runs out so you need a new one

[@aidanmakinster922]

Can someone explain to me why I'm watching this again? I have watched it 3 times atleast and now I own one.

[@jamestoomer1330]

I've owned 2 of them, both 96 models. My current 96 is a Sport model with front end fascia and panel swap from a 97 for a cleaner front end look. This is about the 15th time I've watched this video haha

[@xSmythosx]

i had watched this video a couple times before i bought mine like a week ago and i’ve watched it like every other day since

[@nikthepunisher6255]

I swear this is my 10th time watching this😂

[@xSmythosx]

i watched this vid for the first time like two years ago and became obsessed, started hunting for one then and there. yesterday the stars aligned and i finally had the money at the same time one was available and now i’m the extremely proud owner of an ‘01 XJ sport!!

[@2needey1]

2001 Xj sport also, 3.5 in lift. Went over Colorado mountains from Boulder up Switzerland trail, 4th of July trail, through rivers, and of course snow all the way to Estes Park and Grand Lake. You Tube those trails they’re dream type memories without scratching paint. Take care of it I may want to buy yours if I win some money soon😂.

[@xSmythosx]

@@2needey1 i unfortunately don’t have it anymore, but it treated me great for the two years i had it!

[@emdotrod]

Doug is the type of guy who swapped his E63 wagon for an Odyssey because it has a built-in vacuum cleaner

[@vincecarter5447]

Gordon Greninger roflmao

[@billk3370]

This is one of my favorite comments of all time

[@Hairy.Whodini]

@@gordongreninger6109 you stop vacuuming when you drive?

[@infolord79]

He was appreciating simplicity here. As he said, the Cherokee's greatest quirk is simplicity itself.

[@AlmanzaColor]

Ardimo Harsa hahahahhahahaha

[@koreyjentes6905]

Gotta believe that if jeep released a throwback version of the cherokee that is a near copy paste of the XJ that there would be a ton sold

[@robertbrown3064]

I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[@PeteJacksonPapasVlogs]

I'd daily one! Oh wait, I do daily one!

[@chevelle1]

Korey Jentes they’d never do it. They were built to actually last longer than 80,000 miles.

[@mousetoad7040]

I'd buy one, but by the time they would get it to meet current government standards, it would be about as much the same is the new VW Beetle is to the original.

[@bashirsfar3825]

unfortunately they cant though. Many manufactures want to recreate old cars, but modern saftey rules prevent them from making such simple, light-weight cars

[@bhunt799]

Weirdly enough, I see more XJ Cherokees on the road then I do new Cherokees.

[@Blessed.2.Teach.4God]

The ones you see are the ones that still work.

[@nickhearn7288]

@@Blessed.2.Teach.4God no shit. He said he sees them on the road lol

[@Blessed.2.Teach.4God]

@@nickhearn7288 His statement could've simply been referring to popularity and not necessarily durability, smart ass.

[@nickhearn7288]

@@Blessed.2.Teach.4God popularity or durability they are on the road. How am I a smart ass. Lol

[@Blessed.2.Teach.4God]

@@nickhearn7288 The original comment said "weirdly enough I see XJ's more than I do the new ones" ...leading me to believe that he thought it was odd that the older one's might be more popular. W/e the case the OP obviously thought it was strange... So I just simply clarified the mystery as to why, and it being due to the fact that the older XJ's are more reliable & durable and that would likely be why they are seen as often as they are. Your response was "No shit....." Uncalled for and made zero circumstantial sense in the thread, that's why you're a smart ass. Goodbye now.

[@yamasail]

The XJ Cherokee is my favorite car ever. Had a '96 I planned on restoring one day. People though I was crazy. But I hit a large ice patch one winter and rolled it. Loved that vehicle. Miss it so much.

[@troglodytehunter]

So sorry to hear that. My mom and dad gave me their 99 XJ Sport when they bought new cars 10 years ago...I'm about to hit 200K, this thing is a tank and I will never ever let it go 😅😂

[@justperry5473]

"They obviously tuned the accelerator to respond instantly." Yes Doug, its called a cable throttle...

[@theaveragejoestinkeringand4407]

Joshua Myers lol That’s funny I don’t understand why we can’t have throttle cables back. Computers Taking over everything even our throttle response. These new engines have so much more power but they don’t always feel like it because the computer has pampered it down so much and rolls the throttle on slowly no matter what you do with your foot. The old engines with half the power felt more powerful to drive Just because of the instant response when you push the pedal.

[@justperry5473]

@@theaveragejoestinkeringand4407 I agree totally. Cable throttles felt much better.

[@SynZ777]

@@theaveragejoestinkeringand4407 Cable throttle does has a different response than what the ECU gives you, but the ECU is far more reliable-- albeit more expensive to replace.

[@jacobsmith8033]

I love the wheel wobble and the cable throttle

[@hailexiao2770]

@@theaveragejoestinkeringand4407 New engines don't feel like they have that much power because they're built into bodies with much better stiffness, suspension, and noise isolation.

[@mmopipe4409]

Bought my 2000 XJ in July of 2000. Wouldn't sell it for anything. Still driving it today after 17 1/2 years. Love it.

[@tmmsplace]

MMO Pipe bought my '98 in '99. Not feeling like I need to get rid of it, either. Look forward to the weekends driving

[@deciusvarus]

MMO Pipe my dad bought a 98 ZJ Grand Cherokee in the same year. It's been in our family ever since and I still drive it. Bit of a gas hog with the 318 though

[@jenna_gia]

when i was a kid and fantasizing about my adult life i'd always pictures myself owning one of these cars with a german shepherd and siberian husky riding along with me

[@nateb9346]

Well? Did it become so?

