4-Door Jeep: Good idea? Input desired.

[Netpackrat]

Maintenance wise, you aren't going to see much difference between a Cherokee (XJ) and a TJ or LJ Wrangler, because mechanically they're just about the same thing. They use almost the exact same drivetrain (XJ has a reverse cut front axle, Wrangler doesn't), same front suspension, same instruments and very similar electrical systems. The main differences in the XJ are the leaf spring rear suspension (the TJ/LJ coils are better both off road and on), and the unibody construction (really only an advantage if you are the manufacturer). The XJ had some transfer case options that the Wranglers never got, but there was never an XJ Rubicon package either.

There was some criticism above about the trade off between street and off road use, but no matter what Jeep builds, nobody is going to be totally happy with it. The fact of the matter is, stock for stock, a Wrangler has more off road capability than just about any other rig out there, until you start getting into Defenders and G-Wagens at double or more the price. And if you want to upgrade it for better off road performance, the Wrangler still wins on best bang for your buck. They could make a vehicle that is more off-road biased from the factory, but then only a relative few hardcore types would buy it. They could make it more biased towards on-road use, but then it would no longer be a Jeep. As it is they are building a lot of non-Jeep Jeeps. A lot of us denigrate those things, but due to the CAFE rules that are in place, all of those cute-utes end up allowing Jeep to build more rigs that people like me would want to buy.

[Aesop]

No personal experience but it has been repeatedly recommended to me that if I want a capable jeep to get on old Cherokee or similar vintage regular jeep.

X2. The guy that has worked with me for the last 14 years has had the older ones, Cherokee and Comanche pick up and his maintenance has been minimal. Then again he used to do mechanic work so he treats them well.

X3.
I drove an old Cherokee from new to 150K mi until some dopey bitch hit it and totaled it.
If they still made the Comanche p/u I'd buy 3 of them.

[Termite]

1969 Land Rover
But you need a 470 NE double rifle to go with it.

[MarkD]

My niece and her husband have one. He says it's noisy at highway speeds (the two clip-things are the only thing holding the hood down, so it vibrates, among other things).

My wife drives a 2006 Liberty and we've had no complaints with it. It's perfect for what we bought it for, a commuting car for her, a grocery getter, and something we know can handle some snow or can deal with it if we park on a grass lot and it rains (unlike my Mustang).