WJ advice for budget family camping vehicle

[TFin04]

I posted this in the 4runner forum today and received a lot of great advice. I wasn't considering the WJ at that time, but I have done some searching and they appear to offer some nice models in my price range.

I'm looking for an SUV or truck (probably SUV) that will be a third vehicle for my wife and me (with one kid on the way). We both have daily drivers that get 28-30mpg so this will just be a spare/vacation/tow/trail/dune vehicle for us. I expect to put 5,000-10,000 miles per year on this. The goal is to keep this for a long time as a family vehicle. I'd love to take something to 300k miles if possible.

Expected use:

- Haul house project material and tools around
- Tow a utility trailer
- Tow a future pontoon boat (~4000 lbs boat and trailer or less)
- Hold a car seat and associated infant/kid stuff
- Travel light to moderate Midwest trails. Unimproved logging roads, ATV parks, etc
- Travel Michigan sand dunes
- Be big enough for me to sleep in the back ~10-15 nights per year

Budget:

$8000 for the vehicle. That's a max budget, I'd love to be in around $5k for the truck to have some room on maintenance/parts. Parts can be added as I go along, but I don't see myself doing anything more than tires and inexpensive DIY projects. Maybe a small spring/lift kit upgrade but that is about the extent of it. If/when something needs a bigger repair (IE, trans work), I'd like to be able to work on it myself. User friendly maintenance is important to me.

That budget puts me into 1999-2004ish range of a bunch of vehicles ranging from 100k to 175k miles.

For the WJ, I'd be looking at a V8 model. Can you guys provide advice on common problems, years to look for/avoid, or any other general advice? I'm a little concerned the WJ will be too small for what I want, but I think it could be made to work. Would you consider a WJ to be more or less reliable to a Sequoia, 4runner, or Expedition? Would you consider replacement parts easier or more difficult to find? Cost?

Thanks for your time.

 

[Jeepinaaron]

They can be found in your price range. I bought my 2003 WJ with 90K miles for $8,000. I do not think there is a specific year you are looking to avoid, I think the lowest mile best condition (no rust) vehicle you can get would be what I looked for. I got the V8, I have had no problems out of it but I keep up with maintenance. I hear that if the engine overheats then it will have problems. The only issue I have had is a leaking power steering pump. I take my wife, kid, and german shepherd camping and I think there is plenty of room. I think the selec-trac transfer case is the best, gives you more options than the Quadra drive.

 

[TFin04]

Any other input? The WJ appears to be much more available and affordable than a similar Toyota. Is there a package I should seek out or avoid? I've heard the versions with factory "towing packages" have things like a trans cooler and some other items. Is every model with a factory hitch a "towing package?"

A list of common areas to check when shopping used would be appreciated as well.

 

[kootenay]

I had a WJ for a year, and racked the milage up on it. I only sold it because I decided to start a business. I loved it. Reliability wise the Laredo's have less to go wrong, especially the blend door issues in the heater. That was a major point for me. I also liked the plastic lower cladding, holds up better to the gravel. I went with the Quadradrive as it had more of an AWD style transfer case and viscous coupling Limited Slip Differentials. Made it a tank on bad roads, snow gravel etc. Offroad at lower speeds and on softer terrain it was not as good as I would have liked. Lockers would have been nice, but then the bad road performance would not have been the same. Size wise it was good for road tripping with me the wife our twins and the dog. But it did require a rooftop basket to fit everything. Strollers for twins are bigger then you think.

The blend door issue, and warping brake rotors are the main issues. Along with the bushing in the rear track bar. That one was a real pain to fix. Otherwise it was a easy to work on vehicle.

 

[BCobe]

If I am not mistaken, the 4.7 is a shared engine between a Dodge truck and the WJ. I never had an issue finding parts for it. Maintenance wise, I have heard that some are prone to electrical problems with the lights. Mine was a culprit of this. Blend doors are also an issue but if you get the kit from Dorman and go through the glove box, it really isn't that bad of a repair.

I am around 5'10 and I was able to lay comfortably in the rear when the seats were folded down. I sold my WJ and picked up a JK when I moved to Europe but I really want another WJ as a side project.

When I had the WJ I would frequent Jeepfourm and MallCrawlin. A lot of good info on there. KSmiths WJ, in my opinion, is a good base line to build an Expo WJ off of.

 

[kojackJKU]

I dont think you can go wrong with one. Quite capable out of the box, and very very capable with some planned upgrades.

