XJ Wheeler
04-09-2014, 01:04 AM
4-8-2014
To commemorate ten years today behind the wheel of my jeep "Stormy".
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I'd be lying if i said owning a jeep is easy or cheap, and i think most come into the hobby knowing this. Overall, each hurdle is an experience all its own. But, i believe this all adds up to gaining knowledge, experience, and possibly some fun. This adventure continues to draw people to down the path of Jeepdom.
On April 8th of 2004 i officially began my adventure.
Knowing my 16th birthday was on the horizon it was finally time to get my own vehicle. A purchase i had dreamed of for years. Putting a lot of thought into my choice as such. For a long time i admired and wanted a Suzuki Samurai, and if i had been able to get a vehicle at 13 i would have probably went that direction. However in those next couple years i realized just how small they are. This isn't a big deal for just me but i wanted to be able to have family and friends ride along or haul items larger than a suitcase, so the mini-ute just wasn't practical. Although i guess more important in my decision making was for most of my life (what i can remember anyway) we've owned a jeep, and loved them. Oddly enough, mainly cherokees and grands (solid axle variety only). Back in 2004 again and we had already had our '93 zj for 8 years and it was like part of the family from day one. Also, i got to experience my brothers '90 XJ for a couple years already at that time. So, when finalizing my choice of the vehicle i wanted to become the first vehicle i would ever own... it was a no brainer. It had to be the Cherokee.
As the day grew closer i searched more and more. With a limited budget, $2000, most were out of reach. And at one point i found a '99 that was exceptional but far more than my price range had to offer. But, a plan was hatched. My mom offered to add the rest if, and only if it could be used as the family vehicle. At the time the newest vehicle we had was my late grandpas '94 chevy 1500. And there's nothing wrong with that, don't get me wrong, but for trips or just plain reliability a newer Cherokee fit the bill perfectly. Plus i kinda knew whatever i got, depending on driveability of course, would be used by all anyway. So it was sorta a win-win. However... the call to inquire was met with the response of it had been sold. But with the promise to locate one similar. As the days passed i lost hope and the return call of a replacement never came. I had been continuing the search all along and my criteria didn't help in finding the right one. It was a must for the chosen one to have the 4 litre, auto, and 4wd. Most of the rest was up for debate but problem is the area i lived in the majority of jeep were certainly not four wheel drive so that didn't help. So with only a couple weeks left before i was informed to check the classifieds in the local paper (back when they still had that) and the search turned up two results.
The first was an '89 Limited, white, leather, for $1,375. The second was a '92 Laredo for $1,300. I don't remember even calling about the '89, and can't think of a reason why but the call was placed for the '92. It sounded fairly nice, for the price, and fit my criteria perfectly. The owner said her father was doing a bit of work on it the next morning but would be fine to come and look after it was completed. (just a u-joint so not much of a worry as far as purchasing the vehicle) We scheduled it for early morning and it was in a town called Waller. At the time we were living in Conroe, and it was a ways drive and we aren't morning people so it was tiring but there's no way i could be more excited. Like a kid going to candy store i guess. I still remember pulling in their driveway to see it sitting there.
Others may have seen a generic Jeep Cherokee sitting there, dirty and in need of some body work. But feeling excited and admittedly somewhat naive it was love at first site. It was completely stock, unless you count the driving lights that were aftermarket but looked factory that didn't work or the trailer hitch that was only a 1 5/8". I wanted stock anyways. I knew that whatever i got would be with me as long as possible. I heard too many stories about guys selling their first car and regretting it, and you only have one first car. Also, i wanted to be able to say when i'm old "that was my first vehicle, I've had it for 50-60-70 years... May not be able to drive it by then though. :P Back to the story...
The owner was a girl named Michelle, maybe early 20 something, who had recently moved back to the area from Iowa. The typical talk about the vehicle ensued. Once we got through some of that it was time to test drive it! Since i didn't have a license yet the duty went to my mom. We took it for a short-er drive and stopped to look it over. Felt more comfortable doing so away from the owner. Found some issues, mostly nothing major, stuff like driving lights weren't working. The bigger stuff was some rust in the rockers and the bottom of the rear quarters, some small dents from hail, and the rear pass side had been hit by a hit and run driver while the owner was working her shift at walmart. It had been parked out of sight from the cameras so no one was caught. Thankfully it was only the rear bumper/mount and right tail light, which are both pretty easy to replace and i knew i'd want a heavy duty bumper eventually so no big deal. Just something to help with the price. But it had the 4.0, auto, np231, hi-pinion d30, 8.25, working a/c, and was overall nice enough (just not cleaned or vacummed at all. I could see potential underneath it all. It was the best color you could get in a jeep, blue of course, and had a nice silver/gray on the bottom as the Laredos offered. I can't say i've ever been much of a two-tone person but jeeps do it so well i actually really like it.
On the drive i thought about the price and i thought to just ask for a little less, and once we got back from the test drive i did just that. Figured a thousand may just be too low so $1,100 was the number in my head. I could tell she was a little apprehensive but she accepted. She had decided to purchase a new two door cavalier her sister had so she needed the down payment money, hence the sale. Which i thought was a bit ironic. Since i was buying a jeep xj like my brother had. But the real point is... Woohoo!!! I now owned a jeep!!!
