TJ vs. XJ decision

[jscusmcvet]

OK folks, need some outside opinion to check my thinking. Here is the situation... bear with me.

I have a 2000 TJ Sport, 125k miles, 5 spd, soft top, 3" BDS lift, ARB front and rear, K&N intake, Cat back, custome front and rear bumper.

My older son, who is 16 and a great kid, been 4 wheeling his whole life, has a 2001 Cherokee that we originally bought for my daughter and then passed on to him when she got my wife's accord (the great vehicle hand me down). 80K miles, auto, bone stock with some mild repairs to be done (A/c, headliner, windshield, front bumper)

Both vehicles are in my name.

He has expressed great interest in a trade and I am considering it. We do a lot of camping, recently "moved up" from tent to a small pop up. I also have a 2 year old son, so that plus the camping means a family vehicle makes a bit more sense.

I am considering offering this deal to him and want your input. He pays for and arranges for the windshield and A/C to be fixed. Once he does that we swap even. The valuse of the TJ is slightly higher than the XJ, but that does not matter much.

In my thinking:
-He learns a bit by taking care of those repairs
-I get a more family oriented vehicle
-He gets a jeep he wants
-I get another build project - not sure on my level of excitement and would probably do a well built but mild build.

Anyway - your input is much appreciated.

Thanks,

John

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Ummm, what exactly is there to decide? If both vehicles are yours and in your name, just use whichever one suits the planned event at the time.

 

[Ted_Z]

Have you checked what the insurance is going to cost on the TJ with a 16-year old as the primary driver? No offence, but giving a young driver a modified rig like you TJ sounds like a recipe for disaster. I hate to admit it but when I was your son's age I drove like an idiot.

 

[jscusmcvet]

Ummm, what exactly is there to decide? If both vehicles are yours and in your name, just use whichever one suits the planned event at the time.

Yeah - well, he has a kind of wonership, even if not in title, of his vehicle. I try to respect that. Could I just tell him - "I am driving the Cherokee today." ... Yes.

But that is not the way I do things. I am asking more from a vehicle and logistics standpoint, for input from those who maybe have driven both or wheeled both or have input suited to help me make the decision.

 

[jscusmcvet]

Have you checked what the insurance is going to cost on the TJ with a 16-year old as the primary driver? No offence, but giving a young driver a modified rig like you TJ sounds like a recipe for disaster. I hate to admit it but when I was your son's age I drove like an idiot.

Excellent point. I actually trust his driving quite a bit, He has been wheeling with me for almost 10 years and seems to have a healthy respect for the vehicle... but I will have to look into the potential change in insurance coverage. Right now all 4 names are on all 4 vehicles in the family, but I don't know if we had to identify "primary driver".

I will look into it.

 

[Steve F]

Not sure if this helps but I also have a 2 year old daughter and from a wheelin and family point of view I love the XJ. There is that bit of extra space over a TJ that you need with a young kid, stroller, toys etc and there is the security of the vehicle to make sure this extra gear has the best chance of staying with you. I also find that the more comfortable the Jeep is (dry, warm, aircon secure etc) the more likely my wife and youngest daughter are to come wheelin with me. I also have two older kids, 14 and 12, and if we all decide to head off camping we can (just) in the XJ.

Cheers
Steve

 

[wADVr]

If you take all the BS(young driver etc) out of it, a 2000 TJ for a 01 XJ is not a fair trade, and having the TJ being modified even makes that trade worse. I would make him work more for that trade, but thats just me. That said the XJ might fit your needs a bit more than the TJ.

 

[sp4mike]

I'm (or will be in a year) in the exact same predicament you are in with my daughter. The thing that helped me decide, and really made the decision very easy....


Teenagers cant lay down in the TJ. :sombrero:

 

[jonzer12]

You have no respect for the resourcefullness of horny teenagers.

 

[Colorado Jeeper]

My two TJ's were my favorite vehicles, but once the kids came along and I bought an XJ I knew there was no going back to a two door vehicle. You may miss the TJ's fun factor but in my experience the extra room in the XJ is a better fit for families.

 

[sp4mike]

You have no respect for the resourcefullness of horny teenagers.

True, but any disadvantage I can provide...

 

[doogie]

I'm going to ignore the fact that you already own both vehicles and the fact that they aren't even trades. With that said.....

In my humble opinon a TJ is much more a teenage oriented vehicle. I'm allowed to say that I've owned an 05. I've had 2 Cherokee's since the TJ and 2 prior to the TJ. Probably will never own another Wrangler as my sole vehicle ever again. There is no storage space, passenger space isn't even that great. They are louder and less comfortable than my Cherokee. I'm not sure how much you take the top down but I rarely ever did, it was a pain to put back up. I'm not knocking TJ's if I were out beating the trails up every weekend it would be my weapon of choice. However, hauling stuff, kids, other passengers, golf clubs, trips to Lowes, camping gear, etc etc etc, there isn't a better vehicle than a Cherokee. And even on the trail an equally modded the Xj will come so close to the TJ you won't notice the difference. Give the kid the TJ, he'll be happy and you'll be happy with the XJ.

 

[JCMatthews]

I loved my Cherokee, and most days still wish I had it. I agree with the last poster, they are much quieter and have more space, and mine with a 5 inch lift, 33s, and a Powertax would go anywhere. The only thing I would recommend is to make sure frame stiffeners are on the list of mods before you really get to taking it off-road. It will last a good long time, but the unibody will eventually be its downfall if you don't reinfoce it.

 

[Brigitta]

I've got 16 year old twins, one boy and one girl. I've also got a 94 XJ with 3" lift & 31"s, and a heavily modified (6.5" lift, dual cases.....) 08 JKU. The daughter has her heart set on buying the XJ off us which I think we'll let her do. As for the son, he loves the JKU but he ain't getting that! But, he much prefers having a Jeep to the "station wagon" XJ. I also have a 20 year old who has a 90 4Runner no lift but runs 31" M/T's.

The oldest didn't get her license until she was 18. She had nowhere she needed to drive herself and I see no need for "kids" to be driving. As for the twins, they'll be 17 in Oct and they know they probably won't get a license until they 17.5. I feel comfortable with my younger daughter in the XJ, but putting a boy in a lifted SWB vehicle with little real world experience seems like a very bad idea. My son gets A's in school, has given me no trouble, and is trustworthy, but he is a testosterone driven boy! Put them behind the wheel of a cool lifted Jeep and I'm sure they'll take a few more risks than they would in a "station wagon".

I would definitely let them drive it off road with my supervision, but as a DD before they had a few years of experience and a little more maturity, no.

 

[jscusmcvet]

All excellent points. Wife and I were discussing this once again this evening. She is advocating for the XJ (no surprise there), but is open to me making the final call. I realize it is not an even trade, etc.

I am looking at xj mods, including armor, small lift, 31's, bumpers, lockers and comparing what my out of pocket costs would be on the XJ compared to completing the things I would like to do to the TJ.

I will keep you updated and continue to look forward to input.

John