Is interest in the Jeep Cherokee going away?

[Mudderoy]

The last Jeep Cherokee rolled off the line over 10 years ago in 2001. Yet we are still driving them and most are much older than 10 years!

There are whole websites dedicated to the Jeep Cherokee (this being one of course) and people join everyday.

So what do you think, is interest in the old outdated design of the Jeep Cherokee starting to wane?

[DETOURS]

I just shipped parts to the parents of a 13 year old who's doing a build with his father.......the Cherokee is for the 13 year old, what does that suggest?

To me it suggest's I wish they were 'my' parents.........;)

[Mudderoy]

I just shipped parts to the parents of a 13 year old who's doing a build with his father.......the Cherokee is for the 13 year old, what does that suggest?

To me it suggest's I wish they were 'my' parents.........;)

Thanks, I was hoping you'd respond to this. I figure you have a pretty good pulse on the wrist of the interested.

[PEI-XJ]

i have lots of people ask me where to get a jeep cherokee or how do i keep mine in the shape i do, wish they were still made

[PEI-XJ]

And XJTALK.com is the # 1 jeep Cherokee site in the whole world

[Mudderoy]

and XJTALK.com is the # 1 jeep cherokee site in the hole world

Thanks but I hope "hole" was a type-o rofl

[PEI-XJ]

it was fixed it after i read ur reply

[DETOURS]

I have another current customer who just came back to the Cherokee, he and his father did the Rubicon years ago in his fathers rather stock Cherokee, the customer is now building a new one to 'relive' the experiance with his now aging father............goes from one side of the spectrum to the other.

[Mudderoy]

it was fixed it after i read ur reply

I know there's at least one person on CherokeeForum that associates hole with xjtalk :thumbsup:

[Mudderoy]

I have another current customer who just came back to the Cherokee, he and his father did the Rubicon years ago in his fathers rather stock Cherokee, the customer is now building a new one to 'relive' the experiance with his now aging father............goes from one side of the spectrum to the other.

Now that's an interesting story. Well one thing is true. The Cherokee is just as capable as the $40k rigs, but at a tenth of the price. Starting to make more and more sense why they stopped making them. :mad0029:

[Paddletrucker]

My interest is just starting! Or at least, just being realized. We had a Cherokee in the early 2000's and I've always missed it.

I've looked for a practical vehicle for me to drive and take fishing and camping for a long time. I kept coming back to the cherokee, a vehicle that that I've owned in the past and have missed.

Great aftermarket support. Lots of really knowledgeable guys to glean info from. Cool looking, too. And, it's a Jeep. What's not to be interested in????

[PEI-XJ]

i had someone the other day ask me how many KMs were on mine and when i told then 302000kms+ they looked at me and said time to retire it and i told them it is just getting going at 300Kms

[xj4life2]

Due to the current price of used Cherokees and the dependability of the 4.0 motor I think that the intrest in the XJ is just starting actually. I have a new person every week come in to purchase lifts and accessories. Alot of it based on seeing mine out front so the more we drive ours and show the younger generation what can be done and dispell the old unibody myths , I think the intrest will continue to grow. Also the 4x4 industry is listening , when I first built mine in '00 I was the only one in Butte county and had to wait for RE to come out with thier kit for it , now kits of all sizes are readily available and more and more aftermarket parts and armour come out every day. So to the guys who still fab there own parts and come up with new ideas , don't stop , everything we do shapes the future of the Jeep we love !!

PS my 16yr old daughter just asked me to build her one,"just like yours" and so it continues.......

[DETOURS]

I agree with alot of what Mark has said, I've been building/supplying parts for over 12 years now. A quality build is the best advertisement current Cherokee owners can provide for future owners. That said, I can't tell you the percentage, but I get numerous, numerous customers on their second and third builds stating 'Had I"....."Wish I"....."This Time".........in other words buyers regret and short cutting......just the other day another replacing his current aftermarket bumper with one of mine......another stating "It looked ok on the internet, but".....

The XJ is'nt going anywhere soon.

[oderdene]

mine is '91, 20 years old and 320,000+km. still doing great and got interesting eyes everyday. People ask "where I can buy vehicle like yours? which one is better, cherokee or yota" etc. My answer - "Vehicle better than XJ is two XJ" :drinking:

[JENSSEN]

Well I buy any that I can afford or store, my 93 just cracked 550,000 my 89 gets beat as a comp rig for 5+ years, 2 Comanches and one TJ ends out PR fleet,... I have plans for more

[bluedragon436]

I think some people probably do have a loss of interest in the XJ!! But they are not real Jeepers.. they were just Jeep owners!!! I am kind of upset that the aftermarket end has pretty much forgotten the XJ.. with the exception of a few companies with some awesome products.. but that's ok.. I'll continue to hook them up with my purchases as the money comes in!!