 

[Ted_Z]

I went into my build with very similar goals as you. I started with a 2002 4.7L limited. While the limited does have the blend door issues, it also came with a tow package, all the skid plates and factory tow hooks and fog lights. Plus heated seats too!

I ended up doing a 2" BDS coil spring lift on (new) factory control arms. I replaced all the spring isolator pads while I was at it. For shocks I used JK Rubicon take offs, just swapped the bar pin ends. Other suspension mods include JKS sway bar disconnects, new extended rear sway bar links and an adjustable JKS track bar (since my factory bar was sloppy).

Wheels are 17" JK take offs wrapped with 245/70r17 Hankook DynaPro ATM tires which are just shy of 31". The spare just barely fits in the original spare location.

Other minor modification include relocating the windshield washer reservoir from behind the bumper to next to the master brake cylinder using a ZJ reservoir and a SpeedoDRD chip to correct the speedometer (was off by about 5mph at 70mph).

 

[TFin04]

Great info guys, thank you.

If you wouldn't mind sharing, what additions do you feel are most important (other than good tires) to do some two track type travel? Goal would be to keep it road friendly enough that a 4+ hour highway trip wouldn't be annoying.

If there are options to use JK takeoffs (or other) I'd be interested in something like that rather than buying brand new stuff. I know those are general questions, but I have no clue which Jeep parts fit other Jeeps.

Thanks again.

 

[larrydallas]

Great info guys, thank you.

If you wouldn't mind sharing, what additions do you feel are most important (other than good tires) to do some two track type travel? Goal would be to keep it road friendly enough that a 4+ hour highway trip wouldn't be annoying.

If there are options to use JK takeoffs (or other) I'd be interested in something like that rather than buying brand new stuff. I know those are general questions, but I have no clue which Jeep parts fit other Jeeps.

Thanks again.

To clarify, are we just talking forest service type roads? If that is the case, nothing really. If the WJ is completely stock you'll likely have 29" tires. Most people do a lift. My advice is keep it 3" or less otherwise it gets more complicated and out of your budget. Even at 3" you won't fit a 32" tire. As stated above, 245/70/17 is the biggest you can go and still fit the spare in the spare tire storage. Get the V8 and Quadradrive. Up Country suspension is nice with factory skids. Earlier years had brake issues. Get a late 2001 or newer for the better brakes or just swap out the front calipers to Akebonos style. If the engine overheats it is done. Blown head gasket equals death on the V8. Major thing on a WJ is the maintenance. Every 30k miles changes front and rear diff and transfer case fluids, along with and spark plus. Use the wrong fluids and you are in trouble.

Good resources are www.jeepforum.com (WJ section) and also www.wjjeeps.com. Depending on your planned trips you'll only have a range of about 220 miles fully loaded (possibly less). If doing some rougher roads get some rock sliders or you will end up smashing up a door sill. They are very capable vehicles, but from a reliability view, especially given the age, not as great. That's just my opinion (actually my experience), but I've had enough issues with mine that I am planning on moving to a 100 series Land Cruiser. You may want to consider the same. Might push your budget a bit, but worth pondering. That being said, I've been able to go pretty much anywhere I've wanted as long as I've had the ground clearance.

 

[TFin04]

To clarify, are we just talking forest service type roads? If that is the case, nothing really. If the WJ is completely stock you'll likely have 29" tires. Most people do a lift. My advice is keep it 3" or less otherwise it gets more complicated and out of your budget. Even at 3" you won't fit a 32" tire. As stated above, 245/70/17 is the biggest you can go and still fit the spare in the spare tire storage. Get the V8 and Quadradrive. Up Country suspension is nice with factory skids. Earlier years had brake issues. Get a late 2001 or newer for the better brakes or just swap out the front calipers to Akebonos style. If the engine overheats it is done. Blown head gasket equals death on the V8. Major thing on a WJ is the maintenance. Every 30k miles changes front and rear diff and transfer case fluids, along with and spark plus. Use the wrong fluids and you are in trouble.

Good resources are www.jeepforum.com (WJ section) and also www.wjjeeps.com. Depending on your planned trips you'll only have a range of about 220 miles fully loaded (possibly less). If doing some rougher roads get some rock sliders or you will end up smashing up a door sill. They are very capable vehicles, but from a reliability view, especially given the age, not as great. That's just my opinion (actually my experience), but I've had enough issues with mine that I am planning on moving to a 100 series Land Cruiser. You may want to consider the same. Might push your budget a bit, but worth pondering. That being said, I've been able to go pretty much anywhere I've wanted as long as I've had the ground clearance.