To be continued...
To commemorate ten years today behind the wheel of my jeep "Stormy".
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd be lying if i said owning a jeep is easy or cheap, and i think most come into the hobby knowing this. Overall, each hurdle is an experience all its own. But, i believe this all adds up to gaining knowledge, experience, and possibly some fun. This adventure continues to draw people to down the path of Jeepdom.
On April 8th of 2004 i officially began my adventure.
Knowing my 16th birthday was on the horizon it was finally time to get my own vehicle. A purchase i had dreamed of for years. Putting a lot of thought into my choice as such. For a long time i admired and wanted a Suzuki Samurai, and if i had been able to get a vehicle at 13 i would have probably went that direction. However in those next couple years i realized just how small they are. This isn't a big deal for just me but i wanted to be able to have family and friends ride along or haul items larger than a suitcase, so the mini-ute just wasn't practical. Although i guess more important in my decision making was for most of my life (what i can remember anyway) we've owned a jeep, and loved them. Oddly enough, mainly cherokees and grands (solid axle variety only). Back in 2004 again and we had already had our '93 zj for 8 years and it was like part of the family from day one. Also, i got to experience my brothers '90 XJ for a couple years already at that time. So, when finalizing my choice of the vehicle i wanted to become the first vehicle i would ever own... it was a no brainer. It had to be the Cherokee.
As the day grew closer i searched more and more. With a limited budget, $2000, most were out of reach. And at one point i found a '99 that was exceptional but far more than my price range had to offer. But, a plan was hatched. My mom offered to add the rest if, and only if it could be used as the family vehicle. At the time the newest vehicle we had was my late grandpas '94 chevy 1500. And there's nothing wrong with that, don't get me wrong, but for trips or just plain reliability a newer Cherokee fit the bill perfectly. Plus i kinda knew whatever i got, depending on driveability of course, would be used by all anyway. So it was sorta a win-win. However... the call to inquire was met with the response of it had been sold. But with the promise to locate one similar. As the days passed i lost hope and the return call of a replacement never came. I had been continuing the search all along and my criteria didn't help in finding the right one. It was a must for the chosen one to have the 4 litre, auto, and 4wd. Most of the rest was up for debate but problem is the area i lived in the majority of jeep were certainly not four wheel drive so that didn't help. So with only a couple weeks left before i was informed to check the classifieds in the local paper (back when they still had that) and the search turned up two results.
The first was an '89 Limited, white, leather, for $1,375. The second was a '92 Laredo for $1,300. I don't remember even calling about the '89, and can't think of a reason why but the call was placed for the '92. It sounded fairly nice, for the price, and fit my criteria perfectly. The owner said her father was doing a bit of work on it the next morning but would be fine to come and look after it was completed. (just a u-joint so not much of a worry as far as purchasing the vehicle) We scheduled it for early morning and it was in a town called Waller. At the time we were living in Conroe, and it was a ways drive and we aren't morning people so it was tiring but there's no way i could be more excited. Like a kid going to candy store i guess. I still remember pulling in their driveway to see it sitting there.
Others may have seen a generic Jeep Cherokee sitting there, dirty and in need of some body work. But feeling excited and admittedly somewhat naive it was love at first site. It was completely stock, unless you count the driving lights that were aftermarket but looked factory that didn't work or the trailer hitch that was only a 1 5/8". I wanted stock anyways. I knew that whatever i got would be with me as long as possible. I heard too many stories about guys selling their first car and regretting it, and you only have one first car. Also, i wanted to be able to say when i'm old "that was my first vehicle, I've had it for 50-60-70 years... May not be able to drive it by then though. :P Back to the story...
The owner was a girl named Michelle, maybe early 20 something, who had recently moved back to the area from Iowa. The typical talk about the vehicle ensued. Once we got through some of that it was time to test drive it! Since i didn't have a license yet the duty went to my mom. We took it for a short-er drive and stopped to look it over. Felt more comfortable doing so away from the owner. Found some issues, mostly nothing major, stuff like driving lights weren't working. The bigger stuff was some rust in the rockers and the bottom of the rear quarters, some small dents from hail, and the rear pass side had been hit by a hit and run driver while the owner was working her shift at walmart. It had been parked out of sight from the cameras so no one was caught. Thankfully it was only the rear bumper/mount and right tail light, which are both pretty easy to replace and i knew i'd want a heavy duty bumper eventually so no big deal. Just something to help with the price. But it had the 4.0, auto, np231, hi-pinion d30, 8.25, working a/c, and was overall nice enough (just not cleaned or vacummed at all. I could see potential underneath it all. It was the best color you could get in a jeep, blue of course, and had a nice silver/gray on the bottom as the Laredos offered. I can't say i've ever been much of a two-tone person but jeeps do it so well i actually really like it.
On the drive i thought about the price and i thought to just ask for a little less, and once we got back from the test drive i did just that. Figured a thousand may just be too low so $1,100 was the number in my head. I could tell she was a little apprehensive but she accepted. She had decided to purchase a new two door cavalier her sister had so she needed the down payment money, hence the sale. Which i thought was a bit ironic. Since i was buying a jeep xj like my brother had. But the real point is... Woohoo!!! I now owned a jeep!!!
To be continued...