According to the seller of today’s Nice Price or No Dice Jeep, pretty much everything that can be replaced has been. There’s still some work to be done, and we’ll have to decide if that means the price also needs fixing.
The 1972 Mercedes-Benz 280SEL 4.5 we looked at last Friday was reminiscent of one of those Octoberfest barmaids who, amazingly, can carry six giant beer steins in each hand—sturdy, capable, and oddly intriguing. Unfortunately, the Benz’s $39,900 asking price proved about as popular as a skunky Schwarzbier. Ultimately, that went down in an overwhelming 81 percent No Dice loss.
Many people equate the beginning of the SUV and Crossover era—the automotive equivalent to the zombie apocalypse—with the introduction of the Ford Explorer in 1990. As popular and category-defining as that model may have been, it was, in reality, a reactionary response to Jeep’s successful Cherokee line that had debuted seven years earlier. Today, old Cherokees are still sought-after or maintained as treasured keepsakes. On the other hand, Old Explorers tend to have long been kicked to the curb.
This 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport appears to be one of those long-term relationship trucks, as the seller claims in the ad to have owned the two-door 4X4 for 13 years. According to the ad, over the course of that time, it’s had lots of standard maintenance and time and use-related refreshes, all of which have allowed the Jeep to reach a laudable 188,936 miles while still looking presentable.
This is a well-kitted truck, too. The specs include Jeep’s stout 4.0 straight six, which out the gate offered 193 horsepower and 231 lb-ft of torque. That’s partnered with a five-speed manual transmission and Command-Trac 4WD. The seller claims the Jeep has been well-maintained over the span of their ownership, and aside from some minor rust on the door jamb and rear fender, it all looks to be in solid shape. The interior, too, in cloth and fitted with an aftermarket CD stereo, looks perfectly up to the task.
It’s not all Rubicons and rock-hopping, however. Most notably, the ad advises that both the clutch and the A/C need work. A clutch job is something that could be done in a weekend by an eager backyard wrencher, but A/C work requires expensive equipment and is probably left to the professionals. There are additional issues involving a headliner losing its eternal battle with gravity and a rear window wiper that doesn’t want to wipe anymore.
Then there’s the somewhat cryptic note in the ad that the Jeep is “not insured and not licensed.” That’s a pain in the neck if back registration is due or there’s an issue with the title. We can pile onto all of that the fact that the pictures in the ad have a date stamp that’s three years old. We should also address whatever weirdness is going on with the Zip-tied insulating wrap that has been applied to the intake.
Taken all together, that’s quite the Yin and Yang of a presentation for this Jeep. After having gone through all that and ruminated on the inherent desirability of the basic model, we now need to consider its $7,500 asking price.
What’s your take on this two-door 4X4 and that $7,500 price tag, in light of the work it needs and the rust it has? Does that balance seem fair? Or would it be better to look elsewhere?
You decide!
Seattle, Washington, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!
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