Just the kind of info I'm looking for, thanks. I'm not dead set on the WJ yet, but it is currently leading the pack. I'm also looking at Sequoia's and a little less so at Tahoe's and Expeditions. I'd love a V8 4runner but I just cant make one work with my budget.

 

[kojackJKU]

If you want some extra space the expy and tahoe/suburban are great options. You can get a quick lift and 33s on either for cheap, and you have TONS of room for gear etc.

 

[Jeepinaaron]

Out of the box they are great. The biggest advantage of a WJ over a 100 land cruiser, in my opinion, is the solid front axle. Much better off-road. I wish the Jeep WK's would have had the solid front axle and I would have got one of those but I just couldn't sacrifice that solid front axle.

Top modifications:
#1 - Rocker protection. Nothing sucks worse than misjudging clearance and crunching your rocker.
#2 - 2-3" Lift (I am a fan of OME)
#3 - Said lift will allow you to fit 31-32" tires.
#4 - Sway bar disconnects.
#5 - Winch (if you don't want to throw on new bumpers check out HK Off-road's hidden winch mount)

I ran the above combination of modifications on Hell's Revenge and Moab Rim in Moab, and drove from NC to Utah and back in comfort.

I've had a Jeep TJ, LJ, and XJ Cherokee. The WJ is the best all around Jeep I've had.

 

[chasespeed]

I'll add another vote for the WJ. We've been pleasantly surprised with it. We have three kids, and a dog... It can be tight when loaded down. Looking at doing a trailer....

But, the OME stuff is nice. Though, I haven't used it in a jeep.

I'm running a Clayton Long Arm, and it's amazing how well it drives.

I stuck with the tried and true 4.slow. Not going to win any races... But, we have another ride for that.....

Chase

 

[hxcjohnny]

Having owned an 02 WJ overland I'm a little partial to them, but in my opinion there's no comparison in reliability between it and a Toyota. The Toyota is heads and tails more reliable. The 4.7 in the jeep is a strong engine, but definitely not without its issues. They're prone to sludge if not meticulously maintained. Valve seats and dropped valves are another major issue with them. I bought mine with a sludged up, spun bearing motor at 112k miles. I sourced a 30k mile engine from an 04 and swapped it in. I've put 100k miles on it since with no issue. I'm Meticulous about oil changes and using synthetic fluid. My dad bought it from me last year and has had no issue with the engine.

The rest of the jeep is where you spend a ton of money. The quadradrive system is finicky. It's great when it works correctly, but you have to buy dealer only mopar fluid for the 247 transfer case, and the friction modifier you use in both the case and the axles are dealer only as well. As they age it takes more friction modifier to keep the packs from binding up in the diffs and the t-case. If you get a limited or overland model you'll have the automatic dual climate hvac system. The blend doors are going to fail at some point in the jeep's life. It's fixable at home for about $100 if you're ok cutting your hvac box and patching it with aluminum ducting tape. If you take it to a shop to be repaired, be prepared to spend $1,000 on the repair as the book calls for like 10 hours labor. Evaporators and heater cores are prone to leak requiring a dash pull. The recirculating door also breaks and requires the dash to come out. There are tons of other small issues the jeeps have. One issue is the wiring in the door jambs. They get brittle and break over time. There's a black ground wire in the driver's door that breaks. Interior lights stay on, door locks don't work, and the key fob quits working. It's just a matter of fixing that wire, but I had to repair it 3 times over a 5 year period. Window regulators are another. Chrysler is notorious for crappy window regulators. All 4 have been replaced at least once in mine now. Chrysler is also bad about water pumps. Make sure to keep an eye on that. Aluminum heads on a cast iron block do not take well to overheating. Cook it once and be prepared to have warped heads.

I loved my WJ. Had a ton of power, the 545rfe transmission is rock solid(same trans behind the 5.7 hemi in 2500 rams), and was a dream to drive, but it was an extremely expensive vehicle to maintain. The price I paid for my jeep made it worth it, but don't expect it to be a cheap vehicle to own.

Just FYI... I really did enjoy the WJ and would own another one for sure. I would just be extremely picky in choosing one.

 

[TFin04]

Thanks guys. I think I'm just going to keep saving until I find a Sequoia I like. The extra space and margin of reliability will be worth it, I think. Were I able to shop under 100k miles it might be a different story. Appreciate all your input.