1997 Jeep grand Cherokee limited

[maverickfhs]

Was browsing local CL and saw one with 154K miles, no AC, needs a belt and otherwise seems to be fine.

Stay clear from it or they are reliable? Any known troubles or weak points?

Thanks all.

 

[Skippy722]

Which engine?

 

[dareo]

If the ac belt is gone, the compressor is likely seized up. The odds of it needing only a belt are quite low.

 

[maverickfhs]

It's a 5.2L and as per owner belt is making a noise and its almost shredded and needs replacement.

 

[wings&wheels]

We had one with the 5.3l from '97 through '05. It didn't age particularly well beyond say 60K. Nothing too terrible, but things like a PS pump failed catastrophically, cracked vinyl interior trim, CV joint boots, etc. Intermittent problem with rear lights that turned out to be a loose connector at the bulb out sensor. I suspected the catalyst was getting restrictive when we traded it in. Surprisingly, there were no other electrical issues.

 

[Chris142]

The engine is usually pretty good. The rest of the Jeep is garbage. Notable mentiones are ball joints,wheel bearings, blend door breakage and evaporator leaks.

 

[maverickfhs]

Originally Posted by Chris142
The engine is usually pretty good. The rest of the Jeep is garbage. Notable mentiones are ball joints,wheel bearings, blend door breakage and evaporator leaks.

Thanks, a clear pass from me

Thanks for the advise.

 

[FirstNissan]

Agree big time with Chris. Multiple friends with 90s-early 2000s Cherokee's. Motors overall were good, it was the electrical/body/AC systems that caved in around it. I thought about one for a while several years ago so that I could go out on the trails with friends, did a hard pass when I saw how much wrench time my buddies were putting into their cars just to keep them running.

 

[jeepman3071]

Unless it is pristine and well taken care of I'd avoid it, even as a Jeep lover. The problem with most older Jeeps these days is they are super cheap so people buy them and beat the crap out of them and never maintain them and they turn into endless money pits. Unless you find a one or two owner vehicle that was garaged and maintained run far far away.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted by FirstNissan
Agree big time with Chris. Multiple friends with 90s-early 2000s Cherokee's. Motors overall were good, it was the electrical/body/AC systems that caved in around it. I thought about one for a while several years ago so that I could go out on the trails with friends, did a hard pass when I saw how much wrench time my buddies were putting into their cars just to keep them running.



Anything that goes off road will break and have issues. My 2000 Cherokee XJ was rock solid for the 10 years and over 100k I owned it, but then again it only saw light trails. Once you get into actual wheeling, you can pretty much count on stuff breaking a lot, just the nature of the game.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted by FirstNissan
Agree big time with Chris. Multiple friends with 90s-early 2000s Cherokee's. Motors overall were good, it was the electrical/body/AC systems that caved in around it. I thought about one for a while several years ago so that I could go out on the trails with friends, did a hard pass when I saw how much wrench time my buddies were putting into their cars just to keep them running.



I put a lot of time keeping my 2000 Cherokee going. But it also lives a hard life. I've had it on it's side a few times. Spent minutes at the rev limiter trying to off road in the snow. Jumped it. Sunk it in a swamp.

 

[Food Scientist]

Originally Posted by Miller88
Originally Posted by FirstNissan
Agree big time with Chris. Multiple friends with 90s-early 2000s Cherokee's. Motors overall were good, it was the electrical/body/AC systems that caved in around it. I thought about one for a while several years ago so that I could go out on the trails with friends, did a hard pass when I saw how much wrench time my buddies were putting into their cars just to keep them running.



I put a lot of time keeping my 2000 Cherokee going. But it also lives a hard life. I've had it on it's side a few times. Spent minutes at the rev limiter trying to off road in the snow. Jumped it. Sunk it in a swamp.

Clean, well maintained Jeep for sale. Adult owned, never trailed.

 

[atikovi]

If it runs, drives, stops, doesn't smoke or knock, offer $800.

 

[Donald]

People like their Jeep Cherokees. I liked mine. I put in a reman engine and two pressure control sensors ($500 each) in the transmission. So I would consider them high maint vehicles.

 

[Huie83]

I had a 96 GC limited with the 5.2, It was a love hate relationship.

Trans died at 80K, Engine had weird issues where it didn't want to run or start when warm. Never traced that one down, all sensors etc all checked out good, no codes. The sensors for the display in the center console started to go out so it was always warning me about stuff that was obviously not wrong, door being open, low tire pressure etc.

Started to rust pretty bad in it's later years so I ended up dumping it. The hood rusted from the inside out and the rockers started to disintegrate, I've never had that happen in any other vehicle.

If I could find another clean example for a cheap Jeep to tinker with I would. I would not buy one for a daily driver or anything like that. It was very comfortable and excellent in the snow with its command-trac AWD. Took it off road a few times as well and it held it's own, even on Michelin LTX's. Of course being a 5.2 I think it averaged around 16 MPG.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by Huie83
the rockers started to disintegrate, I've never had that happen in any other vehicle.


Our Expedition's rockers started to disintegrate from the inside out. Ended up being blocked sunroof drains that was causing water (and salt water in the winter/spring) to pool in them. I assume the guy that bought it from us put in new sheet metal, because they were GONE by the time we sold it.

 

[Anon9283]

I know ours is a WJ but my wife loves our 2004 GC Limited. Mostly for the heated seats but still. I enjoy it as well, I love jeeps. But there's no doubt I've put more money into it than it's worth. I do see a lot of high mileage ones for sale on Facebook when I browse for fun and hardly anyone lists any maintenance done. So I have to imagine they're all beat up and in need of a lot if properly maintained. I know I've done significantly more to maintain mine than most I see for sale but it also shows (minus the rust on the rockers).
For what it's worth my truck has the 5.9 magnum which is very similar to the 5.2 and they seem like pretty solid engines. As others have said drivetrain will outlast the electronics/rust etc.
edit to add: with a good set of ATs and because we have the all time 4wd with limited slip front and rear it's extremely capable in snow and ice. That was a big thing for safety in the winter for me since it's my wife's DD