Gone Postal

[screwball48]

So after months of planning on getting a new to me vehicle it was decided that another car payment was just not in the cards. At the time I had a 2007 4Runner 2wd that was paid in full, but it was just too nice to play with. I decided to sell the 4Runner and find an older lesser vehicle that I could afford to play with and that would allow me to place some money in the bank.
After less than a week of trying to sell the 4Runner it sold to a nice couple who had driven by and saw my old fashion "For Sale" sign in my window. With the Toyota gone I was left bumming rides from friends and family. While looking through auto trader one night I noticed a Jeep Cherokee at a dealer that had just been marked down. The next day I went and inspected it, and boy was it clean. A deal was struck and I was the proud new owner of a 2000 Jeep Cherokee SE 4x4 with 106k miles.

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[screwball48]

The Jeep is going to be my daily driver. This going to be a build with a fast start but with a slow finish. With in a few days parts where on order and plans were being made. I have a few items left over from some other jeeps I have owned that will be repaired and used with this jeep.
The first thing that was changed out was the JVC tape deck that was installed by the previous owner. I installed just a simple CD player, but I do have plans to upgrade to a double din Pioneer in the future.

The first major modification was performed today.

While it was kiddo nap time I was able to install the rear trailer hitch.

I know that the fish wire saved me time but it was still not fun to play with.

All done and torqued to two "feet" pounds per bolt. With any luck I can get my front hitch installed and my mountaineer rack bolted in later this week.


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[Davev1954]

The Jeep is going to be my daily driver.

Wow- I guess you're left handed? :Wow1:

 

[screwball48]

Wow- I guess you're left handed? :Wow1:

Nope full blown right handed. Needless to say this has been a learning experience. RHD is decidedly different. Driving in reverse has made me a local celebrity at Chick fil A, but getting the mail out of my mail box in the evening has never been so easy.


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[Davev1954]

I like my 2000 XJ "regular". Makes for a great platform to build on. A lot of rig for the money.

 

[akpostal]

Is that one of the batch of Alaskan postal Jeeps? I have a RHD CJ8 that preceded the RHD XJs. Most of the postal XJs that went to auction where bought in bulk and sent outside.

 

[mallthus]

My guess is that it's one of the many Japan market Jeeps that came back for postal work after getting to an age where its inspections were too expensive and involved.

 

[screwball48]

The story I was given is that an elderly couple had purchased it new and only drove it occasionally. I have seen several RHD Cherokees over the years, and all were being driven by our local rural postal carriers. I believe that these vehicles were simply retained from shipment over seas and outfitted with NA spec lighting then advertised to postal carriers.


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[joejeep92]

All the vehicles I buy seem to have been driven by an elderly couple who didn't drive much too...huh. Just kidding haha. Cherokee is a great platform with lots of aftermarket support. Very capable in stock form, you can go a lot further than you think. The 4.0, AW4, 231 combo is hard to beat and very rarely wears out. I have had over 300k miles on a couple of mine before I sold them and I still see them driving so must be doing ok.

 

[WrenchMonkey]

Man, that thing is squeaky clean. I need to start buying stuff in Georgia...

 

[screwball48]

Man, that thing is squeaky clean. I need to start buying stuff in Georgia...

Overall condition was better than average. Trust me everyone I know is starting to go outside of Georgia to find vehicles that are not over priced.


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[paj54]

I went postal last year. My RHD Mitsubishi Pajero took some getting used to. Now when I drive the wife's z3 I wash the windshield with the signal lights and turn with my wipers.

 

[Septu]

Nope full blown right handed. Needless to say this has been a learning experience. RHD is decidedly different. Driving in reverse has made me a local celebrity at Chick fil A, but getting the mail out of my mail box in the evening has never been so easy.

LOL. Used to do that at Starbucks when I still had my RHD 300z. Always got a bunch of weird looks.

 

[screwball48]

I went postal last year. My RHD Mitsubishi Pajero took some getting used to. Now when I drive the wife's z3 I wash the windshield with the signal lights and turn with my wipers.
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I have yet to hop in my wife's ride after my jeep so we will see how I do. Love that pajero. I have a soft spot for the short wheelbase two door japanese imports. I have owned both a 1989 and 1993 Isuzu Trooper RS, and miss them both.


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[screwball48]

Houston I have a problem. Most of my driving is short distance, but tonight I took the jeep on the first longer drive since I brought it home. Myself and the kids went to meet my wife after she finished her work day. The drive is around 25 minutes one way. On the trip down I noticed the jeep smoking while stopped at red lights. I knew it was fluid on the crossover exhaust pipe. We went ahead and ate dinner and I planned on keeping an eye on it during the return trip. The smoke became definitely noticeable while driving 65mph on the way home. When I parked it tonight I looked underneath and the entire bottom is coated with transmission fluid. Gotta crawl under it tomorrow and see if I can find the source.


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