Description
1995 Jeep Cherokee XJ 4. 0 Limited SE, 4-speed automatic, finished in its original dark green metallic with beige leather, electric seats and walnut-effect trim. It has covered around 78, 000 miles.
I bought it privately in 2010 from a property developer in Finchley, London. I understand it had been his mother’s car and had spent around two years stored in an underground car park. I am its fourth keeper. The full MOT history is available online and shows just over 5, 000 miles in 16 years of my ownership. It has been used only for local trips and has never been off-road. There’s no full service history, but I have some invoices from my ownership, and I’ve always had whatever it needed done as it came up.
For full transparency, the car was recorded as a Category C insurance write-off in November 2007, three years before I bought it. It was repaired and passed its DVLA identity check, and I’ve owned it for sixteen years since. I have a current HPI check 31/ 10/ 2026, which is otherwise clear: no finance, never stolen, no plate or colour changes, and no mileage discrepancies. Happy to send it to anyone interested.
The 4. 0 straight six feels strong, and the car starts, drives and stops as it should. It has been off the road since its MOT expired in September 2024. When I took it to my local garage for its MOT, two problems came up. The first was the ABS warning light, which I’m fairly sure is down to failed ABS reluctor rings. The garage wanted to rule out anything else, but the car’s diagnostic port is too early to work with modern OBD readers, so they couldn’t plug it in. The second is that it needs some welding. The garage pointed to the inner sills, and I suspect the areas around the rear suspension mounts may need attention too. Until someone gets stuck in, it’s hard to say how far it goes, so please assume there may be more to do once the metal is opened up. I’d started a partial restoration, but with several other cars and part of the year spent abroad, I simply don’t have the time to finish it.
Over the years I’ve fitted a Janspeed exhaust, a new Alpine stereo with Alpine speakers, and a brand new Bizub tow hook that has never been used. It sits on four good General Grabber tyres, and the car is in good average condition for its age. A spare set of white steel wheels is included if wanted. They have tyres on, but they’re old and should be replaced before use.
Located in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Viewing welcome. As it has no current MOT, it will need to be collected by trailer or transporter. Sold as seen.
This is my third Cherokee. I bought it as our snow car, and it has never let us down in the snow, we used to get quite a bit in Kent. It was originally supplied by Clive Sutton of London and still wears his original dealer plate on the rear, which is a lovely bit of provenance for an XJ.
What I love most is the engine. The 4. 0 is strong and makes a great noise, especially through the Janspeed exhaust. It’s also a sensible size. I have a couple of Range Rovers, and in the snow they feel too big, whereas the Cherokee just gets on with it.
If you’d like to know more about its life with me, I’ve written about it over the years in a Readers’ Cars thread on PistonHeads called “Jeep Cherokee XJ”.
Selling it is a genuine regret, and part of me would rather keep it, but I have to be sensible about how many projects I can take on. It deserves an owner who’ll give it the attention it needs, and for the right enthusiast it’s a solid, low-mileage XJ