[@obijuankenobi420]

Never too late to make it a reality.

[@KeliBaB]

Those are my favorite breeds of dog too! Hope it turned into reality

[@2needey1]

It’s a great dog jeep just put the seats down

[@LanceMillerSeattle]

I didn't know the XJ was unibody. Thank you Doug...my 12 year old loves you.

[@NEUTRALDROP]

Doug's the kind of guy who drops his pants to his ankles at the urinal

[@V8_screw_electric_cars]

he's the real life butters

[@ozm8642]

That's confidence

[@dirtydick6477]

So that just makes it easier to take a piss

[@rorschach8167]

LOL so fucking brutal!!!

[@barfy-man3628]

So... I still have my mom wipe my bum.

[@kurtis664]

The spelling of liter was the most complicated thing on this Jeep

[@j_freed]

The spelling of what? 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🇪🇺

[@indridcold8433]

Figuring out how to put the NP231 transfer case into full time for wheel drive was rather complicated. Especially when the NP231 did not have the full time selection on that transfer case. Some of them had the NP242 transfer case that had part time four wheel drive and full time four wheel drive. It was a bit weaker than the NP231 that did not have full time four wheel drive.

[@miller7759]

@@indridcold8433 I always swapped the 242 for the 231 every time I got a XJ with the garbage 242. The Np231 was waaaaaay better Imo. The full time just sucked the fuel and was hard on the drive line.

[@steventure7939]

Don't take it so serious 🤣 that comment made my day

[@miller7759]

@@indridcold8433 The NP242J had 2wd Fulltime 4hi 4low. The NP242 ONLY had Full time 4hi and 4low.

[@The_Draque]

when i was a kid my uncle had a Cherokee and I thought that all SUV's were called "Jeeps"

[@xalataf3365]

pretty much the same thing here, except with every car with a rear mounted spare I wasn’t probably the only one either as I see many cars with rear mounted spare tyre covers that say “Jeep” on them

[@RadierGummiWars]

everytime i tell people i drive a jeep they ask me what brand lool

[@paganizondasroadster1660]

We all thought of that. Please Where are you from ?

[@RadierGummiWars]

@@paganizondasroadster1660 Germany

[@kylezLand]

I thought a fjcruiser was a “toyota” thats the brand lmao

[@CCK-jd8nc]

Doug: The XJ is so great because it’s so simple Also Doug: criticizes the Mitsubishi Mirage because of the parts sticking out and all the exposed screws 😂😂😂

[@bossmansal67]

I know you're joking, but this is a Jeep. It's what they're known for. The Mirage is a new car and thats why Doug criticized it so much.

[@liamdillon9745]

Ok but 20 year difference of car is DRAMATIC 😂

[@CCK-jd8nc]

Zach Reynolds I like that as well. It’s good to know that you can work on your car using tools that you can find in your common toolbox.

[@rum724todnothib8]

Weirdly enough, I see more XJ Cherokees on the road then I do new Cherokees.

[@Nebulasecura]

@@rum724todnothib8 that’s because new cherokees suck ass and are built by fiat Chrysler who are known for terrible quality control

[@SoteloAldo94]

Doug the type of guy to wear a fake moustache when he goes to Mexico

[@AI-zo7gx]

Aldo S Lmao only one to actually make me laugh

[@trentcalloway7910]

he tells people his name is Diego

[@MikefromQueens]

Aldo S lmao

[@mikixP]

Aldo S those “the type of guy jokes “‘are getting old come up with something original , get a life idiot .

[@SoteloAldo94]

mikixP lmao I didn’t force you to read my comment and yet you took the time to reply to it... like, close your eyes bruh🤣🤣 keep scrolling 🤣

[@danburns3127]

My wife's brother gave us an '85 XJ with 100,00 miles in 1994. Having five kids the back seat was a little small and we insisted that everyone wore a seat belt. No problem. We went to a local salvage yard and bought the back seat from a wrecked wrangler with seat belts. Recovered it and bolted behind the back seat. It fit perfectly and we didn't even need to move the spare tire creating the first seven passenger Jeep. It worked great for our little family for another 100,000 miles.

[@cmartinez6560]

Do you have a picture of this?

[@jefferyepstein9210]

Charles Martinez No because he lied

[@pikinachu9850]

The Frattelli’s getaway car from the 1985 Goonies, love the XJ!

[@daviddebergh254]

My grandpa had a 96 XJ and man the memories from that SUV. Remember that cars are chapters in our lives filled with memories and happiness.

[@abrahambarkhordar5572]

beautiful comment

[@atranas6018]

Simplicity sells. That's what automakers today won't understand or pretend don't understand.

[@Road2RacingPA]

Anas Takiyudin ikr

[@SPNKr16]

The gimmick is load em up with features 80% of people won't use, give them short lifespan, repair constantly until the whole falls apart in 5, 10, or 15 years and by that time you would have moved on to another car - only to experience the same ordeal again. All this means you only ever take it to the dealer for the "prestige" in case a second owner doesn't like that it was repaired by a local family mechanic who knows cars in and out his whole life with perfect reputation, which also means you pay out your arse and eventually these mechanics will be put out of business.

