TJ vs. XJ decision

[Frank]

Marine, if I may offer my $.02 ....

I was in the same boat as you about this time last year. Well, not exactly, but the decision to buy a TJ or an XJ... I have a 2yo, my wife and of course myself. We planned to tent camp and just go wheeling. At the end of the decision, the XJ was my choice. If you want to camp, I think a trailer (with a TJ) is a necessity. I really couldn't even imagine how to go camping out of a TJ without a trailer unless you went grunt style, 1 pack and strapped to the side of the truck.

I have a 3.5" lift on my XJ, MTR's, 4:10's, roof rack and I have yet to be stopped anyplace I would take my family with the exception of a few mud holes. I could pack all of our gear in my XJ and the roof rack. With your pop up, and a XJ...I don't think I would really even loose sleep over it. I'd trade keys tonight.

Semper Fi.

 

[jscusmcvet]

Marine, if I may offer my $.02 ....

I was in the same boat as you about this time last year. Well, not exactly, but the decision to buy a TJ or an XJ... I have a 2yo, my wife and of course myself. We planned to tent camp and just go wheeling. At the end of the decision, the XJ was my choice. If you want to camp, I think a trailer (with a TJ) is a necessity. I really couldn't even imagine how to go camping out of a TJ without a trailer unless you went grunt style, 1 pack and strapped to the side of the truck.

I have a 3.5" lift on my XJ, MTR's, 4:10's, roof rack and I have yet to be stopped anyplace I would take my family with the exception of a few mud holes. I could pack all of our gear in my XJ and the roof rack. With your pop up, and a XJ...I don't think I would really even loose sleep over it. I'd trade keys tonight.

Semper Fi.

Thanks Frank. Semper Fit to you as well. World's strongest brotherhood. Do you have a link to a build thread on your cherokee? Besides my 16 year old I also have a 20 year old daughter (who is unlikely to join us on any excursion) and I also have an almost 2 year old.... his name is "retirement"

I am thinking that with 31's I could keep the D35 rear axle, even if I threw a lunchbox or detroit locker in there, and that would get me where I needed to go. I have a Warn HS 9500 that I could transfer onto the Cherokee... That along with front rear bumper/recovery points and my hi lift and I think I could be confident in general off road excursions/trail riding.

This whole project is as a result of the loss of my 2003 Rubicon, which was built for absolute confidence off road, with all the associated armor, recovery gear, etc... most all lost to fire back in May. My boy and I had done several Jeep Jamborees, been to Tellico a couple times before it closed, and several other trips over the years... in that Jeep.

John

 

[Mr Nice Guy]

I say go for it, if u trust him he's your son u know him better then anyone else would so if u trust him then it sounds like a good deal,

As for the teenagers the th is plenty bog enough haha I had a dodge neon when I was 16 and that got me here I needed to go :elkgrin:

 

[bldeagle10]

as for the reasons you would trade regarding parenting and if you trust your kid, i will stay out of that, that is for you to decide, personally, if it were my kid i would do it, im 20, and i now realize why my dad did NOT want me getting a car, i drove my xj like an IDIOT when i was younger...and when i got in my sisters mustang it was 10 times worse (cruising down the freeway doing 120 with porsche's and other muscle cars, drifting to impress girls i was an idiot...but that is just me and i grew up around racing so its in my blood, you would think i would realize you need to keep it at the track. i know not all kids are like me, so i will stay out of that decision.

If put in your situation with the younger child and the wife, i would go for the XJ, it has worked for me with my ex and her (at the time) 6 month old daughter. if you are looking to save money but get a very quality product that will add substantial strength to the front and rear end i would look at Detours USA tailbone and backbone bumpers. they offer recovery points, you use the stock bumper skin so it doesnt look goofy with some aftermarket bumper (personal preference) the rear comes with a tire carrier, the front has a winch plate. and the way its mounted, it braces the unibody rails. they are cheap, and very quality, and the customer service is excellent. oh and very easy to install...
it just seems like an all around better option to take the XJ. and later on down the line, when your (almost) 2 year old is grown up, you can always get another TJ if your son ends up getting this one in his name. I know i plan on getting a TJ to toy with as well as my XJ...

 

[Frank]

Here is a link to pictures of my Jeep.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/junkyardracer/sets/72157627021715162/

 

[motas]

Only read the first post but defs the tj. So much cooler than a xj.

 

[jscusmcvet]

We are going to take a trip next weekend that should help with this decision. I will update you all upon my return. Thanks again for the input.

 

[jscusmcvet]

Our trip went very well this past weekend. With just my wife, little one and me, the TJ seemed fine room wise for the moment. The camper had a lot to do with that. Even though it is a small pop up, it felt like the taj mahal to us after years of tent camping.

The towing went great. I used secondary roads for about half the trip and interstate for the rest. Jeep pulled along great, spent a lot of time in 4th, rather than 5th, but at 65 4th gear only runs about 2600ish rpm. So that's what we did on the interstate, max speed 65. I am ok with that and felt a kind of relief of getting out of the rat race a bit.

I never felt like the jeep was struggling to handle, pull or stop the load, including the long pull up I 40 headed west approaching Asheville and small twisty mountain roads as we explored a bit off the beaten track on the way back on Sunday.

So with about 4.5 hours behind the wheel each way, I had plenty of time to ponder. I really like my TJ. Even though it is "new to me" I have been able to transfer some parts from my Rubicon, that survived the fire. That and with an emerging continuation of the build the PO began, has me feeling at home again in the Jeep.

While the room and size fo the XJ is a no brainer, if I feel the need to go a bigger route I am more likely to look into a Land Rover or Land Cruiser.

So for the time being (might change my mind in the next 13 seconds) I am not trading the TJ for the XJ. Always the chance I might give the boy the TJ, sell the XJ and get one of those vehicles mentioned above for myself....

Thanks for your input.

John

PS - I flip flop on this stuff all the time so when or if I do.... no hard feelings