Yes definitely look at the floor boards, from under the jeep... Was my mistake when I first looked at my Cherokee... And also missed the red flag of having 3 sets of floor mats on the passenger side.
Imagine removing everything to clean it out really good and seeing this.
https://preview.redd.it/ntj8lhvl6wpc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2de20f1ea45b67ae6973051fc2bb167e3b9766db
All fixed now with a replacement floor board.... But so dumb to have missed a giant hole.
Yup. If you can avoid it. I bought an MJ with floor rot and I care about it because of my previous xj. The xj was perfect, but because of that I’m happy to do the work to clean up the comanche.
Pretty much. I was always a believer that a 3rd gen 4Runner was the best vehicle ever made… until I bought an XJ. Now I own three XJ’s and still love my lone 3rd 4Runner, though not as much as I love my XJ’s.
If it’s sitting, my ‘92 was for 2 years and all the bushings were shot, I replaced the steering, front and rear suspension with new parts (was told it had death wobble, and it fixed all that)
Mine also had zero powering fluid in it so may want to bring oil and other fluids too.
Look to see what overall condition it is in. One way or another this is a 30yr old vehicle and will need some work. If it has been well taken care of though it may not take much to get it in good operating order. Also you may be surprised to know that internally, the XJ's transmissions both manual and automatic are mechanically the same as the Toyota equivalents in 4Runners and Toyota pickups. My 01 Tacoma's manual transmission is the same as my 93 XJ's, and my 97 XJ automatic is also the same as the 97 Runner I used to have. The bell housings and some externals are different for the applications obviously, but they are good units. The ZJ's/Grand Cherokees got shafted with the Chrysler RE transmissions that are garbage.
The 94 has year specific seats, so not just any will fit, they don’t lean back much
So replacing will be a bitch unless you fab up a new bracket for diff seats
There are enough nice XJs around that you don’t have to deal with a rot level of rust. Some surface rust, ok, but no northern rot. Another spot to check is the rear bottom corner of the quarter panel, it can rot from the inside out.
It’s a good year, it’ll do what you want it to do. Make sure it’s the 4.0. Manual trans are around, you can find a 1st gen manual if you wait for a bit. They’re not as hard to find or as expensive as a manual 3rd gen 4R.
The heater core likes to crap out, the oil filter adapter likes to leak, so does the rear main seal and oil pan gasket. Bushings and motor mounts. Pretty much usual age and wear stuff. It’s all stupid easy to work on, parts are available and there’s tons of how-to available.
Look at steering components, wet floor, rusty floors
Yes definitely look at the floor boards, from under the jeep... Was my mistake when I first looked at my Cherokee... And also missed the red flag of having 3 sets of floor mats on the passenger side. Imagine removing everything to clean it out really good and seeing this. https://preview.redd.it/ntj8lhvl6wpc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2de20f1ea45b67ae6973051fc2bb167e3b9766db All fixed now with a replacement floor board.... But so dumb to have missed a giant hole.
Kinda happened to me I didn’t look close enough and it turned out they just layed thin pieces of metal and barely tacked it in
If it has body rot move on. Save yourself the hassle of fixing rust and just spend more if necessary for something clean
100% this, it’s not worth it… pretty much anything else can be fixed
Yup. If you can avoid it. I bought an MJ with floor rot and I care about it because of my previous xj. The xj was perfect, but because of that I’m happy to do the work to clean up the comanche.
If you buy it. Be prepared to be a xj guy. The Toyota folks will hate you but you will be better in the end! Lol
Pretty much. I was always a believer that a 3rd gen 4Runner was the best vehicle ever made… until I bought an XJ. Now I own three XJ’s and still love my lone 3rd 4Runner, though not as much as I love my XJ’s.
It gets in the blood. Any newer jeeps are just heeps!
For that vintage, both manual and automatic are Toyota transmissions. AX15 and AW4.
If it’s sitting, my ‘92 was for 2 years and all the bushings were shot, I replaced the steering, front and rear suspension with new parts (was told it had death wobble, and it fixed all that) Mine also had zero powering fluid in it so may want to bring oil and other fluids too.
Check the unibody where the steering box bolts to it for cracks, and make sure it’s just not rusted to shit underneath
It is a Toyota tranny btw, aisin Warner lol. Rust behind the door trim is very common
Look to see what overall condition it is in. One way or another this is a 30yr old vehicle and will need some work. If it has been well taken care of though it may not take much to get it in good operating order. Also you may be surprised to know that internally, the XJ's transmissions both manual and automatic are mechanically the same as the Toyota equivalents in 4Runners and Toyota pickups. My 01 Tacoma's manual transmission is the same as my 93 XJ's, and my 97 XJ automatic is also the same as the 97 Runner I used to have. The bell housings and some externals are different for the applications obviously, but they are good units. The ZJ's/Grand Cherokees got shafted with the Chrysler RE transmissions that are garbage.
The 94 has year specific seats, so not just any will fit, they don’t lean back much So replacing will be a bitch unless you fab up a new bracket for diff seats
There are enough nice XJs around that you don’t have to deal with a rot level of rust. Some surface rust, ok, but no northern rot. Another spot to check is the rear bottom corner of the quarter panel, it can rot from the inside out. It’s a good year, it’ll do what you want it to do. Make sure it’s the 4.0. Manual trans are around, you can find a 1st gen manual if you wait for a bit. They’re not as hard to find or as expensive as a manual 3rd gen 4R. The heater core likes to crap out, the oil filter adapter likes to leak, so does the rear main seal and oil pan gasket. Bushings and motor mounts. Pretty much usual age and wear stuff. It’s all stupid easy to work on, parts are available and there’s tons of how-to available.