[@777jones]

Anas Takiyudin if it’s a great looking car, yes. Styling is the most important thing on a car. This Jeep Cherokee is a style icon. Complexity infuriates 95% of buyers. They just want a cool car.

[@AlfredB666]

Dacia gets this

[@hondata974]

Exactly, as someone who drives a 2009 Lexus ES 350 and family with an 14 Honda Odyssey Elite, I really missed the simplicity of older cars especially when I used to own a 96 Honda Accord LX that used to be my dad's. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic, but while I'm thankful for the new technology we have, at the same time, it feels overwhelming and a little unnecessary. Kids and teens these days are obsessed with the driving aids and technological advances they see in new cars today that they don't even care about the real purpose of driving, they will never understand the simplicity of how automobiles were back then and they're all being stupid by texting on their phones while driving. I always have a soft spot for these XJ Cherokees and if I need to buy an SUV in the future, I'd save my money and buy this over any modern crossover today, let alone any new Jeep and I'm not even the biggest SUV guy out there.

[@Schumanized]

I have a friend that had one for his 18th bday. He still has is....we’re 45 now!

[@fidelcatsro6948]

WoW lucky cat is he! we' re about same age

[@inspectorchicken]

aww it's so lovely how old people connect so quick

[@vinn_scor3733]

Eril Burgos that’s a Jeep for ya

[@Fluffypotato1990]

I was thinking maybe earlier model year?

[@fidelcatsro6948]

he got his cat mobil in 1991...not necessary talking about the last 2001 model amigo

[@lincolnhedahl2478]

I bought one of these (albeit, in need of some serious tuneups) for a whopping $500 last year, and after cleaning it and getting it fixed up, it’s quite possibly the coolest car I have and ever will own

[@Tall95Guy]

I love my 96 Cherokee. Its a great rig. 355k on the odo and still going strong!

[@Swagboy420]

Doug the type of guy to clean his house with the Odyssey vacuum cleaner

[@mistergrampy6452]

For me, getting in behind the wheel is a lot like climbing into, say, a Piper Cub. My 94 had no metal left on the floor pans, just amazingly durable carpets and mats. Mine was a 4-speed and everything was manual. Sciatica caused by pumping the clutch in city traffic finally compelled me to part ways with my little grey XJ. Oh how I miss it!

[@thedarkdragon89]

I miss my 1994 Jeep Cherokee 4.0 I6, so much! My current vehicle is in every way superior, but nothing beats this!

[@yodhin79]

Simplicity is beauty. Jeep has really screwed up since 2002 !

[@flight2k5]

That’s why I drive a tundra

[@Goodywagon]

It's too bad... Chrysler toom the one thing and I mean the one thing they had going for them and literally threw it in the trash. My mom has a new, "Cherokee". She drives it to work and back basically and it is a hunk of junk. It shifts rough (laughable except not really), the a/c doesn't blow cold once warmed up which makes no sense if you know how an a/c that doesn't blow cold all of the time works... And it has a unique feature that is after it rains it for some reason unknown to my mom or I sounds like the roof is going to flap off, with nothing visibly moving or otherwise different from before the rain. Junk. I used to love taking my old jeep road tripping. Her rig is miserable. The only thing that finally killed my step dad's XJ was the New Hampshire rust. If preventative shit had been done since he got it it'd be on the road today. We went everywhere in that rig though for many years. Never an issue besides a/c (Chrysler) not working.

[@joshuarewerts8566]

@@Goodywagon that's what killed my '99 XJ sport, road salt from northern Indiana winters. Best vehicle i ever owned.

[@TheSchmed]

That 4.0 was indestructible

[@joshlink2129]

Agreed

[@dayveo]

Doug being amazed by a door handle that was fairly common on trucks, vans, and many SUVs in the 80's into the 90s

[@jameslandon4126]

Same deal with the dome light on the headlight knob.

[@80fordmustang6]

Maybe Doug would like to obsess over the ones on my d100 and the dome light on my headlight switch

[@sparky6086]

Those door handles aren't so unusual. That's how they all were in the '60's and '70's. Same with the headlight/domelight switch.

[@amerigo88]

Those door handles were great for squatting next to the car then using them as a handhold to pull yourself up. As long as you do not touch the button, the door will not open. Nicer than pushing yourself back up from a gravel covered road shoulder after looking under the car to see what might be wrong.

[@crunchybro123]

I love boxy cars, and I actually hate curved luxurious cars. I like those older 40’s-90’s normal cars, like the kūbelwagen.

[@jstanovic]

I had this car back in the 8o’s. Held is value and was reliable reliable other than a fuel pump. Not the most refined ride. I remember always ordering a medium coffee in a large cup so that I could drink it without splashing some on my shirt.

[@steventure7939]

Quentin Tarantino trying to get me to buy an XJ, I’m sold.

[@fredthompson1674]

Dude, that’s Hilarious😂😂! Only 171 likes ??

[@JBO3022]

The door handles ARE the "normal" handle design, and were normal for decades.

[@keithbaker1951]

RJ IMO much more reliable don't snap off in cold weather and can easily be used with gloves

[@stevenwilliams9812]

Normal when they were metal.

[@stevenwilliams9812]

When everything started going plastic, door handles was one of the things that infuriated me.

[@JeffDeWitt]

My Studebakers have basically the same design.

[@Darwinpasta]

Brick-nose F150, same deal.

