Jeep Cherokee dependability .why are some so bad?

I've heard both sides.either LOVE a Jeep or HATE a Jeep. I am thinking of to get one, but I heard the 2000 and below models have tranny problems and also frame/body problems. Is this true?

What is the major argument about the problem with the Jeeps? How can I tell if I'm about to buy one of those problem Jeeps?

It's a 1999 restricted with 127,000 miles 4wd v8. Is there a VIN# range or something where I can tell if it's one of the bunk Jeeps?

Thanks.

Jeeps and most rear/four wheel drive Daimler Chrysler company vehicles are straight up tranny eaters. that is what you get when you put a little tranny in a big car. Couple that with some off road fun or towing and bingo, you need a tranny. A inquisitive failure common here in Illinois is the rubber fill/inspection plugs in the differential covers dry rot and literally bocome absent, allowing both contagion and patial loss of the lubricant, with evident results. The bearings get noisy and go out. Something to look at. I have not seen much trouble with body rust here.

Tranny for sure. my boyfriend's car hit 140,000 an has had the tranny replace twice already. and it is falling separately again. it is a 97.

I could say forget it. I has lots of miles on it already.

if it has a v8 it is not a cherokee atleast not in the states. It must be a great cherokee.

You are in luck, the move case you're worried about is the New procedure 249 with and early design viscous coupling. It has been changed and redesigned for 1999. You have the newer model and the improved case.
Beyond that, have 1990 with original transmission behind a stroker engine and a changed great of 1993..Crummy trans leaked out the input shaft at around 200.000, so was rebuilt then. Like all things, how was the car maintained to this point? Has the transmission oil and filter been changed on a regular basis and the move and rear gear cases?
Maintenance if the most important item to check if possible on ANY used car or truck.
Good Luck,

The issues that arrise, are caused by holders neglecting maintenance. If you take care of the car properly, i.e. oil/filter changes every 3,000 miles, transmission service every 55,000 miles, the car will last lots longer. VIN numbers are not going to help tell you what form the car is in.

If the last owner of the car does not remember when the last time the oil has been changed then most probably the car was neglected.

If the last owner has every receipt on work done to the car, that is the one you want, as that means the owner took care of the car and had services performed punctually or when something went wrong.

the fifth VIN number will answer that for you. that could be the one that tells you your's isn't a 4.0L. don't purchase it

The only issue I have seen on the V8 great Cherokee is that the ones equipped with a Dana 35 rear axle have issues with the carrier bearings not being beefy enough to manage the power from the V8 motor. When you realize there's a problem, it typically means replacing at least the carrier, spider gears, ring & pinion gears and the bearings. It doesn't take more driving to score the axles and tear up the axle bearing also.

That fix will run from $1400.00 to $2000.00 dollars based on the availability of parts and finding a qualified person to set the ring and pinion. To my shock, the small town I'm from in eastern KY not has a person qualified to do that kind of work at the dealer so we had to have a mechanic from another dealer come in and setup the axle on my great Cherokee.