Shopping should be more fun than this.
On the other hand, at least I’m not desperately trying to find something because I’m currently wheel-less. Been there done that.
If somehow you’ve missed my constant whining on this subject, feel free to explore my Jeep shopping tag.
Since this question has arisen on multiple occasions, here’s why I’m seemingly obsessed with getting another Jeep.
My favorite answer: because otherwise I’d have to change my Kinja nick, and who’s got time for that?
The start of the real answer: because my 2005 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited (LJR to those in the know) is a fragile, buggy, frustrating pile of Chrysler “quality”.
Wisely, one might ask why I want to subject myself to another fragile, buggy, frustrating pile of Chrysler quality.
Partly, it’s my belief that not every Jeep is quite this fragile. I love driving my LJ. I love the open air, the high ride height, the freedom to turn down any muddy lane in the middle of nowhere without serious concern that I might get stuck.
(I might break down, or run out of gas, but I won’t get stuck. Probably.)
And to be clear: I’m not replacing my LJR, just supplementing it.
So why have I been obsessing over manual, straight-6, 4WD Jeep XJs? Let me enumerate the reasons.
Reason number 1: Control
I love driving a stick shift, and since owning my Jeep I’ve discovered the joys of controlling the traction directly. Part-time four-wheel drive with a real low gear is addictive.
(...it’s at this point that my narrative started to go off the rails, so rather than digress to the point that your eyes glaze over, I extracted the “who last offered an SUV with those attributes” rabbit hole into its own post.)
In summary: if you want an SUV with a two-speed transfer case and a stick shift, your current option is exactly one vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler. The farther you go back in time, the more those options diversify, but the only SUV available in significant quantity that meets those criteria is another Wrangler, a CJ, or an XJ Cherokee.
And I love the control that combination gives me, even if it’s not always convenient off-road to worry about shifting gears.
Reason number 2: Aftermarket
I don’t have statistics to back this up, but I don’t think it’s exactly controversial to assert that the two off-road SUVs with the most aftermarket support in the U.S. market are Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Cherokee XJ.
It’s hard to find a non-Jeep-centric off-road accessory store, but I did find a site dedicated to aftermarket products for trucks. I picked a vendor from that site at semi-random (“Hammerhead” for obvious Oppo reasons) and checked their list of supported platforms for front bumpers.
23 platforms. 19 trucks, 4 SUVs. Ford Excursion and three generations of Wrangler.
Other SUV platforms have aftermarkets, but it’s certainly convenient to have a wide variety. And were it not for Cash for Clunkers, junkyards would have plenty of cast-off XJs to scavenge for parts.
Grumble.
Reason number 3: Familiarity
I’m clueless. I “talk” a lot here, to the point that people might be fooled into thinking I know what I’m talking about, but really I don’t.
The first vehicle I’ve ever owned that I have paid any real attention to is my Jeep Wrangler. A lot of that is simply because it’s always bloody broken, which is its own education, but it’s also because I love it.
My LJ: the long-lived straight-6 4.0L engine, stick shift, two-speed transfer case, Dana 44 axles. My ideal XJ: straight-6 4.0L engine, stick shift (but better than mine, the robust AX-15), two-speed transfer case, mostly Dana axles.
So even though I’m generally clueless, I do happen to know a fair bit about XJs, so shopping for and building one would mostly fit within my limited knowledge base.
Reason number 4: Overland
I face a constant conundrum with my LJ: if it weren’t constantly broken, it’s a great off-road vehicle, and would be a lot of fun to take on a longer camping/overlanding trip (if, in fact, overlanding were a real thing east of the Mississippi instead of an aspirational concept).
The problem is that its open-air experience is rather sub-optimal in a number of ways. Security is a problem. Weather is a problem. Cargo capacity is limited, and access to the rear when the soft top is up is even more limited because the rear window is such an incredible pain.
Basically, it’s a fantastic daily driver (ignoring NVH issues) and good runabout, but if I were going to go on a long trip with lots of camping gear, it’s far from ideal.
An XJ, however, addresses those problems. It’s still small by modern standards, but its rear storage is always accessible, and especially if you remove the rear seats, it has more than enough room for one person and his/her gear.
And a dog. Someday I need another Jeep dog. I miss you, Charlie.
Reason number 5: BEAUTIFUL
I admit, I’m shallow. But because Jeep has turned my ideals of beauty into a worship of all things boxy, these are some of the most appealing vehicles on the road today.
If you’ve noticed my posts in the past, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I love colorful vehicles. Yellow, green, orange, purple...give me real colors.
But even a pure black XJ just exudes something special to me.
And if you can find a real color? Hubba hubba.
AND THEY COME IN TEAL.
Reason number 6: Jeep
One of the benefits of owning a Jeep in general is the insane number of events for Jeep owners, at least every year except this one.
Specifically relevant to this discussion are the Jeep Jamborees, where Jeeps go off-roading with lots of other Jeeps.
There’s one Jeep Jamboree in particular that I’ve tried twice to attend, on Drummond Island, the eastern-most part of the Upper Peninsula.
The second failed attempt was due to my Jeep being broken; what particularly hurts about that year was I was taking my dad for Father’s Day.
If we ever get the chance to go again, I want to make sure I have two Jeeps, so that hopefully one of them is available. Neither of us is young enough to assume there are an unlimited number of Father’s Days ahead.
So, that’s why I’ve been focusing on XJs and posting a seemingly never-ending stream of candidates here.
I’ve had some great help from Oppos along the way; special thanks to Rusty Vandura, bored-always, BrokenMostWeeks, and DSM_OR_DIE::Drives_A_Miata who’ve gone above and beyond.
In fact, BrokenMostWeeks has a fair shot at selling me one of his Jeeps...but more on that, along with a plot twist, later this week.