[@diamondsprince]

never realized it was so tiny, guess I'm used to seeing them lifted

[@kaimanburns703]

I had a 96’ Jeep Cherokee back in high school and that thing was by far one of my favorite vehicles ever. It was practical, decent on fuel, reliable, great off road and carried all my friends. I ended up sliding on black ice and hitting a tree at 45mph which totaled it. Super sad day but we were okay and walked away. It help up like a tank in that crash and did it’s job.

[@bradnoyes7955]

So many of these "Quirks" are just typical for older vehicles. For example, those door handles operate like just about every truck door handle used to. Rotating the headlight knob is the instrument cluster dimmer control, and every single vehicle I have ever seen turns the dome light on when you turn the dimmer switch all the way up (usually there is a detent).

[@Jose-wv7od]

Brad Noyes Doug only drives new cars though.

[@RotchildFrancoisJr]

I'd argue most of the viewers have never seen these features, so it was cool to see.

[@bdhd206]

If you've been living in a cave.

[@Dialysisforever]

Don't forget the foot operated dimmer switch on the floor.

[@catlovermarty]

Doug's youth is humorous at times.

[@Mindphaser98]

Every time I go to an offroad park in my K5 Blazer, I end up following one of these XJs through the trails. The owners are always awesome and the Jeeps themselves range anywhere from weekend beaters to serious offroad rigs. I watched two of these XJs just going through the woods as the crow flies. No trails, no pathway, just going up and over fallen trees and huge rocks.

[@TheFluffyWendigo]

My older sister had a mint condition 1994 Cherokee and after it went down the line to my little sister it had 300k miles on the odometer. The only reason we had to scrap it was the frame was so rusted the body was separating from the welds on the frame. Absolute tank of a vehicle, never once broke down and Indiana winters were an afterthought after dropping in 4x4

[@trentmckenzie343]

This makes me feel a lot better about potentially buying this 96 Cherokee down the road from me. Has 188k miles so at first I was scared off, but the inside all looked clean. Think I’m gonna go take another look at it tomorrow if I can, we’ll see how it goes Of course, buying a used car with that many miles isn’t the safest bet anyways because it’s dependent on how well it has been taken care of. So I’m hoping it’s in decent shape and I’m hoping I can get it because I really like these jeeps.

[@landonbenford8369]

This is gonna be a stupid question/statement but in hindsight do you think subjecting it to an undercarriage wash Weekly would've helped? I see SOOO many XJ's with rocker panel damage in Chicago.

[@TheFluffyWendigo]

@@landonbenford8369 Yes, I believe so however it was driven by 4 teenagers. Outside of regular maintenance we weren't exactly concerned with keeping it clean. We grew up in the boonies and thrashed on it for weekend off-roading and camping.

[@theabacus20]

Placing the jack under the rear seat also has the advantage of not having to unload the cargo area if you have a flat tire. This is especially efficient on backroads when you may have substantial outdoor gear in the rear.

[@WilhelmWilder]

Anyone else feel like Doug would be a perfect family guy character

[@TheFPF422]

NOMAD Giggety!

[@WoodyBarrelson]

Quagmire

[@Nacho0_]

Doug the type of guy to ask his food for permission to eat it

[@kerty1977]

I had a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It had a v8 and was all wheel drive. It was unstoppable in Minnesota winters. When we got hit with a big snowstorm, I would go out for a drive just for the fun of it. It was a great SUV.

[@landonbenford8369]

In 2003 I bought a Saturn Ion 3 brand new; my 1st car EVER with abs. Late one snowy night coming home from 2nd shift, I decided to try out my abs in my empty alley. I was surprised at how long the stopping distance was. Somehow I assumed it was going to be shorter. And the feedback was an odd, awkward feeling. I did get used to it, eventually. I had simply got accustomed to pounding the brakes repeatedly without abs.

[@saltycarpenterr3127]

I an an xj for years, even lifted it. It would go anywhere and I loved it.

[@mehtamanan0]

Doug that type of guy who reads the owners manual like a novel

[@e_puga]

manan mehta with his reading glasses and pajamas on and a lamp on that sits on his night stand

[@landonbenford8369]

We ALL should!!!!!🧐🧐I learned some stuff.

[@geektoro]

Loved my Cherokee 4L. It never let me down. It plowed through deep snow like a champ,on the beach and off road it was a billy goat. It was nice to know that when you got in it you weren't limited where you could drive. It gave me 330,000+ miles of fun.

[@gunnarkvinlaug7226]

Got a 96 modell Limited with a 2.5 litre diesel and 5 speed manuel girbox, it's a tractor, but still a nice car.

[@thabonkhumise1528]

Jeep Cherokee XJ...a truly icon. I have a 2001, which I acquired in 2007. I have done some work on replacement of some suspension parts and accessories etc. I still must attend to the "Death Wobble", but what a wonderful decision I made way back in 2007 I often tell myself. Thank you Doug et al👊

[@weissblitz88]

One of the best cars I've had by far! You can't kill that engine! The instrument panel is perfect layout and have both gouges and warning lights for the four main like temp, gas, volts, oil press. I just bought a white 4x4 97 for my son. I'm sure he will enjoy it and remember it as ones of his best rides! That thing will sell like crazy if they build it again!

[@landonbenford8369]

They did. Right outside Chicago. I see A LOT of them, but reportedly Jeep just didn't sell enough of them.

[@rainandthundersounds]

The off-roading community loves them for their front and rear solid axles and the 4.0L Straight Six motor is indestructible.

[@JohnDoe-nz6bk]

ΣHAANTI yep.. It's a shame they don't make them anymore!