[4.3LXJ]

I disagree. There are plenty of companies that market stuff for an XJ, some of which we never mention on this forum. We never mention companies such as Warrior Products, Olympic, Tompkin etc. But there are not as many as there are for the JK. But lets face it, the JK is really a grown up XJ and caters to the same crowd that would have bought an XJ if offered new. But the XJ is getting more popular as an off road, easily modifiable rig as evidenced by the number of products being offered. If it wasn't profitable, companies would not be advertising trying to reach us.

[Indiana Jeep]

Was told about this list. I have been seeing more Cherokees on the road around here recently. This might be one of the reasons why http://comcast.vehix.com/articles/kiplinger/10-cars-that-refuse-to-die/5?cid=802

[jccatt]

I'm with mark on this too. The price of XJ's and there capability mean they are in my mind the best off road truck for your buck. Plus with a locker in the front and on only 31's you can have a heap of fun. Remember an XJ on 31's has the same clearance as other trucks on 33's. So if you put 33's on you XJ you are as good as on 35's. More moolar in the pocket for rock rails :D

[4x4Dalton]

Round here the XJ population has jumped alot in the past yr. Most are nice DD's but there are several like mine that are DD and Trail Ready. I mean look at the track record for a XJ the things will outlive the owners 9/10ths of the time. And more and more ppl round here keep lookin at mine as it grows and grows no matter what I do to it...lol!! So I think the XJ is here to stay and is makin a big come back. Just my 2 cents

[panama red]

I had my XJ in bridgeport for its first trip out yesterday. It performed flawless. Climbed every single 4-5 diamond trail I could find. And for only spending 2 grand I was out wheeling $30-40k jk's and tjs all day long.

Lil history, my xj has 245000 miles and the previous owner had let it sit for 4 years when I bought it. I drove it home and then parked it for another 3 years while I built it up. I drove it hard on hard trails all day yesterday and even with 3 year old gas I still couldn't kill it. hopefully xj4ivy got some good pics.

[Metlic53]

I dont think the cherokee is going away anytime soon, my 97 has 170k and i'm going to run it until the motor or tranny goes out then put a new one in it :D

I see people are always interested in cherokees, i was at galveston (bolivar beach) yesterday and pulled out 6 vehicles out of the sand lol, a couple were 4wd dualies, each person said, dang!, i need to get me one of those, then i drove through where they were stuck idling smoothly along, on tires with 50k miles. (nearly bald) i had people drive up to me where i parked at the ocean asking what year it was and how long it took me to do all the work on it :thumbsup:

[DETOURS]

I had my XJ in bridgeport for its first trip out yesterday. It performed flawless. Climbed every single 4-5 diamond trail I could find. And for only spending 2 grand I was out wheeling $30-40k jk's and tjs all day long.

Lil history, my xj has 245000 miles and the previous owner had let it sit for 4 years when I bought it. I drove it home and then parked it for another 3 years while I built it up. I drove it hard on hard trails all day yesterday and even with 3 year old gas I still couldn't kill it. hopefully xj4ivy got some good pics.


A little admitted secret by the Wrangler crowd, even only lightly modified, the Cherokee can and will out perform the Wrangler. I've 'driven-around' Rubicon owners only to ask...."How much did you pay for that?".....and I was only 'lightly' modified. The wheelbase is the advantage.

[saar]

Jeeps are not wine. they won't get better as the years go by.
But the XJ is a classic, so I guess there will be some people who love it and keep it alive.
But most of the people will look for a newer substitute.
It won't be in a year or 2, but I guess in 4-5 years the interest in the XJ will be much lower.
I guess I still hold my XJ since I enjoy the maintenance and the driving as well.
Saar.

[jccatt]

Thats right Saar, in 5+ years XJ's will be for enthusists and the rest of us will be starting to trash 4 door JK's. Much the same as CJ's and full size cherokees

[DETOURS]

I predict the JK to be the next CJ............I have yet to see one inhich the frame was'nt half full of dirt/mud......the frame wont last long if not taken care of!!

[panama red]

A little admitted secret by the Wrangler crowd, even only lightly modified, the Cherokee can and will out perform the Wrangler. I've 'driven-around' Rubicon owners only to ask...."How much did you pay for that?".....and I was only 'lightly' modified. The wheelbase is the advantage.

Especially when the xjs wheel base is 113".