[@hopefullyApro]

*undestructable

[@RossMKF1]

ΣHAANTI my friend had two both of the engines blew up

[@Steve-ec6ed]

Don't forget great ground clearance.

[@GreenSteedaGT]

hopefullyApro 'undestructable' isn't a word, dumbass.

[@marajadeskywalker5992]

Idk why but I love the boxy styling on this Cherokee classic

[@Rose-ew1bq]

me too!! its so sad they dropped they kind of style because i honestly just dont like the cherokees after 2001:/

[@MrLaurenceDunn]

As a Jeep owner for the last 23 years, I can appreciate the low cost repair work that can be done to XJ, WK, and ZJ Jeeps which are very cheap to buy in the UK and maintain if you pick the right ones that have not been abused too much. I run a WK 5.7 HEMI on LPG which gives me the same running costs as a small car. Can't really say this about the newer ones!

[@lilomann1523]

We once had all the forwards from a rugby team in one of these (like the o-line on a football team) and every time we took any bend the tires were rubbing up against the tire well. One of the funniest rides of my life.

[@michaelhohe2168]

Those door handles never broke though. Many pull handles are much more fragile.

[@herranton]

Michael Hohe they will never open if something hooks on them or bumps them while offroading either

[@kftc1980]

Yes, I think they are much more prone to failure. I wonder if the change was influenced by ADA, easier to open the new ones with fewer digits, hook, arthritis, etc. That, styling, and planned obsolescence.

[@charlieharper5649]

I actually own 3 Cherokees at the moment! Various years! Have owned a Cherokee for the last 25 years! That inline 4.0 is one of the best motors built!!

[@rollin19]

Had a 96 classic,black with full power and the 4.0 HO,put a bunch money in it and then sold it. The thing had plenty of power and ran like a clock. Now it's worth double what I sold it for.

[@landonbenford8369]

Popular Mechanics thinks so, too!!

[@mathewkulczyk1645]

Had an 88' XJ and I enjoyed driving it in the Mountains because it went wherever I pointed it ( with smart driving in mind) and it had All-Terrain tires and open diffs! The 4.0 straight 6 has a good amount of torque and power for its smaller size but I think it's the best engine for a jeep in that you have a very reliable engine that will handle the modern speeds on the highway. Missing that jeep but do enjoy my 94' wrangler as much as the XJ.

[@johnm4579]

I had this jeep. It's a great vehicle and runs for ever. I sold it to a friend and he's still driving it. Great jeep.

[@NightMahar]

Ah, my first real crush. Always loved the classic Cherokee.

[@largol33t1]

I still love it. The only thing I didn't like was when I had to wax the Jeep. I spent MORE time getting caked up wax out of all those nooks and crannies than actually putting and removing the wax!

[@markchidester6239]

@hyperliterider861 Beer drinking project with the radio on and no one bothering you

[@mikerenfro4608]

This vehicle should go down as one of the best ever built. I have owned 6 of them. I bought one for each of my kids as their first car and two of the three are still driving theirs and never plan on selling them. Count me as loving them.

[@machintelligence]

Both of my kids learned to drive in Jeep XJ's. Once they have had some experience on jeep roads near timberline, even paved mountain passes are a piece of cake.

[@theozank853]

My 1996 XJ was governed at 110MPH. Loved the rear speakers in the head liner, and the spare in the cargo area (easy to change in bad weather/conditions).

[@tyler_m_sonic_merch_hunts610]

The XJ Cherokee was a huge part of my early childhood before my parents getting a used 2004 first generation liberty around early 2009. They also had a XJ Wrangler and unfortunately sold it in 2012. I'm 19 years old turning 20 later this year and I still remember those two cars that were a big part of my 2000s childhood to this day. Also I do remember seeing XJ Cherokees in the US for the postal service pulling up to my house back then.

[@mattyp6908]

Doug; the type of guy to actually read a car's owner's manual from front to back before driving it.

[@josebrito4442]

Matty P lol

[@2WhiteAndNerdy]

Lol. I totally do that.

[@chadimazigh4346]

goes from reviewing rare lamborghinis in Dubai to a jeep cherokee in Colorado

[@RomanticPopPunk]

I find most of his Dubai videos are rather boring

[@80rae]

This video makes me miss my '92 Limited, first car when I was 17. Same color and everything. I honestly prefer the older interior over the Classic one, the only downside is the non-Classic XJs didn't have cupholders! I managed to find some OE add-on ones that were flimsy as hell but better than the aftermarket ones.

[@marylinhouk1468]

I drive a 2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport, I love it. It has been my daily and off road .

[@NEUTRALDROP]

Doug is the kind of guy who leaves his mouth open to listen

[@Fony_turgeson]

New yawkkkk

[@Batlas]

I was actually at the part where's he listening for the engine noise when I read this and it was true. His mouth was open.

[@onyxtytanium964]

Like yours

[@FRESNOSTATE1559]

He gets better signal that way

[@jimmysgarage9068]

HAH!

[@suzyb2268]

1999 XJ owner here. 6 inline 5 speed. I'm a chick and am slowly becoming a mechanic cuz I love my Jeep. I blew a brake line yesterday. Every day is a mystery. You never know what will break. Fun! In the past 2 weeks I have cured the death wobble, stopped the door locks from locking and unlocking by itself, fixed front speaker, replaced turn signal relay, reinstalled brake stop button and replaced the serpentine belt. Now I get to replace a brake line.

[@lesterg3330]

That's hot.

[@thebruce9042]

What was causing the door locks to behave like that? That's usually a Ford phenomenon.

[@suzyb2268]

@@thebruce9042 I learned it's not uncommon for Jeeps as well. I replaced the door lock/window master control switch in the passenger front door.

[@thebruce9042]

Good info,thanks

[@suzyb2268]

Isn't it awesome I can be both?

[@FtanmoOfEtheirys]

I miss mine. I had a 91 sport 4x4 with the 2.5L 4 cylinder and manual transmission. My stepmom wanted to borrow it, I told her no because the radiator was leaking. Well she took it anyway and locked the motor up. This was 14 years ago now.

[@gabrielmarchesy]

My first car was a Jeep XJ 2.1 1990, i had 18, i loved it so much!

[@rahuli6847]

Doug the type of guy to LS swap a corvette

[@dreamonline1996]

Rahuli42 after already swapping his 2jz-gte Toyota Supra

[@ricerocket_ed6650]

Alright. That was pretty damn good LOL

[@JAMingMayo]

I'm 17 and I got my 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4 liter for 2000$ with only 90,000 miles. Best deal ever and I didn't even know it until a couple weeks ago.

[@aarons2613]

Jamtoad I got a 1995 Cherokee sport 4l inline 6 with 200k miles for 3k but it has new ecu and an old guy bought it brand new and was a daily driver so it’s more like 100k miles I’m also 17 lol

[@dabbking]

Great deal

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

Not a bad deal. But I got a 97 for $500. Clean AF too.

[@theresiatuwahatu9221]

Wow.. Soo cheap.. lucky for you there.. here in Indonesia the XJ will cost us around $ 15.000 - $ 20.000 , the ZJ around $ 10.000

[@reinodjanghardt8604]

I'm 17 and I just picked up an immaculate condition 1988 volvo 240 GL sedan for 1200 bucks. Has all the options, factory alloy wheels, black leather interior and a sunroof.

[@davidrieger8819]

Just bought a 2001 XJ and love it extremely easy to work on…. a classic for sure

[@slbshadow]

Love this truck, my grandfather still has his, 467k miles and still runs like a beauty

[@justinblackwood2853]

My pops put well over 400,000 miles on his without an engine rebuild and it's still running really well

[@wetlettuce4768]

Damn he must be a stickler for maintenance

[@justinblackwood2853]

Wet Lettuce yea he is but only for mechanical stuff he could give less of a shit about the interior lol

[@HandsomeMoose]

Doug, I would love to see your $70,000 Land Rover Defender in a test vs Hoovies $300 Jeep Cherokee.

[@vedranbanjac8245]

Lol Cherokee vs Deffender hmmm... what a wrong match up ...!!!

[@ppapump]

As much as I love XJs as a base platform, it just doesn't compete on standard "off-road" goodies. Open diffs front and rear (usually), small tires and low ground clearance and long(ish) overhangs. They are great in most situations, but the limitations show when the surface is very slippery. On the other hand, the articulation is pretty good, they are pretty light and there's plenty of aftermarket to bring them into Defender or Land Rover territory.

[@barneycalhoun8499]

The Job I work at uses these as our main security and transportation vehicles, most of them are from 1990-1998 and are modified with a bunch of offroading gear, better tires, tougher steel rims, new suspension, big brush guard, and all that. My work is a big ol' facility out in the sticks of the New Mexican Desert, so they are perfect for getting around, extremely fun on the dirt roads, they get good fuel economy and they are very easy to work on and VERY hard to tough. I had a buddy take one of em for a joy ride he accidentally went off the road and into a river not far from the facility. All it took was another XJ to pull it out, and the thing still ran, he even drove it back to the garages to get it fixed, and MAN you should've seen the look on our Supervisor's face! I mean... he still did get written up for the whole thing... but man, it sure was a kick-ass display of what an XJ can do! Anyways, great review, I love being able to drive these at my work, probably the best SUV I've ever driven. I love them so much that I even in my free time offer to help work on them when they are being worked on at our on-site garage, they are just so gosh dang easy to work on, I also bought an old one, a high mile '98, from my job and I am currently fixing it up. Get this, apparently the story is it some how slipped through the cracks ion the paperwork, never got checked up on, and went almost 60k miles without an oil change, the engine got messed so bad that not even the repair guys want to fix it so they just sold it to me for about 300 dollars. It still barely runs, somehow, but from what I've seen its just worn cylinders and gunked up components. If all goes well I think I'm gonna be painting it Red and I'm going to mount a big ol' rack on the top for when I go offroading in the local dunes with buddies. Anways yeah, good video, I'm gonna go and see if I can take some time on Patrol Duty, just so I can drive one of these bad boys.

[@HuntersHavenWithChad]

I absolutely love my 1995 Grand Cherokee ZJ! Probably the best vehicle I've had and I've owned many MANY vehicles. Like you said, very easy to work on and parts are so inexpensive! Thank you for the video! 👏👏👍👍😁

[@scoutskills]

Nice review, Doug. I've had a 1999 Cherokee for 14-15 years and last week I just bought another clean 1999 XJ. Clean ones are getting harder and harder to find. I love the simplicity, reliability, versatility, nimbleness, and off-road capability. Early XJ's had also had a button on the rear gate. Many old cars had the dome light turn on after max dash brightness. Here's some more technical info for your watchers: 1999 was the best year for the XJ Cherokee: In 96 the XJ's got the benefit of the larger Dana 44 size 760x u-joints in the front axle. The only difference, between it and the Rubicon TJ Dana 44 is the size of the ring and pinion gear. And since the Dana 30 in the Cherokee is reverse-spiral, the late 90's Cherokee Dana 30 is arguably as strong as the Rubicon TJ front Dana 44 axle, except maybe for the pinion gear. Somewhere in the 90's they also ditched the weak and problematic CAD axle housing. (Thanks, Jeep, for bringing it back in the 2018 Wrangler, ugh!) 29 spline axles in the C-8.25 rear axle came along in 1997, replacing the 27-spline axles, making it almost as strong as a Dana 44 rear, and is the same axle found in many Dakotas, Durangos and Ram 1500 pickups. The other axle available in the rear was the weaker Dana 35 like in the YJ and TJ Wrangler (non-Rubicon models). 99 was the last year for the high pinion Dana 30 front axle (00-01 had the low-pinion axle just like the TJ). 99 was the last year for the 0630 cylinder head with larger valves than the 00-01 models (and some late 99's) with the 0331 head. The 0331 head has smaller valves, for emissions reasons, and is almost guaranteed to crack between cylinder 3&4. In 2003 they fixed the head, with the 0331 TUPY head casting in the TJ and WJ, but it was too late for the XJ. 1999 was the first year for the curved intake runners and larger runner volume, which purportedly make about 15-20 more horsepower. 99 was the last year for the distributor and single ignition coil; 00-01 models came with coil on plug. The performance difference is minimal, but the distributor model is easier to diagnose and fix.

[@garrettchapman8170]

ScoutSkills I agree with you for the most part, but in 99 and up models you forget about the massive recall that Chrysler put out on the 4.0L for having imperfect material in the pinstons themselves.. That's why if you find a 4.0 with coil packs don't buy it,unless you want crack pistons.. But whats funny, unless you plan on really pushing that motor, people didn't even notice a performance loss accept at cold , low idle, with a great ticking noise.. I've had 9 of these bad boys.. Everyone had been a 5 speed too..

[@gurtejsingh2718]

ScoutSkills lol nice essay

[@AnonymousFreakYT]

Agree on the dome light/headlight control. And many pickup trucks when you do that, it also turns on a white light pointing into the bed. (Usually in the same housing as the high center brake light, if it's new enough to have that.)

[@scoutskills]

Garrett Chapman, didn't know about the piston recall, just the cracking 0331 heads. Good to know... I'll need to research that. Both of my 99's have 0630 heads and no coil on plug. My "old" 99 has developed a tick (125,000 miles), which I am planning to investigate as soon as I get a "warm" day. 153,000 miles on the "new" one. No ticks.

[@mahinmiah7705]

ScoutSkills how long did it take to write that

[@ZGryphon]

I have a friend who had a mid-'90s one of these. As far as I can remember, only two things broke on it in all the years he had it, but they were both kind of important things. One was the transfer case, which was expensive, but the other one was much more dramatic: the ratchet holding the driver's seatback upright. We were on the 580 outside Oakland one day, carpooling back from work, and WHOMP suddenly he's sort of lying down with his head in the back seat rather than, you know... _driving the car._ That was special. Got to love that mid-'90s Chrysler interior build quality. :)

[@edwinchristensen1439]

Not a surprise, Chevy blazers also had seat back problems. I was doing around 80 on a elevated roadway In Saudi Arabia when the seat broke and I found myself looking at the hardtop. Had to stuff a box of water and a 25 Kilo bag of rice behind the seat to force it back into a usable position. Not recommended but it worked.

[@oldenburgd]

I’m amazed at the vast differences between the cherokees and grand cherokees

[@misfit4816]

I just bought one of the rare 2000 Cherokee Sport Freedom models. 1 out of 2831 made. first thing i did was take it off road once i replaced the trackbar and swarbar bushings. love this vehicle so far

[@Lousybarber]

Doug is the type of guy that's amazed at exposed screws when every vehicle engineered in the early 80's had exposed screws

[@kftc1980]

Lousybarber But did anything after this have exposed screws? Planned obsolescence killed this trend.

[@JairGarcia]

Yeah but this is a 2001

[@mccartneystuart]

Just replaced the headliner in my 92 limited XJ and the trim screws are not exposed. They have covers.

[@STB-jh7od]

I always liked the Commanche pickup version of this!

[@charliejg]

I had a 2000 Cherokee Sport in Fern green with the allow wheels and cloth interior. Loved it! The only negative for me was the location of the spare tire. Although, it was great to have a full size spare.

[@Bpreppye]

Jajjaa , this is the first video i watched from you a couple of years ago , now i cant stop watching all !!

[@kimberlysabillon3005]

Our 1991 XJ which we bought New, has 420,000 miles and still running great. JEEP XJ = BEST CAR EVER !!!!

[@AnthonyBarbuto]

Kimberly Sabillon wow

[@joelvenecia3435]

420 I know that’s a lie

[@huntersieling8011]

I got 647k on my 98, my 90 has 169k, 92 has 179k and my other 92 has 283k

[@TheRussianWookie]

Hunter Sieling I want to buy one just for this reason

[@JADAR671]

2000 has 265K nothing major repaired ever

[@lenzysmith7165]

The lady in that '05 Honda Accord almost rear ended you bro

[@brentreeve7554]

I've seen it 100s of times. The old bag was late for her appointment at the hair salon.

[@jackwatters9502]

nlpeaden Oh nah, I own an Xj. They’re made of cheap ass metal. Basically tin cans

[@jackwatters9502]

nlpeaden Well, mines never quit running and still doesn’t have any rust on it yet at 235k miles but dents are sure easy to put in it, lol

[@shawnsmith8260]

I saw that to

[@beardedforlife3740]

@@jackwatters9502 idk, a buddy of mine rear ended a xj with his 2014 Impala and totaled his car. The xj however wasn't any worse for wear

[@hermes667]

I still have a 1996 Cherokee. It has also ab button on the doorhandle for the trunk. The doorhandle in the video was after the facelift. My XJ is also a Limited version made for export to europe. It has 3 headrests at the rear bench.

[@carllinnington]

Doug, thanks for this awesome video! I just found and bought a UNICORN ... a bone stock, rust-free 2001 XJ Cherokee Sport with under 120k miles ... up here in New England, where it's been sitting in a heated garage on Cape Cod for the last 10 years! I can't WAIT to get to work on (tastefully) tricking it out ... might keep it forever!

[@pokemon0wns]

Finally daddy Doug shows me a car I can actually buy

[@kftc1980]

pokemon0wns A great AMC engine surrounded by Chrysler parts.

[@fruitjuice_]

These types of Jeeps remind me of little kid car drawings, Boxy and Beautiful.

[@ericaasen4512]

I have a 98 which in my opinion is one of the best years of the 4.0 i6. The reason being it has all the great advancements of the 90's and in 2000 the redesign of the head led to a lot of them cracking prematurely. There was one cast # that was cast too thin. But even those were considered very reliable.

[@philippeplanashope]

I had an 1999 Classic ...very good memories

[@smokepeddler]

I have a 96 xj sport 4.0 It won't die. Still my favorite vehicle to drive. Absolutely no blind spots and can easily see all four corners of the vehicle. Mine is not lifted yet has gotten me through some aggressive terrain with no problems.

[@joycedistler9762]

We are buying a 92 this weekend for $1,500.00

[@v0yt4ss]

@@joycedistler9762 I have my 92 4.0 since 14 years ;) And note for @Doug - there were rear headrests in 1st gen XJ since 1995 or 1996. I've swapped my rear sits with such one and since a few years ago I've got front and rear headrest. And... You should take a look into a Cherokee before 1997, there is a few differences in the interior, including windows steering switches U need to see ;)

[@mrbiggiecheese312]

i am not gonna lift mine until i get more cars

[@v0yt4ss]

@@mrbiggiecheese312 do no more than 3,5 inch, it works well with 31" tyres and U still have an useful car for daily driving and for longer trips too. But I understand, now I have a comfy hydropneumatic Citroën for family trips since a few years and this is it :-)

[@mrbiggiecheese312]

@@v0yt4ss i wont lift it any more than 1 inch. i just dont want to affect it that much.

[@813Productions]

You should've borrowed Hoovies for the review.

[@Leo-lr4eq]

813Productions well his has 360k+ miles, so it wouldn't be as good as this one for an example.

[@encrypticfishy6683]

Leo his is clean as hell

[@Leo-lr4eq]

Ashraf Zahra I know, but not as good as this one, and this one is stock too. Hoovies has a slight lift to it

[@kellypaws]

Hoovies looks totally mint. I can understand why doesn’t want to get rid of it. But then I can understand why he doesn’t want to get rid of any of them. Oh, maybe except the LS 996 mongrel. Not sure about that.

[@coreys.9426]

kinda like hoodie "borrowed" Doug's style of making videos

[@different.4975]

thank you for a very good job ! it is really a pleasure to listen and watch your reviews ! thanks

[@sonofmaniam]

I dumped my modern cars and bought a 96 XJ two years ago with 49k miles. I look forward to driving it every single day. There is a lot to like about it. Especially if you do your own work. I'll be very sad if it gets wrecked or rots out from underneath me, because good ones are getting so rare. I wish manufactures would pay attention to this nostalgia that exists and provide a product that people want. Finding simplicity now is very difficult. My next vehicle, if not an XJ, will be something from the same era.

[@ramiroramirez6367]

Jordan Moore I have a 95 (crashed now), 96, and drove my buddies 2000 for a week. 96 is my favorite year by far 😁

[@gohardorgohome7687]

If you want a simple reliable SUV from that era and you can't find any clean jeeps around then I would say import a jdm rhd Toyota hilux surf you can get it with a v6 gasoline or a 4 cylinder turbo diesel

[@sonofmaniam]

I didn't know much about the different model years when I bought it. But I sure have learned a lot since then. 96 is now my favorite (perhaps I'm biased) I think the 96 (as long as it is the late model year 96) is the best of both worlds. It has many of the improvements that are associated with the 97+ (primarily sensors and connectors), has an OBD2 system (can use a cheap scanner/diagnostics on it), but retains much of the body, trim, and electrical simplicity of the pre-97 models. The body has a more square classic Jeep look which was slightly rounded for 97+. Some people call it a bastard year, but really there few unique parts on it. The fuel pump assembly being the one that most people mention, as it is getting harder to find. 96s were also the biggest sales year, so there were actually more 96s on the road than any other year. I love the way it drives, and I hope it lasts forever.

[@kyle8386]

4runners are great too

[@stevenwilliams9812]

I suspect they could have sold even longer if people didn't feel it should be the government's job to bubble wrap the world for the uninformed consumers. Today's crossover buyers just want a fancy station wagon that won't be called a "family car" you know, for the family.